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Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

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Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#31

Post by Razengan »

danielvf wrote: post #5

I’ve use Mac laptops as my primary work machine since the nineties. This year, with the MacBook Pro problems, and noticing that I was almost always working from my home office these days, I got a 5k iMac instead of a new laptop. I’m delighted with iMac. The monitor is amazing, and it has quite a bit more horsepower than a comparable Mac laptop.

AFter trying various combinations for years, I settled on keeping a nice big iMac at home and getting a lowest end MacBook for portability + an iPad for bed/couch.

It’s been the ideal setup for me so far.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#32

Post by santoriv »

unstablevacuum wrote: post #15

The attraction of programmers to macOS née OS X has always been its UNIX foundations. Programmers love UNIX. Programmers made UNIX for programmers. Unfortunately, from the epoch until very recently, UNIX has had GUIs ranging in quality from absolute shit to mediocre. That's finally changing with Free Desktop (Wayland + GNOME/KDE, and support libraries). OS X gave programmers a UNIX core with a beautiful user interfac…

Regarding the user interface. On my Macbook Pro I have become accustomed to using i3 UI on Linux and now I feel handicapped anytime I switch over to Mac OS or Windows.

The only time I boot Mac OS is if I'm going to be using a browser for a while and can't plug in my laptop. The battery life on Mac OS is much much better.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#33

Post by barkingcat »

en4bz wrote: post #24
barkingcat wrote: post #19

You don't need to buy new. I find this "new everything" by default to be very sad. As a developer, you'd be well served by a 2015 (if you like the old keyboard), 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro. Why do you want to spend so much money to pay for Apple Corporate to get even wealthier? Even something like a certified refurbish machine will get you what you need (with full Apple warranty), AND leave you enough money for periphe…

Old laptops have old batteries that need to be replaced. Since it's Apple this will likely cost enough to justify buying new.

Not true.

And Genuine Apple refurbs have certified-to-be-restored batteries in them (ie they will have new batteries as part of refurbishing if needed), and they carry new machine applecare warranty like new machines do - so even if the battery is no longer good, you go to apple, they replace it on their dime.

That's why they are "apple refurbs".

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#34

Post by Razengan »

bufferoverflow wrote: post #2

You can definitely get a cheaper PC laptop with similar (or actually better) specs. Examples: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273405851977 https://www.ebay.com/itm/153078138692 It's more of a choice of the OS, I feel like. I don't get how you can't simply copy files between a macbook and an iphone. With a PC it's trivial.

> I don't get how you can't simply copy files between a macbook and an iphone.

Zip and AirDrop? There are some nice free file managers for iOS, including some that offer sharing over the local network.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#35

Post by wildrhythms »

barkingcat wrote: post #19

You don't need to buy new. I find this "new everything" by default to be very sad. As a developer, you'd be well served by a 2015 (if you like the old keyboard), 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro. Why do you want to spend so much money to pay for Apple Corporate to get even wealthier? Even something like a certified refurbish machine will get you what you need (with full Apple warranty), AND leave you enough money for periphe…

I agree that the newest model isn't always strictly better than the old model. I still have a 2013 Macbook Air that loyally travels with me everywhere; I bought it new. In that respect, for something that I use (almost) every day I think buying new has worked out well for me, and whenever this thing gives up I'll certainly buy my next laptop new as well (Mac or otherwise).

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#36

Post by chb »

Razengan wrote: post #27

NOTE: New low-end MacBooks may be announced in 2 weeks or next month. Have you identified how much RAM and disk space you actually need for your workflow? If you just want something “good enough” you might be able to make do with even the $1300 Core m3, 8GB, 256GB, 12” MacBook [0], or even a PC running macOS in a VM. Otherwise the answer is “as much as you can afford.” I haven’t compared markets lately, but I think t…

>Have you identified how much RAM and disk space you actually need for your workflow?

You better think hard and choose wisely; the days of being able to upgrade your RAM and SSD are over.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#37

Post by edoceo »

cheriot wrote: post #17
unstablevacuum wrote: post #15

The attraction of programmers to macOS née OS X has always been its UNIX foundations. Programmers love UNIX. Programmers made UNIX for programmers. Unfortunately, from the epoch until very recently, UNIX has had GUIs ranging in quality from absolute shit to mediocre. That's finally changing with Free Desktop (Wayland + GNOME/KDE, and support libraries). OS X gave programmers a UNIX core with a beautiful user interfac…

Then the difference became battery life. It's been a few years since I ran linux on a laptop; has that improved?

Mine has, older Linux on older Lenovo was not good but also that battery was aging.

New (I think it's very good.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#38

Post by aikah »

tomcam wrote: post #7

No. I bought the $3,500 version on the advice of my partner and feel cruelly ripped off. The keyboard, which I dislike, has already been replaced. The Apple Store guy tried to accuse me of getting water on the keyboard, but that is incorrect. My partner’s identical machine also needed the keyboard and motherboard replaced. He got a loaner (I didn’t) and they tried to accuse him of the same thing. I would much rather…

> The Apple Store guy tried to accuse me of getting water on the keyboard,

They pulled the exact same bullshit with the first iPhone I ever bought (3s at the time) and refused to fix it for free even though it was under warranty as the screen stoped working, asking the equivalent of more than $200 for something I paid like $300 new, claiming water caused damages. I ended up buying a spare screen $10 online and change it myself.

It was the last time I ever bought something from Apple.

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#39

Post by [deleted] »

chb wrote: post #36
Razengan wrote: post #27

NOTE: New low-end MacBooks may be announced in 2 weeks or next month. Have you identified how much RAM and disk space you actually need for your workflow? If you just want something “good enough” you might be able to make do with even the $1300 Core m3, 8GB, 256GB, 12” MacBook [0], or even a PC running macOS in a VM. Otherwise the answer is “as much as you can afford.” I haven’t compared markets lately, but I think t…

>Have you identified how much RAM and disk space you actually need for your workflow? You better think hard and choose wisely; the days of being able to upgrade your RAM and SSD are over.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Is the new MacBook Pro worth its value for a developer?

#40

Post by wildrhythms »

michaelmior wrote: post #20
s3cur3 wrote: post #14

I recently upgraded from my 2015 rMBP to the 2018 model you’re looking at. I agree the Touch Bar is a dumb gimmick (for a dev’s purposes at least), but the keyboard has grown on me, and the 6-core/12-thread CPU is a serious boon for dev work. I wrote up a few more details here: https://tylerayoung.com/2018/07/23/the-worlds-shortest-revie...

One of the nice things about the Touch Bar is that you can use it to hold a bunch of useful info without cluttering your prompt.

I tried the 13-inch touchbar model for work and I despise the touchbar in every way. I realized quickly that I have to have a physical Escape key... but more importantly, I never want to have to look at the keyboard for information, that's why I learned to type in the first place!

I exchanged it for the non-touchbar model (despite having two fewer USB-C ports for some unfathomable reason, fuck you very much Apple for that) and I've been much more satisfied with having the physical keys back.

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