Laptop for College

My brother's graduation present is going to be a MacBook for college and it is my responsibility to find one for him. I was just wondering if you had any suggestions. He is not very tech savvy but doesn't have trouble using what he needs because we already have a Mac.

Well you won't need to go pro then! (At least, not this time).
Here's some price comparisons to consider:
The stock white MacBook through the education store is $949.00.
The stock aluminum MacBook through the education store is $1249.00.
The main differences between these two machines are hard drive size (which is very easy to upgrade & replace yourself) and RAM type. The aluminum MacBook uses DDR3 RAM; the white MacBook uses DDR2. Both machines that I listed have the 2.0GHz core 2 duo processor.
Here's some other options currently available, under the "refurbished Mac" link (this is in the lower-left corner of the main store page).
The white MacBooks listed under the refurbished Mac link start at $849.00 and come with the same one-year warranty as a new Mac. They should be in "like new" condition when you receive it, should you choose to buy one. The only aluminum MacBook I see is priced at $1899, but I believe the higher cost is due to the machine coming with a Solid-State hard drive installed, rather than the traditional one with moving platters.
Personally, I'd go with a refurbished white MacBook--it costs even less than a new one through the education store and will perform just as well.
If you do decide to get a refurbished computer, take a good look at all the specifications (some machines have 1GB of memory; others have 2GB and they are listed as the same price) to get the most for your money.
~Lyssa

Similar Messages

So I need a laptop for college, which I will also use for personal use. I've decided to get a MacBook Pro without Retina display and am trying to decide the specs.

Here are the things I will do with this laptop:
-Writing essays for college (which will be a lot)
-PowerPoints
-Personal Writing (Stories and things like that)
-Internet Surfing and Research (which means multiple tabs at a time)
-Watching Videos and Streaming Anime (DVDs, Hulu, Crunchyroll, etc)
-Downloads (PDFs)
-I don't play games.
So, with all of this in mind, what kind of specs and OS would be best? I will admit to not knowing a lot about computers and what's needed to do what I want, or much about the technicalities. I do know that I will be using 8gb of RAM, though I am not sure about HDD vs. SSD. I've basically been living off my iPad for Internet and stuff for the past two years and writing my papers at campus, but now that I'm going to be taking more English and writing-based classes, I'm going to need a laptop.

There's only one non-Retina MacBook Pro being sold by Apple now - the 13" on the left of the Apple Store page for MBPs.
If I were you, I would look for a refurbished 2012 15" from Apple. You can add RAM and a SSD (should you choose) yourself.
Clinton

I need a laptop for College.

I Will being off to college soon, and am in need of a laptop. Yes the MacBook seems as if it's a brilliant laptop, but not sure if its right for me.
I would be using iLife everyday and web browsing. There'd be occassional gamming and occassional Photoshop. Can this laptop last for Atleast 4 year? Or should I get the MacBook Pro? The MacBook Air is out of the queation.
I Need to know if it's worth paying for the wonderful design the MacBook gives, but the Intel core M chip is a downer when it comes to benchmark comparisons. Can someone change my mind? Is the MacBook right for me?

My suggestion: macbook pro 2015 13" retina. The 2015 Macbook 12" is definitely the prettiest of all MacBooks, no doubt, but if you spend the same money, you will get a 13" macbook pro with retina display and force touch. With that you will get a dual core i5 or i7 processor which will fit all your needs for next 4 years (more so than macbook 2015). It will also have all the standard ports ready to use. Don't get me wrong, I am not old school, but as it stands now, it will be an expensive proposition if you bought the new 2015 macbook as you will have to shell out for dongles and adapters too. I see this as a secondary laptop for most purposes and travel for people who can afford.

Need to secure my laptop for college

Hi everyone,
I'm going to college in the fall, and have been looking at some ways to beef up my Mac's security while I'm down there. I've done the basics, like disabling automatic login and setting the other options in System Preferences > Security, having a strong password, enabling FileVault, etc. I've also set an OpenFirmware password. Are there any other settings I should be aware of that'll make my data more secure?
Thanks!

