Overkill buying 14” mbp for college student premed?

[DougiePhresh]

Objectively - yes, it is overkill. Subjectively - if it makes you happy, don’t let anyone tell you you were wrong

 

[Truefan31]

It's so great today to be able to ask if a mid-range MacBook Pro is too overkill for a task. Even the base model is good enough for 85% of the tasks.

I remember when I was at university nearly 15 years ago, every MacBook Pro base model was underperforming ane it sucked to still pay a premium for it.

Go with it. I don't hink it's overkill, and it's better to pay too much for an overkill device than to pay a premium for an underperforming machine like I did. Just be extremely careful with it. I remember I was a bit nervous back then, especially because I carried it in the public bus.

Good point. Yeah I might have to put an AirTag on it somehow lol

 

[Truefan31]

I've been using my 2014 15" MBP for almost 8 years now, and it's still amazing for everything that isn't video games or intense video processing.

I could absolutely see M1 Macbooks lasting 10+ years and still being buttery smooth for all common use cases.

This is without even taking into account how much Moore's law has been slowing down.

Yeah her 2015 15” mbp is still nice. I got the i7 with 16 gb ram 1tb ssd and the dedicated gpu 370. It still is reliable. But I think getting her something newer for college/med school. Heck I could use her old mbp. Lol

 

[ph001bi]

Trying to justify this purchase. Got the 14” mbp 10 core m1 pro with 16gb ram and 1 tb ssd. My thinking was it’s more an investment, the cpu should be good for a while? 1tb ssd just for a little more future proofing? The updated webcam for better video conferencing, obviously the better promotion screen. More importantly I didn’t want the butterfly keyboard issues. I think I could’ve gone with the m1 mba too though. Thoughts?

Bought my daughter the MacBook Pro 13 back in 17 when she started uni. I had the same concerns as you and here we are 5 years later she's still using it at work everyday. I had bought a MacBook Air 5 years earlier and it was a door stop by the time she started college. You'll never regret that purchase.

 

[Truefan31]

As someone who spilled water on two MacBook Airs, I would like to say: this.
Actually I also once stepped on one, but the damage was very minor and I managed to convince the Apple store it was their fault so they put a new screen on it for free (this was within warranty).

While having a MacBook Pro, a lot of RAM and a huge SSD is definitely nice, don't forget not all laptops last ten years in pristine condition…

Yeah I’m thinking it’ll take some bumps and bruises. And yeah I got the AC plus and Costco warranty thinking about possible future issues. Which has me thinking maybe the mba might make more sense.

 

[Truefan31]

Concurring, as someone who has had coffee spilled on the MBP because someone thought it’s funny to throw a pillow on someone who was hard at work. Can be catastrophic if that happened one day before oral defense.

Ugh. Don’t put those thoughts in my head lol

 

[Truefan31]

Former Apple Retail employee here.

Here's how this conversation would've gone when I worked for Apple:

"What's the computer going to be used for?"

If: "Internet, email, photos, watching Netflix, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and the like."

Then: "A MacBook Air will be perfect. One huge advantage is that it's super lightweight. If you don't need the horsepower of a Pro, the featherweight is much easier to slip into a bag or backpack, and it weighs far less. If you really want to spend more money, then use said extra money on other things: an iCloud subscription to more than cover all her storage, or just go all out with an Apple One subscription. If she doesn't have AirPods, get those. Or an Apple Watch; it'll help with fitness. But you'll be flushing money down the toilet if you buy a MacBook Pro. UNLESS. She absolutely wants a 16" screen. Then, get the base model MBP, and all of the above extra recommendations still apply if you've got the extra budget. At the very minimum, though, you need a base level MBA (with upgraded RAM if it's in the budget; don't waste money on extra storage.) and enough iCloud storage to store all her docs, pics, etc. Make sure she knows how to save files in iCloud instead of on the Mac. If you don't wanna think about how much iCloud storage to get, get the 2TB account for $9.99/mo. or Apple One for $29.99/mo. And get Apple Care. That's a given. If you're worried about speed in 3 or 4 years, don't. Upgrade the RAM, and she'll be fine for 6, maybe 7 years."

If: "Internet, email, docs, etc., plus: video editing, graphic design, heavy duty photo editing."

Then: "A MacBook Pro would be the best choice. With a MacBook Air, it'll get the job done, but it will chug quite a bit with heavier workloads." Everything else would still apply.

Summary: Apple told us to ask these questions so that we would sell things people actually needed, rather than what they thought they needed or wanted to spend money on for shininess factor, status, etc. I can't tell you how many times I undersold people on computers. Folks would walk in and say, "Give me the most expensive laptop money can buy. My kid is going to college, and I want something that'll last." Ninety nine times out of a hundred, that conversation ended without them buying the most expensive laptop money could buy. Currently, a MBA is an excellent machine, and Apple just made the option for extending Apple Care up to 7 years.

