Mac For College

The official Football page for Mid-American Conference. While Apple’s Notes is okay for quick lists or doodles, if you’ve got a Pencil, it’s not powerful enough to organize lecture notes. Here are the contenders for the best note-taking apps for college students on the Mac. There’s a ton of note-taking apps for college students out there, but Evernote is by far the best.

Mac For College Students 2018
Best Mac For College
Best Mac For College 2019
Mac For College 2018
Best Mac For College

Mac and PC Matchmaking

A computer isn’t just your average school supply, it’s your partner in crime through the next few years as you conquer college. Through all-night study sessions, online quizzes, last second homework and frantic emails, it will literally become your best friend. So how do you find your perfect match? And how do you take a side in the “Mac vs. PC” battle to pick the one that fits you best? Here are some things to consider as you look for your new companion.

Get beyond hype and marketing

Macs and PC’s have been going at each other for over three decades. Some users feel extremely committed to their choice of computer, as though it were a long-term, loving relationship. For many, it is exactly that and much more. For new students faced with this decision, it’s important to get around the sales pitches and take a hard look at the two different types of computer systems.

What do you want out of the relationship?

There are some significant and some insignificant differences in computers. Much of the decision on which type of computer is best rests in how it will be used. Online class requirements are the starting point. Find out what computer functions you need to be successful in your classes and what features would help make your life easier throughout your studies. It’s okay to be needy in this relationship.

For example: Most online schools want their students to have enough computing power to download and stream video presentations without having annoying memory dumps interrupting the professor’s presentation. If a student is going to purchase a new computer, these issues are important, as most new computers have sufficient RAM memory and fast processors to handle streaming video and download files quickly.

Tip: Knowing what classes and school you will attend will help you figure out your computer and software needs are. Need help figuring out your major? Browse our home page (classesandcareers.com) for a list of program and degree options. If you are looking for a school, our online education tool can help. Once you have everything figured out, talk to students, instructors, and school counselors to find out what your program requires.

Minimum computer specifications to get the job done:

• A processor of 1.6 GHz or faster
• Anti-virus application – updated regularly
• 256MB RAM or greater
• 20 GB hard drive or larger
• 56.6 kbps modem or high-speed Internet connection
• Monitor and video card with 1024 x 768 ppi or greater resolution
• Sound card with speakers
• CD ROM Player/Recorder
• Inkjet or laser printer
• Email address
• Internet service provider (ISP) account
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer® version 6.0 or later
• Adobe® Reader® 6.0 or later
• Microsoft® Outlook Express 6.0 or other email program
• Microsoft® Office XP, 2003, 2004, 2007 or Windows 7
• Microsoft® Word or equivalent
• Microsoft® PowerPoint® or equivalent
• Flash® Player

Add-ons that make a difference

Both Macs and PCs have video capability so student can see each other as they chat on their college’s web network or using Skype. Macs come with the video capability built in, PCs require the user to buy and install a camera and its operating application. Most schools use electronically submitted materials, not printed copies, so the need for a printer is not as high. It would just be useful for when the student wants to review hard-copy materials. Be careful about choosing a color printer, they use a lot of toner or ink and can be very expensive to keep up. Generally, a black & white laser printer makes the best choice due to the low cost per page to print.

Mac For College Students 2018

A List of Pros:

Mac

Runs OS x and Windows
Works great with iPhone, iPad, iPod
Simple to use
Stylish and trendsetting
Better & more software installed when purchased
Immediate access to iTunes store for iPod & iPhone
Fewer computer virus issues

Build computer to meet personal needs
Lower cost than Mac
Wider variety of models available (6 Mac models)
Wider selection of software programs
Backward compatible – can run old programs
More PCs in the world than Macs
More businesses use PCs
Better gaming
More accessories available
More upgradeable

A List of Cons:

Mac

Far less aftermarket software available
More expensive
Accessories are more expensive
Networking with Windows computers harder

Microsoft rules the world for Operating Systems
Vulnerable to viruses
Hardware, peripheral, & accessories can conflict

How to digest this information…

It all boils down to the person using the computer and what they want to use it for. For those students with larger checkbooks and a desire to be more stylish, the Mac offers a more all-inclusive package for those who haven’t used a computer much in the past. For students who want to use their computer for other tasks – like playing games – the PC is probably the better choice.

