College Bound what do I need??

[Dorfdad]

College bound… what do I need

Will be attending college this August and I’m looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years. Will be using this as an education device and media YouTube tv device.

Should I wait for new systems or do you recommend existing devices? Thinking 13-15inch max size due to weight etc…

Would be using outside as well so screen brightness matters.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmkerc]

Without more info on your planned major and uses tough to recommend. Any computer (speaking of the Mac ecosystem though maybe true for other systems) you get today will be fine for the simple uses you mention. However if you plan to use AI, or in computer/science field I would go with a pro model with min 16gb ram, more if money is available. You might also talk with the university to see if they have a recommend model.

 

[antiprotest]

I recommend getting a refurbished Air up to what you can comfortably afford.

I suggest at least M2, 16GB RAM, and 256GB.

For most college tasks and media consumption, this should be more than enough for the next 4 years.

If you plan to use it for high-end games or if your studies involve processing intensive tasks such as video editing, then consider getting something even better.

In any case, refurbished is the way to go.

Refurbished Mac Deals - Apple

Save up to 15% on a refurbished Mac. Tested and certified by Apple including a 1-year warranty. Free delivery and returns.

www.apple.com

 

[Dorfdad]

Without more info on your planned major and uses tough to recommend. Any computer (speaking of the Mac ecosystem though maybe true for other systems) you get today will be fine for the simple uses you mention. However if you plan to use AI, or in computer/science field I would go with a pro model with min 16gb ram, more if money is available. You might also talk with the university to see if they have a recommend model.

Sorry business finance

 

[bradman83]

I agree that more information is needed, especially your major.

There are students who can theoretically get by using an iPad and keyboard case. There are others who might need a Windows/Linux laptop with a beefy chip due to specific software needs.

For general tasks in a laptop form factor - accessing online academic resources, writing papers (either in a local app or web app), doing video calls/classes a MacBook Air is more than sufficient. If portability is a concern then get the 13" - you can always connect to a larger display at your dorm/home desk.

Get a model with at least 16 GB of RAM. If the work you're doing and the other things you think you'll be using the computer for are primarily web/cloud-based then storage is less of a concern and you can get by with 256 GB. If you think you'll be downloading media content like music or movies to local storage, storing large projects, or installing a lot of heavyweight apps (Microsoft Office, the various Adobe apps) then 512 would be a better choice. Keep in mind that for files and content you can always offload less frequently used files to the cloud or to an external drive.

 

[Big Bad D]

Sorry business finance

But are there specific apps you will need to use for your studies?

 

[cardfan]

Get a surface pro.

 

[Minghold]

Sorry business finance

Ideally you'll find a used 2014 15" Macbook Pro for $100 or less. Learn how to install, then clone MacOS Mojave into a MacOS Extended (journaled) partition; there are several discussions within these forums for the how-to. Or put Linux w/LibreOffice2024 on it. Or both. Install the Waterfox and Chromium-legacy web-browsers, and install uBlock-origin and Adblocker Ultimate extensions on both. (Consider this the beginning of your tech-puttering career.) Avoid, like the plague, paying top-dollar for any brand-new Apple or Windows 11-hosting machine, and ignore any and all advice to spend money on subscription-model software, or subscription-anything really. (I'd also hit me up some Aaron Clarey so you don't blow 100k+ of borrowed money on a worthless degree, but I digress.) Good luck.

 

[bradman83]

But are there specific apps you will need to use for your studies?

To piggyback on his point, are you sure a Mac is the right tool for that major given how Windows-centric the business finance world is?

Office for Mac has gotten much better at feature parity with the Windows version compared to how it was a decade ago but there are still missing features. Windows on ARM has also gotten much better at x86 app emulation so running a Windows VM in Parallels is definitely an option (especially after the new Prism translation layer with improved speed and compatibility launches later this year).

I would confirm if there's specific software you might need to leverage and consider building the cost of a Parallels license and a Windows 11 license (PC World runs sales on legitimate Windows 11 keys a fraction of the retail price) into the overall cost of your computer, unless your school confirms all of the apps you'll need are cross-platform or web-based.

 

[boak]

Is there a budget constraint?

 

[KaliYoni]

College bound… what do I need

Will be attending college this August and I’m looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years. Will be using this as an education device and media YouTube tv device.