Unless you're expecting the NAS to crack your machine, you've more than adequately secured it. Be cautious with FileVault you could lose everything in your user account if becomes corrupted. Periodically, turn it off and backup your user folder. I suggest getting an external, bootable FireWire HD, partition it into at least two pieces, and religiously backup your entire installation to one partition and your users folder to another.
Also, check out http://www.caveo.com/news/pdfs/2001.04.08.One%20Small%20Step.pdf and http://isnoop.net/blog/2006/05/20/macsaber-turn-your-mac-into-a-jedi-weapon/ for details about sudden motion detectors for laptops. I don't have one, but these popped up after a google search for laptop motion detectors.

Laptops for college (computer science)

Hey! I'm going to be a college student in just a few weeks, and one of the hardest things about it is trying to buy the perfect laptop. I have been searching for one with certain specs that still remains good in quality and relatively cheap.
My specs are:
4th gen i7
at least 500gb hard drive
6-8gb ram (preferably 8)
dvd drive (blu ray if possible)
backlit keyboard (important)
webcam (usually standard)
matte (only if possible)
Max budget (probably 900 at the very most)
Do you guys have any suggestions? Do you have any laptops that people haven't really complained about as far as hardware failures or any problems? Are you coming out with any laptops in a few days? I still need to actually go to the store and try some out but I just wanted to hear some quick suggestions! Thanks!

adbdragonmaster wrote:
Hey! I'm going to be a college student in just a few weeks, and one of the hardest things about it is trying to buy the perfect laptop. I have been searching for one with certain specs that still remains good in quality and relatively cheap.
My specs are:
4th gen i7
at least 500gb hard drive
6-8gb ram (preferably 8)
dvd drive (blu ray if possible)
backlit keyboard (important)
webcam (usually standard)
matte (only if possible)
Max budget (probably 900 at the very most)
Do you guys have any suggestions? Do you have any laptops that people haven't really complained about as far as hardware failures or any problems? Are you coming out with any laptops in a few days? I still need to actually go to the store and try some out but I just wanted to hear some quick suggestions! Thanks!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, BluRay has only found itself on TVs as the norm for viewing entertainment. It still has not caught up to the world of computers yet for some odd reason perhaps technology costs and barriers, but if you do find one, prepare to pay a pretty penny. You can buy an external one for not too much money but be sure the hardware you buy can decode and playback BluRay if you decide to go this route.
*******DISCLAIMER********
I am not an employee of BBY in any shape or form. All information presented in my replies or postings is my own opinion. It is up to you , the end user to determine the ultimate validity of any information presented on these forums.

Best laptop for college

Can you help us with any thoughts about the best lap top for our daughter entering college this fall.
Thanks

Contact her major department for their recommendations.
Some schools say, "Bring whatever, you'll be fine."
Others say, "We want you to use specific Hardware because that is all we are prepared to support."
Others say, "To be in this major, we want you to use the xyzzy package, which runs only on this specific system."
Still others say, "Bring a few pens, and maybe a typewriter."

MBP GOOD FOR COLLEGE?

Will be buying a laptop for college and wonder if MBP or a PC would do me better. I will be running typical applications; internet, word, and the like. I have always used pc but am curious about all the buzz for apple lately and I will definately spend the money if I know its a better investment.
I see some online concerns about performance. I definately had issues with performance with pc's. They would get slow as ****. Is this evident on mbp? Should I load up on ram and get the 2.16 processor?
I am looking for speed and reliability. I was also curious...am i reading correctly when people say they are running apple os and microsoft os at the same time?
Happy to pay the money if the switch to apple is truly worth it in the long run.
Any advice would be greatly appriciated...Thank you in advance.

