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Mac Mini for iOS development

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  • 01-11-2012 2:00pm
    #1
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    hi there - looking for some help here. I'm putting in a request at work for a mac for some iOS development and testing, and I just need to figure out what will do the trick.

    It won't be anyone's primary workstation, so I'm thinking that a Mac mini and a KVM switch should do the trick - the mac pro looks a bit on the pricey side.

    Here are the specs of the base mac mini :

    2.5GHz Mac mini
    2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
    4GB memory
    500GB hard drive1
    Intel HD Graphics 4000
    OS X Mountain Lion

    It really just needs to be able to run XCode comfortably enough, so it seems like it should be more than capable?

    thanks in advance


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    #2
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,016 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    It would be okay, a start at least. XCode likes RAM and a fast disk. At least with a mini, an after market upgrade to 8 or 16GB RAM and an SSD is very doable. Although for the latter, it's a bit annoying to do.


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    #3
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Cheers - am I better off asking for 8GB now then, you reckon?


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    #4
    Colonel Panic
    Registered Users Posts: 2,016 ✭✭✭Colonel Panic


    Yeah, I would say so. Apple prices are insane though, so getting 8GB from Crucial.com is always an option if the person doing the purchasing queries it.


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    #5
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Thanks again, I'll chance my arm and see what they say!


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    #6
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Just ordered one for exactly that, iOS development using xcode, will report how I get along with it unless of course you've already gone ahead and got one :D


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    #7
    Eoin
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 21,238 CMod ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    I've gone ahead and requested it - but that's a long way from actually getting it in our place!


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    #8
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    Eoin wrote: »
    I've gone ahead and requested it - but that's a long way from actually getting it in our place!

    Well earliest delivery date estimate from the Apple store for me is Nov 19th so will stick Xcode on it when I get it and give it a whirl to see how it handles and report back if its any interest to you.


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    #9
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    So I got mine last Thursday and over the weekend set up Eclipse on it as I already developed on Eclipse anyway and it's running pretty good so far, I have downloaded and installed Xcode but not tested it yet. I'd imagine it will be fine for developing. On some occasions Eclipse seemed to be slightly slow so I think I will be upgrading to the 16GB RAM when funds allow but as a start I am happy with the purchase and I reckon it will be fine for both Eclipse and Xcode development.


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    #10
    EJ22
    Registered Users Posts: 804 ✭✭✭EJ22


    any update on how its going draffodx? especially regarding xcode as I was thinking of getting a Mac mini for iOS development as a cheap way into the apple ecosystem. I would be going for the higher end model with the 2.3ghz i7 and would be looking at putting 16gb into it myself.


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    #11
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    EJ22 wrote: »
    any update on how its going draffodx? especially regarding xcode as I was thinking of getting a Mac mini for iOS development as a cheap way into the apple ecosystem. I would be going for the higher end model with the 2.3ghz i7 and would be looking at putting 16gb into it myself.

    I haven't used Xcode yet, still using Eclipse and its running fine, no issues at all, I'll do hello world in Xcode tonight and report back but mine is the lowest spec so if you go quad core and ramp up the RAM you will definitely have no issues from what I can see.


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    #12
    EJ22
    Registered Users Posts: 804 ✭✭✭EJ22


    Brilliant looking forward to the results. Will probably be ordering it next friday in case they bring the price down slightly more for Black Friday. As long as I have it before I get off Uni for my xmas holidays I'm happy so I can start learning iOS development


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    #13
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    EJ22 wrote: »
    Brilliant looking forward to the results. Will probably be ordering it next friday in case they bring the price down slightly more for Black Friday. As long as I have it before I get off Uni for my xmas holidays I'm happy so I can start learning iOS development

    No issue with running Xcode last night at all, a hello world isn't going to be an issue compiling anyway but Xcode as a program ran fine.


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    #14
    EJ22
    Registered Users Posts: 804 ✭✭✭EJ22


    draffodx wrote: »
    No issue with running Xcode last night at all, a hello world isn't going to be an issue compiling anyway but Xcode as a program ran fine.

    Brilliant! Thanks very much mate! now to wait till next friday to see if the prices come down with black friday


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    #15
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    EJ22 wrote: »
    Brilliant! Thanks very much mate! now to wait till next friday to see if the prices come down with black friday

    Best of luck with the purchase! And development!


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