Best Mac For Software Engineer 2018

Check out our 2018 guide to the 30 best free CAD software tools (2D/3D CAD programs) for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users. 30 Best Free CAD Software Tools 2018 (2D/3D CAD Programs) Table of Contents. Best free CAD software for: Engineering and Industrial Design students. 16 Best Free CAD Software. Look no further than our list of the best Mac apps available around the internet, from excellent productivity tools to social media apps, entertainment, and security software! And security. After 40 hours of testing resume writing software, LiveCareer is still our pick for the best option. The program is web-based rather than downloadable, and the number of features, as well as the site’s connectivity and convenience, are hard to beat. Get some of the best Mac games for massive discounts during Humble Bundle's Spring Sale May 18, 2018 1:37 PM in Gaming B&H is selling 2017 MacBook Pros and iMacs for $200 off for Tax Day. Jamie’s Best Choice Laptop – Here’s my pick of the best laptops for coding: HP 2017 15.6″ Full-HD IPS UWVA Laptop. The HP 2017 IPS UWVA is my top choice because it offers the best performance for the money.

1. Software Engineer Job Description
2. Best Mac For Software Engineer 2018 Resume
3. Software Engineer Salary
4. Software Engineer Hours Per Week
5. Best Mac Software 2018
6. Mac Pro Laptop 2018
7. Best Mac For Software Development

Nowadays that virtually all music recording has gone digital…

The first question on every musician’s mind when first starting out with music production is:

Which computer should I get?

Though as I’m sure you already know, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer.

Because depending on factors such as:

• budget
• processing speed
• portability

YOUR ideal option might be completely different from someone else’s.

Which is why for today’s post, I intend to show you everything you need to know to find the perfect computer/laptop for YOUR setup.

So let’s begin. First up…

Laptops vs. Desktops

More and more these days, as technology becomes increasingly “mobile“…

Desktop computers are slowly becoming a thing of the past.

Yet for music recording, they’re still what all the pros continue to use.

Here’s why:

• They’re generally faster – their larger housing offers room for maximum processing power to meet the high demands of today’s DAW’s and plugins.
• They have more IN’s/OUT’s – which allow you to incorporate larger, more sophisticated routings to keep up with your ever-growing setup.
• They offer greater customization – which let’s you add more RAM, extra hard drives, additional video cards, and more…as necessary.
• They solve the noise problem – by allowing you to keep the tower (noisy) in a separate room for your studio monitors and microphones.

Despite all these advantages, the ONE thing that desktop computers lack is…PORTABILITY.

And in today’s world of DJ’s and mobile studios, the portability of a laptop is a MUST.

Plus…since most of us use a laptop for school/work anyway, it eliminates the need for 2 separate purchases.

Now at this point, I’ll assume you’ve already decided whether a desktop or laptop computer is right for you.

So let’s move on. Up next…

Mac vs. PC

Want to know the easiest way to piss-off a recording geek? Here’s what you do:

If he uses a PC in his studio, tell him Macs are better.

If he uses a Mac, tell him PC’s are better.

Because for some strange reason, this topic incites violent debates…that last forever, and result in no real conclusions.

In fact, I absolutely HATE giving my opinion on this topic.

But here it is anyway:

Personally, I like Macs. Not just for recording, but for everything. And these days, most of the music world (and the rest of the world) agrees.

If YOU agree as well…get a Mac.

So why a PC then? It’s usually 1 of 3 reasons:

1. Price – Macs are usually more expensive than PC’s, and not everyone can afford them.
2. Customization – computer nerds typically prefer PC’s, since they are much easier to modify/supercharge.
3. Windows – some people just like the Windows OS.

If none of these 3 things apply to you…get a Mac.

But whichever side you choose, just know that tons of great music has been created on either one, and this topic isn’t nearly as important as some might have you believe.

Assuming you’ve made your decision…let’s move on.

Up next…

Mac Desktops

With Mac desktops, you have 4 options:

1. Mac Pro
2. iMac
3. iMac Pro
4. Mac Mini

Now here’s how they compare:

First, there’s the Mac Pro.

For studio recording, there’s probably nothing better. Peek your head into any pro studio…and odds are, that’s what you’ll find.

And the reason why is because it’s the only model that’s made to be easily upgradable, whichever part you’re looking to switch.

Now, up until not so long ago, the Mac Pro was just overkill for most of us, whether it was in terms of specs, or price.

However…

There is a serious, brand new contender on the desktop mac scene: the iMac pro.

The iMac pro is basically the MOST POWERFUL (yes, way more powerful than the Mac Pro) mac to date, with the added benefit of being an iMac, meaning it’s an all-in-one computer with a monitor built-in.

