Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

13" or 15" MacBook pro

ChrisWard1994

ChrisWard1994

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 13, 2011
74
3
Ireland
I'm currently thinking about purchasing my first Mac. I'm in the middle of a computer science course in university and wondering which Macbook would suit best. I do a fair amount of programming in eclipse, net beans and visual studios. Also use shiva 3D gaming environment. Also due to start AI study's next year. I'd need the 256GB storage option. I'm aware that the 15" may get a spec bump in the summer but in no major panic to buy until late summer. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Depends how much discounts matter to you.

The 15" is receiving some nice discounts right now (which can be used with other offers to get it even cheaper).

I walked out with mine for under $1500 total.

Design change it not - I'd much rather save the money than pay full price for a redesign.
 
ward670 said:
I'm aware that the 15" may get a spec bump in the summer but in no major panic to buy until late summer.
Click to expand...

If you don't need it now, then wait. Also its going to be more then a minor spec bump. Apple will be using Intel's latest chipset Broadwell which will improve power consumption, improve speed and have a much better GPU.
 
15 inch

ward670 said:
I'm currently thinking about purchasing my first Mac. I'm in the middle of a computer science course in university and wondering which Macbook would suit best. I do a fair amount of programming in eclipse, net beans and visual studios. Also use shiva 3D gaming environment. Also due to start AI study's next year. I'd need the 256GB storage option. I'm aware that the 15" may get a spec bump in the summer but in no major panic to buy until late summer. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

You will want the 15 and probably the dGPU version for that use case (3D gaming environment). I am wondering how someone who does all this programming and stuff doesn't know their own hardware needs it seems like you should study up being a programmer wioll involve a certain amount of hardware knowledge after all.

A quick google search would have showed you that shiva reccomends a modern dGPU.

http://www.shivaengine.com/

The one in the current high end 15 inch is a few years out of date now I'd definitely wait for the summer upgrade if I was you.

In fact if If I was you I'd consider a 27 inch iMac and a notebook or Ipad for taking to class. A desktop class processor and better graphics will be far more useful to you with a cheap 11 inch macbook air for lessons and daily wandering about campus.
 
maflynn said:
If you don't need it now, then wait. Also its going to be more then a minor spec bump. Apple will be using Intel's latest chipset Broadwell which will improve power consumption, improve speed and have a much better GPU.
Click to expand...

Good point on the need it now, since apple came out with this layering of energy cells, and the newer processors, GPU "Nvidia" one would think that there's going to be some serious design change. Than again maybe minimal

----------
ward670 said:
I'm currently thinking about purchasing my first Mac. I'm in the middle of a computer science course in university and wondering which Macbook would suit best. I do a fair amount of programming in eclipse, net beans and visual studios. Also use shiva 3D gaming environment. Also due to start AI study's next year. I'd need the 256GB storage option. I'm aware that the 15" may get a spec bump in the summer but in no major panic to buy until late summer. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

Since you say your in university I would think that your computer science department or book store would KNOW what computer is being recommend for the courses your taking:apple:
 
Well I was thinking towards the 15" for the extra processing power and extra screen estate for coding. Quad core I'm thinking will be more beneficiary seeing as we are now working on multi threading. Because my course falls under the Engineering category, the department recommend the one laptop across the whole engineering college, the Lenovo thinkpad t410. It seems to be fairly old at this stage though
 
ward670 said:
Well I was thinking towards the 15" for the extra processing power and extra screen estate for coding. Quad core I'm thinking will be more beneficiary seeing as we are now working on multi threading. Because my course falls under the Engineering category, the department recommend the one laptop across the whole engineering college, the Lenovo thinkpad t410. It seems to be fairly old at this stage though
Click to expand...

Old yes but it obviously still meets the requirements needed, now I'm not saying go and buy one, just that it obviously meets the needs. when it comes down to the size 15inch since your doing graphic intensive work obviously the dedicated GPU. But you already know this, look for any school discount's that you can or maybe pick one up from someone that's selling there's
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back