MBP for Xcode, AutoCAD and Fusion. Coming from a windows PC.

[goldmac2006]

Good morning, Mac users! 🌞 I hope you’re all doing well. This year, I’m embarking on an Apple ecosystem refresh. I’ve already upgraded my Apple Watch and iPhone, and now I’m moving on to AirTags, AirPods Pro , and a MacBook Pro. This will be my first Mac.

One of the key items on my list is a MacBook Pro for professional editing software and an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). I won’t be using it for gaming, except for occasional Roblox sessions, but I currently rely on my ThinkPad X1 Extreme Carbon Gen 2 for rendering, modeling graphics/CAD drawing on ACAD/F360, and compiling Java and C++ code on Visual Studio. I’ve heard that Swift is perfectly suited for Xcode and is required to build and publish apps on the App Store. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this upgrade.

I’ve seen mixed reviews of the M1 Pro, M2 Max, and M3 chips. While I’m not planning to use the MacBook for gaming, I’m considering getting one of these powerful machines. I’ve noticed that Best Buy and B&H are offering deals on MacBooks that aren’t the M4 model. All of these seem like great machines that run Apple Intelligence, but I’m planning to keep it for at least five years. I don’t think a MacBook Air will cut it for my purposes though because it’ll not have the power of the RAM necessary yet there has been markdowns in them under $900.

Now, I need to decide on the configuration. Should I get the Midnight or Space Gray color? If it’s an M1 MacBook Pro, I’d like to opt for the Touch Bar.

I also welcome your advice on transferring files from my Windows machine to my Mac. I have several USB drives with 128GB storage, which I can use for a Time Machine backup. Please correct me if I’m mistaken about any technical details, as I’ve only used a Mac lightly in school. Also any Handoff tips and integrating it with my other Apple products like unlocking it magically with my Apple Watch ⌚️!

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

[benwiggy]

Apple has discontinued the TouchBar, and stopped selling the M1 some time ago, so you would have to get a secondhand M1 for that, which is already 4 years old, affecting your 5-year length-of-service goal. It may still work after 9 years, but you'll probably be looking for a replacement before then.

The colour is entirely your decision. Reports of 'wear' on the Midnight finish are largely overstated; but if that's the kind of thing that might bother you, then get the standard gray.

The most important thing will be getting a BTO model with plenty of RAM and storage. 32/36 GB should be fine; 48 if you can afford it.

I think you can transfer documents from Windows using the Migration Assistant when you first start your Mac.

Ideally, a Time Machine backup drive needs to be 2 to 3 times the size of the data that it's backing up.

One thing: don't try to make your Mac behave like you're used to on Windows. Accept that things work in a different way, and try to learn and get used to them. That will ultimately make your life easier in the long run.

Best of luck!

 

[kirbysmartsdawg]

Apple has discontinued the TouchBar, and stopped selling the M1 some time ago, so you would have to get a secondhand M1 for that, which is already 4 years old, affecting your 5-year length-of-service goal. It may still work after 9 years, but you'll probably be looking for a replacement before then.

The colour is entirely your decision. Reports of 'wear' on the Midnight finish are largely overstated; but if that's the kind of thing that might bother you, then get the standard gray.

The most important thing will be getting a BTO model with plenty of RAM and storage. 32/36 GB should be fine; 48 if you can afford it.

I think you can transfer documents from Windows using the Migration Assistant when you first start your Mac.

Ideally, a Time Machine backup drive needs to be 2 to 3 times the size of the data that it's backing up.

One thing: don't try to make your Mac behave like you're used to on Windows. Accept that things work in a different way, and try to learn and get used to them. That will ultimately make your life easier in the long run.

Best of luck!

Great advice! Can't add too much to this, but I will say I have the M3 Max and I think at this point buying the M1 would be a poor decision that @goldmac2006 would regret fairly quickly. I 2nd at least 36gb of ram is essential.

