- The Best Mac Computer For College Students
- Apple
- Best Mac For College Students
- What Is Best Mac For College Students
- Which Macbook For College Student
- Best Mac For College Students 2017
- Best Mac For College Students 2017
Best Answer: Codee, Given your needs and your college coursework, I am recommending the MacBook Air. It is lightweight and extremely portable. You'll hardly notice it in a backpack or on your lap.
Most students looking for a new MacBook should pick up the MacBook Air. It's less expensive than other MacBooks, more powerful, and has a bigger display than the 12-inch MacBook while remaining lightweight. And though it might not be as powerful as the MacBook Pro, it should provide enough power for the average student to get through their day.
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Our pick
The Best Mac Computer For College Students
MacBook Air (2018)
Hits the sweet spot of power, portability, and price.
More powerful than the 12-inch MacBook and more mobile than the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air sits in the Goldilocks zone of Apple's portable Mac lineup, offering enough power for most everything you'll want it to do without the bulk of a MacBook Pro. Features Touch ID for easy, yet secure, authentication.
Who should buy this computer?
College students who want a Mac for writing papers, doing research, surfing the web, light photo editing and just entertaining themselves should get the MacBook Air. It should also be a great computer for you when your academic career is over and you're headed out into the world.
Is it a good time to buy this computer?
The current MacBook Air came out in October 2018, so now is a great time to buy this Mac. Some solid discounts are popping up at retailers like Amazon, and we're likely many months away from a potential refresh. It's been a while since Apple refreshed any of its Macs in less than a year.
Reasons to buy
- Great balance of price and power
- Light and portable
- Retina display
- Touch ID
Reasons not to buy
- Limited customization
- Butterfly keyboard may irk some
The MacBook Air is a great Mac for students, successfully riding the line between power and portability
For students, portability is a chief concern when it comes to buying a computer. Whether you're walking through your high school's hallways to your history class or sprinting across a college campus to make it your next lecture on time, you don't want to be lugging around a heavy computer. You want something fairly light. At the same time, you don't want a computer that's underpowered. The MacBook Air occupies the happy medium of that ideal. It's more powerful than the MacBook and thinner and lighter than the MacBook Pro.
For the longest time, the MacBook Air was Apple's thin-and-light computer. Many credit MacBook Air with paving the way for the 'ultrabook' genre of computers that gained prominence in the early part of this decade. But Apple has since introduced the 12-inch MacBook, which debuted with a Retina display and was even thinner and lighter than the Air. Surely, if portability is your main concern, you should get the MacBook, right?
The MacBook Air sits in the happy medium between the portability of the MacBook and the power of the MacBook Pro.
Well, let's take a look at the modern MacBook Air. It now also (some would say 'finally') has a Retina display, without adding any bulk. And no, it's not as small as the MacBook, but it's almost as light. The MacBook Air comes in at 2.75 lbs, less than a pound heavier than the MacBook's 2.03. You're not making much of a sacrifice on weight. If the footprint of the computer is a concern, check out the MacBook, but you're gaining only about half-an-inch each on width and depth, so maybe the larger Air won't present much of a size problem.
The other consideration the MacBook versus the MacBook Air is power. While the MacBook Air's eighth-generation Intel processor won't really keep up with those found in the current generation of MacBook Pro, it's more than a match for the 7th-generation processors found in the MacBook. For everything from web browsing to photo editing, the MacBook will find itself outmatched by the Air, all while the MacBook Air is priced at least $100 under the current MacBook.
Speaking of power, the MacBook Pro is probably overkill for most students. Sure, some will be able to take advantage of its more powerful processors available to it, but if most of what you're doing is writing papers, putting together presentations, or doing research on the web, you probably don't need the level of power a MacBook Pro offers. And again, you'll be saving a bit of money if you get the MacBook Air, which is always something to consider.
Ultimately, when looking at the current MacBook lineup through the lens of a student, the MacBook Air successfully rides the line between the thin-and-light MacBook and the powerful MacBook Pro. It will meet the needs of most students, and should still be a great Mac to have when you're ready to leave academics behind and head off into the world.
Alternatives to the MacBook Air
The MacBook Air might be the best MacBook for most students, but different people have different needs. If you're looking for more power, then check out the MacBook Pro. It'll be a more capable machine for almost everything you want to do, with more expensive models offering an ever-increasing amount of power for tasks like photo and video editing, app development, scientific programs, illustration, and music production. It will last longer than the MacBook Air and perform at higher levels the entire time.