There are two things I would consider, having used a ThinkPad in college and now owning a MBP for work and going to med school next month.
First, how do you plan to use the laptop? The MBP is rather large compared to the tiny pullout desks in lecture halls and rooms. It also runs rather hot and probably not a good idea to use on the lap. It's also a bit heavy for an ultra-portable. The MacBook is smaller, but still heavy. As an undergrad, I brought my ThinkPad to class every day but never did I take notes with it, rather I used it to keep myself entertained. So, if you don't plan on using a notebook in class, the MBP is a good desktop replacement for the dorm or apartment.
Second, what major are you, what apps will you need? Make sure apps you may need will run on a Mac if you get a Mac. I was a bio major and didn't need anything beyond Word and Powerpoint. Both run great under Windows, but the Mac versions are strange (and I almost hate them in comparison, while others love Mac Office). Until Microsoft releases the next version of Office that will run natively on a Mac, using Office on a Mac under Rosetta is rather slow.
You can use Parallels to run Windows within OSX or use BootCamp to run Windows on the MBP. The latter isn't very convenient. I use the former to run some molecular modeling and database software on occasion an it works well. I don't know that it would satisfy me if I had to use it regularly. In other words, don't count on either feature to make up for needing a Windows PC.
Anyway, if you're just going to be running Office and internet, I'd get a MacBook, and perhaps use the remaining $5-800 and get a 20, 23, or 24" widescreen LCD (cheaper from someone other than Apple) for the dorm or apartment, which would make a nice little setup.

I am a college student trying to decide if I should get a laptop of an Ipad 3 for college work. Which one would be better suited?

Please specify pros and cons if possible.

Other posters here made good points. A laptop is pretty much a necessity.
Many colleges require a laptop for class, so you might want to check with the school. My younger son, starting his junior year in college, recently got an e-mail saying he must have a laptop for class. Other groups were required to buy a netbook directly from his university last year with pre-loaded programs.
You might also be required to have microsoft word, excel, etc. as my sons have to. If you get a laptop, and need/want microsoft word, etc., you might want to wait until you get to school and find two others in the same position with same type of laptop (pc or mac) and split the family pack. You'll save a lot of money.
Also, neither an ipad or a netbook (they all crawl and do not come with much memory - we have two) has a dvd drive, and that could make a big difference to you.
An ipad is fun and very portable. If you can get both, good for you. Enjoy!
We were pc users until less than two years ago. Our computers were fried by a microsoft security update. We now have two imacs and a macbbok pro. They are so much easier - no more viruses frying hard drives - at least three each on our son's laptops, replacing $80.00 adapters, etc. We have saved money because of this. My older son (just graduated) has the 13" macbook pro 2010 and still loves it - incredibly fast, reliable and long lasting battery. We do not plan on using pc's any more.
Many countries have the student discount where on a 13"macbook pro you get a $100. gift card for the app/itunes store and another $100. off the price of the macbook pro (so $1099.00). So when you're deciding on a laptop, you might take this student pricing into account. You must buy directly from an Apple store, Apple online or your Apple approved college bookstore. You don't need the retina display version, the added cost, or the additional weight of a larger model. With savings, you'll actually be paying $999.00. Also, if you buy apps for your macbook pro, those apps can be used on up to five authorized family imacs or macbook pros. Given the prices of some apps, that can be a great savings.
On the other hand, pc laptops keep improving (?) and might have sales because at at this point, they want to sell off the windows 7 versions before the new windows os comes out.
Whatever your decision, enjoy your new computer and college.

I want to buy a laptop for my study in college. I need it for web browsing, youtube, words, powerpoint, and light-medium photoshop. Should I buy rMBP 13" or MBA 13" ? Thx

I want to buy a laptop for my study in college. I need it for web browsing, youtube, words, powerpoint, and light-medium photoshop. Should I buy rMBP 13" or MBA 13" ? Thx

Either - if you need the 'ultimate' in portability, buy the Air. But whichever you buy, make sure that you max out the RAM and the storage as neither the Air or the Retina MacBook Pro are user upgradeable.
Clinton

13inch VS 15inch For College

Ok guys so I am going to college soon and I dont know what Mac I should get... This is going to be my first mac. This is my preference:
Macbook Pro 13inch: 2280$ after tax and student discount
dual core i7
512GB hard drive
16GB RAM
Macbook Pro 15inch: 2350$ after tax and student discount
quad core i7
512GB hard drive
8GB RAM
I am going to the Mechanical Engg stream, so I am going to be using AUTOCAD 2D and Creo software. I will also be playing Counter Strike 1.6 and some other Steam games. Is 8GB RAM enough or should I go with 16 GB? I heard about lagging issues with the Mac so I am edging towards the 15 inch quads... What are your thought?