If I were you Goldman, I would look for a deal on an M3. They are going to be running smoothly for awhile.

 

[goldmac2006]

Apple has discontinued the TouchBar, and stopped selling the M1 some time ago, so you would have to get a secondhand M1 for that, which is already 4 years old, affecting your 5-year length-of-service goal. It may still work after 9 years, but you'll probably be looking for a replacement before then.

The colour is entirely your decision. Reports of 'wear' on the Midnight finish are largely overstated; but if that's the kind of thing that might bother you, then get the standard gray.

The most important thing will be getting a BTO model with plenty of RAM and storage. 32/36 GB should be fine; 48 if you can afford it.

I think you can transfer documents from Windows using the Migration Assistant when you first start your Mac.

Ideally, a Time Machine backup drive needs to be 2 to 3 times the size of the data that it's backing up.

One thing: don't try to make your Mac behave like you're used to on Windows. Accept that things work in a different way, and try to learn and get used to them. That will ultimately make your life easier in the long run.

Best of luck!

Great advice! Can't add too much to this, but I will say I have the M3 Max and I think at this point buying the M1 would be a poor decision that @goldmac2006 would regret fairly quickly. I 2nd at least 36gb of ram is essential.

If I were you Goldman, I would look for a deal on an M3. They are going to be running smoothly for awhile.

Thanks for all your support and advice on getting my first MacBook Pro. I still have a few friends with M2 MacBooks that they use for personal purposes, and some of them still claim that running engineering software like PASCO Capstone is significantly faster than the early 2018 MacBook Air that my physics class used in the labs. I wondered how a MacBook Air would still be capable of handling these tasks. While I still prefer the MacBook Pro, the M1 Max and M1 Pro models wouldn’t be suitable for most cases, although they meet the Apple intelligence minimum requirement, so I don’t have to worry about the Touch Bar or compatibility with future macOS versions.

However, I don’t have an external solid-state drive; I only have a lot of flash drives that I can use to store my files. Can you still use Migration Assistant wirelessly to transfer files from my PC to my Mac? I saw on the PC that I need to enter a code and then connect both computers to the internet. Since my Windows 10 laptop is from my school, if I get my Mac and return my PC to the bookstore, can I still restore my files from Time Machine? I was also wondering if it’s possible to set up the Mac as new and transfer my files from multiple USB drives into it. On the other hand, can you also transfer files from a Chromebook to a Mac? If that’s the case, I would transfer my Windows files to my personal Chromebook for safekeeping, and then once the Mac arrives, I can transfer the files over. However, I don’t think there’s a Migration Assistant available for Chrome OS.

By the way, my PC has 16GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7 processor, and a 512GB SSD. It only stutters occasionally when working on large 3D models in AutoCAD, but it never freezes when I’m working on Fusion or coding in Visual Studio. What’s the difference between the M2 Max, M3 Pro, and M3 Max models? I also seen this one with a regular M3 chip for example, is it worth it? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...ry-1tb-ssd-space-gray/6565897.p?skuId=6565897

 

[kirbysmartsdawg]

Thanks for all your support and advice on getting my first MacBook Pro. I still have a few friends with M2 MacBooks that they use for personal purposes, and some of them still claim that running engineering software like PASCO Capstone is significantly faster than the early 2018 MacBook Air that my physics class used in the labs. I wondered how a MacBook Air would still be capable of handling these tasks. While I still prefer the MacBook Pro, the M1 Max and M1 Pro models wouldn’t be suitable for most cases, although they meet the Apple intelligence minimum requirement, so I don’t have to worry about the Touch Bar or compatibility with future macOS versions.