Where Macs are better for students

Macs are good for students studying audio, video, entertainment, graphics, or other forms of visually-based disciplines like motion picture production, graphic design, art studies, interactive website development, and other degrees which use a high-level of computer generated images and graphics.

Where PCs work out best

For students studying less graphically demanding disciplines, like history, accounting, business management, psychology, or other traditional diplomas, a PC works well because it doesn’t need a lot of frills and specialty programs to serve the user. Spreadsheets and word processing programs are straightforward tools students use frequently. Many people argue that a lot of the spreadsheet and data programs are better suited for PC.

TIP: Find out what programs you will be using in your program and do research to find which type of computer the software is best suited for.

Experience is an important teacher

Mac users laud the intuitive way the operating system functions with the user’s commands as well as the software’s functionality. This is referring to how a user clicks the mouse and uses the keyboard. Mac utilizes a “drag and drop” system for using the mouse to click on screen functions and icons. PCs use the same thing, but in a different way. Rather than pressing down on the mouse key and moving it around to issue commands, PCs have the user click once or twice, move the mouse and then click it again. Small difference, to be sure, but if the mouse button is disengaged while selecting functions with a Mac, the user loses their place and starts again.

A new standard for the term “ready-to-go”

Mac computers come out of the box pretty much ready to go. Plug it in, turn it on, and it makes itself ready for the user to immediately put it to work. PCs require more set up time and effort. Most PCs don’t come with the Word processor and Spreadsheet programs, unless they are ordered together with the computer and installed at the factory. Also, many PCs will recognize a printer, scanner, or other peripheral device plugged into them after set up, but some require downloading software and setting up the peripheral device manually, requiring more time and a little expertise in installing new hardware.

Customer service

Both types of computers require the user to contact product support, either online or by telephone, to resolve any problems with the computer. Frequently, the service support center can link up with the computer over the internet to identify issues and correct them. Most manufacturers charge a lot for these services unless a service plan is purchased with the original sale.

Desktop versus Laptop

Since online students have the freedom to view and interact with their classes anytime and anywhere, a laptop computer makes a lot of sense for most students. As long as the laptop meets the minimum operating requirements for the school, it makes life much easier when a student only needs internet access to go to class. As most coffee shops and public libraries offer free internet access, it’s far more convenient to learn from a laptop than from a PC stuck at home or in an office.

The bottom line

Frequently, the decision on which type of computer to use is already made … by the student’s budget. Fact: Macs can be expensive, PCs are cheap by comparison. Macs cost anywhere from $999 to $2,499. PCs can cost as little as $399 (including monitor). When the cost of a printer, scanner, camera, and software are added in, the PC is still the better deal from a cost standpoint.

Who wins?

Online students have a lot to consider when it’s time for choosing their computer. Mac users love Macs. PC users tend to prefer PCs simply because it’s what they are used to. Whichever way a student goes, their computer is probably the most important piece of equipment they will use for college… and in the long run it doesn’t matter which you pick as long as it fits your college needs.

The fact is your choice is determined by your budget, your preference, and the needs of the program and school. Good luck, and we promise we won’t judge you when you finally pick a side.

If you aren’t sure what program you should go into…

Check out our home page, Classesandcareers.com to browse through program and career options. If you know your program but need help finding a school check out our School Finder Tooland request information from an education counselor.

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.

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.

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.

Best Mac For College

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 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.

Our pick

MacBook Air (2018)

Best Mac For College 2019

Hits the sweet spot of power, portability, and price.

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.

Mac For College 2018

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

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Best Mac For College

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