Now, one look at the base model price and you’ll understand why this model is not for everyone… And don’t even look at the price of the boosted out model if you’re faint of heart..

But if you’re looking for the most powerful mac out there and don’t mind making a (very) long-term investment, the iMac Pro will have you covered for the next decade or so.

Now for the overwhelming majority of us who can’t afford the iMac Pro, the next option is probably the best: the iMac.

While not nearly as powerful, the regular iMac is equally as practical for a typical beginner’s setup.

If you can afford it, it’s quite likely the ideal choice for most home studios.

If you CAN’T however, your final option is the Mac Mini.

How many times have your heard someone say:

I want to get a Mac, but they’re too expensive 🙁

Well the Mac Mini is proof that this is not entirely true.

And quite surprisingly, while the older models were definitely not on par with the iMac or Mac Pro in terms of speed…

The newer models, and especially the boosted ones show surprisingly good performances on the benchmark, and in some cases even outperforms the regular iMac.

It may not have the speed or flexibility of the more expensive models…but it offers ALL the benefits of the Mac OSX, for a very modest price tag.

• Mac Pro – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF)
• iMac Pro – (Amazon/B&H)
• iMac – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF)
• Mac Mini – (Amazon/GuitarC/B&H)

Up next…

PC Desktops

For those of you guys who build custom PCs…

I have no doubt you know far more about this subject than I do…

So…

If you can assemble something faster and better than a Mac Pro…go for it.

I wouldn’t dare try to convince you otherwise.

If however, you DON’T fall into this category, and you really don’t know much about computers at all…

Then I suggest staying away from PC desktops altogether.

And here’s why:

If you’re NOT a huge PC fan, the only reason to choose a PC for your studio would be if you’re a beginner trying to save money.

And since the main benefit of desktop computer is MORE PROCESSING POWER, it makes little sense to get any desktop that isn’t blazing fast.

So if you only have $500 to spend, you might as well get a laptop, so you can at least have some portability as well.

Having said that, let’s move on…

The 4 KEY Laptop Specs

Since we’ve already established that laptops are…in a way…”less-than-ideal” for music production…

Here are 5 potential issues to look out for:

1. Mechanical Noise – if you’re a DJ in a loud club, this obviously doesn’t matter. But in a bedroom studio, it matters a lot. One way to check for this: read a ton of user reviews. Another way: opt for a SSD (solid state drive) with no moving parts, over a traditional HDD (hard disk drive).
2. Backlit Keys – in low-light environments such as lounges and clubs, these are a MUST-HAVE.
3. Screen Size – you may not think it’s important now, but once you’ve spent some time with any DAW, you’ll quickly see how valuable a bigger screen can be.
4. Ports – as laptops get increasingly smaller, the number of ins/outs gets smaller as well. So make sure you have enough to get by.

Now let’s check out some laptops already…

Mac Laptops

With Mac laptops you have 3 options:

1. Macbook Pro
2. Macbook Air
3. Macbook

First, there’s the Macbook Pro.

My best guess is…Macbook Pros are the single most popular laptops for home recording.

1. They’re ultra fast
2. They’ve got lots of inputs
3. They have large screen with detailed display

If you can afford it, get it. If not…

Then the Macbook and Macbook Air come in TIED at a distant2nd place.

They’re not as fast, and they don’t have nearly as many inputs, but they’re extremely thin and lightweight…the Macbook Air ESPECIALLY!

So there you go. Check them out:

• Macbook Pro – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF)
• Macbook Air – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF)
• Macbook – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusicianF)

Up next…

PC Laptops

On one hand, PC laptops are GREAT…

Because you have a virtually unlimited number of options to choose from.

On the other hand, PC laptops SUCK…for the exact same reason.

And what I mean by that is…

While it’s nice to have options, the more options you have, the harder it is:

• to actually choose one
• to be certain you’ve made the right choice
• to be happy with your choice after you’ve made it

And unfortunately, for music production, there is no clear-cut winner that stands out from all the others.

But as most people agree…the best PC laptops for music tend to be the best PC laptops in general.

So here are 5 of the most popular and well-reviewed options:

• HP Envy – (Amazon/B&H)
• Asus Zenbook – (Amazon/B&H)
• LG Gram – (Amazon/B&H)
• Dell Inspiron – (Amazon/B&H)
• Lenovo Yoga 3 – (Amazon)

Up next…

DAW System Requirements

One important point worthy of mention that rarely gets discussed…

Is the system requirements for your DAW of choice.

