I want to buy a mac mini for iPhone development and I just wanted to know if anyone can confirm that this will work fine. There are quite a couple of threads running on the topic, but I can’t find a relatively new one, all seems to be +/- 2 years old. I read in one post that occlusion culling is out for the mac mini, so I just wanted to give the specs for the one I can buy. Will I be able to do mid-level 3d games on this? Thanks in advance, here are the specs:
Processor and memory
2.4GHz or 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
3MB on-chip shared L2 cache
1066MHz frontside bus
2GB (two 1GB SO-DIMMs) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM; two SO-DIMM slots support up to 8GB
Graphics and video support
NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory4
For desktop midlevel the 320M isn’t enough as an onboard is and will always be an onboard, not playing in the same league as dedicated gpus. but for casual its more than enough
I found 320m is fairly powerful GPU - you can even play Crysis and Crysis 2 on it and other graphics intensive game such as GTA IV.
Crysis
Crysis 2
GTA IV
Starcraft 2
People have been playing a lot of graphics demanding games with it and it runs perfectly fine. My personal experience working with it is its okay if you remember its still after all a laptop GPU and not push it to extreme. But its the best laptop GPU in the smallest form factor so far (integrated / not discreet). On a related note, I am currently considering to buy a 27" Apple Cinema Display to be use with my MacBook Pro. I was concern it might push the nvidia 320m too hard (pushing BOTH the 13" Macbook Pro @ 1280 x 800 and the 27" Cinema Display @ 2560 x 1440) but after talking to a few people it seems it will even handle that fine! (with occassional stutter when playing game at max resolution)
About lightmapping, I haven’t done any Beast Lightmapping yet, but I think Beast runs on CPU not GPU. So it depends on your CPU - and Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz seems to run fine from other threads I have read - it just takes longer to process the lightmapping scene (8 - 10 hours) than more powerful CPU. Considering back in DOOM/Quake days you need a SGI super computer to process them and it still take more than few days to process those simplistic levels…we have come pretty far! 8 hours wait is nothing! Just start the process when you go to sleep (or extended coffee break!) or something.
If you just want to do iOS, I think Mac Mini is fine (if you already have a monitor to hook it up with) or you could opt for the Macbook.
A word of warning though - the newest MacBook Pro (2011 13" model) use Intel graphic chip (Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 RAM) which seems to be a step backward. Its definitely slower than the last generation (2010 13" model) nvidia 320m model. Thankfully, Mac Mini and Macbook (non-pro) are not touched so they still run on 320m.
Lastly, remember to get more RAM!. At least 4GB if you consider using Beast Lightmapping. 2GB is just too low for Unity Development in my opinion.
I recommend you do what I did: buy a macbook instead. You gain a dual-monitor display when you hook it up to the monitor. Thats pretty fantastic for development. The extra cost is worth it.
I have only ever seen mac mini’s perform worse than macbooks. I hate them. Whats more, today’s macbooks have pretty fantastic battery life and are actually really usable on the move. Love mine, and its a really old model.
Every mac mini i’ve tried has been slower than the equivelent macbook plugged in. I’m not sure why thats the case. My brother works at apple so we see a lot of macs go by.
Can’t wait to buy another.
Definately. DEFINATELY get a 4 gb macbook. I am not sure about 3rd party ram sticks though.
Yeh, I totally agree. Definitely get a Macbook if you could afford to spend the extra $300 ($699 vs $999). You get the extra portability that comes with Macbook - you can take it down to the local coffee shop or even to the beach although how much dev you can get done there I dunno
So unless you already have a monitor - you going spend $150 on a decent monitor anyway, plus Mac Mini does NOT come with mouse and keyboard (Apple being cheapskate!) so you going to spend money on those too. The MacBook comes with keyboard (ofcourse!) and multi-touch trackpad as standard. You also get the added bonus of webcam built-in so you can have a shouting match with your difficult client face to face using Facetime!
Also, you might want to consider MacBook Pro. Its another $200 ($1199 vs $999 Macbook) but you get a aluminum case (more stylish and much sturdier than Macbook which is just white plastic that can easily chip and warp), a glass screen (more stylish, but some people found it annoying because of glare it cause plus its a finger print magnet), and 4GB of RAM as standard plus 320 GB hard drive as standard as oppose to 250 GB on Macbook.
Again, I have to warn you the MacBook Pro 2011 13" model comes with Intel integrated graphic chip that’s slower than the Macbook. If you want to get MacBook Pro 13" get last year’s model. But you do get a speed boost with 2011 model because its now comes with Core i5 which is twice faster than Core 2 Duo. So, to sum it up, CPU of 2011 model is faster than 2010 model, GPU 2011 model is slower than 2010 model. Oh you also get HD “Facetime” webcam (720p) with 2011 model as oppose to iSight webcam (640x480) of 2010 model.
I didn’t know that. I am pretty curious as to why. It seems from the spec page Mac Mini’s hardware is exactly identical to the Macbook - both are Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.4/2.66 GHz, both 2GB RAM, and nvidia 320m GPU. If all things are equal it can’t possibly runs noticeably slower right?
It does run a bit slower. Why, I do not know. I think it might be due to its green power saving stuff or something. I really wouldn’t know how to start guessing at what Apple do or why.
Oh yeah if you can stretch the budget, you’ll find that 2 things slow down ios development the most: your hard drive speed, and your memory. These are the two factors which delay on-device testing the most.
Mostly, I am sat waiting for xcode to load up, or this to load up. Or running out of memory at 2gb and having the macbook page stuff. This is with a 5k hard drive and 2gb. So just make sure your hd and mem is maxed out and you should be good to go.
LOL !! I am with you on that too! Ever since I got the Macbook Pro I am in love with it!
But I can’t help to think if I could… or I wish Apple would just pair Core i5 with the Nvidia 320m…that would have been perfect!
The Acer Aspire 5745PG-354G32Mn (has Intel Core i3 paired with Nvidia 320m) so its not entirely impossible to pair i5 with 320m… they just need to find a way to disable the onboard Intel X3000.
as much as I would like to have a macbbok, at this stage i cannot afford it (they don’t come cheap in south africa) and also this system is going to be specifically for basic iPhone developent.
Just start the process when you go to sleep (or extended coffee break!) or something.