Should I wait for new systems or do you recommend existing devices? Thinking 13-15inch max size due to weight etc…

Would be using outside as well so screen brightness matters.

Thanks in advance!

My advice: be sure to check the general computer recommendations of the university and the specific hardware + software requirements of your academic department or program before buying anything.

 

[Alameda]

College bound… what do I need

Will be attending college this August and I’m looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years. Will be using this as an education device and media YouTube tv device.

Should I wait for new systems or do you recommend existing devices? Thinking 13-15inch max size due to weight etc…

Would be using outside as well so screen brightness matters.

Thanks in advance!

The basic MacBook Air will be fine, but why not check your school’s website or ask them if you want to be certain? Very few schools require only Windows or only Mac.

The basic MacBook Air is very powerful and lightweight. It will meet your needs just fine unless you write very specialized software.

Your school will probably offer a discount or you can go straight to Apple’s education website to buy it. Your school will also provide software such as Microsoft Office at no charge, so you probably don’t need to buy any software.

 

[kimjongbill]

Ideally you'll find a used 2014 15" Macbook Pro for $100 or less. Learn how to install, then clone MacOS Mojave into a MacOS Extended (journaled) partition; there are several discussions within these forums for the how-to. Or put Linux Mint-Edge on it. Or both. Install the Waterfox and Brave web-browsers, and install uBlock-origin and Adblocker Ultimate extensions on both. (Consider this the beginning of your tech-puttering career.) Avoid, like the plague, paying top-dollar for any brand-new Apple or Windows 11-hosting machine, and ignore any and all advice to spend money on subscription-model software, or subscription-anything really. (I'd also hit me up some Aaron Clarey so you don't blow 100k+ of borrowed money on a worthless degree, but I digress.) Good luck.

Are you are seriously recommending OP buy a ten year old computer with opencore patcher at the time when they are most dependent on a reliable computer?

 

[kimjongbill]

OP, I’d recommend considering a 14 inch M2 Pro if you can find a deal on a new one (or used if you’re into that). I think an older model Pro is a decent deal because it has 16GB RAM and 512GB storage as standard, which is really the minimum I’d recommend at this point. You could absolutely get by the with Air, but it’s not that much more to get a Pro with 16/512 than it is to upgrade an Air to 16/512, and the screen on the Pro is NICE.

I’m a fourth year medical school so I too am highly dependent on my computer like you are in undergrad and I have the base model M1 Air and it’s served me really well throughout school and the battery life is so good, and it’s never felt slow. You really can’t go wrong with any of the Macs out there, and basically all of your peers will be running Macs, so I wouldn’t have concerns about software compatibility, and even if something did require windows, they have computers in the library you can use.

 

[beach bum]

Sorry business finance

Does your college have any recommendations for hardware/software that you'll need for your courses? Specifically, will any of the recommended software be compatible with MacOS or have Windows specific software? I think that knowing this will determine whether or not to get a Mac or Windows machine.

Not long ago, I finished my degree online in Business/Public Administration and I got through it using an MBP although I could have easily used an MBA.

Edit: Including link...
best-laptops-business-majors

 

[cardfan]

I glanced at his profile quickly to see what he has. I’m a bit confused on why he’s asking. Seems like a veteran Mac user

Oh well I recommended a surface pro because business school. But a Mac should work too. Any silicon MacBook would work. It’s not rocket science.

 

[Saturn007]

Couple of thoughts, far from the madding crowd… 😁

1. Majors often change during college. You may discover business finance is not your cup of tea — or be enchanted with another area of study. Hence, basing it on what the department requires could lead you astray. However, checking several different departments' requirements, incl. bf, could be good — or, simply be prepared to do a trade-in or sale in the next year or two if demands change! That should be easy to do on a college campus!

2. I'd strongly recommend a 13” over the 15” for portability on campus — taking it to class, to the library, to the union, to meetings, etc. It would also fit better on a desk in a dorm room.

3. Do invest in an HDMI out dongle as you may want to connect your Mac to a classroom or meeting room projection device. (Actually as to that, check and see what the rooms are equipped with.)

