Which Mac to buy

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

Hi Guys, I have never had a Mac and now I am at the stage where I want to transfer my app for iPhone distribution. Which Mac should I buy? Peach was kind enough to suggest a non new Mac mini - I am a windows person and would not be using the mac for anything else apart from distributing iphone apps. On the ebay UK site, there is a “Apple Mac Mini, 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo, 1GB, 60GB, A1176” whatever that all means for £275. Would this be good enough?

I suppose I am really asking for which spec of machie I should be looking at.

Thanks

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 317259[/import]

#2

you can easily use hackintosh(google it) for your distribution needs, there’s no need to buy mac [import]uid: 16142 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65221[/import]

#3

Thanks DC I’ll have a look

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65222[/import]

#4

if you just want to build, a previuous generation macmini would be good, but the cheapest of the latest ones is also good.
If you can find one for a good price, i would recomend the latest macbook white, even if it’s discontinued, it’s a nasty little piece of a netbook :slight_smile: Or even the cheapest macbook air.
In fact any mac would do the job, so choose the cheapest one.
One of the most awesome things on mac is how fast they boot/power off, and you can even leave it for a month in sleep state, it changes a lot from windows :slight_smile: [import]uid: 44010 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65223[/import]

#5

Thanks for your reply. I assume when you say any Mac would do, it has to be an Intel one. I have a friend who has a pre intel “twin processor Power PC”? sitting in his garage doing nothing but Peach told me that it needs to be an intel.

Time to look on ebay again!

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65225[/import]

#6

Adrian, where are you from? It seems you are from the UK since you mentioned £275.

  1. You need an Intel mac to compile
  2. You need a machine that will last you atleast a while, in the sense I have lost an iPod and my iPhone3 to the Apple no support policy on those devices.
  3. It should be able to run the Latest or the second latest OS otherwise you will have something that will *not* be of much use to you
  4. What is your budget?

Now, if you are planning to just use the Apple device to be a compile server, then a mac mini (used) is good enough. Look up Apple’s site, you might find some good refurbs with warranty.

If you are willing to move over and use a mac more extensively, then you can look into investing into a Mac Netbook (the MacBook Air) it is much faster and beefier than the Intel Atom windows box. these would be in the range of $1000

If you can get Educational Discount, you can get a further saving on the *new* devices only.

cheers,

?:slight_smile: [import]uid: 3826 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65228[/import]

#7

yup, any intel mac :slight_smile:
but you may think to have it not for just corona, i would go with a macbook air, this way you would have a pretty neat first/second laptop to carry around :slight_smile: [import]uid: 44010 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65229[/import]

#8

Thanks Guys,

I am in the UK to answer a previous question - no sunshine here!! I suppose my problem is that I already have 2 Windows laptops and a powerful desktop. I know all you guys out there would recommend me moving to Apple, but I really don’t have a need for it except for the Corona distribution. I suppose we are all comfortable with what we know!!!

Thanks

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65235[/import]

#9

I’ve used a Mac mini MacBook MacBook air and MacBook pro but always stick with the air cause 5-7 hour real life battery usage ( see a pc do that ) light weight
dropped pc completely bout 3 years ago and never looked back
[import]uid: 7911 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65254[/import]

#10

if you can afford it, go with the macbook air, you will newer use your laptops again :slight_smile: [import]uid: 44010 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65263[/import]

#11

Please note that our Mac system requirements have recently gone up and are currently in flux. If you have been using our Daily Builds, you may have noticed the introduction of native widgets for Mac (e.g. textfields, textboxes, video player, webpopup, etc). There are a lot of complex implementation details needed to pull this off, but the most simple way to put it is that, we now require video cards that have at at least the same OpenGL capabilities of the original iPhone. The video card market moves very fast and the original iPhone video hardware was actually comparatively really good. Sadly, there are Intel Macs out there that have crappier video cards than what was on the original iPhone.

Technically, we recommend any video card that supports GL_ARB_framebuffer_object and GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit. Last night’s daily build attempts to fix problems for computers that only had GL_EXT_framebuffer_object with driver bugs related to or lacking GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit.

Less technically, the Intel GMA 950 is dead in the water. Avoid this video card. With last night’s Daily Build, we think all later Intel video cards will work correctly now, but I personally hate Intel video cards. Over the years they have given me poor performance and driver problems and their capabilities are usually far less than the rest of the market (including iOS devices which is sad). If you can avoid an Intel card, I say do so. (I know the newest Macbook Air has an Intel. We will support those obviously.)