However, I don’t have an external solid-state drive; I only have a lot of flash drives that I can use to store my files. Can you still use Migration Assistant wirelessly to transfer files from my PC to my Mac? I saw on the PC that I need to enter a code and then connect both computers to the internet. Since my Windows 10 laptop is from my school, if I get my Mac and return my PC to the bookstore, can I still restore my files from Time Machine? I was also wondering if it’s possible to set up the Mac as new and transfer my files from multiple USB drives into it. On the other hand, can you also transfer files from a Chromebook to a Mac? If that’s the case, I would transfer my Windows files to my personal Chromebook for safekeeping, and then once the Mac arrives, I can transfer the files over. However, I don’t think there’s a Migration Assistant available for Chrome OS.

By the way, my PC has 16GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7 processor, and a 512GB SSD. It only stutters occasionally when working on large 3D models in AutoCAD, but it never freezes when I’m working on Fusion or coding in Visual Studio. What’s the difference between the M2 Max, M3 Pro, and M3 Max models? I also seen this one with a regular M3 chip for example, is it worth it? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...ry-1tb-ssd-space-gray/6565897.p?skuId=6565897

IMO the air is not a route you need to go. I would stick with at least a Pro or Max M level chip. My advice is always get more RAM than you need because you can't add it later. I appreciate you trying to save some money, but if you wanting this Mac to go strong for years to come, spending the money now will save you a lot of trouble and money in the future.

As far migrating your data, you may run into some problems being that this is a school's property. They may have this type of thing on lockdown. Unless you have all your data saved on a 3rd party app like OneDrive, I would not count on the migration. If you do have your data on something like that, it would be as simple as saving it all to an external drive and putting that on your Mac. That or loading it all from OneDrive on your Mac.

 

[goldmac2006]

IMO the air is not a route you need to go. I would stick with at least a Pro or Max M level chip. My advice is always get more RAM than you need because you can't add it later. I appreciate you trying to save some money, but if you wanting this Mac to go strong for years to come, spending the money now will save you a lot of trouble and money in the future.

As far migrating your data, you may run into some problems being that this is a school's property. They may have this type of thing on lockdown. Unless you have all your data saved on a 3rd party app like OneDrive, I would not count on the migration. If you do have your data on something like that, it would be as simple as saving it all to an external drive and putting that on your Mac. That or loading it all from OneDrive on your Mac.

I’m still taking my time deciding on this because I don’t have to return my Win11 laptop until I graduate and transfer to a university. I found out that the migration assistant Windows application is an .exe file, and I need to contact my IT department to install it unless it’s on the Windows Store. If you try to install it yourself, it will automatically prompt user account control on your computer, which is why you need to get ahold of IT services. They usually take a week or two to process the work order.

This happened when my supervisor said that we needed to install an internal application to our computers for our work trip to program our rovers. The IT department is slow during the holiday break, so they didn’t pay attention to the deadline I put on the work order for software installation. Told them that it’s mandatory to have it installed for my job. They installed the LEGO SPIKE software after I got home! I had to use the web app on my browser and save my files on my hard drive because they don’t have cloud storage.

I have files stored on my hard drives, and for applications like F360, LEGO SPIKE Prime, AutoCAD, and my IDEs, I can reinstall them from their respective websites or Mac App Store. I can transfer my DWGs, Java files, pictures and documents not in OneDrive into a flash drive.

Y’all is it true that you can’t install extra RAM memory into an MBP since Apple changed the design in 2016? I saw videos of people doing it on iMacs before the M1 chip. Will a regular M3 chip with 32GB of RAM be enough?

 

[kirbysmartsdawg]

You cannot upgrade the ram. It's 36GB of RAM on the Pros, but it all depends on what you are doing. I run Parallels daily along at least 10 programs open between Windows and macOS and have no issues. But if you question 36 GB at all, look for an upgraded MacBook Pro. It's always better to have more Ram.

 

[goldmac2006]

You cannot upgrade the ram. It's 36GB of RAM on the Pros, but it all depends on what you are doing. I run Parallels daily along at least 10 programs open between Windows and macOS and have no issues. But if you question 36 GB at all, look for an upgraded MacBook Pro. It's always better to have more Ram.