Even though these days, most computers are compatible with most DAW’s…

In some rare cases…they’re NOT, so you should always double check just to make sure.

If you don’t have a preferred DAW yet, or don’t even know what a DAW is, then don’t worry about this part.

However for those of you that DO, here are the links to the system requirements for each of today’s top DAW’s:

Up next…

3 Essential Computer Accessories

Once you’ve finally chosen a computer, next come the ACCESSORIES.

For recording studios, the 3 accessories I recommend are:

• a keyboard
• a mouse
• a monitor

Now here’s what you want from each one…

1. The Keyboard

While any old keyboard will do…

Your ideal keyboard should include 3 features:

1. DAW shortcut markers – which help you memorize all those shortcuts WAY faster.
2. A number pad – which includes a TON of useful shortcuts for most DAW’s.
3. A wireless connection – which allows you access to your transport controls from anywhere in the room.

NOTE: Even if you have a laptop, you may still find it worthwhile to buy an external keyboard. That’s how useful they are.

Now here are my 2 favorites:

1. Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard – besides having a number pad and a wireless connection, this keyboard has one unique feature that you almost never see: solar power. That means no batteries or cables ever.
   • PC – (Amazon/B&H)
   • Mac – (Amazon/B&H)
2. LogicKeyboard Custom DAW Keyboards – (website) – easily the most well-known maker of software shortcut markers, LogicKeyboard has both custom keyboards and skin layovers for virtually every DAW/keyboard combo imaginable.

Up next…

2. The Mouse

Again…while any old mouse (or trackpad) will do…

With a really good mouse…

A few programmable buttons can give you access to your most frequently used DAW shortcuts without ever touching your keyboard.

And this one tool can speed up your workflow significantly.

While there are an almost infinite number of these mice to choose from…I suggest Logitech.com as a good place to start your search.

My personal favorite mouse in their line is the Logitech MX Ergo – (Amazon/B&H). If you’re not sure what to get, I highly recommend it.

For some other great options, check these out as well:

• Logitech MX Master2S – (Amazon/B&H)
• Logitech MX Anywhere 2S – (Amazon/B&H)

3. The Computer Monitor

Software Engineer Job Description

When you first start out with home recording…

You probably won’t recognize the value of REALLY GOOD monitor right away.

But eventually, after working without one for a while…

You’ll notice 3 things:

1. Low resolution screens can only display a small number of tracks at once.
2. Flat screen TV’s often look pixelated, and are awkward to view from close up.
3. Screens with slower refresh rates can’t display level meters in sync with the track.

Any one of these problems alone is annoying. All 3 together will drive you crazy.

Best Mac For Software Engineer 2018 Resume

And once that happens, I highly suggest getting a good external monitor.

For a good high-end option, here is an example of something that would work well:

• LG 27″ 4k – (Amazon/B&H)

Software Engineer Salary

As an alternative, any standard monitor (such as this one) will work almost as well, such as he HP 27er.

• Click here to compare prices – (Amazon/B&H)

Macs may be a far less tempting target for malware and viruses, but they’re not immune from attack. Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as a means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, password theft, or stolen iPhone backups.

Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts. It’ll catch malware that’s still spreading or in circulation; block ransomware; protect older systems with out-of-date software from security vulnerabilities; prevent your Mac from acting as a carrier for malware aimed at other operating systems; and keep infected files off of any virtual machines you’re running.

Antivirus for Mac cheat sheet

Our quick-hit recommendations:

• Best paid antivirus for Mac:Sophos Home Premium for Mac[sophos.com]
• Best free antivirus for Mac:Avast Free Mac Security[avast.com]

Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance. Our top contenders dominate by posting perfect (or virtually near perfect) scores from security research labs, passing our own malware detection tests with flying colors, offering well-designed interfaces, and even throwing in extra features like a firewall or password manager.

Updated 08/15/19: Added our review of Avira Free Antivirus, a worthy free option that’s easy to use and effective.

Looking for Windows antivirus recommendations? You can read about the best antivirus suites for PC on our sister site, PCWorld.

Best overall antivirus software

Sophos Home Premium has the most extensive and up-to-date approach to fighting malware at an unbeatable price.

Sophos Home Premium has it all: Effective malware protection, ransomware monitoring, protection against potentially-unwanted-apps, and additional features that often require separately licensed software. Its cloud-based configuration and generous licensing (up to 10 Macs and PCs) also make it easy to shield friends and family from threats, no matter where they live. (Full details available in our review.)

