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asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
I'm thinking getting a 2012 MBA 13'/i5/8GB/ 256GB ssd to ios development.
 

joewillmott

macrumors regular
May 22, 2012
170
0
England
I'm thinking getting a 2012 MBA 13'/i5/8GB/ 256GB ssd to ios development.

I was using a rMBP but decided it was too much. Returned it today and my 13"/i5/8GB/128 MBA should arrive anytime after Thursday. I am sure it will be fine as I have been using a lower-res, 1GB RAM, Intel Atom laptop to develop for iOS for months.

Excited!
 

Xengo

macrumors newbie
Oct 12, 2011
6
0
I brought one at the weekend (2012/13"/i5/128GB), specifically for development.

Having used a Mac Mini previously, I'm very happy with the development speed of the new MBA, though I prefer to use a Magic Mouse over trackpad...
 

asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
Thanks all for your responses. If it's possible I would like you to post pros and cons respect developing in a mbp 13".

People tell me that a mbp is better than a mba for ios programming but I'm not sure of it, I think mba is a powerfull mac for all purposes except video editing.
 

mrs1986

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
I ask the same here so i dont make a new thread about this...

I'm debatting between the MBA base vs the MBP with 256gb SSD and 8gb of ram, of course, i will get the ram and SSD from amazon togheter with the laptop.

I take in count that the pro with those specs cost me a few more bucks... like 300...

My only concern about the air is the ram, 4gb of ram (the one i can get in amazon) i dont know if they will be enough for a good couple of years...

My main use will be development, java, .NET and i hope soon iOS too...

What do you think? The 4gb on the air will last for those 3 or 4 years?? Or i should go directly for the Pro as the ram can be upgraded...

I would really love the air because of the screen and the lightness of it... I'm currently carrying around an MSI GT780 DX, is a mosnter but my back is hurting, so i dont want to go for a laptop that is slower than my iPhone...

Thanks.
 
Last edited:

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
I'm thinking getting a 2012 MBA 13'/i5/8GB/ 256GB ssd to ios development.

Exactly what kind of iOS development are we talking about here? Hello World or Infinity Blade?

----------

I ask the same here so i dont make a new thread about this...

I'm debatting between the MBA base vs the MBP with 256gb SSD and 8gb of ram, of course, i will get the ram and SSD from amazon togheter with the laptop.

My only concern about the air is the ram, 4gb of ram (the one i can get in amazon) i dont know if they will be enough for a good couple of years...

My main use will be development, java, .NET and i hope soon iOS too...

What do you think? The 4gb on the air will last for those 3 or 4 years?? Or i should go directly for the Pro as the ram can be upgraded...

I would really love the air because of the screen and the lightness of it... I'm currently carrying around an MSI GT780 DX, is a mosnter but my back is hurting, so i dont want to go for a laptop that is slower than my iPhone...

Thanks.

I would get an MBA with 8GB of RAM and an external monitor. Xcode is wonderful on wide displays. The more horizontal pixels, the better.
 

mrs1986

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
Exactly what kind of iOS development are we talking about here? Hello World or Infinity Blade?

----------



I would get an MBA with 8GB of RAM and an external monitor.

I would love to get the Air with 8gb of ram, that i think would be perfect for my needs for a while...

But because i'm not from USA i cant buy it in the apple store online... Only at a physical store but i guess they dont sell them with 8gb there neither...
 

theSeb

macrumors 604
Aug 10, 2010
7,466
1,893
none
I would love to get the Air with 8gb of ram, that i think would be perfect for my needs for a while...

But because i'm not from USA i cant buy it in the apple store online... Only at a physical store but i guess they dont sell them with 8gb there neither...

Some Apple stores carry the 8 GB model in stock. I am guessing you don't have those either in Uruguay though?
 

mrs1986

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
Some Apple stores carry the 8 GB model in stock. I am guessing you don't have those either in Uruguay though?

Hell no lol

I'm going to buy it through amazon and get it sended to a friend in usa, he is in travell for two weeks there, but he is not the right person to go to a store and buy a nice laptop, he will probably buy something from 2003 lol, he does not understand too much about this...

I saw a seller that has the 8gb version, but i dont trust any other than amazon...

Do you know if there is chances on buying in other online place?? That could accept the CC from Uruguay in this case??

Thanks
 

asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
Exactly what kind of iOS development are we talking about here? Hello World or Infinity Blade?

I'm not going to develop hardcore games. I'm going to develop some normal apps, if I develop a game it would use cocos2d or similar.
 

littfam

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2008
123
0
I'm using my MBA 2.0 Ghz i7 for Developing, and am currently saving up for a 27" display. The extra real-estate is nice to have. Processing power is not the issue here, display space is important for me at times. I will on occasion pass files between my Air and 21" iMacs in my office at home, and use the Air at my side for dev. library reference etc. The portability of the air is nice at times.
 

kthomp

macrumors newbie
Jun 26, 2012
22
0
My main use will be development, java, .NET and i hope soon iOS too...

What do you think? The 4gb on the air will last for those 3 or 4 years?? Or i should go directly for the Pro as the ram can be upgraded...
Thanks.

You might want to check out my thread here.

I ended up getting the 13" i7/8/256 MBA. So far I've been using Xcode and Visual Studio in Parallels running Windows 7 Ultimate. I've got 2 cores and 3 GB for the Windows VM, and Xcode and Visual Studio are still both very fast and responsive. Note that I am not doing any 3D or game programming. I've only been at it a week and a half, but so far it's performing extremely well (I'm outputting to my 27" monitor when I'm at my desk).
 

mrs1986

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
You might want to check out my thread here.

