# Finance + Macbook; Please help me make a wise (?) decision

**URL:** <https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994>\
**Category:** 🙃 Off Topic\
**Created:** [January 27, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994 "2020-01-27T16:38:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lganti](https://assets.chunter.kodeco.com/user_avatar/forums.kodeco.com/lganti/32/103565_2.png) [@lganti](https://forums.kodeco.com/u/lganti)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994/1 "2020-01-27T16:38:35Z")

</div>

1. I currently own a MacBook Air 13” (early 2015) with the following specs [Got started with iOS Engineering on this machine, haha]

2. I will lose access to the machine I have been using the last couple of months i.e MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) with the following specs:

3. At any given point, following are in use:

4. I quit all software (below are the software I most often use), text editors and any active processes when working on iOS projects

5. Considering it’s fan kicking in every so often and taking quite a long time to build sometimes, the machine has done an okay job

**I am currently able to invest a max of 1000 USD and will most probably be able to invest more (another 1000) a couple of months from now.**

**I have been thinking of getting a refurbished / renewed machine with similar / slightly better specs as the above mentioned Mid 2015 MacBook Pro but have also been thinking about waiting and getting one of the newer 13” models**

Currently 13” with the following specs is ~2300 USD

2.8GHz Quad Core, 8th Gen i7  
16GB 2133 MHz RAM  
256GB SSD

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jecht83](https://assets.chunter.kodeco.com/user_avatar/forums.kodeco.com/jecht83/32/111154_2.png) [@jecht83](https://forums.kodeco.com/u/jecht83)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994/2 "2020-01-28T23:29:52Z")

</div>

Hi @lganti

IMHO a quick solution will be to buy the 6 Core Mac Mini ($1K) that is fast enough to handle your iOS development with ease and keep your MacbookAir while you save enough money to buy the MacBook you want.

Hope it helps,  
Good luck :]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gdelarosa](https://assets.chunter.kodeco.com/user_avatar/forums.kodeco.com/gdelarosa/32/109063_2.png) [@gdelarosa](https://forums.kodeco.com/u/gdelarosa)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994/3 "2020-01-29T16:30:47Z")

</div>

Hi @lganti, I think @jecht83 made a great point about the mac mini. To add to this, if you are able to hold off a few months and save for the Mac you are eying then that could essentially be worth the wait.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chrisrazeware](https://assets.chunter.kodeco.com/user_avatar/forums.kodeco.com/chrisrazeware/32/107900_2.png) [@chrisrazeware](https://forums.kodeco.com/u/chrisrazeware)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994/4 "2020-01-30T01:55:09Z")

</div>

I’ll second the idea to get a mac mini (if you don’t have to be on the go all the time). My late-2012 mini still handles everything you’ve listed above, although I did have to max out the RAM and swap an SSD in to get top performance. I suspect the 2018 models will be even better. Also, you have to consider maintenance costs. I’ve spent zero in maintenance for my mac mini, but I’ve already dropped $1000 in repairs on my 2017 MacBook Pro since I bought it (keyboard replacement and screen replacement).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lganti](https://assets.chunter.kodeco.com/user_avatar/forums.kodeco.com/lganti/32/103565_2.png) [@lganti](https://forums.kodeco.com/u/lganti)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://forums.kodeco.com/t/finance-macbook-please-help-me-make-a-wise-decision/95994/5 "2020-02-09T14:55:51Z")

</div>

I would have definitely gotten the mac mini if not for my relatively constant moves between countries and such; ended up ordering a refurbished mid 2015 i7 Quad Core - 16GB RAM - 256GB SSD MacBook Pro

Couldn’t wait as the current machine is barely holding on to its brains to build, haha