Best free antivirus software

Though Sophos does offer a good free version of its software, Avast Free Mac Security edges it out as the best free antivirus software for macOS. In security lab tests, Avast detected 99.9 percent of macOS malware, and 100 percent of Windows malware. However, if you want more advanced protection (like ransomware detection), you’ll need to upgrade to paid software.

What to look for in antivirus software

By our reckoning, antivirus software should be able to neutralize a threat before it can begin wreaking havoc. That means preventing the download, installation, or execution of malicious software.

Since you can encounter threats by visiting compromised or malicious websites, receiving virus-laden attachments, or accessing USB drives with malware, good AV software should scan on a continuous basis unless you configure it otherwise. And ideally, files identified as malicious should be quarantined into a special storage area managed by the AV software, with the option to automatically delete files known to be malware or repair normal documents that also carry devious payloads.

Great AV suites also will monitor the filesystem for certain kinds of changes. Ransomware—which is malware that will rapidly encrypt user files like documents and mailboxes and then delete the originals—has become a huge moneymaker on other platforms. As a prime opportunity for attackers, it’s the greatest danger Mac users likely face as a category.

Detecting this pattern and halting it before any files are unavailable should be possible without an anti-malware system knowing the specific innards of a ransomware virus. Sophos, our top pick, includes this feature in the Home Premium version of its 2018 update. Other vendors, like Avast and Trend Micro Antivirus, offer an alternative feature that allows you to whitelist programs allowed to manipulate files in specific directories. So if this particular type of attack becomes rapidly popular, you’ll be protected.

Software Engineer Hours Per Week

Good antivirus software should also use minimal computational resources. That’s especially the case these days—AV monitoring hasn’t become much more complicated than when it first became available, and faster, multi-core CPUs can easily handle the demands of running AV software in the background without disturbing your active work.

Beyond these primary features, an easy-to-navigate interface and extra features are worth factoring into your decision. Some AV software are full-fledged suites that offer additional options like backup service for essential files, a password manager, parental controls, anti-tracking and privacy modes or options, a more advanced firewall, and the blocking of Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs).

How we test

Each software package is evaluated creating a clean installation of macOS Mojave, cloning it for each AV product, and then booting separately into each one to install a different package. This was to ensure that previous app installations didn’t interfere with new ones—sometimes AV software treats other AV software as an infection.

In addition to visiting malicious websites, downloading known malicious software, and even running said malware, we also reference the most recent reports from two labs that regularly cover macOS malware: AV Comparatives and AV-TEST. These laboratories test AV software against sets of known malware as well as products that are grouped as potentially unwanted applications (like adware).

Best Mac Software 2018

The latter doesn’t damage or expose your computer or its files but may consume power and CPU cycles. Because the testing effectively looks at a combination of virus databases and behavior, they remain good gauges even after many months. When an antivirus software package lacks a rating from a known security research lab, we do more extensive testing with real malware.

Finally, while we gave props for a lot of different features and behaviors, we marked products down if they lacked any or all of the following:

• A nearly perfect score on macOS malware detection
• Ransomware monitoring
• Native browser plug-in or system-level Web proxy
• A high score on Windows malware detection

Mac Pro Laptop 2018

Privacy concerns

Using an anti-virus product, especially any that includes tools to also improve your online privacy, may lull you into believing you’re safe from personal and private information leaking out. That’s not quite the case. While there’s no reason to panic, you should consider a few reasonable issues.

First, an antivirus product may upload the complete text of files flagged to the cloud, where it can be analyzed by separate tools hosted there. This practice is normal and sensible: Some malware can detect when a running process may examine it, and will then engage in subterfuge. Antivirus software makers also can access their massive databases to examine files with characteristics that trigger their algorithms—certain elements that match known malware. As a result, security researchers discover new viruses, worms, Trojans horses, and the like.

However, helping the greater good means you’ll have to be comfortable with trusting a third-party with your file contents. Where appropriate, we noted privacy policy issues in individual reviews.

Second, this software may also rely partly or entirely on cloud-based checks of URLs, malware, and the like. Accordingly, an AV package might upload every URL you visit, metadata about files, signatures of files, information about your computer’s hardware, a list of running or installed applications, and more. Companies vary on their disclosure of such policies, and may not let you opt out of this kind of sharing. We note issues in each review as available.

Third, anti-virus software makers also get a sense of what behavior is happening on your computer that’s being monitored or blocked, and may use that information for their own purposes. In some cases, you can opt out of this information gathering.

All of our antivirus for Mac reviews

Best Mac For Software Development

If you have specific requirements or just wish to see other options, below is a list of all the antivirus software we’ve reviewed. We’ll keep evaluating new and refreshed software on a regular basis, so be sure to come back to see what else we’ve put through the ringer.