Which one is the best to use xcode?

[Clother]

Hello guys,

I already searched a lot for this...but can't find a simple answer (maybe there isnt one)

I need a second mac to a friend of mine so we can run xcode together and make some apps. I plan to sold the mac after the app is completed (the updates can be done with my macbook)

I have 2 options from the classifieds...

Option 1
Mac mini early 2009
Intel Core2 Duo a 2.0GHz
8 GB de memória DDR3 a 1333 MHz
Disco SSD 128GB
Nvidia Geforce 9400 256Mb
Yosemite installed.
Price: 300€

Option 2
Mac mini (dont know the year)
8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
2,5 Ghz Intel Core I5 com cache L3 3MB
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Disco 500 GB (5400 rpm)
Price: 350€

We want to run xcode only... and price difference is 50€ (not much), but the old one has a SSD (i have one SSD on my macbook and i really LOVE IT...its everything super faster)

Can you help me guys?

Thank you so much

 

[dyt1983]

edit: to remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[Clother]

I can't buy the new one and put an SSD (too expensive for what we need)

My dilema is the performance. The old one have an SSD buy poor CPU, the new one have a i5 CPU, but no SDD. (the RAM is almost the same in both options)

For xcode, what is more important? SSD or CPU? (i really like fluid apps)

 

[Pieterr]

The processor in the Mid-2011 Mac mini is twice as fast as the one in the Early 2009 (see the geekbench scores in the links below).
So the newer Mac mini has definitively an advantage over the older one.

For compiling code, a fast HD or better SSD helps of course, but when working in Xcode, you are probably on the critical path yourself (instead of your HD/SSD).

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...i-core-2-duo-2.0-early-2009-nvidia-specs.html

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i5-2.3-mid-2011-specs.html

So go for the Mid-2011 Mac mini.

 

[dyt1983]

edit: to remove personally identifying information not relevant to the thread.

 

[Clother]

You are right.

Im trying to get more info about this model... I will update it as soon as i have new info.

Thank you for your help

 

[D.T.]

FWIW, I did a decent amount of iOS dev work [in Xcode] on a 2010 13" MBP C2D 2.4, 8GB RAM and an SSD which is close to your 2009 Mini spec (though it does have that extra clock, and a 320M GPU vs. the 9400). In fact, I started with the original OOTB specs (4GB, 250GB HDD) and even that wasn't all that bad.

Xcode (at least the version at the time, a couple of years ago), wasn't as much of a resource hog as you would think.

The SSD upgrade in that MBP was a major performance boost. In fact, that machine is my Wife's and it is still humming right along

I agree, that #2 machine has some mismatching specs, if it's a '12 machine, that's potentially a really good deal. FWIW, you might be able to fetch $30-35 for the 500GB drive and then go with a small SSD (like 64GB) - Kingston and SanDisk have drives in that capacity in the mid $40-ish range.

 

[g33k]

Get the one with an SSD, it does wonders. An SSD is an even bigger difference than a CPU upgrade. You can notice the difference between a obsolete 5400-RPM harddrive and a SSD in read world tests and results.