Which Macbook Should I Buy For College

How To Choose The Best Macbook For You

Performance: If you know you don’t push your laptops to their limits, get the MacBook Air and get the entry-level model. Its 8-core M1 chip and 8GB of RAM are going to surprise you with their speed. Upgrade that RAM to 16GB if you keep a lot of applications open at once. Those who work with more demanding applications will either want to get the M1 MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM, or consider getting an Intel-based MacBook with 32GB of RAM. Storage is fast up and down the lineup.

Graphics and gaming: For M1-based MacBooks, you either get a 7-core or 8-core integrated GPU, and we’ve seen amazing results on the 8-core version so upgrade if you want to game on your Mac. Yes, you can play serious video games on the Mac now. It’s impressive.

Size and weight: The 13-inch MacBook Air and Pro are only distinguished by the Air’s wedge shape and slightly lighter weight. The MacBook Pro is 0.2 0.3 pounds heavier than the 2.8-pound MacBook Air. Unsurprisingly, the 16-inch MacBook Pro which is a heavier 4.3 pounds is best for those who either don’t mind the heft in their bag or don’t move around as often.

Battery life: The M1 MacBook Pro is the longest lasting MacBook there is, posting a Tom’s Guide battery test time of 16:32. This beats the M1 Air , Intel-based 13-inch Pro and the 16-inch Pro .

Difference Between Macbook Air And Macbook Pro

The main difference between Apples MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is that the current MacBook Air is a fanless system while the MacBook Pro uses a fan for its CPU for an active cooling system.

The MacBook Air is slightly lighter than the MacBook Pro because it does not have a fan to blow out the heat from its CPU.

Instead, it uses MacBooks Aluminum Apple UniBody chassis technology, which dissipates the CPUs heat, keeping it cool even under heavy load.

This is possible due to Apples new low-powered silicon chips. It can perform heavy tasks without much heat, rendering fans on the MacBook Air obsolete.

However, the MacBook Pro can better maintain peak performance without throttling due to CPU heat when doing heavy tasks.

Battery Life: How Long Must It Hold Out

A sizable battery can be your biggest ally on a day filled with classes and extracurricular activities. A few school-oriented laptops come with multiple battery options. Most, though, have only oneand it’s not removable.

In this case, figure out where battery life ranks in the grand scheme of things. If removable batteries are an option , it might be a good idea to get a second one, or a larger “extended” one if available, at the time of purchase. The more “cells” the battery contains within a given model line, the better the battery life, all else being equal.

A big battery can mean some heft, but the weight gain is well worth it if it means leaving the system unplugged from dawn until dusk. This is where our reviews come in especially handy we’ve tested every laptop that passes through our labs for battery runtime with nonstop video playback, so you can get a good idea of relative endurance between models.

You May Like: University Of Phoenix Degree Worthless

Macbook Vs Macbook Air

MacBook Air is more compact and thinner, with a screen size of 12 with a Retina display. While MacBook only weighs roughly three pounds and is only 13.1 mm in width, the Air is roughly two pounds. It has a more powerful touchpad that is bigger and supports force touch. The keyboard design is also more advanced. However, a MacBook is more expensive than a MacBook Air. It has a less powerful CPU and only one USB-C port, which means that users would have to buy adapter hubs for HDMI or USB 3.0. In short, the MacBook Air is cheaper, has a more powerful CPU than a MacBook and has more connection ports. However, it has a less advanced keyboard and touchpad.

How To Choose The Best Cheap Laptop For College Or School

• Portability: Youll want to pick a laptop that’s slim and light. The good news is that most laptops today weigh less than your average reference book, but always check the weight before hitting the buy button.
• Screen size: A potential trade-off with portability, so dont go too big. A 15-inch laptop may come with a nice large screen, but will prove too large to carry around. Aim for 13-inches smaller laptops aren’t as good for long periods of typing.
• Processor: A high end Intel Core i7 might be appealing, but youll be paying for a laptop with ability way beyond its need. Aim for an i3, or, if you really need the power, an i5. Even the lower-end processors, such as Pentium models, should have enough muscle for daily school tasks. Chromebooks can get by just fine with less powerful processors, for example.
• Graphics card: A dedicated graphics card is a nice to have, but unless design or image editing is a concern, not worth the money for school use. If your child wants a laptop for gaming, you may need to up your budget .
• Storage: Youll be looking at a solid state drive or traditional hard drive . The SSD will mean faster load times, but you get less storage for your files. Consider what the student will be saving on the laptop. If its mainly documents and spreadsheets, these barely take up any space. Graphic/video files and additional programs however can soon fill up your storage.

Also Check: Average Size Of Dorm Room

Choosing The Right Mac For Your College Course

As we previously mentioned, the choice of the best Mac for school depends on your major. If youre studying a technically demanding major such as photography, coding, music production, or filming, we recommend you look for the best Mac for your profession not just a laptop for a student. You will need this device beyond your graduation as a tool to complete assignments at work.