gunzzcannon wrote:
Well from what I read, after using the laptop for sometime it gets really hot and starts to lag... I have noticed reading this only with Air's and 13inch Pros.
"from what I read" is not a valid source, please back up your claim. Please provide links to such.
Also, I have run my Macbook pro to the max and got it very hot, there is no lag... The only time it performed sluggishly is when I accidentally filled up the main SSD drive.
Neither SSD nor 16GB of RAM is overkill, its better to have too much than not enough.
AutoCAD loves RAM, so do Steam games, and Virtual Machines.
The doubled read/write speed means your mac will boot/shutdown faster and install/load programs faster.
Whether or not you need 256/512GB of storage is up to you, I recommend 256 if you're wanting to save on money.

Best back up for college lap top

We currently have 3 mac computers all connected to external hard drives for the time machine use only. We just purchased a macbook pro for my daughter for college in the fall and are curious on the best back up source for that. The apple consultant sold us the "mobile me" software and told her she can back up most all her needed files on the mobile me account and that would be good. I, being older and having lost valuable info in the past, am not convinced that mobile me is the absolute best thing she can do. Would there be a reason to not connect a laptop to an external "time machine" type drive once a day and use the mobile me account for school files as well?
Additionally would there be a reason to use a smaller "mini" type drive that requires no additional power or would we want a standard A/C plugged in back up drive. Currently we are using all g-technology back up drives and have never had a problem with any of their operation or the time machine operation when we needed to fix a "human" error! I like the small mini type drives, but if it's used basically as a back up for the entire machine anyhow, would it be more beneficial or just simply smaller. I did note that there does not appear to be a kensington lock slot on most of the smaller drives and she is worried about locking things up in her soon to be dorm room.
All you help is very appreciated and please ask me anything if I rambled and didn't make sense!
thanks!

Whether MobileMe is good backup for your daughter is all relative. Off-site backup is the best kind of backup you can have, so in that respect, MobileMe is good. However, there are some major drawbacks. First, it's slow. A large backup might need to run overnight. Second, space is very tight. You've only got 20 GB to share between all MobileMe features (mailboxes, backups, web site, iDisk storage, etc), and since it's shared, you won't want to fill all 20 GB up with backups. My user folder is 51+ GB. Third, you have to use the Backup app, downloaded from the MobileMe iDisk, to perform backups to MobileMe. Backup kinda stinks. There are far better backup apps out there... Backup is just not one I can recommend relying on.
Now, if your daughter's data fits fine and she can schedule large backups for times when it won't get in the way, MobileMe might be a good part of a backup strategy. Keep in mind that she needs to have a couple different backups at a minimum before ditching MobileMe outright.
Another option would be Time Machine with any drive you like. Since she's worried about things getting stolen, maybe make sure she's got a long USB or Firewire cable and can lock the drive up in a drawer or closet while it is still connected to her machine. Or look into a second online backup, like Carbonite.

Programming for College with Windows Apps on bootcamp HELP?

Hello everyone I come to you for help after a long search for the perfect laptop.
Right now I am using a macbook late 2009 with multitouch. I love the features but after signing up for some programming classes for college I had to revise what laptop I should own.
My question is if I'll be able to program on bootcamp with Windows 7 with windows applications like Dev C++, Microsoft Visual Studio, Eclipse, an assembler and the like with 100% compatibility?
I am on a very low income but I think that Apple really gets it when it comes to mobile laptops. I haven't found anything comparable to a Macbook anywhere. I've seen some imitations like the HP Envy but when you look closely they do not come close.
Laptop PC makers just don't get it with their 2 hour battery life, "Desktop replacements" and heavy laptops. What is the point of all that if it's not mobile.
I can only own one laptop and I will upgrade to a 15 inch because I need the screen real state. I'm hoping that the answer will be YES to compatibility with programming applications on Windows 7.
One last thing, I've heard of Xcode but college teaches on Windows Applications, there is no way around it. I need to use what everyone else is using right now.
Thank you all.