Aside from the video card issues, in the near future, we will eventually require 64-bit on the Mac. This means Intel Core Solo and Intel Core Duo (not to be confused with Intel Core 2 Duo) will be cut off. A simple rule of thumb is that any machine that can’t run Lion (and run it well), should be avoided. There are a bunch of different technical reasons for 64-bit. We obviously don’t need the memory addressing capabilities, but the important one to us is that Apple has deprecated the 32-bit Obj-C runtime on Mac and is not adding new features to it. So when Apple adds new features to Obj-C on iOS, the only way can use them on Mac is if we use the 64-bit runtime. There are also other reasons to move to 64-bit on Mac, e.g. it is more tested by Apple now, driver support (e.g. video cards) is probably better and more tested, there are performance benefits Apple exploits in 64-bit, and there are security features only available in 64-bit.

Edit: It appears our change to support GL_EXT_framebuffer_object and broken GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit also work with the Intel GMA 950 so this card is reported as working. However, I still recommend avoiding this card. [import]uid: 7563 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65268[/import]

#12

Also, avoid the “HackinTosh” approach of running OSX on a windows machine. Most if not all the binaries you download have BOT’s or trojan horses in them. Remember it’s pirated code, and most of the free offerings are made by pirates.

You will not be sorry buying a real Mac. Apple always marks then down 8-12% for 1 day on the 3rd Friday of November in the US.

The just released 13" macBook Pro is terrific, as it now has the i5 processor as the base and a cheap upgrade to the i7.

Mac Mini was also mentioned and they are also excellent. I have both an iMac 20" that’s 3 years old and a Mac Book Pro 13" a year old. Made the clean break from Windows and never looked back.

BTW, on the iMac I’m running VMware Fusion and have Linux, Mac Snow Leopard, and Windows XP all running at the same time from another project.

-David [import]uid: 96411 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65297[/import]

#13

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer my question. I’m sorry but I’m not going to make the permanent switch to Mac as I have too high a software investment tied up in the PCs and I am very comfortable with them. Perhaps when I need to replace my main laptop I might consider a new Macbook.

For now I shall probably buy a used Mac mini although Ewing’s post about the specification of the graphics card (which I couldn’t really follow - on ebay they don’t tell you the type of graphics card) leads me to think it should be a relatively recent one.

Thanks again for all your help - as you say in the States “you guys rock!”

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65384[/import]

#14

No, avoid that one. It is a 32-bit only machine and comes with the dreaded Intel GMA 950. [import]uid: 7563 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65386[/import]

#15

@adrian,
read between the lines here. ewing and myself are telling you that the used Mac Mini is a very short term investment. I guess you need to start taking note from professionals on matters that really make a difference.

The casual guys can suggest a lot of things to you, I am quite pleased to see the PRO Ansca staff come up with some good information off-late on the forums. Take advantage of that information that they share.

unless you want to end up spending twice, invest in a long term machine (not necessarily EXPENSIVE, but something that will last you a couple of years)

cheers,

?:slight_smile: [import]uid: 3826 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65389[/import]

#16

Hi Ewing, do you mean that ANY Mac mini. If that is the case, can I get any Macbook air or Macbook?

Thanks

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65390[/import]

#17

Sorry that should have read “should I avoid ANY Mac mini” [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65391[/import]

#18

Not necessarily.

At Ansca, a mid 2010 Mac Mini is my primary development machine. We also have another as our automated test machine. (It is a Core 2 Duo with Nvidia based video card.)

To reiterate, at the very least, you should get a Mac that is:

  • Intel 64-bit capable
  • Video card better than an Intel GMA 950
  • Lion capable

Here is the matrix of video cards and features
http://developer.apple.com/graphicsimaging/opengl/capabilities/
We want cards that have GL_ARB_framebuffer_object and GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit

There are other websites that list all the Macs with all their specs throughout history. MacRumors.com Buyer’s guide comes to mind.

Wikipedia pages like this are also sometimes helpful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Mini [import]uid: 7563 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65393[/import]

#19

Hi JayantV,

As I said before I am extremely grateful to all the help given here, however, there are many people like myself who have no idea of the world of Macs and thats why forums (fora?) exist - to help the likes of us. Whether people like it or not, not everyone is into Macs and I am just looking for some simple help. Now I know that the Mac mini will not be a good medium term buy - I will not be going for it. I have a difficult balancing act here. On one hand I want a machine that will serve my distribution needs for some time to come but on the other I do not want to waste money on something that I don’t really need. At this point in time a Mac is not going to be my main machine.

What I really need to know is something like “get a MAC book Air from 2009 onwards” or something like that.

Again I am very grateful for people spending their valuable time trying to help an ignoramus like me!!! :slight_smile:

Thanks again

Adrian (by the way - on forums is it not the done thing to put your name on the message? - sorry if I am breaking some protocol!) [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65396[/import]

#20

Brilliant - thanks Ewing. Armed with this info I can go and find a Mac - maybe I will be a convert!!!

I’ll try to find one the same as your development machine.

Thanks again

Adrian [import]uid: 83824 topic_id: 17259 reply_id: 65397[/import]