Earlier we wrote about the best Mac for photo and video editing, graphic design, app development, and music production. Check out these articles if your major involves any of these topics.

On the other hand, students that arent embarking on a creative specialization dont need their computer to have that much power. Instead, you should look for a light and small device that you can easily carry around and show presentations whenever you need it.

You may not need that much RAM, but you might want to look into getting bigger storage for all that school-related paperwork, essays, and presentations. If you dont want to pay for additional gigabytes on the Mac, consider buying an external disk or, to save even more money, extra cloud space. You can read more in our guide on how to check disk space on Mac.

Best Apple Refurbished Macbook Air And Pro

So, this is a refurbished MacBook Air with Retina Display that features a Intel Core i5 8th Gen Dual-Core Processor. You can save from $100 to $300 dollars on MacBook Air, Mac Mini and MacBook Pro. Apple refurbished laptops are professionally tested and any defective parts are replaced with new genuine Apple Spare parts.

Since the 2019 MacBook Air utilizes a similar processor as the 2018 model, you can spare a decent arrangement of cash by going with the refurbished model of MacBook Pro. Comes with Retina display, but no Touch ID, yet its as yet a genuinely able machine, regardless of whether the processor is a couple of years old now.

• Old processor
• Low base stockpiling

You ought to likewise have enough battery life to get past your every day outstanding burden. Like the later models, the refurbished MacBook Air is appraised for as long as hours of battery life.

While Id at present suggest the freshest MacBook Air for the vast majority, the refurbished model is as yet a strong other option in case youre hoping to set aside some cash. Its not showy, and it wont win any honors for speed, yet itll despite everything be a trustworthy gadget all through your scholastic life.

Where to buy refurbished MacBook?

You can buy refurbished MacBook Air or Pro from official Apple Store or from Best Buy or also from Amazon. All the refurbished Mac systems are quality products at great prices and are Covered by Apples one-year limited warranty.

Are refurbished macbooks good?

You May Like: How To Build Credit As A College Student

How Much Memory Do I Need

Recommended: 16 GB, Minimum: 8 GB, Overkill: 32GB

In general, 8 GB of memory is the minimum recommended. Running multiple programs like development software, word processing and an internet browser at the same time can be handled by 8 GGB of RAM. However, if you are running parallel software or if you plan to run multiple virtual machines, then 16 GB would be a good amount of RAM.

If your computer science emphasis is big data analytics, then having 16 GB RAM would help the speed of processing data since there would be 8 GB more memory for the CPU to use. But that is not essential you can still use 8 GB RAM to process data.

Is A Macbook Good For College Students

Absolutely. Macbooks are fantastic for college students, no matter if your preferences lay with the Air line or the Pro line. Modern Apple laptops are powerful, relatively light, and come with fantastic batteries that can go all day without needing a recharge, even when considering a base model. They are great for studying, video editing, and music-making, among other tasks. The price of these laptops can be higher than Windows laptops.

Read Also: How Much Do College Application Fees Cost

Best Overall: Macbook Air

In mid-2020, Cupertino announced Apple silicon. Six months later, the first non-Intel-based MacBooks in over a decade arrived, starting with the MacBook Air . The best MacBook for students this year, the latest MacBook Air packs a punch for anyone on a smaller budget, starting with its battery life up to 18 hours between charges, depending on what you’re doing.

At 2.8 pounds, the MacBook Air is the lightest Apple tablet on the market despite having the same screen size as the smallest MacBook Pro model. Along with being less weighty, the MacBook Air also contains the same essential internals Apple’s all-new M1 SoC. The laptop also includes a backlit Magic Keyboard and a Touch ID sensor.

No doubt, the MacBook Air is appealing. However, it comes with drawbacks, including fewer Thunderbolt 3 ports, less display brightness, and more inferior speakers than most MacBook Pro models. It also offers 2 hours less battery life between charges than the 13-inch MacBook Pro . None of the disadvantages should stop you from buying it, however.

The MacBook Air is also our favorite Mac for all users this year.

Samsung Chromebook Plus $300

Best for: Budget-conscious students

A Chromebook can be a cheap, smart way to grab a speedy laptop, as long as youre comfortable working within the Google operating system. This Samsung has a stunning 12-inch screen and the processor can more than cope with anything you throw at it.

Don’t discount Chrome because you’re concerned about Windows compatibility. You can run the full suite of Microsoft’s Office programs, including Excel and Word, so you can still present your work in a format professors are familiar with.

The price has dropped over a hundred bucks in the last few years, making it more attractive to price-conscious buyers than ever.

Read Also: List Of Colleges That Accept Ashworth College Credits

Best Macbook In 202: Find The Best Macbook For You

ByAlex Wawropublished 2 January 22

The best MacBooks you can buy right now are all here so you can figure out which is best for you

Included in this guide:

MacBook Pro with M1

The best MacBook for you and your needs is a tricky thing to figure out, especially now that Apple has new MacBook Pro models with entirely new processors and a different design. With the Apple M1 chip now joined by the M1 Pro and M1 Max, MacBooks as we know have changed.