Hi and welcome to Discussions,
running Windows with BootCamp on a Mac is like running Windows on any other given computer.
Those programs you mentioned shouldn't give you any kind of problems.
Only very low-level BIOS and/or hardware programming (in assembler) can arise problems due to some differences between Macs and 'other' PCs (like the lack of a full BIOS support).
Other than that you're good to go.
Have Fun
Stefan

For college/grad school should i get ipad 3 or mac book air?

for college/grad school should i get ipad 3 or mac book air?

Nobody can tell you which one is best for you, it's a personal preference. However, here are a few factors you might want to take into consideration:
1-They're two different devices that serve different purposes. The way you take notes in an iPad is different than the way you would on a MBA. On the iPad, with apps like Evernote and Notability you can take more complete notes than with a MBA. You have the option to have audio notes, write with a Stylus, make diagrams by hand to explain/relate concepts easily. With the external keyboard (for that I'd recommend using the Apple Wireless Keyboard with the InCase Origami Workstation) you could type just as fast as you would on a MBA and format the text just like you would on the MBA. However, for bigger (possibly partner) papers, the MBA would help you. You could start the paper on the iPad without any issues (using Pages or even Evernote) but you'd need a laptop/computer to finalize the project.
2-Portability wise, they're both incredibly light. The iPad is somewhat smaller = lighter but with the keyboard they're about the same. The fact that with the ipad + keyboard combo you can take out the keyboard only when you need it, for me, is an advantage be ause when I don't want to use it, it's not in the way. For others, it's a disadvantage because you have to carry two items instead of one.
3-MBA let's you access all websites and most file types. If one of your classes requires you to go to the Browser and see a Flash enabled page, the iPad would not be of much help. Same goes for any programs you might need to install. On the MBA you'll most likely be able to do so. On the iPad, chances are there won't be an app for that.
4-Aonce you already have a MBP, I'd go for the iPad. If/when the iPad falls short(because of the limitations mentioned above) you can use the laptop. And in the mean time, use the iPad for everything else. That way you get the best of both worlds. You'd only need to take the MBP when you know you'll need it and wont have to carry that weight all the time.
6-Studying (reading, highlighting, annotating) is easier and more intuitive on the iPad. The iPad is great for reading, combine that with the fact that you can leave comments/notes just like you would on a physical piece of paper, and you've got the best way to learn IMO.

IMac iPad MacBook Pro for college?

As title says do you think an iMac in combination with a iPad I already be a good combination for college? I will be an IT major. Or do you think that a MacBook Pro trumps the combination?

I'd like to add to what bold_seagull and Michael Duquette1 said. I purchased a refurbished iMac 21.5 and was delivered just a few days ago. I can't find a single scratch on it and it works perfectly. Would definitely recommend you consider a refurbished Mac from the online Apple store and alongside purchasing AppleCare, you'll not be paying much more than for a new Mac without the extended AppleCare.
If you're allowed to take your laptop into the class (believe it or not, the department head of the IT dept. last year banned the use of laptops in the class room, until recently where we're allowed to use laptops in the class room now), then I'd recommend you opt for a MacBook Pro. They're pretty powerful and can do most demanding tasks. If you're looking for portability, get a 13" MacBook Pro. I've never owned nor do I know how heavy the 15" MacBook Pros are, but if you're looking for more screen space while having portability nonetheless, then opt for a 15" MacBook Pro (though the 15" MacBook Pros are obviously a bit expensive; but there probably are 15" models available to buy on the Refurbished Macs section of the Apple website often).
Otherwise, if you don't need to take your laptop into college much, perhaps consider an iMac instead? The iMac is obviously more powerful and the screens are big.
Hope this helps.

Computer for college

I am looking to find what would be most compatible for what i need for college, im looking for an HP but have no idea what i am looking for in a laptop
any suggestions on this would be much appreciated

It really depends on your intended usage of the system.
A few key questions come to mind:
- What are you majoring in college?
- Do you intend to use the unit for gaming?
- Do you have a lot of music and movies?
- Are you looking for something ultra-portable?
- Etc.
Letting us know what you're thinking you want your new computer is the best way we can give some suggestions on what would be the best solution for you. =)
Please note that while I was once a seasonal employee of Best Buy, any and all views contained in this post reflect that of my own personal opinion and do not reflect that nor are they backed by my former seasonal employer, Best Buy.

Laptop for College

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