MacBook Buying Advice

[Codeseven]

A friend of mine is about to enter University in the UK and needs buying advice. She is majoring in Architectual Design. She was told her classes will demand a computer that has at least 16Gb of memory, a 500Gb HD, an external backup HD and a fast processor.

When asked about operating systems her professor wrote ‘I personally tend to prefer Macs but you get a bit more for your money with PCs I think. The university mainly has Mac suites for its computers. Software we run is the Adobe Creative Suite, available on a monthly subscription. We also use Vectorworks (free for students) and possible Rhino.’ She was also told that she would be using Auto-Cad.

One thing to note is she is used to MAC Os since her old computer is a MacBook Air.

Since her professor said he prefers Macs and the University mainly uses Macs, then I think it would be prudent for her to go the Mac route. I don’t use any of those software programs so I don’t know how taxing they are on a laptops CPU/GPU/Memory.

Can you guys give her some advice as to which currently available Mac laptop to buy? Thanks!

 

[Randall2018]

I would go with a MBP, that’s going to be the best option to meet those specs.

 

[Codeseven]

I would go with a MBP, that’s going to be the best option to meet those specs.

Thanks Randall. I forgot the ‘Student Discount’?, is that still around? I was just looking at the 12” MacBook specs. Looks like is can have 16Gb of memory, a 512Gb drive and i5 or i7. Is your reason for suggesting a MBP because it can have higher specs if wanted?

 

[Randall2018]

Thanks Randall. I forgot the ‘Student Discount’?, is that still around? I was just looking at the 12” MacBook specs. Looks like is can have 16Gb of memory, a 512Gb drive and i5 or i7. Is your reason for suggesting a MBP because it can have higher specs if wanted?

I believe student discounts are still available, but they aren’t a huge amount. The processors are going to be faster in the MBP, and as you mentioned you can go higher in the ram if you want.

 

[Codeseven]

I believe student discounts are still available, but they aren’t a huge amount. The processors are going to be faster in the MBP, and as you mentioned you can go higher in the ram if you want.

Thanks. It’s great spend someone else money If money wasn’t an issue I’d just tell her get the new MBP/i9 and get it over with, but alas, I know she is financially better off with something that can fulfill just what her class requires. I do like the MBP’s better, ie, better graphics and faster memory. Maybe the 13”.

Also, it appears only Rhino is Mac compatible, the rest I assume will have to be Boot Camped.

 

[Randall2018]

Thanks. It’s great spend someone else money If money wasn’t an issue I’d just tell her get the new MBP/i9 and get it over with, but alas, I know she is financially better off with something that can fulfill just what her class requires. I do like the MBP’s better, ie, better graphics and faster memory. Maybe the 13”.

Also, it appears only Rhino is Mac compatible, the rest I assume will have to be Boot Camped.

The 13” MBP would be a good choice, although if she’s going to be having to use boot camp to run windows anyway she will get more for her money with a windows laptop.

 

[Codeseven]

The 13” MBP would be a good choice, although if she’s going to be having to use boot camp to run windows anyway she will get more for her money with a windows laptop.

Yes, with Rhino being the only one of the listed software programs that has Mac version, maybe a less expensive but more capable Windows PC would be the route to go.

I wonder what her professor meant by ‘the university mainly has Mac suites for its computers’. Does that mean it’s a Mac based school? If so, then I’d rather have her stay with Mac, especially if the teacher is instructing on one.

 

[Randall2018]

I wonder what her professor meant by ‘the university mainly has Mac suites for its computers’. Does that mean it’s a Mac based school? If so, then I’d rather have her stay with Mac, especially if the teacher is instructing on one.

They probably mostly have Macs in their labs, and if the software needed for this particular program doesn’t run on it that may be a big part of why they require you to have your own computer.

 

[Codeseven]

They probably mostly have Macs in their labs, and if the software needed for this particular program doesn’t run on it that may be a big part of why they require you to have your own computer.

Ahh, got it, makes sense. Of the many programs at this university, her particular program requires using several Windows based software programs and that’s where Boot Camp comes in. In that case she is going to have to purchase Windows 10 (at a Student Discount) and spend most of her time in Boot Camp. That makes me want to steer her toward a PC, like a Dell XPS or something.

 

[Randall2018]

Ahh, got it, makes sense. Of the many programs at this university, her particular program requires using several Windows based software programs and that’s where Boot Camp comes in. In that case she is going to have to purchase Windows 10 (at a Student Discount) and spend most of her time in Boot Camp. That makes me want to steer her toward a PC, like a Dell XPS or something.

Yeah, I don’t know windows hardware well enough to make a specific recommendation, but that’s the way I’d go in this situation.

 

[RUGERMAN]

Yeah, I don’t know windows hardware well enough to make a specific recommendation, but that’s the way I’d go in this situation.

Don't neglect looking at a VM like Parallels. It works very well with most all Win SW and no rebooting.

 

[Randall2018]

Don't neglect looking at a VM like Parallels. It works very well with most all Win SW and no rebooting.

True, but if most of your software requires windows you’ll be better off with boot camp or a windows machine so you don’t have the overhead of two OS’s running at once slowing down your computer.

 

[smallcoffee]

13" Macbook Pro is the gold standard of university laptops.

 

[Codeseven]

13" Macbook Pro is the gold standard of university laptops.

Nice, thanks.

She has moved now to where the University is, so she’s going to take a walk around campus, check the labs and talk to her professor, all while keeping an eye out Macs vs PC’s.