But once you take a closer look at the best MacBooks you can see that one size doesn’t fit all. There are specific reasons why you should opt for the M1-powered MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro M1, or spend more on the newer 14- and 16-inch systems, where you have a choice between the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

• The best laptops to buy now
• MacBooks in 2022: New MacBook Air, cheaper MacBook Pro and more

Apple’s M1-equipped $999 MacBook Air is our top recommendation for the best MacBook overall. The Apple M1 chip makes it faster than we ever expected the Air to get, and its power efficiency enables much longer battery life, lasting over 14 hours on a charge. The $1,299 MacBook Pro M1 is a bit more powerful and lasts even longer on a charge.

Asus Vivobook Flip $429

Best for: A long-lasting budget option

If you want to stick with good old Windows 10, then the Asus VivoBook Flip is a respectable, cheap laptop that should see you through college.

Like the Acer Chromebook, the Pentium processor will limit what you can do, and the 64GB of storage is hardly generous. You’ll need to save docs to the cloud, or get an external hard drive.

However, for around $429, you get a fully functioning 14-inch Windows 10 laptop. As the Flip name suggests, the screen can fold back on itself, much like the Yoga 720 above, but at a fraction of the price. Its pretty slim and lightweight too, for the price bracket.

Also Check: Universities With Rolling Admissions For Fall 2018

Explore Suggested Systems From Your School

Check your college and university website for suggested computer systems. Some schools avoid specific system recommendations and instead offer general advice. One university starts its computer requirement statement with, All undergraduate students at Michigan State are required to have a laptop computer that can connect to the internet.

Often though, a school will point students toward specific bundles or systems. Heres a summary of what three prominent schools suggested as of early July 2020.

The University of Michigan offers discounts on many devices, but prominently features six bundles for students:

• 3 from Apple

• 3 from Microsoft

Figure A

Stanford University provides a robust list of twenty laptops, desktops, and tablets recommended for faculty and staff . The recommended devices include:

• 6 systems from Apple
• 6 systems from Dell
• 6 systems from Lenovo
• 2 systems from Microsoft

Figure B

Massachusetts Institute of Technology similarly offers discounts on many devices. The MIT website highlights recommended configurations from selected vendors:

• 3 from Apple

• 3 from Dell

• 3 from Lenovo

Figure C

Did you happen to notice that the systems suggested by these universities are from four major vendors: Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft? Not surprisingly, all four of the vendors are enterprise-friendly brands with years of experience building reliable products.

Do Macbook Pros Last Longer Than Airs

This is an interesting question. Empirically, I believe that the chances that the hardware breaks are the same in case of Airs and Pros. However, since MBPs have better CPUs, it makes more sense to invest in MBPs than in MBAs. Better CPU means that old laptop still can run new or updated applications.

Also Check: College Hill On Netflix

Which Macbook Should I Buy

My TL DR advice is as follows.

• If you need a MacBook for everyday work, schoolwork, web surfing, movies and light creativity, go with the MacBook Air. For most people, this is all the MacBook they’ll need.
• The 13-inch MacBook Pro remains a tough sell. More expensive than the Air, but essentially the same Apple M1 chip. It’s also the last holdout of the Touch Bar.
• The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the one high-end creative pros have been waiting for. Every video editor and creative pro I’ve spoken to is either excited to get one or has already preordered one, usually with the highest-end M1 Max chip.
• The 14-inch MacBook Pro can do almost everything the 16-inch can, but in a smaller package. It’s either a really premium mainstream laptop splurge or a work tool for creative types who need something a little more portable.

How To Find The Best Mac For Education

The process of choosing the best MacBook for college depends on the kind of student you are, the type of assignments you get, and what youve generally come to expect from your computers. Apple is known for making their products to last, so even if you decide to buy a cheap Mac laptop for university, it should still be in good shape long after your graduation.

Since your studies will include both theory and practice, its crucial for your laptop to be able to support all the apps necessary during your time in college. If youre not anticipating to be working on any complex projects over the course of your studies, then a cheap Mac laptop will be a reasonable purchase for you.

To ease the process of finding the best Mac education pricing and quickly resolve the age-old question of whether to get MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college, take a look at the following aspects.

Also Check: How To Sell My College Books

Macbook For College Students

In todays colleges, it is absolutely imperative for students to have a working laptop. While there are many manufacturers on the market, many students choose Apples MacBook line because of their tried-and-true products and seamless multi-device ecosystem. However, the hefty price tag can make MacBooks intimidating.

While all Apple laptops are high quality, the hardware, computer size and performance ability vary from model to model. Apples interface is similar throughout the entire line, making it easy for you to compare features and decide what works best for you.