I knew it was coming. It’s been almost two decades since the last MacBook Pro with removable RAM could be upgraded. And no, I’m not referring to the LA RAMS. I keep many tabs open, but I never have more than 10 or 12 browser tabs open simultaneously, even with two Chrome windows open.

To upgrade the RAM, you’ll need to replace the logic board and transfer all your files to Time Machine. They soldered the memory into the last two generations of MacBook Pro. The M3 might be the bare minimum if you insist on calling the M3 without the Pro or Max connotation, but is it insufficient for intensive tasks or hardcore virtualization machines like Boot Camp. y’all the one that takes the most effort is the CAD and IDEs.

I’m not convinced yet, though. I’ll prioritize the AirTags or AirPods first through the ecosystem refresh. However, another fellow Mac technician advised me to avoid Midnight or Space Black if I don’t use a case. It’ll scratch easily even if I put it in a sleeve in my work bag. 💼 So, silver is the first color I’ll consider.

 

[kirbysmartsdawg]

I knew it was coming. It’s been almost two decades since the last MacBook Pro with removable RAM could be upgraded. And no, I’m not referring to the LA RAMS. I keep many tabs open, but I never have more than 10 or 12 browser tabs open simultaneously, even with two Chrome windows open.

To upgrade the RAM, you’ll need to replace the logic board and transfer all your files to Time Machine. They soldered the memory into the last two generations of MacBook Pro. The M3 might be the bare minimum if you insist on calling the M3 without the Pro or Max connotation, but is it insufficient for intensive tasks or hardcore virtualization machines like Boot Camp. y’all the one that takes the most effort is the CAD and IDEs.

I’m not convinced yet, though. I’ll prioritize the AirTags or AirPods first through the ecosystem refresh. However, another fellow Mac technician advised me to avoid Midnight or Space Black if I don’t use a case. It’ll scratch easily even if I put it in a sleeve in my work bag. So, silver is the first color I’ll consider.

I have the space black and have had no issues with scratches.

 

[goldmac2006]

I have the space black and have had no issues with scratches.

I’m cool with it. Will get whichever color is best deal. I’ve never had cases on any other laptops I’ve had, and I always use sleeves. But the other laptops I had use matted polycarbonate and plastic that looks like aluminum-type housings.

By the way, did you have a Windows computer in the past and then switch to macOS? Or were you always a Mac guy?

 

[Big_D]

Thanks for all your support and advice on getting my first MacBook Pro. I still have a few friends with M2 MacBooks that they use for personal purposes, and some of them still claim that running engineering software like PASCO Capstone is significantly faster than the early 2018 MacBook Air that my physics class used in the labs. I wondered how a MacBook Air would still be capable of handling these tasks. While I still prefer the MacBook Pro, the M1 Max and M1 Pro models wouldn’t be suitable for most cases, although they meet the Apple intelligence minimum requirement, so I don’t have to worry about the Touch Bar or compatibility with future macOS versions.

However, I don’t have an external solid-state drive; I only have a lot of flash drives that I can use to store my files. Can you still use Migration Assistant wirelessly to transfer files from my PC to my Mac? I saw on the PC that I need to enter a code and then connect both computers to the internet. Since my Windows 10 laptop is from my school, if I get my Mac and return my PC to the bookstore, can I still restore my files from Time Machine? I was also wondering if it’s possible to set up the Mac as new and transfer my files from multiple USB drives into it. On the other hand, can you also transfer files from a Chromebook to a Mac? If that’s the case, I would transfer my Windows files to my personal Chromebook for safekeeping, and then once the Mac arrives, I can transfer the files over. However, I don’t think there’s a Migration Assistant available for Chrome OS.

