Hello everyone! I'm new here at PhilMug. I came across this forum hoping to find more insight about the Mac environment. I've mostly been a Windows user when it comes to PCs but I used iPhones since 2007. I've recently developed an interest in learning iOS programming and have found that this can only be done using Xcode which is only available for Macs. Given that using a VM is not an option for me, I'm thinking of getting a new unit for me. I'm currently deciding between a 21 inch iMac or a 13 inch rMBP. I want a unit that would allow me to do some major programming and some video/photo editing on the side. I'm not really that into gaming as I intend for this unit to be used solely for work. I would like to ask for your opinion on whether or not an iMac or a rMBP would be better to have. Also, where can I buy the units from? Thanks and regards, Kiro
Welcome to PhilMUG, @iamkiro. You have narrowed down your choices to a 21-in iMac and an rMBP. Let me assure you that both are more than capable of handling your avowed tasks of programming and video/photo editing. The only factor remaining to consider would be LIFESTYLE. Are you often mobile? Do you plan to work on programming in the office and then, continue to work at home? Even at home, do you envision working in different places (bedroom, desk, kitchen, dining table). If you answer yes to these questions, your best choice will undoubtedly be a MacBook Pro (retina). On other hand, if you'll be stationary, the iMac will provide a decent platform for your work and make available a large screen area for more efficient multi-tasking. Pricing shouldn't matter much as both units are just a few thousand pesos away from each other.
I agree with sir Soloworx. It all comes down to being mobile or not. But if it were me id choose the rMBP since you'll be able to work flexibly and you can hook it up to an external screen if you need a larger screen area.
What i did was get the MBP then just plug it in to a 23inch (8-9k only) 1080p monitor both at home and at the shop.
Hi All, Thanks for the tips sirs soloworx, Guerde, and jonathanvital. With regards to the portability, it's something I can sacrifice for a significant boost in performance. If the performance is not as different between the two, then I would choose one that's more portable (rMBP). My question would now be which would fare better for constant use (roughly 12 hours a day, 7 days a week). These are the specs I am gunning for: iMac 21.5 inch 3.1GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 1GB GDDR5 rMBP 13 inch 2.8GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz 16GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM 512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage
