It may not be unusual for a family to buy their college child a computer, but I would think it is unusual for an average family qualifying for need-based scholarships to buy an iPP (in addition or stand alone)... Especially since one can buy a really robust desktop (PC) or laptop (PC) for <$600.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Pro A college student's review of the iPad Pro.
- Thread starter JawneeWin
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It may not be unusual for a family to buy their college child a computer, but I would think it is unusual for an average family qualifying for need-based scholarships to buy an iPP (in addition or stand alone)... Especially since one can buy a really robust desktop (PC) or laptop (PC) for <$600.
Hmmm, well, buy a really decent intel NUC for 500, then a not to bad 24" display for 300, mouse, keyboard. It's not thàt cheap. Much cheaper than a iMac for sure, but much less capable as well.
My brother in law bought a €550 laptop from dell, three years ago, which was really crapy. It was perhaps good enough for standing on a desk, but it was loaded with crapware, making recouvery disk was a pain in the proverbial place, the i3 processor was dead slow, hdd got to snail speed at best. The construction was cheap plastic galore. You don't want to haul that around campus and it certainly isn't going to survive 5 years in a bag. Lifting it at one corner made it squeak like a haunted house.
Same with tablets. Several friends have bought cheap tablets at supermarkets. A few weeks at best, but then it turned out to be not so convenient if the battery dies after a few hours, if it's agonizing slow at loading pages, or if it crashes and it turns out you can't reinstall the software because that isn't available as there is no known manufacturer (some Chinese factory?) and the website of a supermarket hasn't got any software to download.
I still think apples are expensive but it's good stuff, and if you try to match products from other makers (same processors, video, same insane memeory and storage speeds, same build quality) you either pay a little bit less (5-10%) or it's just not available. My father has a good saying for that: better expensive then not available if you need that tool.
Things changed quite a bit in last 3 years.
My xps13 last entire day on battery, weighs less than 3 pounds and didn't come with single piece of crapware installed.
I was not debating the quality of Apple products. I was simply pointing out one's ability to purchase a <$600 PC that will meet the needs of the average college student from a family that can not afford to pay for college tuition in cash (most families these days).
The average college student only needs to run MS Office, some type of degree specific software which can be had in the sub $600 price range (at least here in the US).
EDIT: For example, this would meet the needs of 90%+ of college kids these days:
http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/inspiron-15-3558-laptop/dncwc111b
Edit: it looks decent, certainly, but I'm afraid it will be serious slow with the hdd and the almost 2 year old processor. I don't know this specific type, but how long does the battery last at 40wh
[doublepost=1478116829][/doublepost]When you don't have much money to spend, it's much harder to choose the right laptop. My idea has been to buy a laptop that costs more, but lasts longer, makes me more productive, has less annoyances and is cheaper in the long run.
But you'll have to be able to cough up that kind of money.
[doublepost=1478116829][/doublepost]When you don't have much money to spend, it's much harder to choose the right laptop. My idea has been to buy a laptop that costs more, but lasts longer, makes me more productive, has less annoyances and is cheaper in the long run.
But you'll have to be able to cough up that kind of money.
Remember, we are talking the average college student... The average computer purchaser doesn't even understand i5/i7 or SSDs. Most of these college level laptops/desktops serve as word processors/amazon ordering/web browsing boxes. A 17 year old in a non-engineering/graphic design/art program will have little issue using one of those entry level dells for 4 years of undergraduate school.
Yeah, I do understand, but look at it his way:
IBM has been buying Macbook Pro's because they are $500 cheaper in 3 years to run. Less help desk, less down time, more productive.
[doublepost=1478117215][/doublepost]And I have to say I'm flabagasted at the ignorance of my fellow law students about anything that is even remotely technical. So you're probably really right about the average computer purchaser.
I agree Apple makes great macbooks.
That is the $2,500+ price range, hardly within a ramen noodles eating college budget, or the parents who are paying $40k+ per year tuition (without room and board). The OP is far from average (working full time and in school full time), so it does not apply to them.
40k+ is serious s4!t, come, study here, it's really decent and a bit cheaper
I'm 42 so I pay full price fees and that is just under 7k a year and something for books. If I go to the most expensive university I'll pay 10k a year. (But it's not that good
)If it would have been my first study it would be 1984 euros per college year + books. That will save you some money for nice things in life!!!
40k+ is serious s4!t, come, study here, it's really decent and a bit cheaper
I'm 42 so I pay full price fees and that is just under 7k a year and something for books. If I go to the most expensive university I'll pay 10k a year. (But it's not that good
If it would have been my first study it would be 1984 euros per college year + books. That will save you some money for nice things in life!!!
I went to Baylor University (Waco, TX) back in the late 90's it was about $12k a year to go there. Now it is almost $60k. $40k is hardly expensive here in the US now. New York University and Columbia University costs $66k (according to some sources)
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/college/2015/11/05/most-expensive-colleges/2.html
GI'd say my "biggest" problem with the iPad Pro is the charging time of it. I have to make sure it's charging overnight and ready to go for the next day
1. You're right, I don't think it's perfect for all college students, but it's definitely useful for other majors out there.
2. This is true. Buying a desktop while dorming is inconvenient. But a lot of students actually commute due to the high costs of dorming.
3. The iPad Pro is about the size of a piece of paper, and the weight of it is pretty evenly distributed. If anything, I think a laptop would cause more problems since the screen section would make it heavier on one end. You could also always lean the iPad Pro to youself while writing, which is a hassle with a laptop - or not practical.
4. There are some textbooks that are not available on eBooks. However, I'm finding that a lot of science majors specifically have eBook versions available. (I'm a nursing student) An updated edition of an eBook vs. an updated edition that is used is usually the same. Even if the physical textbook is cheaper in price, I wouldn't mind paying a little more to save space/weight and be more portable. It's also useful because you could essentially screenshot diagrams/images and annotate on them. The issue with students going on Facebook while in lecture is due to lack of self-control, so it can't be completely blamed on the iPad. The same could be done on a laptop.
It might not work out for you, but I'm sure that it would work out for many students out there who are looking for a way to be portable. At the end of the day, it all depends on what a student requires. I see a lot of students with handwritten notes, and I think an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil could be a good alternative for those wanting to be more portable. This is what works for ME, and I just wrote my review to suggest it to other students based on my experiences. Before purchasing my iPad, I couldn't really find much information about the use of it in lectures, so I thought it would be helpful to post a review
The first time I decided to attempt to go fully digital for school was back in high school when I grew tired of talking to class with a backpack as heavy as... you've guessed it - a pile of textbooks! My plan was to use my Macbook for class. Everything worked perfectly fine throughout high school but I actually still had to bring paper with me due to the possibility of having to draw diagrams & charts during lectures. I tried to fix that problem by purchasing an iPad. It worked out pretty good. However, I never had the intention to actually write on the iPad, just use it for drawing exclusively.
Skip a few years forward and here I am...
when the iPad Pro was first announced, I just thought what many others thought - "It's just a giant iPad!" This is true in so many ways. I laughed even harder when Apple announced the Apple Pencil. I almost thought it was a joke for a minute. It wasn't until I decided to visit the Apple Store and try out the Apple Pencil. I realized that the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil had huge potential for students. The pencil worked perfectly. I purchased the iPad Pro along with the Apple Pencil a week later.
I've used the iPad Pro for my college lectures for about a month now. I can happily say that I went completely digital for college. The iPad does seem pretty big at first, but you'll get used to it and realize that the size of the iPad has a huge advantage in the classroom. It's about the same width as a piece of paper, and about an inch longer than a piece of paper. Aside from that, it really is just a bigger iPad aside from the nice four speakers on it which makes it perfect for another purpose I will mention soon.
Where the iPad Pro shines is when you combine the Apple Pencil with it. It writes very accurately and the feel and weight of the Apple Pencil is very natural. The only complaint I have with the Apple Pencil is that I tend to write harder and put a lot of strain on my fingers. However, putting on a grip from another pen onto the Apple Pencil made a world of a difference. The app I use for taking lectures in class in Notability. Not only is it suggested by many people, I happened to have the app for free when it was app of the week way back in the stone ages. The first few days definitely felt weird when writing with the Apple Pencil. It was mostly because I was writing on glass, and not actual paper. For those struggling with this, I suggest you stick with it because it will get better as you get used to it.
Notability has the ability to record while you take your notes. What's even better is being able to tap on your notes and listen to the recording during the same time that you wrote that note! It's now possible to take shorter notes and still be able to refer to it if you have trouble understanding it! It has dropbox functionality, which is pretty neat. You can export your notes and recording and do whatever your heart desires with them. The four speakers on the iPad is a pretty huge advantage if you sit in a larger classroom or not close to the professor. With the speakers on max volume, I was able to listen to the recording and understand everything my professor said clearly.
People asked me why I ditched my MacBook and iPad Air & settled with the iPad Pro when the MacBook has so much more functionality (running full desktop apps & programs, etc.) There are three main reasons why. The first reason is that I actually never really use my MacBook to its full potential. By the time I'm home, I'm on a desktop instead. My second reason why I switched was because it was a MacBook. With the clamshell design of a laptop, the screen facing upwards created a "shield" between me and my professor. The last and third reason why is the desk size. This seems a little overboard but the size of the desk makes a world of a difference. A lot of lecture rooms tend to have individual desks with a desk size that will probably fit either only a MacBook or an iPad.
You all know what I mean.
Because of this, using an iPad with a MacBook was pretty much a hassle.
By using an iPad Pro, I was able to view documents/textbooks & write my lecture notes all on the same place. It has saved me a lot of trouble and money! The price of the iPad Pro 128 gb cellular with an Apple Pencil costs over $1,000 but it pays for itself in so many ways. The average cost of textbooks and materials exceed well over $1,000 within a year. You also get to save the environment by decreasing or eliminating the use of paper (Save the trees! ) In addition to using the iPad, I suggest getting a glass screen protector. It will protect your iPad from the possibility of scratches due to dirt getting in between your Apple Pencil and the screen. I also suggest the 128 gb and cellular. We've all had that time when we forgot something important at home. With dropbox, you're able to access everything you have and you can also download whatever you need online. The larger storage options means that you don't have to worry about storage space, but I also found that dropbox solves this problem as well.
I'm writing this review because I know that many students are always looking for ways to make their hectic college life more bearable. If you're looking for a way to go digital, this is definitely a good way to do it. The only thing I bring to class now is my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. There are no more notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, etc. Making flashcards online and studying through your phone/iPad, taking notes, and watching Netflix (because every student needs a break sometimes) are all enjoyable. I highly recommend this to every college student out there. It has made lectures so much more enjoyable by removing the unorganized mess I was dealing with before.
If I didn't cover anything you want to know, feel free to ask!
Hey! Read the article and I thought it was very helpful. But I do have one question: currently I'm in school as well and my major is culinary arts. Yes, although I'm in a lab for the most part cooking delicious treats, I still have to do presentations and pull up documents from spreadsheet and word and also I have to see a lot of power point presentations and I have to do a lot of power point presentations as well.
Do you think that an Ipad Pro can handle the tasks of power point presentations (technically when I have to create these slides) and also can a iPad Pro give me the storage that I need as well to saved my presentations as well along with any work that's given?
I am considering either getting the iPad Pro or the MacBook Pro. And don't get me wrong, the iPad Pro is a great machine and it is light as hell. However, I enjoy the portability of an iPad and I wonder if I can get that same performance from an iPad Pro that I would get from a MacBook Pro. Any feedback would be HIGHLY APPRECIATED!
I would suggest getting the macbook. You will have the ability to do everything you can with an ipad and more. If you get an ipad as your main device, you will have to find ways to make things work, instead of spending that time getting work done. If you have the money to get both, then do that, but I would never recommend to someone in school get only a tablet (unless it is a surface Pro 4 maxed out with specs).
iPad Pro does presentations beautifully, I create a ton of presentations from my Air 2 and store them all on my device it's very easy.
I guess it depends on what you are doing. For me presentations include statistics (charts, data tables), it just takes too long to find ways to make things work for me.
I still do not think an ipad is a good main device for students...
I'm in college now and, my Alienware barely fits on the desk in certain classrooms. When we are in a lecture hall with a huge table to each row, charging and Ethernet ports for each seat it does not make a difference. However, I have noticed that in my environment, 99% of the kids have a laptop mostly 13-15 inch Macs or M$ ones.
iPads have their time and place but, personally I still see myself using my laptop for most tasks. The only pain is hauling around the cable everywhere and, recharging it every third class
iPads have their time and place but, personally I still see myself using my laptop for most tasks. The only pain is hauling around the cable everywhere and, recharging it every third class
Love all the "hurrr, but you can get a windows laptop for cheap!" And the arguing that a student somehow shouldn't be able to afford or have access to Apple products. I don't know if you're students that didn't plan well enough and got stuck with crappy computers, or if you're just trolls - but regardless, it's pathetic behavior.
A student should be able to choose the hardware that best suits their needs in order to allow them to get the absolute most out of their education. To say otherwise or suggest that those that have ensured they can afford it don't deserve to have it because a cheap windows machine is more affordable is just insulting.
The goal should be encouraging students to not just succeed, but thrive in their education. Not condemn them for using hardware you deem too extravagant.
A student should be able to choose the hardware that best suits their needs in order to allow them to get the absolute most out of their education. To say otherwise or suggest that those that have ensured they can afford it don't deserve to have it because a cheap windows machine is more affordable is just insulting.
The goal should be encouraging students to not just succeed, but thrive in their education. Not condemn them for using hardware you deem too extravagant.
It's not a good primary device at all. What's really a shame is that there's even a thread on here discussing this. I've seen students' basic computer knowledge on a decline in recent years. You would think otherwise with the current generation, all growing up with such tech and all. But if all they use are tablets or chromebooks...
My 5th grade daughter has mastered Office pretty well by now (for her age). Just recently she reinstalled windows and did everything required on her own. She's become better finding her way around files as well. Granted, i don't know many 5th graders but her similar aged cousins haven't even used a PC much less know Office. But these cousins can't go anywhere without their ipads and games.
So it becomes your problem that somebody else is more interested in what you're doing than the class? Come on
No matter what, some people will never have a grasp on computers. It's just like learning to drive a car. Not everyone is good at it and some have the skill and concentration to drive a manual high performance car around a racetrack in a 24 hour endurance race while others can't even avoid a accident in a slow compact car.
Others do not have the time to fix their devices due to their current situation. A month ago, I worked on a laptop of a single mother of 2 young children getting her masters degree in programming. She needed a new screen for her Acer and would love to repair it herself but, can't due to having to watch/take care of her 2 young baby boys.
Overall I feel that the majority of the younger generation is curious about evolving technology but, everyone has their own special talents and, others do not have the environment to learn effectively.
The first time I decided to attempt to go fully digital for school was back in high school when I grew tired of talking to class with a backpack as heavy as... you've guessed it - a pile of textbooks! My plan was to use my Macbook for class. Everything worked perfectly fine throughout high school but I actually still had to bring paper with me due to the possibility of having to draw diagrams & charts during lectures. I tried to fix that problem by purchasing an iPad. It worked out pretty good. However, I never had the intention to actually write on the iPad, just use it for drawing exclusively.
Skip a few years forward and here I am...
when the iPad Pro was first announced, I just thought what many others thought - "It's just a giant iPad!" This is true in so many ways. I laughed even harder when Apple announced the Apple Pencil. I almost thought it was a joke for a minute. It wasn't until I decided to visit the Apple Store and try out the Apple Pencil. I realized that the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil had huge potential for students. The pencil worked perfectly. I purchased the iPad Pro along with the Apple Pencil a week later.
I've used the iPad Pro for my college lectures for about a month now. I can happily say that I went completely digital for college. The iPad does seem pretty big at first, but you'll get used to it and realize that the size of the iPad has a huge advantage in the classroom. It's about the same width as a piece of paper, and about an inch longer than a piece of paper. Aside from that, it really is just a bigger iPad aside from the nice four speakers on it which makes it perfect for another purpose I will mention soon.
Where the iPad Pro shines is when you combine the Apple Pencil with it. It writes very accurately and the feel and weight of the Apple Pencil is very natural. The only complaint I have with the Apple Pencil is that I tend to write harder and put a lot of strain on my fingers. However, putting on a grip from another pen onto the Apple Pencil made a world of a difference. The app I use for taking lectures in class in Notability. Not only is it suggested by many people, I happened to have the app for free when it was app of the week way back in the stone ages. The first few days definitely felt weird when writing with the Apple Pencil. It was mostly because I was writing on glass, and not actual paper. For those struggling with this, I suggest you stick with it because it will get better as you get used to it.
Notability has the ability to record while you take your notes. What's even better is being able to tap on your notes and listen to the recording during the same time that you wrote that note! It's now possible to take shorter notes and still be able to refer to it if you have trouble understanding it! It has dropbox functionality, which is pretty neat. You can export your notes and recording and do whatever your heart desires with them. The four speakers on the iPad is a pretty huge advantage if you sit in a larger classroom or not close to the professor. With the speakers on max volume, I was able to listen to the recording and understand everything my professor said clearly.
People asked me why I ditched my MacBook and iPad Air & settled with the iPad Pro when the MacBook has so much more functionality (running full desktop apps & programs, etc.) There are three main reasons why. The first reason is that I actually never really use my MacBook to its full potential. By the time I'm home, I'm on a desktop instead. My second reason why I switched was because it was a MacBook. With the clamshell design of a laptop, the screen facing upwards created a "shield" between me and my professor. The last and third reason why is the desk size. This seems a little overboard but the size of the desk makes a world of a difference. A lot of lecture rooms tend to have individual desks with a desk size that will probably fit either only a MacBook or an iPad.
You all know what I mean.
Because of this, using an iPad with a MacBook was pretty much a hassle.
By using an iPad Pro, I was able to view documents/textbooks & write my lecture notes all on the same place. It has saved me a lot of trouble and money! The price of the iPad Pro 128 gb cellular with an Apple Pencil costs over $1,000 but it pays for itself in so many ways. The average cost of textbooks and materials exceed well over $1,000 within a year. You also get to save the environment by decreasing or eliminating the use of paper (Save the trees! ) In addition to using the iPad, I suggest getting a glass screen protector. It will protect your iPad from the possibility of scratches due to dirt getting in between your Apple Pencil and the screen. I also suggest the 128 gb and cellular. We've all had that time when we forgot something important at home. With dropbox, you're able to access everything you have and you can also download whatever you need online. The larger storage options means that you don't have to worry about storage space, but I also found that dropbox solves this problem as well.
I'm writing this review because I know that many students are always looking for ways to make their hectic college life more bearable. If you're looking for a way to go digital, this is definitely a good way to do it. The only thing I bring to class now is my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. There are no more notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, etc. Making flashcards online and studying through your phone/iPad, taking notes, and watching Netflix (because every student needs a break sometimes) are all enjoyable. I highly recommend this to every college student out there. It has made lectures so much more enjoyable by removing the unorganized mess I was dealing with before.
If I didn't cover anything you want to know, feel free to ask!
I'm planning to study French with Spanish at University which is a heavily essay based subject, seeing as I would need to write a lot of essays do you think the iPad Pro is still a good choice or would a regular Macbook be better?
If you're just writing essays, I think you'd be fine with an iPad. I'm going to be starting my Master's Certificate in a few weeks and I think I can do most of it on my iPad Pro.
The only challenge I can see is bibliographies and citations if you're used to Word and EndNote's Cite While you Write. But you can use EasyBib to format your end matter and paste it into Word or Pages.
That is a definite downside of the iPad. However, I think it's worth a shot seeing if a flash browser is compatible. There are browsers with flash capacity like Photon (last time I checked was paid) and Puffin (there should still be a free version) but, keep in mind it's a mixed bag how they will work because, some UI's are more flexible than others. [I'm on a android right now so I can't check].
