Hi all,
I'm looking into iPhone development. Most likely I'd be working on the move, so need a laptop to develop on. What would be the minimum spec laptop I could use to develop for the iPhone? Most likely the development would include OpenGL work.
Thanks.
Macbook/Macbook Pro would do. You'll need a mac 'cause they don't have a windows version yet (if ever)
I'm working on a 2Gb MacBook - one of the last batch of models and not a Pro - with a tethered iPod touch. Works fine.
In many ways you don't want anything too powerful as your target system hasn't got much processing power in itself.
The iPhone itself is not a particularly powerful device, so the laptop that you use doesn't need to be super powerful either. I have a basic MacBook, and it works well for iPhone development. Keep in mind though, that you do need to have an intel processor. So, a G4 Powerbook, or similar isn't going to cut it.
Any (new) Mac laptop you get should be able to handle the development of an iPhone app just fine. The iPhone is much less powerful than even the weakest of the current line of mac laptops, so any of them should work fine.
If you really wanted to save you could probably even get older used mac laptops. Personally I'd say you should only consider Intel-based ones, but I don't know if that would be an actual requirement.
You can do this with any standard white Intel based Macbook. Really the cheapest Intel MacBook you can find will do the trick. If you scour ebay even an older Intel Core Duo base MacBook will do.
Find a used one with extended warranty it will work fine. If you have a successful app you'll have the money anyways to buy whatever you want.. don't let it be a deterrent to start creating something of value right now.
You'll need an Intel processor and OS X Leopard (10.5). For a new machine, a starter white MacBook will do the trick. If you're on an extreme budget, I'd keep on eye on Apple's refurb page, or even resort to eBay or Craigslist (you risk getting a lemon, but Macs tend to have long lifespans, and I've bought several used machines without problems; YMMV, of course.)
The performance requirements are (relatively) meager. So long as it has an Intel chip (Core Duo or Core Duo 2), you're gravy.
Like others, I suggest any Macbook. And if you want one cheaper than cheapest, you can take a look at Apple Special Deals store, where you will find refurbished Macs with Apple certification.
My recomendation is this: Pick the one with the screen size to fit your lifestyle. (I use a 13" because I often lug my laptop around on my bike, even though a 15 or 17" would make me more productive.) Once you pick the screen size, get the fastest one your budget allows (I'm kind of a cheepskate - so I have the entry level one.) Once your buy one - upgrade your memory from a third party vendor (they are much cheeper than apple.)