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macOS Anyone coding on a 2016 Macbook?
- Thread starter Stow
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No, still on the MBPr 15" maxed out ( late 2013 ). I do code on it everyday / night / weekend / vacation / sometimes while sleeping. I'm not due for a refresh for another 6 months or so.
Much less coding done on the iMac 5k 27" maxed out ( late 2015 ).
Much less coding done on the iMac 5k 27" maxed out ( late 2015 ).
I use a 2015 basic 1.1 GHz. Use some Xcode but mostly netbeans for Java. Are you asking because of CPU performance or keyboard?
I found the basic to be OK, but not great. It is noticeably slower than my 2014 13"mbp with a 2.6GHz i5, but never it never annoyed me really. It gets pretty toasty tho which is nice in the winter. Also, since the 2016 has faster SSD, I'm not sure the CPU would become an issue. I have a fair Java project with 50 source files and it builds it in netbeans just fine. If I had to guess, I'd say it takes about 20% longer than the mbp, if that, but it really makes up for that in portability. I love traveling with that.
I think that the MacBook 12 is too slow to code on. But that depends on what machine you're used to. In general most people find it impossible to downgrade to a slower computer. We're all that addicted to speed and we're tuned to feel it whether or not we're technically inclined.
So the MacBook 12 isn't too slow, objectively. But subjectively, it felt slower than a 2013 MacBook pro 13. Then really slow compared to a MacBook pro 15 2014.
But overall, still not bad for Xcode and bearable.
Moving to Android studio, WOW. It took a full 3 minutes to build a project. Unbelievable and a true productivity killer. I blame Android studio for the issue, not the MacBook. But even with the inefficiencies of java (no idea what the actual culprit is), the 15" MacBook pro really could handle it to make something unbearable, bearable.
For web coding, no problem. I think build times are so fast and instant that the MacBook 12 is good enough.
The MacBook pro 13 2013 was fast enough for me. it got over the threshold of bearability, even for Android studio.
I am hoping that the new redesigned MacBook pro will be 2.9 pounds. If so, it'll be a no brainer and I wouldn't recommend a MacBook 12 for anyone who codes. I wouldn't recommend a MacBook 12 for anyone, actually.
So the MacBook 12 isn't too slow, objectively. But subjectively, it felt slower than a 2013 MacBook pro 13. Then really slow compared to a MacBook pro 15 2014.
But overall, still not bad for Xcode and bearable.
Moving to Android studio, WOW. It took a full 3 minutes to build a project. Unbelievable and a true productivity killer. I blame Android studio for the issue, not the MacBook. But even with the inefficiencies of java (no idea what the actual culprit is), the 15" MacBook pro really could handle it to make something unbearable, bearable.
For web coding, no problem. I think build times are so fast and instant that the MacBook 12 is good enough.
The MacBook pro 13 2013 was fast enough for me. it got over the threshold of bearability, even for Android studio.
I am hoping that the new redesigned MacBook pro will be 2.9 pounds. If so, it'll be a no brainer and I wouldn't recommend a MacBook 12 for anyone who codes. I wouldn't recommend a MacBook 12 for anyone, actually.
I have direct experience with this.
Started with a 2012 15" rMBP (quad-core), then dropped down to a 2014 13" rMBP, and now using a 2015 12" rMB (1.2 ghz).
I use a little Xcode at least once a week, but just messing around mainly. The change from the quad core to the 13" rMBP was significant. Compile times more than tripled.
Going from the 13" rMBP to the 12" rMB resulted in about a 20% increase in compile times. It's annoying to run a build for the first time, but after that, the build time improves a lot.
For me, the downgrades made sense because I am now traveling and working. The extra weight saved by going to the 12" rMB was worth the slower tech.
Started with a 2012 15" rMBP (quad-core), then dropped down to a 2014 13" rMBP, and now using a 2015 12" rMB (1.2 ghz).
I use a little Xcode at least once a week, but just messing around mainly. The change from the quad core to the 13" rMBP was significant. Compile times more than tripled.
Going from the 13" rMBP to the 12" rMB resulted in about a 20% increase in compile times. It's annoying to run a build for the first time, but after that, the build time improves a lot.
For me, the downgrades made sense because I am now traveling and working. The extra weight saved by going to the 12" rMB was worth the slower tech.
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You too?
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What about overall Xcode use, Interface builder, simulators, legibility of code, navigating large source files? Looking to get a laptop myself and I'm concerned that screen real-estate would be a problem for me.
I code on the 12" rMB, 2015 1.2, almost daily and it works fine. The compiles and simulators are all reasonable and really do not require huge amounts of resources. I've used it primarily for iOS and some OS X, all with acceptable results. Basically it's a great traveling full featured Mac.
However, I recently had the need to do some basic video animation work which required a Windows program running in a virtual machine and that maxed it out. The machine got hot and slowed down, but for coding and compiling it's hardly breaking a sweat.
However, I recently had the need to do some basic video animation work which required a Windows program running in a virtual machine and that maxed it out. The machine got hot and slowed down, but for coding and compiling it's hardly breaking a sweat.