So there ya go! Get the computer she needs, and spend money on iCloud (or Apple One) and AppleCare. Extra cash can go to AirPods and/or an Apple Watch. Or a 16" screen.

I promise. Any Apple employee worth their salt would say pretty much the exact same thing; no one is paid on commission, and we were trained at length on having this exact conversation. I had some variation of it literally thousands of times.

Hope that helps you and perhaps someone else!

Edit: Sorry for the dissertation. I just had coffee.

Edit 2: If you're concerned about her having the latest model, and if she can continue using here old computer for the first semester or so, you could wait til the fall Apple Event. They often release new models then. My theory was that they waited until after school started to get all the old inventory sold to folks like you. No basis for my theory other than common sense observation. But, you could wait and see, and then that could make for a nice Christmas present, even if they don't release an update.

Thank you for the info. I’m actually debating a mba with an external monitor as an option too

 

[Truefan31]

Resident here. You could carry that machine through medical school easily. And into residency honestly, just might need a battery replacement by that point. Med school learning is extremely extensive on the student end, but on the computer end, it’s pretty light. Just thousands and thousands (and thousands, not joking) of PowerPoint slides.

Thank you that’s reassuring. Imo I feel the 14” mbp performance wise would last a while. MagSafe charging imo helps too with preserving ports.

 

[Truefan31]

Also, 14" comes with a great Mini-LED display and amazing speakers - so, it's not just about performance. It is *nicer* and that may be a good reason to get it, even if the performance ends up being a bit overkill.

If you can afford it, I say - go for it.

Yeah the techie in me loves everything about the mbp. I probably love it more than my daughter lol

 

[jav6454]

Damn that’s impressive. I thought the 14” mbp had good battery life too though?

The 13" MBP has has an M1 which is 4 Efficiency codes and 4 Performance cores, so there is more efficient cores which in turn extended battery life.

 

[Truefan31]

I would think a MacBook Air and an iPad, Pro or Mini might be the better option. That way you can work on the powerpoint slides or annotate PDFs. Also the apple pencil might be better for taking notes or drawing depending on the medical class.

The screen size difference between the 13.3 and the 14 is minimal if one is being honest. If you want the MacBook Pro go for it but get the bigger 16. That way you can have space to watch a class lecture and take notes on a full size word document etc.

Yeah I thought about the 16” but I’m pretty sure she’ll be carrying it around class and campus so I thought the 14” would be a nice balance.

She can use my 3rd gen 11” iPad Pro with the pencil if need be as well. I guess that would help…….

 

[Truefan31]

Bought my daughter the MacBook Pro 13 back in 17 when she started uni. I had the same concerns as you and here we are 5 years later she's still using it at work everyday. I had bought a MacBook Air 5 years earlier and it was a door stop by the time she started college. You'll never regret that purchase.

Thank you. That’s the feeling I have too. That’s reassuring.

 

[IllinoisCorn]

Trying to justify this purchase. Got the 14” mbp 10 core m1 pro with 16gb ram and 1 tb ssd. My thinking was it’s more an investment, the cpu should be good for a while? 1tb ssd just for a little more future proofing? The updated webcam for better video conferencing, obviously the better promotion screen. More importantly I didn’t want the butterfly keyboard issues. I think I could’ve gone with the m1 mba too though. Thoughts?

Stop second-guessing yourself. Enjoy the machine for four years of school and beyond. You’ll be fine.

 

[Ryst0tn]

Thank you. It’s actually for my daughter. I think a mba would’ve been good too but like most fathers I wanted her to be set up for a while at college. She has a 2015 15” mbp she uses now, it’s been old reliable but I think the 14” mbp was good timing. Again especially with the better keyboard.

You are so lucky to have a kid going into premed.

 

[KaliYoni]

external monitor as an option

A factor you may want to consider, especially if you buy hardware beyond the laptop, is where your daughter will be living and what the general environment will be like. In other words, things like urban vs. college town, number of roommates, dorm vs group house vs apartment, and the like might factor into whether buying, say, a high end monitor that will be left sitting on a desk unattended a lot of the time is high risk or low risk.

 

[darngooddesign]

Thank you for the link. Lol yeah med school costs are no joke. But hey it’s my daughter. Like most fathers we support them, albeit in a financially smart way.

Absolutely. Not being loose with your money is how you afford things like med school.

As others have mentioned, if the MBP just had a faster processor I'd say get the Air, but the screen and speakers are features she will enjoy. Despite being more powerful than the Air, she will find that its fan will probably stay off for most of the things she uses it for. I think Costco has an extended return period so she has plenty of time to decide if she prefers the lighter Air.