If you're looking for more of a budget option, unfortunately, you're going to have to settle for something older from Apple. It's still a MacBook Air, but it lacks the Retina display of the newer model, and its processors are older. But, it still has all-solid-state storage, which means a lot when it comes to boot times. If budget is your chief concern and you still want a Mac, the older MacBook Air that Apple still sells should work just fine, if not quite as well as the new model.
More power
MacBook Pro
More power for whatever you need to do.
More powerful and versatile than the MacBook Air, the Pro lineup offers more customization options so you get the exact machine you need for photo and video work, scientific programs, music production, or other intensive tasks.
The MacBook Pro offers a lot of customization options that allow you to create the computer you need. Offers everything from a seventh-generation dual-core Intel processor to an ninth-generation, eight-core i9 beast, configurable up to 32GB of memory with AMD Radeon graphics for the most intensive tasks. If power is what you want, that's what you'll get with the MacBook Pro.
Value pick
MacBook Air (2017)
A capable computer for the money.
While it hasn't seen anything other than a spec bump in the last couple of years, the 2017 revision of the MacBook Air is still a capable machine. It may lack Thunderbolt and a Retina display, but it'll still get you through most of your tasks without hassle.
Apple
Apple quietly bumped the specs on the MacBook Air in 2017, introducing a couple of new processors to choose from. Despite its lack of Thunderbolt 3 ports or a Retina display, the older MacBook Air should still be able to meet most of your needs. It even still has an SD card reader, something many Mac owners thought was lost to the ages (or at least the Mac).
Bottom line
If you want an excellent 'medium' Mac laptop, get the MacBook Air. Offering enough power to meet most of the needs of student life while being almost as portable as a MacBook, the Air strikes a great balance between the other offerings in Apple's laptop lineup.
It's also among the most affordable of the portable Macs, especially when you start getting into the upper echelons of what that MacBook Pro has to offer and even compared to the 12-inch MacBook.
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Our pick
MacBook Air (2018)
Hits the sweet spot of power, portability, and price.
More powerful than the 12-inch MacBook and more mobile than the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air sits in the Goldilocks zone of Apple's portable Mac lineup, offering enough power for most everything you'll want it to do without the bulk of a MacBook Pro. Features Touch ID for easy, yet secure, authentication.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Joseph Keller is a senior writer at iMore. An Apple user for more than a decade and a half, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Rene Ritchie has been covering the personal technology industry for a decade. An outspoken analyst and critic, he writes at iMore.com/vector, podcasts at applepodcasts.com/vector, and you can find his show at youtube.com/vector. Follow him @reneritchie on Twitter and Instagram
Best Mac For College Students
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Dock it!Bye-bye dongles! Here are the best docking stations for your MacBook Pro
What Is Best Mac For College Students
Need to connect all the things to your MacBook Pro with USB-C ports? Dongles be damned. Get yourself a docking station instead!
Years ago, college students used pencil and paper to take notes during class. The norm today is to use a laptop for note taking as well as research and assignment preparation. Most assignments are now given with a specific style in mind that should be used through a word processor. A college education requires a computer, but desktop computers are not mobile enough, so a laptop is key. Finding the right laptop for your personal needs is important and every student will need something specific based on the type of education they are pursuing.
The Age Old Debate: Mac vs. PC
The first choice you need to make is which brand of computer you wish to use during your education. In most cases, either will offer the same benefits, but those pursuing a publishing, design or art degree may find that Macs are the machines of choice in the field. Even if you are not completely comfortable with the layout of the Mac OS it is worth learning on it as you pursue a degree in one of these fields. Most other fields should have no impact on your choice of brand.
In the 90’s the “cool” kids had Mossimo Jeans while the less popular kids had Levi’s. That is the essential difference between PCs and Macs. While Apple has done a great job in pushing the brand to be the go to machine for those looking for a sleek style, the PC side of things has kept up, but on a less centralized front. Since many manufacturers build laptops, the styles vary a great deal and you can often find a sleek and stylish laptop that will turn more heads than anything Apple offers. Apple is consistent though and you will pay a price for the name, so if cost is the main concern, you may want to turn towards a Windows based laptop.
The operating systems are different and since PCs are the more prevalent of the two, worldwide, they are also more susceptible to viruses and hacks. There are plenty programs to protect your PC, but hackers are brilliant when it comes to minor and major viruses that can bypass these types of security programs. While Macs are targeted by fewer viruses and hacks, they are far from immune and with the growth in popularity, the attacks will rise in frequency. Either choice should be made with the intention of securing your laptop as much as possible. Battery life is generally much longer on Mac based laptops, reaching up to 12 hours of battery life. In generally PC based laptops will not get anywhere close. If you plan on being away from a charger for more than 6 hours, you may be forced to find additional power options if you decide to go the PC route.