I ended up getting the 13" i7/8/256 MBA. So far I've been using Xcode and Visual Studio in Parallels running Windows 7 Ultimate. I've got 2 cores and 3 GB for the Windows VM, and Xcode and Visual Studio are still both very fast and responsive. Note that I am not doing any 3D or game programming. I've only been at it a week and a half, but so far it's performing extremely well (I'm outputting to my 27" monitor when I'm at my desk).

Ok, thanks for the input...

I think i should let the Air go and just get a Pro... I can get 8gb and 128Gb ssd for 1400~1450 with the i5 full speed.... And i get a external hard drive too...

Well... Thats the end of the Air for me....
 

jsolares

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2011
844
2
Land of eternal Spring
Hell no lol

I'm going to buy it through amazon and get it sent to a friend in usa, he is in travel for two weeks there, but he is not the right person to go to a store and buy a nice laptop, he will probably buy something from 2003 lol, he does not understand too much about this...

I saw a seller that has the 8gb version, but i dont trust any other than amazon...

Do you know if there is chances on buying in other online place?? That could accept the CC from Uruguay in this case??

Thanks

You could try with B&H

I was able to use google checkout with my guatemalan CC and shipped to my courier in miami, and you could also do a wire transfer to them as well
 

mrs1986

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2011
132
5
Uruguay
You could try with B&H

I was able to use google checkout with my guatemalan CC and shipped to my courier in miami, and you could also do a wire transfer to them as well

Thanks!!

Actually, they dont have stock of the one i would buy, the base one with 8gb... It cost 1299 ant that other one you pass me cost 1699... I dont doubt it cost that much, but i cant pay it right now...:(
 

Retina MacBook

macrumors regular
Jul 19, 2012
117
0
I was using a rMBP but decided it was too much. Returned it today and my 13"/i5/8GB/128 MBA should arrive anytime after Thursday. I am sure it will be fine as I have been using a lower-res, 1GB RAM, Intel Atom laptop to develop for iOS for months.

Excited!

Replacing the rMBP for an MBA? That is just wrong!
 

firewood

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2003
8,106
1,343
Silicon Valley
I've developed several iOS (iPhone and iPad) apps using Xcode on an older MBA 11. No problems whatsoever. It builds apps faster than the Mac Pro I had used before it. The display of the 11 is a bit small for testing iPad apps, but I use a real iPad for that anyway, and the MBA can also hook up a large monitor for working on big artwork.

I have an even faster MBP 13, but I much prefer the MBA 11's portability, as I don't like to sit at a desk or any one spot when developing.
 

asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
I've developed several iOS (iPhone and iPad) apps using Xcode on an older MBA 11. No problems whatsoever. It builds apps faster than the Mac Pro I had used before it. The display of the 11 is a bit small for testing iPad apps, but I use a real iPad for that anyway, and the MBA can also hook up a large monitor for working on big artwork.

I have an even faster MBP 13, but I much prefer the MBA 11's portability, as I don't like to sit at a desk or any one spot when developing.

Thanks, your reply was very usefull.
 

bizack

macrumors 6502a
Apr 21, 2009
611
399
I'm thinking getting a 2012 MBA 13'/i5/8GB/ 256GB ssd to ios development.

I use a 2012 MBA 11/i7/8GB/256GB for iOS (and other) development. I like that I can fit my entire dev studio into a small bag and hop from coffee shop to coffee shop with very little weight. Lots of great Mac OS apps that make handling screen real estate easy. I have five iOS apps in the app store that were developed on an 11" MBA, from medium to large projects (including asset design).

Hope that helps.
 

asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
I use a 2012 MBA 11/i7/8GB/256GB for iOS (and other) development. I like that I can fit my entire dev studio into a small bag and hop from coffee shop to coffee shop with very little weight. Lots of great Mac OS apps that make handling screen real estate easy. I have five iOS apps in the app store that were developed on an 11" MBA, from medium to large projects (including asset design).

Hope that helps.

Yes, it helps me very much.

About compilation times, there is much difference between a mba and a mbp?
I'm thinking in large projects. I know that ssd makes difference but processor is important too.
 

bizack

macrumors 6502a
Apr 21, 2009
611
399
Yes, it helps me very much.

About compilation times, there is much difference between a mba and a mbp?
I'm thinking in large projects. I know that ssd makes difference but processor is important too.

Depends on which MBP. The 13" MBP and the CTO MacBook Air (2.0GHz) are pretty close. One of the larger apps I wrote is ~18MB (binary) and compiles pretty quickly (compilation times are not my bottleneck... I am). A lot of people here argue the 2.0GHz upgrade isn't worth it, but if you're using your machine for development, I think it's definitely worth it.
 

asenor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
7
0
Depends on which MBP. The 13" MBP and the CTO MacBook Air (2.0GHz) are pretty close. One of the larger apps I wrote is ~18MB (binary) and compiles pretty quickly (compilation times are not my bottleneck... I am). A lot of people here argue the 2.0GHz upgrade isn't worth it, but if you're using your machine for development, I think it's definitely worth it.

I'm thinking always in 13' models. I need a portable computer and I have a 22" screen to conect it.

I thought at i5 over i7 for the little difference about battery, it could be cooler than i7 and, of course, for the money. Am I wrong?
 

solderguy1

macrumors member
Apr 20, 2012
40
0
Yes, using a 2011 256G MBA as a full mobile suite.

MacOS half of disk
Xcode
VirtualBox with a bunch of linux VMs and Win8 consumer preview

BootCamp half of disk with Windows 7
Java and Eclipse for Android
Visual Studio with SDK for Windows phone
Bunch of other software like Paint.net, Selenium, and Robotium

20-ish Apress Ebooks on mobile. The cyber Monday (right after Black Friday) price got down to $10.50 each in bulk.

It's handled everything thrown at it so far. I love my MBA.
 
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