Regarding protection, I use a generic plastic hardcase on my M1 16". The metal finish is pretty smooth, slicker than the 2015 era MBPs IRC, and I find that the matte finish allows me to hold it as securely but with a much lighter grip. You can also get stick on vinyl skins to get the same grip, lots of them have fun prints and designs. Considering a screen replacement is like $800 now, AppleCare might be a good idea.

 

[Student of Life]

Yeah I thought about the 16” but I’m pretty sure she’ll be carrying it around class and campus so I thought the 14” would be a nice balance.

She can use my 3rd gen 11” iPad Pro with the pencil if need be as well. I guess that would help…….

Then thats a great combo. Remember the iPad can be used as a secondary screen via side car, and it also uses universal control. Right now im using my iPad Pro watching a lecture and taking notes on the powerpoint on my old pre M1 air. Also Apple Care is a must. Accidents do happen when one is low on sleep.

 

[juanm]

I bought my –then– high-end MBP in late 2013 (iirc) when I was working in video production, and it was definitely not overkill. Now, almost ten years later and a couple of career changes later, I just submitted my last papers for an engineering degree on the same machine (original battery, too). I'm fairly certain that if I hadn't gone high-end back then, I'd have needed a new laptop by now for things like COMSOL, CAD, and so on. If I could use a 9-year-old laptop for a degree like this, a new, high-ish end MBP for a Med degree is clearly overkill, but I'd say it's also not ridiculously overkill, and it's a good choice as long as you can afford it. Just be careful with it, no drinking around it, get a good padded backpack/bag.

 

[jerryk]

Yes you’re right. I think she’s doing it for the right reasons too, to help people first and foremost. Cancer isn’t going anywhere unfortunately……

Hopefully, with good physicians and more advances in detection and treatment, many cancers will become more treatable and more of a chronic condition. My eldest specializes in cancer tests and biology and says they are making progress in detecting cancers earlier when they are more manageable.

 

[Tagbert]

Thank you. It’s actually for my daughter. I think a mba would’ve been good too but like most fathers I wanted her to be set up for a while at college. She has a 2015 15” mbp she uses now, it’s been old reliable but I think the 14” mbp was good timing. Again especially with the better keyboard.

Since your daughter already is using a 15”, the drop to a 13” MBA might feel a little restricted. The 14” MBP is probably close enough to feel fine. She’s a lucky girl who’s got a good father supporting her.

 

[Tagbert]

Good point. Yeah I might have to put an AirTag on it somehow lol

Best bet would just be to subscribe to Backblaze for automatic offsite backups. Then you don’t need to worry too much about losing it and she doesn’t need to worry about remembering to connect to local backup drives. It’s $6/month for each computer. I consider it a good insurance policy.

 

[chengengaun]

Damn that’s impressive. I thought the 14” mbp had good battery life too though?

It's really a relative matter of good and better - since M1 sets the performance and efficiency floor so high.

I am using an M1 Max 14" - arguably the worst battery life of the bunch - and still managed to work 5-6 hours with many apps and bursts of all-cores running full speed, without having the charge level drop below 20%. On Intel it would have lasted 2-3 hours. The 14" will last 8-10 hours easily with light office work.

If multi-core/graphic performance is not paramount - again, relatively speaking here - M1's battery life would absolutely trounce M1 Pro/Max - up to 20+ hours for 13" MBP.

I have learned not to worry about battery life - I am likely to get tired before the battery runs out.

 

[jav6454]

It's really a relative matter of good and better - since M1 sets the performance and efficiency floor so high.

I am using an M1 Max 14" - arguably the worst battery life of the bunch - and still managed to work 5-6 hours with many apps and bursts of all-cores running full speed, without having the charge level drop below 20%. On Intel it would have lasted 2-3 hours. The 14" will last 8-10 hours easily with light office work.

If multi-core/graphic performance is not paramount - again, relatively speaking here - M1's battery life would absolutely trounce M1 Pro/Max - up to 20+ hours for 13" MBP.

I have learned not to worry about battery life - I am likely to get tired before the battery runs out.

I knew Intel had bad battery life time, but I didn't realize it was that bad. Also, completely agree with your assessment on the M1's performance and efficiency. I too get tired of working before worrying about the battery.

 

[dtm84]

Any current mac laptop is more than enough power for an undergraduate degree. If she gets in to med school then it will still be fine as computational demands will likely be lower. If she matches to residency she wont have time to mess around on a computer and oncology isn't a computational field.

So just buy whatever it doesn't matter; the battery life will probably be the most important factor.

Also, having a "focus" on oncology as a pre-med is silly. She would be wise to keep an open mind and not commit to anything as there will be many opportunities and paths coming up so lose the blinders.

 

[jasoncarle]

This is a ridiculous post...