By the way, my PC has 16GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7 processor, and a 512GB SSD. It only stutters occasionally when working on large 3D models in AutoCAD, but it never freezes when I’m working on Fusion or coding in Visual Studio. What’s the difference between the M2 Max, M3 Pro, and M3 Max models? I also seen this one with a regular M3 chip for example, is it worth it? https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...ry-1tb-ssd-space-gray/6565897.p?skuId=6565897

I had a Mac mini M1 16GB mini at home and I have an M1 MacBook Air 8GB at work. I just swapped the M1 mini with an M4 Pro MacBook Pro. It is noticeably quicker - the mini was just about as fast as my Ryzen 1700 Windows desktop that it replaced (similar performance, a fraction of the electricity needed).

The leap from M1 to M4 (Pro) is day and night. I was a little worried about switching to the MBP as the mini and the Air both don't have a fan, but the MBP isn't really spinning up the fan audibly at the moment (a couple of VMs and photo editing). The Pro is black and not noticing excessive finger smudges or scratches, but it is only a couple of weeks old...

The 8GB Air is still doing fine, but the latest OS makes it a little slower and it is hitting its limits now (typical office stuff: Outlook, Excel, TeamViewer, Teams, Microsoft Windows (RDP manager), Terminal, Brave, Safari, Adobe Reader). Before the 15 Sequoia update it was doing fine, since the update it is starting to creak a little. The 16GB mini was still fine with the photo editing and VM loads. So 16GB should be the minimum to look at (luckily, Apple has made 16GB the minimum for all new devices going forward, including the older models - unless you him my local electronics store, which is still offering the M2 as the latest MacBook Pro, at full price!).

My M4 Pro has 24GB and that is more than enough for my workloads at the current time - I had been holding out for the M4 MacBook Air at home, but couldn't wait any longer, so went with the MBP M4 Pro, it is a little bit of overkill, but the display is great, compared to my MBA. At work, I'm still holding out for the M4 Air update - if it hadn't been rumoured since the end of last year, I might have gone for an M3 Air at home and work...

The performance difference between M1, M2 and M4 is comparatively big, the difference between M3 and M4 I would say doesn't warrant an upgrade (I have only owned M1 and M4 generations, but I have used a friends M3 Pro MacBook Pro), so if you are looking at 5 years, a discounted M3 would offer a good saving over an M4, but still offer decent future proofing.

At work, I should get a Windows laptop, but I'm going to try and get the Air replaced by a new Air this year... I hope I can argue that we still need one for MDM purposes...

 

[goldmac2006]

I had a Mac mini M1 16GB mini at home and I have an M1 MacBook Air 8GB at work. I just swapped the M1 mini with an M4 Pro MacBook Pro. It is noticeably quicker - the mini was just about as fast as my Ryzen 1700 Windows desktop that it replaced (similar performance, a fraction of the electricity needed).

The leap from M1 to M4 (Pro) is day and night. I was a little worried about switching to the MBP as the mini and the Air both don't have a fan, but the MBP isn't really spinning up the fan audibly at the moment (a couple of VMs and photo editing). The Pro is black and not noticing excessive finger smudges or scratches, but it is only a couple of weeks old...

The 8GB Air is still doing fine, but the latest OS makes it a little slower and it is hitting its limits now (typical office stuff: Outlook, Excel, TeamViewer, Teams, Microsoft Windows (RDP manager), Terminal, Brave, Safari, Adobe Reader). Before the 15 Sequoia update it was doing fine, since the update it is starting to creak a little. The 16GB mini was still fine with the photo editing and VM loads. So 16GB should be the minimum to look at (luckily, Apple has made 16GB the minimum for all new devices going forward, including the older models - unless you him my local electronics store, which is still offering the M2 as the latest MacBook Pro, at full price!).

My M4 Pro has 24GB and that is more than enough for my workloads at the current time - I had been holding out for the M4 MacBook Air at home, but couldn't wait any longer, so went with the MBP M4 Pro, it is a little bit of overkill, but the display is great, compared to my MBA. At work, I'm still holding out for the M4 Air update - if it hadn't been rumoured since the end of last year, I might have gone for an M3 Air at home and work...

