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iOS 15" vs 13" screen for development

smirk

smirk

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 18, 2002
694
56
Orange County, CA
I know this question has sort of been asked before, but I'm looking to get a laptop to supplement my desktop for app development. I'm anticipating it will be used to bring to developer meet-ups, client meetings, or whenever other family members need to use the iMac.

So that being said, how difficult is it to code on a 15" screen? I will guess that for anyone out of their twenties the 13" is too small, but what do you guys think?

Do you spend all your time closing the Navigator and Utilities panes and scrolling code panes around? Is the type too small to comfortably read on the laptop?

I'd really appreciate any comments. The Apple Store has the 13" and 15" MacBooks on separate tables and Xcode isn't installed -- plus it's hard to spend serious time evaluating the screens with all the bustle there.

Thanks!
 
I'm well out of my twenties, and I use both 13" (MBA) and 15" (MBP and HP) laptops. Both are very usable, but I don't code anymore so I may just be blowing smoke. :)
 
I'm way way past my 20's, but I prefer to use an MBA 11 (sometimes with weak reading glasses) for iOS development. Mission control helps spread out to the side all the windows needed.
 
Like firewood, I'm way past my 20's and also like firewood, I code on a 11" MacBook Air which happens to be my primary (and only) computer. I frequently use the Assistant Editor so I can see my header file and implementation file side-by-side. I also use Xcode full screen and swipe back and forth between Xcode and the desktop where the simulator runs, when running in the simulator.
 
in my 20s. I use a 15 inch MBP or a mac mini with two 24 inch monitors. I find the 15" to be a pretty great size, and would probably be cramped if I went down to 13". The dual monitor setup is excellent, but I love sitting on the couch and getting comfy to do my programming, so I usually end up on the laptop
 
Almost 40 here. I find the 13" fine for development, using XCode and Netbeans. I have it set to 1680x1050, which gives a reasonable amount of screen real estate - more than I had on my old 15" MBP. I only find that resolution to be hard to read late at night, when I should have stopped working anyway.

I've used dual 24" monitors before, and can't say that I was all that more productive. Command-tab and swiping between spaces works well, and lets me focus on the task of the moment.

I would appreciate the increased screen real estate or font sizes on the 15", but value portability more. The 13" is lighter in a bag, and more convenient to use in public places such as cafes and on the train.
 
My oldest son is 19, so I haven't been in my 20s for a good long while.

Even in my 20s, I liked lots of screen real estate. Whenever possible, I use a dual monitor system. My desktop Mac has a 23" Apple cinema and a cheap 21" 1080 monitor. It makes life much easier.



smirk said:
I know this question has sort of been asked before, but I'm looking to get a laptop to supplement my desktop for app development. I'm anticipating it will be used to bring to developer meet-ups, client meetings, or whenever other family members need to use the iMac.

So that being said, how difficult is it to code on a 15" screen? I will guess that for anyone out of their twenties the 13" is too small, but what do you guys think?

Do you spend all your time closing the Navigator and Utilities panes and scrolling code panes around? Is the type too small to comfortably read on the laptop?

I'd really appreciate any comments. The Apple Store has the 13" and 15" MacBooks on separate tables and Xcode isn't installed -- plus it's hard to spend serious time evaluating the screens with all the bustle there.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Blah you don't have to be old to find 13" a bit cramped. I can deal with a 15" screen, but I prefer my 24".
 
Duncan C said:
My oldest son is 19, so I haven't been in my 20s for a good long while.

Even in my 20s, I liked lots of screen real estate. Whenever possible, I use a dual monitor system. My desktop Mac has a 23" Apple cinema and a cheap 21" 1080 monitor. It makes life much easier.
Click to expand...

Yeah, since as long as I’ve been coding (that’s a _long_ time :D ) I’ve preferred much display as possible. Particularly in the last several years where at a small shop you might be in Xcode, have an editor open modifying an API, maybe a graphic tool, have a few shells running, maybe a DB connection, a browser (or two) and juggling all your productivity apps. Of course you can swap desktops, toggle apps, etc., but there’s a number of use cases where seeing more than one window is +super+ handy.

I personally think the way to go is external 24-27” + small-er-ish notebook. I do use a 15” MBP, but I could/would easily swap to a 13” (or even the mysterious 12” model being speculated about) as long as is accommodated my RAM and storage needs.

I love the idea of ultra portability of a ~13” machine, combined with maximum productivity at a desk with a large display, keyboard and mouse. One of my good friends and also a developer actually uses an 11” Air! Like me he’s docked 90% of the time, but when he needs to travel it’s such a convenient machine (especially using it on a plane).

I guess the takeaway is: if you’re going to want to be as productive as possible without an external display, get the larger machine, but if you just need occasional portability, get the more portable machine :cool:
 
Note that, when needed and stuck to a desk, one can always connect a 27" display or two to a machine as portable as an MBA 11. Get the benefits of both.
 
