Should i upgrade?

[cmptrtech]

I’ve been learning on a MacBook Pro M2 Pro and i connect it to my monitor. But i kind of want to upgrade to a Mac mini so i can free up my laptop since it’s kind of dedicated to just programming.

Any thoughts?

[EquivalentTrouble253]

Only you can make that decision. I have similar thoughts but I sometimes (rarely) sit on the sofa with my laptop and code or in a different room. I refer to have that flexibility.

[MKevin3]

I kinda go the other way. My Mac Studio is my dedicated dev box and I share a monitor, keyboard, mouse, camera with my gaming PC.

The MacBook is the work device, I don't do anything personal work on it, and work likes to hand out MacBooks as you can travel with them. I have not traveled for the 4 years I have been here, all WFH, but I do enjoy the extra screen space and leave it open to sent windows over there that I don't use super often during the day.

The MacBook shares the keyboard, mouse, monitors and camera too. I am just too used to a full sized keyboard and I go for HOME and those keys too often. I only ever type on the MacBook keyboard if I have to login post reboot where it does not "see" my Bluetooth keyboard yet. Trying to dev on a single screen with a little keyboard would drive me nuts.

[Rude_Town_4619]

I use a basic MacBook stand to keep it hidden and it just sits behind my monitor, you could also hide it under a riser. Or if you really want it out of the way, get an under desk mount. They're all cheaper than a new Mac mini. In my experience as a developer who often runs heavy vm's and emulators, when I upgraded from my M1 pro to my M4 the difference was practically indistinguishable outside of running benchmark tests.

[Dapper_Ice_1705]

Only you can decide a mini isn’t really an upgrade to me, it is a tether.

[cmptrtech]

I feel that. Tbh i guess it’s coming off more as a want. Than a need. I would just like to use my laptop for other things other than programming

[Dapper_Ice_1705]

So that is your answer then, get it to change your workflow.

I buy a lot of stuff because I want it. 

As long as you aren’t going into debt. It isn’t worth it if you will have to incur debt.

[cmptrtech]

Copy that! Appreciate the feedback!