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Productivity will not differ between the two brands of laptops, but you will want to go with the one you are most familiar with. Macs have a unique operating system that a small percentage of people have used in their lifetime. Most people understand Windows 7 and Windows 8 is constantly being upgraded and tweaked to make it more user friendly. There is software available to allow Macs to run PC operating systems and software, but then you are simply paying a higher price for what you would get on a Windows based laptop. Both offer plenty of productivity software such as presentation, word processing and other useful software, so your choice should ultimately come down to your personal needs, not the advertising that is thrown around so frequently.
Best in Class
Apple: MacBook Air Best microsoft office for mac.
Less than an inch thick and featuring an 11 – 13 inch display, the newest MacBook Air offers plenty of portability and power in an incredibly sleek and stylish design. Prices range from $1000 – $1100 for the newest versions, but that will be the basic build. For your needs, it may be enough, but keep in mind that you are paying some for the brand name as well as the product itself. The MacBook Air also boasts a light, yet sturdy, design that weighs less than 2.5 pounds. Your textbooks probably weigh much more than that on average. An Intel Core processor ensures the laptop is fast and can handle multiple programs which will come in very handy as you start to handle more and more tasks for your assignments.
Which Macbook For College Student
Productivity: Lenova ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenova has made a name for itself with some of the fastest ultrabooks on the market. Ultralight, ultradurable and highly portable, the super thin laptop holds an extremely long charge. While the price is a bit higher than the MacBook Air at $1200+ you start with a larger screen (14 inches) and have plenty of room to upgrade and customize the laptop to meet your specific needs. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the midrange models offered by Lenova, so if you are looking to spend more you can get even more bells and whistles included.
Gaming: Alienware 14 – 18
Best Mac For College Students 2017
All work and no play can make college a little difficult to stay happy with. Finding a way to relieve a little stress is extremely helpful as you move towards bigger assignments and finals. If gaming is your chosen hobby, Alienware is the perfect place for you to start. You will have to sacrifice some portability for all of the power that comes with the laptop, and you will need to pay a premium depending on how powerful you want the machine to be, but the end result will be a laptop that works at blazing fast speeds and lets you play the latest games at a respectable frame rate and graphical setting. Alienware 14 laptops are the starting point for most students, but you will find that Alienware offers a wide variety of customization options to let you build the perfect laptop for your own needs. Ranging from just over $1,000 for the bare bones gaming machine up to well over $2,000 your budget will help you decide how important gaming is. Just keep in mind that all the flash and extras come at a cost, price wise and portability wise.
Budget Friendly: Dell Latitude 3330 Education and Small Business Laptop
The Dell Latitude 3330 isn’t built for anything except for productivity. You will find that the laptop is light weight and affordable, but only able to handle office or education based software. Beyond that, the system will work for streaming movies and listening to music, but you should not purchase this particular laptop for anything more than school work. The advantage of going with a bare bones laptop such as this comes to light when you look at the price. Broke college students may not have $500 dollars to drop on the system outright, but you can find attractive financing offers for as low as $15 a month. Drop a few cups of java and grab a soda each month and your budget won’t notice the difference.
Google Chromebook: Chromebook Pixel
Best Mac For College Students 2017
Chromebooks stand on their own as unique laptops built on the Google OS that is starting to grow in popularity. While a very basic Chromebook can be purchased for under $300 you may find the Chromebook Pixel to be perfect for college. With 4.3 million pixels (more than your eye could every actually notice, crisp text, bright and vivid colors and an extra wide viewing angle ensures that the Pixel will be perfect for collaborative work with study groups. Laptops often do a poor job of letting those not sitting directly in front of the screen see the laptop as intended. Colors will go to negatives and the normally crisp and easy to read text becomes painful to look at. With the Chromebook Pixel, viewing angles are much wider ensuring multiple students can sit around the laptop and enjoy the same vivid view. A 12.85 inch screen is large enough to allow multitasking, but not so large that it won’t fit in a bag or backpack. A touch screen allows for quicker navigation and more interactivity. The jury is still out on just how powerful the system is once you move beyond school work, but the Pixel will definitely give you the productivity and clarity that you need for projects and watching movies. A sleek design will also turn a few heads as the Chromebook craze hasn’t kicked in just yet.