Can't speak for Flutter, but you could probably develop react with a lot less computer than that.
Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
31–37 of 37 posts
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#32Depends on what your use case is and what you consider worth.
In terms of hardware, M1s are portable, and battery life is great IF you use sparse apps that don't hog up the cpu all the time (running Slack, VSCode, and a bunch of docker containers isn't going to make your battery last anywhere close to advertised, although still respectable). The processor is great, but not significantly faster than competitors at similar price points. External monitor support sucks, external hubs are annoying, keyboard is good but not the best. Long term repairability is also probably not a thing, Apple wants you to buy a new laptop instead.
Software wise, this is personal preference on what you like/want or dislike. Personally, having used Mac OS for work on my work issued M1, I still prefer Linux every time. The two main reason is being able to run a lightweight tiling windows manager like i3wm that starts up way faster than Mac's UI, and not having to deal with permission system for things like camera, microphone, e.t.c.
If you don't travel often, I still maintain that the best possible use of 2 grand for computer is to build a desktop for around $1500, monitor included, and then get a cheap used laptop.
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is there ever a reason to go for the smaller factor? At work, we got 13" macbooks, and I wish we'd gotten the one-size-up ones. I'm a reasonably healthy human being, and can easily carry the slightly larger version - not that I do, because 99% of the time it's sitting on my desk, anyway. When I'm away from my large monitor, it irks me that I don't have more screen real-estate.
It's lighter and easier to travel with. The 16" doesn't really fit on an airplane food tray, for example, and I don't think it fits in my messenger bag either.
Sad truth is that the 13in Pro doesn't fit when opened on an airline fold-down tray, unless you are flying first-class!
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's lighter and easier to travel with. The 16" doesn't really fit on an airplane food tray, for example, and I don't think it fits in my messenger bag either.
Sad truth is that the 13in Pro doesn't fit when opened on an airline fold-down tray, unless you are flying first-class!
I've flown w/ the 14" in economy and didn't have a problem. You do have to be alert in case the passenger in the seat in front of you reclines suddenly (snatched the lid of an x60 out of the way just barely fast enough once), but it should be OK.
Now that I'm thinking about it I didn't have a problem w/ the 15" Intel either, and the dimensions are pretty similar. I'm pretty slim and short though; I don't feel like a T-Rex typing.
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#35Depends on what your use case is and what you consider worth. In terms of hardware, M1s are portable, and battery life is great IF you use sparse apps that don't hog up the cpu all the time (running Slack, VSCode, and a bunch of docker containers isn't going to make your battery last anywhere close to advertised, although still respectable). The processor is great, but not significantly faster than competitors at sim…
> processor is great, but not significantly faster than competitors at similar price points
Don’t missguide people please!
M1pro is crazy fast in comparison to other laptops at similar price point.
I literally got ruby etc compiled in seconds, while in minutes for top intel based macs.
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the m2 twice as slow as the m1?
The smallest SSD on the M2 MacBook is twice as slow as the smallest SSD of the equivalent old M1 yes.
I read that ssd speed somehow affected the apple silicon cpu speed. If that is true, the m2 is effectively a downgrade, is that correct?
Re: Ask HN: M1 Pro 14' still worth it for development?
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are there any numbers on the difference in cooling? Is it significant? I don't generally want a laptop that large, but I have also had many laptops that run too hot in the past.
Yeah, the difference is 10-13 F. IMO it's on the edge of being uncomfortable, and it's not super easy to do (like, how often do you run Cinebench with the computer on your lap), but if it's a concern then yeah, there's a significant difference. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-14-2021-Lapt... https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-16-2021-M1-M...
I'm not used to measuring computer temperatures in F, so that doesn't mean much to me (I only use it for outside temperatures pretty much). My concern would be thermal throttling as I have seen on many ThinkPads rather than it becoming a bit uncomfortable. I'll probably use my future MBP mostly stationary at a desk with the lid closed.
I am semi-regularly dealing with temperatures in the 80-90s in celcius with my ThinkPad T440p in a docking station.
From a glance at your links it looks like they didn't get anywhere near that in their testing, so I probably have nothing to worry about, but I guess when the M2 Max comes out I'll give some thought to getting the bigger model, even though I don't tend to like overly large things. With ThinkPads I would absolutely not want a numpad (often on 15" models but not 14"), but it looks like Apple doesn't put those on any laptops anyway.