4. Do take advantage of Apple's education discount and Back to School promotions! Save you $ and get you a goodie.

Have fun with college! Explore intellectual interests, expand your horizons, and try out areas of academia that you haven't considered before.

Remember you most likely will be making friends and connections for life. Get to know people of different places, walks of life, and experience. Your college years will pass by quickly, so treasure the moments, people, and experiences as they come.

Take time — every now and then — to simply sit somewhere quiet on campus and take it all in. Reflect on what's going on and value those you've met and what you're learning.

And, yes, good luck with your Mac purchase!

 

[mzeb]

Dating myself a bit but my college machine was a 12" iBook and it was definitely worth the smaller screen for greater portability. Do yourself a favor and keep your tech as light as possible. You'll be taking it literally everywhere.

My good friend works in finance and there is no escaping Windows in that field. There is just so much specialized software that is only built for Windows. So my thinking is you will need something that'll run Windows software.

The question is how you want to do it and that depends on how technically inclined you are.

Just checked and Apple no longer sells refurbed Intel laptops but my recommendation is actually a top spec 2020 13" Intel MacBook Pro. You can find one on eBay For about $800. It'll get you through school on a reasonable budget and you can run Windows directly on the hardware so it can be a Windows machine when you need it to be. By 2028 it'll be pretty long in the tooth but it should make it.

The other option would be a 13.6" M3 MacBook Air. Kick it up to the full 24GB of RAM if your budget allows but don't drop below 16GB. From here you'll need to run Parallels for your Windows needs. This gets a bit wonky, though. When running most finance software it is built for the x86_64 Intel chips. This means you'll be running it through WOW64 emulation on windows in a virtual machine. It mostly just works but every now and then you'll see some strange stalls. Particularly for poorly written Windows apps. (Having had to support them, finance apps are often absolute garbage). You'll get a faster machine overall here but because of this translation things might actually run more slowly.

Finally, if you are pretty technically inclined, you can run a lot of x86_64 Windows software using WINE on the above MacBook Air. Apple wraps this software as the Game Porting Toolkit. You skip a translation step this way and that can speed things up a bit but be ready for some in depth troubleshooting.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

College bound… what do I need

Will be attending college this August and I’m looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years. Will be using this as an education device and media YouTube tv device.

Should I wait for new systems or do you recommend existing devices? Thinking 13-15inch max size due to weight etc…

Would be using outside as well so screen brightness matters.

Thanks in advance!

Asking "...looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years" when you are about to embark on 4 years of change is challenging since the impacts of AI will be absolutely huge in a year or two.

1) Handle the devices at an Apple Store and see what feels right to you.

2) Get maximum available RAM, which will be 24 GB right now for the 15" or less sizes you specify (available RAM may increase with G4). There will be folks here claiming 8-16 GB RAM will be fine; they are wrong.

3) Note that RAM demands will likely exceed 24 GB during years 3-4, just when upper division coursework may likely become more demanding of computing power. IMO you may find that one computer for 4 years does not work, which is OK just a shorter device life cycle. You can and should get a more modern Mac with more RAM when necessary.

4) Unless your family is broke do not cheap out. The Mac is just a tool for use in an education costing tens of thousands of dollars.

5) Personally I preferred having the strongest Mac available and with maximum screen real estate, so I would get a 16" MBP with Max RAM and use it for 4 years. But it is your choice if you prefer lightness to computing competence.

 

[profcutter]

Asking "...looking for a computer that will last throughout 4 years" when you are about to embark on 4 years of change is challenging since the impacts of AI will be absolutely huge in a year or two.

1) Handle the devices at an Apple Store and see what feels right to you.

2) Get maximum available RAM, which will be 24 GB right now for the 15" or less sizes you specify (available RAM may increase with G4). There will be folks here claiming 8-16 GB RAM will be fine; they are wrong.

3) Note that RAM demands will likely exceed 24 GB during years 3-4, just when upper division coursework may likely become more demanding of computing power. IMO you may find that one computer for 4 years does not work, which is OK just a shorter device life cycle. You can and should get a more modern Mac with more RAM when necessary.

4) Unless your family is broke do not cheap out. The Mac is just a tool for use in an education costing tens of thousands of dollars.

5) Personally I preferred having the strongest Mac available and with maximum screen real estate, so I would get a 16" MBP with Max RAM and use it for 4 years. But it is your choice if you prefer lightness to computing competence.