The performance difference between M1, M2 and M4 is comparatively big, the difference between M3 and M4 I would say doesn't warrant an upgrade (I have only owned M1 and M4 generations, but I have used a friends M3 Pro MacBook Pro), so if you are looking at 5 years, a discounted M3 would offer a good saving over an M4, but still offer decent future proofing.

At work, I should get a Windows laptop, but I'm going to try and get the Air replaced by a new Air this year... I hope I can argue that we still need one for MDM purposes...

Thanks for the detailed reply, it seems like the Airs and M1s go full throttle when we use them for VMs and other emulation or dual booting software. I think the new Airs have fans too, but I will still follow you all on getting the proper memory card configs of minimum 32/36GB, and an M3. But will an M2 still cut it as a last resort if an M3 or M4 MBP does not have any great markdowns? I will use it for M365 apps in addition to the professional software I will be using, so these specs are on the bucket list in consideration to ensuring that it can handle intensive usage of cores and GPU. Are you an IT manager, by the way, since you mentioned MDM?

 

[picpicmac]

I think the new Airs have fans too

MBAs do not have fans.

But will an M2 still cut it as a last resort if an M3 or M4 MBP does not have any great markdowns?

Probably. RAM is most important to you as you will likely be running VMs, and perhaps playing with LLMs for code samples.

Also, you mentioned flash sticks ... for TimeMachine? Don't do that.

My low-cost solution for TM is to use the small WD HDs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713WPGLL

If you are going to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from your Windows machine to a Mac, you don't use the "internet" but you can use the ethernet ports on both machines for a direct connection. Not very quick compared to a Thunderbolt connection, but it'll do. DO NOT USE WIRELESS (e.g. WiFi) because of the chance of a dropped connection.

OTOH, Migration Assistant from Windows will be a pretty small transfer, unless you have lots and lots of your own files that are large (such as tens of thousands of photos.)

MicroCenter has a new 14" MBP M4 Pro 48GB/1TB for $180 less than the Apple EDU price: https://www.microcenter.com/product...h-(late-2024)-142-laptop-computer-space-black

Ok, $2200 is a lot for a student, I understand. But, that is the config to shoot for. Amazon has a "renewed" M2 Max MBP with same specs for about the same price.

It's hard to find a good deal on an M2 Pro MBP with more than the base 16GB of RAM.

You can find the regular M2 in a MBA with 24GB/1TB on the "renewed" Amazon stock for around $1400. I have no idea how good a condition they will be in. From watching videos of people who have bought Amazon "renewed" it seems to be a mixed bag.

I've not found a good deal on CraigsList in my area. Your area may be different. I've not tried FaceBook Marketplace but I've heard people have found good deals there. Avoid eBay, etc.

 

[goldmac2006]

MBAs do not have fans.


Probably. RAM is most important to you as you will likely be running VMs, and perhaps playing with LLMs for code samples.

Also, you mentioned flash sticks ... for TimeMachine? Don't do that.

My low-cost solution for TM is to use the small WD HDs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713WPGLL

If you are going to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from your Windows machine to a Mac, you don't use the "internet" but you can use the ethernet ports on both machines for a direct connection. Not very quick compared to a Thunderbolt connection, but it'll do. DO NOT USE WIRELESS (e.g. WiFi) because of the chance of a dropped connection.

OTOH, Migration Assistant from Windows will be a pretty small transfer, unless you have lots and lots of your own files that are large (such as tens of thousands of photos.)

MicroCenter has a new 14" MBP M4 Pro 48GB/1TB for $180 less than the Apple EDU price: https://www.microcenter.com/product...h-(late-2024)-142-laptop-computer-space-black

Ok, $2200 is a lot for a student, I understand. But, that is the config to shoot for. Amazon has a "renewed" M2 Max MBP with same specs for about the same price.

It's hard to find a good deal on an M2 Pro MBP with more than the base 16GB of RAM.

