It seems ChatGPT is implying it is time for a new computer
1. Performance: Massive Leap Forward
Your iMac has:
A 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 (dual or quad-core, 2011-era)
A mechanical hard drive or Fusion Drive (likely)
Outdated DDR3 RAM and a slow GPU
Compare that to even the base M1 Mac mini or MacBook Air (2020):
Apple Silicon (M1 chip) with 8-core CPU, 7–8-core GPU
Ultra-fast SSD storage (not just faster — like 10x+ faster in read/write speed)
Unified memory architecture = better efficiency
Silent, cool, and way more power-efficient
Real-world result: Apps launch instantly, multitasking is buttery smooth, and performance is night-and-day faster — even for basic tasks like Safari, Mail, and Office, and especially for creative work (Photoshop, Final Cut, Xcode, etc.).
Is this true? Does having a newer computer improve things so that I would see better performance on apps when using as a user or within the Bubble editor itself?
Short answer, yes. That’s insanely old. Even upgrading to a 2020 ARM-based M1 model will be a drastic change. (I didn’t read the chatGPT response before writing that btw)
I’ve never loved a computer as much as my M1 MacBook Pro bought a few years ago. It’s built like a tank (not light, which may put some off, but I prefer it), incredible screen, blazing fast, plugs instantly into my big monitor when working at the office. And yes the best trackpad ever (it’s actually glass and the “clicks” are haptic/an illusion but you’d never know). Could never go back to a normal one now.
Is it “required” no, but is it bloody lovely and makes working so much more enjoyable - totally.
And just don’t underestimate the importance of memory, no lags it slowdowns, get as much as you can afford and then the whole thing will last you years and be worth all the money.
Edit: actually that’s a lie, my “Amiga” computer is still number one in my heart.
My brother!! I have upgraded my workstation like 2 times since joining Bubble, haha. I wouldn’t mess with anything less than 3-4ghz as far as processing goes.
Storage has very minimal to do with your processing speeds and RAM. Although, if you had an SSD in comparison, it would be unequivocally better by any means.
Your ram is DDR3, I’m already on my way DDR6 coming up in about 2 years
DDR3 is like Windows Vista era (in my comparison).
To answer your questions:
Yes, it will durastically improve your browsing and app speeds.
Your editor will be more responsive.
Can have many more applications / web tabs open at the same time
Definitely time for an upgrade.
As far as what @senecadatabase is saying about Apple products, I use their phone… And ultimately, may end up getting a Mac Mini. Mac’s are 10x better to develop in with code (as far as speeds, and development processing goes – for instance, loading up a dev server and performing hot reloads, and simultaneously running many other processes). I also know they are really good with productivity related tools like Adobe software (practically built into it) and many others. I specifically like the RayCast tool, which I wish Windows had.
All-in-all, get yourself a new setup, whether Windows or Mac, and regardless of the OS, you’ll see HUGE improvements overall.
My windows will out-perform a Mac any-day in every day tasks, however, with coding, it is a much different environment:
There are several reasons why many developers find coding on macOS smoother than on Windows:
Unix-based foundation: macOS is built on a Unix foundation, which makes it naturally compatible with many development tools and frameworks that were originally designed for Unix-like systems.
Native terminal: The macOS Terminal provides a powerful Unix shell environment out of the box, whereas Windows Command Prompt has historically been more limited (though Windows Terminal and PowerShell have improved this).
Package management: macOS has Homebrew, which makes installing development tools and dependencies straightforward with simple commands.
Development ecosystem: Many development tools were originally designed with macOS in mind, and some frameworks (like iOS development) require macOS.
Consistent environment: The Unix-like environment of macOS more closely matches production servers, which often run Linux, reducing deployment inconsistencies.
Hardware-software integration: Apple’s tight integration between hardware and software can result in a more predictable development environment.
The upside that windows has is WSL, however I barely use it. It still doesn’t outmatch how much faster the native system is on Mac.
100%, I’m still doing research too. I have been using Windows for development since day 1. All criticism is welcomed.
Just before you go too far:
Do you actively utilize Windows to code? If so, what do you use for an IDE?
What package manager do you use?
What compiler do you use?
Do you have to wait long periods of time between builds/hot-reloads?
With AI workstations, are you able to simultaneously run MCP services/plugins in the background WHILE using an AI IDE? If so, how is that process? Does it lag for you in between messages? Does it start to bog your machine down after a certain period of time (with contextual messages)?
Apple machines handle ALL of this pretty damn well. For me on Windows, even with top tier specs, can give me lag/memory issues.
Now, if you can’t get past 1, then we can’t really dig too deep in terms of comparison, cause that’s my sole purpose, and I’m not sure what Boston’s purpose is specifically, but I do know he has been delving into code as well lately, so he may be interested in something that will handle a real development process as well. Since he’s already using a Mac, him being able to just upgrade is the most ideal as there is less time involved in him learning how to work an entirely new OS. Especially since he likely has multiple clients with a workflow/process he’s already setup. Switching OS’s could definitely add an obstacle to that.