I’m afraid I’d disagree with much of this advice. I‘m a professor at a university, you really don’t need more machine than the college recommends. 16GB of RAM is never a bad idea, but saying minimum 24 seems overkill for what most students do. Unless business finance relies heavily on specific software, you’re probably better off saving money for a larger screen for spreadsheets and trading software than blowing money on an overpowered laptop. I’m not sure what you mean that you shouldn’t “cheap out,” what’s the point in spending money on extra GPU cores you’ll never use, or 96GB of RAM to take notes, watch YouTube videos, and crunch numbers? How will a Max help a student managing large excel files?

I mean, I teach at a self-styled “elite” liberal arts college, and the students have the latest Pro Max iphones, but most are happy with 13 inch MacBook airs that they bling out with covers and stickers. A large laptop is a rarity, and most of them just use the labs if they have need of any major computing power. Even so, a MacBook Air can do most of what they need, and if you’re using things like GIS, you need a PC or remote access anyway. Even if you’re doing film studies, an iPad with Davinci can do 99 percent of what you need, and you can use the labs for that last 1 percent that you’re doing with partners anyway.

 

[Tdude96]

I’m afraid I’d disagree with much of this advice. I‘m a professor at a university, you really don’t need more machine than the college recommends. 16GB of RAM is never a bad idea, but saying minimum 24 seems overkill for what most students do. Unless business finance relies heavily on specific software, you’re probably better off saving money for a larger screen for spreadsheets and trading software than blowing money on an overpowered laptop. I’m not sure what you mean that you shouldn’t “cheap out,” what’s the point in spending money on extra GPU cores you’ll never use, or 96GB of RAM to take notes, watch YouTube videos, and crunch numbers? How will a Max help a student managing large excel files?

I mean, I teach at a self-styled “elite” liberal arts college, and the students have the latest Pro Max iphones, but most are happy with 13 inch MacBook airs that they bling out with covers and stickers. A large laptop is a rarity, and most of them just use the labs if they have need of any major computing power. Even so, a MacBook Air can do most of what they need, and if you’re using things like GIS, you need a PC or remote access anyway. Even if you’re doing film studies, an iPad with Davinci can do 99 percent of what you need, and you can use the labs for that last 1 percent that you’re doing with partners anyway.

I think this is the best advice I've seen in this thread (although the advice to take advantage of education & back to school sales is solid). A highly portable machine is generally going to be best for any needs that arise in college, something you can take anywhere. Any time something more powerful might be needed, the school should have computer labs available, and if a department has particularly heavy processing needs, the department should have dedicated computers for that.

My recommendation would be a 13" MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM. M2 or M3 budget-dependent, 512GB or more drive if it's within budget. That should be more than enough computer to handle any general purpose needs for the next 4 years. If you need it for something specific that you know requires more than that, adjust up from there, but it's probably unnecessary. Personally, I own a 13" MBA M2 upgraded to the 10‑core GPU, 24 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB drive, which I use for gaming (graphics-heavy MMOs) when traveling for work and playing with local generative AI when home. Those upgrades are complete overkill if you're not planning on using it for those kinds of intensive tasks.

The MBA is thin, light, highly portable, and the 13" can go absolutely anywhere. If your vision's not so great, or you have a great need to visualize a large amount of data on-screen at once, a 15" MBA might be worth considering, but that's probably unnecessary. In most situations where you really need a larger screen, you'll probably be in the position to plug into an external monitor.

 

[aurora_sect]

I'd probably get a 13" M2 MacBook Air..maybe I'd talk myself into the M3.

 

[SFjohn]

An M4 13” iPad Pro is really bright for outdoors, and as lightweight as it gets. It just depends on the software you need… 😉

 

[Siliconguy]

My advice: be sure to check the general computer recommendations of the university and the specific hardware + software requirements of your academic department or program before buying anything.

Wait until you get there, talk to your advisor, and then hit up the bookstore or the used market probably right on campus. The computer I thought would be adequate wasn't and an immediate upgrade was needed. The computer I had brought with me was sold to someone who had the same problem at a lower level. I was in engineering, he wasn't.

 

[Dorfdad]

Is there a budget constraint?

No