- #Mac pro for software development full#
- #Mac pro for software development pro#
- #Mac pro for software development series#
They come in silver or a darker grey, and feature straight, clean lines of unbroken aluminium. The current design of Apple's laptops has been set for a few years, and it's very similar across the two models here.
#Mac pro for software development pro#
MacBook Pro 13" vs MacBook Pro 16": Design Being fine with 16GB now doesn't mean you will be in a couple of years, so we absolutely recommend playing it safe and upgrading to 32GB. So for some pros, this alone will mean they need to go for the big model – but even if you think 16GB would probably be enough, it's worth considering future-proofing, because the RAM in these machines cannot be upgraded down the line. The MacBook Pro 16" comes with 16GB of RAM as standard, but can also be configured to 32GB or even 64GB, which is a first for Apple laptops. 16GB is more reasonable for creative pros, but can still be really limiting when working on multi-layered creations. 8GB is fine for a standard user, but it doesn't take long to hit when you've got Photoshop CC and Lightroom open, and especially not when you're editing video.
The MacBook Pro 13" comes with 8GB of memory as standard across all models, though this can be configured to 16GB, but that's the max. Speaking of memory, the RAM options might make your decision for you too. And you can configure the bigger machine with a GPU that includes 8GB of memory, if you're really planning to push the 3D or visual effects apps.
#Mac pro for software development series#
The MacBook Pro 16" uses AMD's 5000M series graphics chips, which come with 4GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory as standard, so they can take some reasonably heavy workloads. The MacBook Pro 13" uses integrated Intel Iris graphics, which are capable enough for lots of work, but don't include proper dedicated VRAM, and can't really be considered 'pro'. The difference is similarly stark when it comes to graphics performance. If you need to compile large and complex software on more cores, you'll need the bigger one – it will save you time, and therefore money. Live 4K playback while editing is possible on the 13" model, but for 6K or 8K, you'll need the bigger one.
The fact that the 13" models top out at quad-core, while the 16" models start at six-core, means that for some users, the decision of which one to get takes care of itself. You might guess that this would be about 50 per cent more powerful than the MacBook Pro 13", and in practice it really can be for tasks that really tax the processor, such as complex file exports or software compiling.Īnd then there's the higher-end MacBook Pro 16", which comes with an eight-core 2.3GHz Intel Core i9 for $2,799/£2,799. The MacBook Pro 16" comes with a six-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 processor as standard in the cheaper ($2,399/£2,399) model, which is also HyperThreaded, so can act as 12 cores. There's also the option to custom configure a model with a faster-still 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor.
#Mac pro for software development full#
These processors are HyperThreaded, which means they can act as eight cores (though without the full performance a real eight-core processor can manage). There's also a $1,799/£1,799 version that features a much faster 2.4GHz quad-core chip. The MacBook Pro 13" comes with an Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, at 1.4GHz in the cheapest version ($1,299/£1,299).