Building The Ultimate Developer's Machine?

[BeerMe]

I'm somewhat new to xCode development. My personal history is with windows based machine builds and web design with a dash of programming mixed in for good measure.

I'm diving head first into iPhone Development. My question is, if you had $2500 to develop the ULTIMATE developer machine, what apple machine would you go with, and what software would you put on it (besides the obvious stuff like xCode)? I would like to say that while the main purpose for the machine is application development for iDevices, I'd also like to eventually get into audio development - a digital composer if you will

 

[johnodd4]

honestly i would go with a mac pro and not a newer model a older model because the older models that support yosemite allow you the user to do some amazing upgrades.

Including.

1. larger hard drive's (the new mac pro uses a ssd that only apple sells)

2. you can install a usb 3.0 and esata port on the machine.

3. you can upgrade ram for 150.00 to 32 gig's.

 

[vansmith]

If spending every dime of that $2500 was no different than spending only half of it (in other words, there are no adverse consequences for spending all of it), buy as much machine as you can. You can't quite get a Mac Pro for that but you can still get a really nice iMac. That said, you don't need beastly specs to build iOS apps (unless you're doing some really heavy stuff which you probably won't given that you'd run into hardware limitations on the iOS devices).

 

[BeerMe]

If spending every dime of that $2500 was no different than spending only half of it (in other words, there are no adverse consequences for spending all of it), buy as much machine as you can. You can't quite get a Mac Pro for that but you can still get a really nice iMac. That said, you don't need beastly specs to build iOS apps (unless you're doing some really heavy stuff which you probably won't given that you'd run into hardware limitations on the iOS devices).

The cash is coming from a company expense account, so spending the full $2500-$3000 is perfectly ok. I really don't know a ton about the iMac's, but do like the 27" 5k display. Is there a particular model of the iMac you would recommend?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

A 27" iMac (5K or not, that's your choice) with the upgraded i7 processor and as much memory as you get to fit in your budget would be your best bet.

You can consider the Fusion (SSD + HDD) combination or just the SSD to get the best performance..

 

[pigoo3]

Just to comment on the "building" terminology. We really don't "build" a Macintosh computer like folks "build" desktop computers in the "Windows World".

Building a Windows desktop computer involves starting out with a whole tabletop of parts:

- empty desktop computer case
- logic board
- CPU/CPU's
- ram
- optical drive
- hard drives
- power supply
- video card
- sound card
- networking card
- etc.

Then all of this is assembled…or "built" into a working desktop computer.

With the average Apple computer at the time of purchase…it can be configured with extra ram, extra storage, maybe an upgraded CPU or GPU. But the owner never gets their hands dirty doing any "building"…it's all done by Apple.

Buying an Apple computer is like buying an automobile. You order what you want…and then you "drive it home". No Apple owner is "building" a computer or automobile.

- Nick

 

[vansmith]

The cash is coming from a company expense account, so spending the full $2500-$3000 is perfectly ok. I really don't know a ton about the iMac's, but do like the 27" 5k display. Is there a particular model of the iMac you would recommend?

If that's the case, buy the best machine you can. If you don't need portability, the best option would be the iMac. If you need portability, get the MacBook Pro.

 

[anixrud]

If that's the case, buy the best machine you can. If you don't need portability, the best option would be the iMac. If you need portability, get the MacBook Pro.

I agree with vansmith, i think iMac is the best for desktop. But if you move a lot get a MacBook.

And the model doesnt matter. because ( i think ) you can develop on all of the MacBooks.

But I still advice iMac.

 

[vansmith]

And the model doesnt matter. because ( i think ) you can develop on all of the MacBooks.

True but if money is no issue, there's no reason to get a MacBook Air over a MacBook Pro.

 

[anixrud]

True but if money is no issue, there's no reason to get a MacBook Air over a MacBook Pro.

Yes, you're right. But i love Macbook Air more. So slim, less space, can be handled more easly.

as a developer, I think to develop on iMac and (if money not a problem) Macbook Air is better for demostration purposes. Pro is also welcome but as I sad Air looks to me more esthetic.

 

[Dysfunction]

Yes, you're right. But i love Macbook Air more. So slim, less space, can be handled more easly.

as a developer, I think to develop on iMac and (if money not a problem) Macbook Air is better for demostration purposes. Pro is also welcome but as I sad Air looks to me more esthetic.

... to be honest, it'll probably work nicely for iOS dev anyway. Audio on the other hand...