Cheap Mac that can run BMax
Community Forums/General Help/Cheap Mac that can run BMax
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| I'm looking to buy a cheap Mac that can run BMax and compile apps for iPhone, iPad etc. Anyone know what the bare minimum model is that will work? |
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| Any Mac with MacOS 10.3.9 or higher, it says on the product page. You'll also want an Intel one - don't bother with PPC. If you want a new one, the cheapest Mac Mini is $699. |
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| I used a previous gen mini for a year for all my development (not just bmax, which is VERY light compared to a lot of other dev tools). You can use a PPC mac if you're looking at something used (I was using a powerbook G4 for my mac side development before the mini) but it will only make PPC binaries, they will run on Intel and PPC macs (through a compatability mode in OS X on intel hardware) but like GFK, I would advise against it for the following reasons: 1) PPC is out dated and not fully supported by apple any more. 2) The fasted PPC is still going to be very slow compared to any even remotely new intel mac 3) you can't run bootcamp. No dual booting for windows (REALLY nice for testing, especially if you get into cross compiling with BMX2 and the CE IDE...) 4) You can only run PPC linux, which is also depreciated for many popular distros, and again you'll only generate PPC code, which in linux will NOT run under Intel hardware 5) If you want to get into developing for iOS at some point you have to have intel hardware... don't get caught short. I still love PPC as an architecture, but it's day has passed, time to move on. Personally I'd get a used previous generation mini (unless you want new, then go with a current gen mini). Doesn't get cheaper, and if you stop using it it makes a CRAZY good HTPC (comes with IR built right in ;0) If you want to invest a bit more, IMO there's no better value (besides building something from scratch...) in computers, mac or PC, than a bottom tier iMac. Every bit of it is top shelf and if you add it all together it's a bargain. It will last for years, you can run windows if you want, there's no down side besides a lack of expandability (but since nothing but a mac pro really has any expandability macs typically don't NEED to be expanded...) |
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| I also would recommend a Mac Mini. They are great with a KVM switch and don't take up any room. You can also upgrade the ram and HD in them with the help of videos on the web. A hackintosh is another option however you have to buy the parts listed excactly. I have a friend who just tried to do one with parts he wanted and it was a dissaster. I use my mac mini as a jukebox during poker nights and the remote is great. |
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| Note that Apple also sells refurbished equipment on their website, that still comes with a 1 year warranty. |
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| Cool thanks xlsior. |
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