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Apple developer looking for a Mac

I

Ivaneduardo747

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 30, 2010
9
0
Hello!

Im looking for a Mac for iOS development, general use, programming and for using electrical engineering software.

I have a $1200 budget and I want to get the best for the money. Here are some posibilities I have considered:

1. The base iMac model
2. A 13" MacBook Pro
3. A Mac mini + Magic Mouse and Wireless keyboard + ~$200 monitor

Will the MacBook Pro be able to run X-Code and the simulator properly?
Will the MacBook Pro's screen be able to display the iPad simulator properly?
Which one has the best value fr the money?
Is the MacBook pro a good deal for the price?
I have found that:
I couldn't take the iMac with me as I would with a Mac mini or a MacBook Pro.
The MacBook is kind of expensive for having a core 2 Duo
The Mac mini too
The I3 on the iMac is fantastic
The Mac mini clutters my desk

Thanks.

*
 
They will all be fast enough. It really boils down to:

1. Do you need the portability? Then the MacBook Pro. Frankly I fine the display
cramped for programming, and the ergonomics of all notebooks are poor.
2. If you don't need to buy a keyboard, mouse, or display, the Mac mini.
3. Otherwise the iMac is the best value.

I'd recommend the iMac since you are talking about buying keyboard mouse and display.
 
Get an iMac! That'll offer the best performance and be the most practical one. Shame about the glossy screen, though.
 
You need to decide how important a factor portability is, considering you need the computer mainly for a professional purpose.
 
Will the MacBook Pro be able to run X-Code and the simulator properly?

Yes. I use mine to do this professionally.

Will the MacBook Pro's screen be able to display the iPad simulator properly?

Yes. Apple makes it so that when the simulator is in portrait, it scales it down. In landscape it's full resolution.

Which one has the best value fr the money?

If you need to work in multiple locations, you'll need a laptop. Adding a monitor can create a great setup. If you don't mind being tethered to a desk, iMac is a good computer. My personal setup is a Mac Pro and 2 30" displays at home and a 13" MacBook Pro for on the go. It suits me perfectly.

Is the MacBook pro a good deal for the price?

Yes. 10 hour battery life. Unibody. OS X. NVIDIA 320M

I couldn't take the iMac with me as I would with a Mac mini or a MacBook Pro.

More reason to get the MBP for now and get a great desktop later.

The MacBook is kind of expensive for having a core 2 Duo

You'll live. People before you have used lesser machines to do great things.

The Mac mini too

Apple has no excuse for this...:)

The I3 on the iMac is fantastic

It is a good piece of kit.

The Mac mini clutters my desk

Clutter never looked so pretty. :D
 
why don't you do this.

Buy a Mac Mini the newest one, and either buy a apple 27" cinema display or buy a monitor that works well with it and save what ever money is left over :)?
 
I'm a developer.

The 13" will run everything fine but it's not fun to code on for hours on end because of the small screen size. Get an external 24" monitor (The Dells are great) and an external keyboard+mouse and you'll be set.

I have a bluetooth keyboard which is the same size as on the Macbook itself and I don't find it cramped. Comes down to personal preference, I guess. I'm pretty particular when it comes to keyboards and I find the Apple keyboards excellent.

In fact, you probably don't even need a Pro. I have the alu Macbook 13" before they made aluminium Pro exclusive and I have no problems with performance at all. I put in 4 GB RAM and a SSD although the SSD is probably overkill.

BTW, If you don't use the terminal you should probably look into learning. It's a great tool for development.
 
Ivaneduardo747 said:
Will the MacBook Pro be able to run X-Code and the simulator properly?
Will the MacBook Pro's screen be able to display the iPad simulator properly?
Click to expand...

If you want to be a developer, you need to learn that it's called Xcode. Not xCode, XCode, X-Code, etc.

Also, the 15" MacBook Pro doesn't have enough screen space to show the iPhone Simulator properly, let alone the 13"! There's no chance you can do serious development on a screen that tiny. Also, the upcoming Xcode 4 is incredibly cramped on the 15" display — I'm fairly sure it'd be unusable on 13".

The iMac is an amazing choice for what you're looking to do. It's what I'd get. In fact, it's what I did get!
 
macsmurf said:
I'm a developer.

The 13" will run everything fine but it's not fun to code on for hours on end because of the small screen size. Get an external 24" monitor (The Dells are great) and an external keyboard+mouse and you'll be set.

I have a bluetooth keyboard which is the same size as on the Macbook itself and I don't find it cramped. Comes down to personal preference, I guess. I'm pretty particular when it comes to keyboards and I find the Apple keyboards excellent.

In fact, you probably don't even need a Pro. I have the alu Macbook 13" before they made aluminium Pro exclusive and I have no problems with performance at all. I put in 4 GB RAM and a SSD although the SSD is probably overkill.

BTW, If you don't use the terminal you should probably look into learning. It's a great tool for development.
Click to expand...

Yeah, terminal is a great way to start, and it'll go hand in hand with Xcode when you do it later. And get the 13' then get an external display. It'll solve all your problems.
 
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