You can find the regular M2 in a MBA with 24GB/1TB on the "renewed" Amazon stock for around $1400. I have no idea how good a condition they will be in. From watching videos of people who have bought Amazon "renewed" it seems to be a mixed bag.

I've not found a good deal on CraigsList in my area. Your area may be different. I've not tried FaceBook Marketplace but I've heard people have found good deals there. Avoid eBay, etc.

Hey bro! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I don’t usually buy refurbished stuff because I’ve heard some bad experiences with components being fake, broken, and even refurbished devices looking worse than new. This video shows how refurbished Apple products sold by vendors aren’t properly marketed to consumers like they were advertised for. And guess what? The YouTuber even had to wash an AirPods Max because it smelled like body odor!

Also, thanks for sharing your thoughts on Time Machine and Migration Assistant. My existing Win11 PC has Thunderbolt ports, so that might help me transfer data to the MBP. I’ll check my storage room to see if I have any external SSDs lying around. If not, I’ll order one. I’ll definitely do it wired up since the WiFi isn’t as strong on one side of my house, so I don’t lose any data if it disconnects.

Oh, and I heard from my college’s special services program that they give out USB C hubs and other tech gadgets in addition to USB drives. I’ll try to ask if they also have SSDs so I can back everything up from my Win11 PC and keep my data safe for Time Machine on my new Mac.

I’ll try the MacBook Pro first thing tomorrow, but if there’s nothing under $1.5K that matches my specs, I might consider buying a MacBook Air. I probably need to wait for my paycheck from NASA to cover that much for a Mac. But the M2 MacBook Air is worth a shot if nothing else works out. I’ll get a 1 or 2 TB SSD and the highest RAM they offer. No eBay this time for Mac’s as y’all don’t want to run internet recovery if the Mac doesn’t boot up! I only do eBay for anything else  besides Mac if all the big box stores and tech stores around the country don’t have any good deals.

Let me know what you think!

 

[picpicmac]

I might consider buying a MacBook Air.

Once the M4 MBA is announced (next week?) you might find a good deal on an M3 MBA.

 

[goldmac2006]

Once the M4 MBA is announced (next week?) you might find a good deal on an M3 MBA.

Is the specs you mentioned earlier for MacBook Air M3 or M2 the highest possible you can get? Some folks who do iOS development on a tight budget or start out small use MacBook Air with Apple silicon.

 

[goldmac2006]

Hey everyone, that’s why I’m considering getting an MBA as a last resort. Best Buy keeps slashing the prices on them under a grand, and they’ve been an Apple authorized reseller for ages. But I’m prioritizing the pros first.

 

[rx7dude]

Are you happy with Fusion? You will have to stick with WIN11 if you plan to upgrade to Inventor.
There's some good deals on refurb ThinkPads for about $1k
Storage and and ram are user upgradable so you can always add them later if you need it.

 

[goldmac2006]

Are you happy with Fusion? You will have to stick with WIN11 if you plan to upgrade to Inventor.
There's some good deals on refurb ThinkPads for about $1k
Storage and and ram are user upgradable so you can always add them later if you need it.

Bro, this is a thread about transitioning from Windows to Mac. I intend to use the Mac for multiple applications like F360, Xcode, AutoCAD, Final Cut Pro, M365 Office apps, and Visual Studio.

I’ve heard that ARM-based Macs aren’t even good for Boot Camp, but some other posters mentioned that you can run VMs without any issues with slowing down in M4 and M3 Pro!

I’m curious, are you primarily a Windows user who are looking to switch to Mac?

 

[rx7dude]

Bro, this is a thread about transitioning from Windows to Mac. I intend to use the Mac for multiple applications like F360, Xcode, AutoCAD, Final Cut Pro, M365 Office apps, and Visual Studio.

I’ve heard that ARM-based Macs aren’t even good for Boot Camp, but some other posters mentioned that you can run VMs without any issues with slowing down in M4 and M3 Pro!

