Which Mac?

[houmanka]

Hi guys,
This question must have asked so many times, I couldn't find anything that could answer my question so I am asking it here.

I am a software developer. My main Mac is very powerful ( The best the money could buy in mid 2014 ), it is for the company though. Now I need to buy one for myself however I need to make sure that I don't spend for specs that I might never use it.

Here are the software that I use. one or more of them almost everyday depending on the project:
RubyMine, Xcode for iOS development, Postgresql and lots of background processes on Database, Android Studio for Android development, Node server, Nginx, Small amount of photoshop (about 5% or less), Mac mail and Outlook at the same time as I need to cover for different companies, Different browsers for testing, an FTP software like Transmit.

Do I need quad or dual core? I can't remember last time I used dual core so not sure how it would work under dual.

Do you think I need to buy the best on the Apple website? if not will you be able to give me a direction?

Thanks guys and sorry again for this question.

Cheers

H.

 

[Dead0k]

for now, i think i5 is quite enough - it depends how many of your tasks you will perform simultaneously.

but as we know demands are growing from year to year (yours, and software developer's) - so here i would recommend to buy as powerful machine as you can, unless you can easily sell and buy another one.

 

[houmanka]

hmmm, I agree. I was thinking the same thing. Buying the most powerful that I can afford. This way I wont regret and don`t need to upgrade it within a year when I have a project that needs more and more resources.

I don`t think I need as much Hard Drive, as I am not keeping any of my projects on my machine, All would be on GitHub or external repositories anyway or S3 buckets.

I think 512 should do it fine. Max CPU and Max RAM.

I wish Mac mini would offered in Quad Core I dont need Retina display. Everything I do is black and white anyway.

Anyway thanks again.

H.

 

[TechGod]

hmmm, I agree. I was thinking the same thing. Buying the most powerful that I can afford. This way I wont regret and don`t need to upgrade it within a year when I have a project that needs more and more resources.

I don`t think I need as much Hard Drive, as I am not keeping any of my projects on my machine, All would be on GitHub or external repositories anyway or S3 buckets.

I think 512 should do it fine. Max CPU and Max RAM.

I wish Mac mini would offered in Quad Core I dont need Retina display. Everything I do is black and white anyway.

Anyway thanks again.

H.

Can you hold out for the Skylake 15" MBP?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

hmmm, I agree. I was thinking the same thing. Buying the most powerful that I can afford. This way I wont regret and don`t need to upgrade it within a year when I have a project that needs more and more resources.

I don`t think I need as much Hard Drive, as I am not keeping any of my projects on my machine, All would be on GitHub or external repositories anyway or S3 buckets.

I think 512 should do it fine. Max CPU and Max RAM.

I wish Mac mini would offered in Quad Core I dont need Retina display. Everything I do is black and white anyway.

Anyway thanks again.

H.

Well you may be wrong on the retina as the best thing about them (for me) is the sharpness of the text and the way they are much easier on the eyes for long periods working with text.

I would say an imac or a 15 inch rMBP if you need portability. You have little need of any graphics power so cores and RAM would be your focus. You may want to look at the 21.5 inch 4K iMacs due out this month.

 

[Max(IT)]

Basically max it out to the extent you can afford.
It can be overkill right now, but usually a Mac lasts for years (3-4 in my experience) and in 3 years you won't regret that.

Can you hold out for the Skylake 15" MBP?

this way you will wait forever, since in a couple of months Intel will start speaking of the next, "wonderful" generation of i5 ....

You need it now, buy it now.