I find the 13 more than enough. In full screen mode and the gestures you can do on the trackpad, you don't need large screens really. If you need a larger screen then you could get an external monitor.

I prefer the portability of the 13.

Storyboards are annoying on both 13 and 15.
 
smirk said:
I'd really appreciate any comments. The Apple Store has the 13" and 15" MacBooks on separate tables and Xcode isn't installed
Click to expand...

So install it? When I was shopping for my iMac 7 years ago (it's about time to replace it...) and couldn't decide between the 20" and the 24", they were more than happy to let me install Blender, Art of Illusion, and Xcode to play around with it on both computers and see how it worked on each. I ended up walking out with the 24" when I had gone in planning on getting the 20".
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
So install it? When I was shopping for my iMac 7 years ago (it's about time to replace it...) and couldn't decide between the 20" and the 24", they were more than happy to let me install Blender, Art of Illusion, and Xcode to play around with it on both computers and see how it worked on each. I ended up walking out with the 24" when I had gone in planning on getting the 20".
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, the manager of the Apple store wouldn't let me install Xcode. I couldn't believe it, but that's what happened. I ended up launching Pages on each MacBook and opening up various trays to try to simulate Xcode, which is just sad.
 
Everyone, thanks for all your good advice, I really appreciate it. I ended up ordering a 15" MacBook Pro. I almost went with the 13" to save money, figuring I'd use it with a separate display, but since I plan to take it to NSCoder Night and Cocoaheads meetings (and who knows where else), I opted for the 15".

Ordered it last night, it arrives Friday!

Thanks again!
 
smirk said:
Believe it or not, the manager of the Apple store wouldn't let me install Xcode. I couldn't believe it, but that's what happened. I ended up launching Pages on each MacBook and opening up various trays to try to simulate Xcode, which is just sad.
Click to expand...

I had a similar experience where I wanted to see how Xcode looked on a 11" screen. They didn't know what Xcode was. They offered me two options. Either make a special appointment with a certain person at the store to get it temporarily installed. Or "borrow" (temporarily purchase) one and then return it for a refund until i was ready to actually purchase one.

I ended up ordering a refurb 11" and I'm very happy with it. The screen has plenty of room for Xcode.

smirk said:
Everyone, thanks for all your good advice, I really appreciate it. I ended up ordering a 15" MacBook Pro. I almost went with the 13" to save money, figuring I'd use it with a separate display, but since I plan to take it to NSCoder Night and Cocoaheads meetings (and who knows where else), I opted for the 15".

Ordered it last night, it arrives Friday!

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your new acquisition! I think you will be very pleased with it.

What is NSCoder Night and where is it held?
 
Dranix said:
May I ask how you get Xcode to use so little space that 11" is enough?
Click to expand...

Yes, you may ask.

I run Xcode full screen. I nearly always use the Assistant Editor. Of course this causes the simulator and Instruments to run in a different desktop.

When I'm running in the simulator, I'm usually just making sure my app doesn't crash. After I confirm it doesn't crash, I run on my device which means having 2 screens available for other debugging. I swipe back and forth between Xcode and the simulator when I have to. Doesn't seem like a big deal. When I run Instruments, it fits on the screen next to the simulator.

It probably helps that I'm an amateur developer who doesn't know what other things he should be looking at besides the debugger/console, Instruments, and the device/simulator.
 
Hm I more ment the general space for code. Here an example of my space. Can't imagine that with a quarter of the area.
 

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Dranix said:
Hm I more ment the general space for code. Here an example of my space. Can't imagine that with a quarter of the area.
Click to expand...

Ah! The 11" still has a nice high resolution so elements are still displayed pretty clearly. I collapse the right side bar unless I'm looking at story boards or xibs which happens... almost never. I do just about everything programmatically so the right side bar doesn't usually offer me anything. I keep the left side bar visible most of the time. I use the Assistant Editor so I can see header and implementation files side-by-side. (Helps me avoid those what-was-the-name-of-that-instance-variable-I-just-declared-because-I-need-to-reference-it situations.) I keep my most frequently referenced/edited files open in different tabs. Doing these things while running Xcode full screen lets me look at code without feeling claustrophobic. I do lots of two finger scrolling and three finger swiping and I'm fine with that.

I would upload a screen shot but I'm not at my Mac right now. Maybe tonight I can do that.
 
Dranix said:
May I ask how you get Xcode to use so little space that 11" is enough?
Click to expand...

Scrolling, multiple tabs, and multiple mission control desktops. Shorter class files with shorter length lines. A few keyboard shortcuts to flip between tabs, and to hide and show the Xcode navigators and assistants.

Knowledge that programmers used to write much longer programs using much smaller (80x24 character) terminals. If they could, so can we.

Dranix said:
Can't imagine that with a quarter of the area.
Click to expand...

Some people don't use enough imagination.
 
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