I’m curious, are you primarily a Windows user who are looking to switch to Mac?

All my stuff is Apple except for the Thinkpad. Just keep in mind, most Autodesk products require Windows.

Correct, Boot Camp is dead. If you want to run Windows on a Mac you will need a VM. YMMV

If you're happy with F360 then don't worry about.

 

[goldmac2006]

All my stuff is Apple except for the Thinkpad. Just keep in mind, most Autodesk products require Windows.

Correct, Boot Camp is dead. If you want to run Windows on a Mac you will need a VM. YMMV

If you're happy with F360 then don't worry about.

One of my CAD/engineering teachers and mentors still has an Intel 16-inch late 2019 MacBook Pro. He uses it to bootcamp it because Solidworks isn’t available on Mac. 💻

I might consider using Parallels or partitioning my disk for a virtual machine. I’ll need at least 1TB of storage, especially since I’ll be using Apple intelligence. I’m an engineering major, so I use a mix of professional software and marketing materials/graphic design software and document processing.

I do video editing and photography/videography on my iPhone 15 Pro exclusively but will try out Final Cut for more advanced editing

 

[picpicmac]

Is the specs you mentioned earlier for MacBook Air M3 or M2 the highest possible you can get?

The M2, M3, and even M4 (Mini, iMac, and presumably the M4 MBA) max out at 32GB. Those are hard to find used, or even New-old-stock for the M2.

If you need more memory you'll need a Pro or Max machine. That's why I listed the M4 Pro MBP above with 48GB.

Are you going to be working on LLMs or generative AI? Then you'll want more RAM. On a 16GB machine (such as the one I'm using to type this) the Llama 3.2 7B is the largest model one can reasonably run.

Otherwise 32GB will probably do you fine, if you plan on just using Swift with either Xcode or another IDE.

IMO a serious developer should have a 32GB/1TB spec machine minimum, if you're planning on developing for multiple platforms.

 

[picpicmac]

Best Buy keeps slashing the prices on them under a grand

BB has M2 MBA at base spec, which for your work is not what you need. They are fine for students needing to do term papers, take exams, etc. Your use case (engineering, development, etc.) calls for more.

 

[goldmac2006]

The M2, M3, and even M4 (Mini, iMac, and presumably the M4 MBA) max out at 32GB. Those are hard to find used, or even New-old-stock for the M2.

If you need more memory you'll need a Pro or Max machine. That's why I listed the M4 Pro MBP above with 48GB.

Are you going to be working on LLMs or generative AI? Then you'll want more RAM. On a 16GB machine (such as the one I'm using to type this) the Llama 3.2 7B is the largest model one can reasonably run.

Otherwise 32GB will probably do you fine, if you plan on just using Swift with either Xcode or another IDE.

IMO a serious developer should have a 32GB/1TB spec machine minimum, if you're planning on developing for multiple platforms.

BB has M2 MBA at base spec, which for your work is not what you need. They are fine for students needing to do term papers, take exams, etc. Your use case (engineering, development, etc.) calls for more.

No to used and refurbished models. They won’t be good enough, but since the MacBook Air still has 32GB as the top specs, I’ll consider it a last resort only. I program up to medium-sized full-stack projects and mostly small ones in Java, C++, and JavaScript, respectively. I’m planning to try out Swift for iOS development. However, the only largest projects I work on are primarily on Fusion and AutoCAD. I run workflows with simulation, multiple components, and other things.

In summary, I plan to get a single terabyte SSD, at least 32GB of RAM, and a minimum M2 processor. Is this configuration with the minimum requirements sufficient?

 

[picpicmac]

In summary, I plan to get a single terabyte SSD, at least 32GB of RAM, and a minimum M2 processor. Is this configuration with the minimum requirements sufficient?

It will work.

You will be able to run development environments just fine.

However, if you planned on using LLMs to help you write/translate code, you won't be able to run the larger models locally.