Would you buy a MacBook Pro for young child or teenager?

[nia820]

If you have bought a mac for yourself, not buying one for your kid just seems wrong. In my opinion a parent shouldn't spend more money on himself than the rest of the family. Each family member does his own part of chores, whether it's a job, housekeeping or studying. Rewards should be given out fairly. Otherwise don't be surprised when your kids don't support you in your old age.

Children need to learn the value of things and the hard work it takes to get those nice things. I'm not saying you buy your child a broke down laptop, but you don't buy them a maxed out Macbook either.

And a lot times people buy MacBook pros because they need something reliable for work. Using your logic, parents shouldn't buy a BMW unless they buy their child one as well.

 

[Open Casket]

If you have bought a mac for yourself, not buying one for your kid just seems wrong. In my opinion a parent shouldn't spend more money on himself than the rest of the family. Each family member does his own part of chores, whether it's a job, housekeeping or studying. Rewards should be given out fairly. Otherwise don't be surprised when your kids don't support you in your old age.

I don't think fairly is the same as equally. Studying is admirable, and housekeeping is responsible, supportive, and enabling for the income earner, but these roles are not equal.

 

[jerryk]

When my children where teenagers that had MBPs and PCs. They used them for photo processing and programming in c++,Python, and Javascript.

 

[TechZeke]

Came across an article on sixcolors.com from Jason Snell about purchasing a Mac for a student. Now, obvious exceptions include family where money is no exception and obviously know you have a genius and you want to give them the best tools to learn.

Taking into consideration, a MacBook Pro is really a premium device, is this something you really would burden the cost of for a 16 year old or younger? Take another scenario, you have a HP Stream laptop or MacBook Air and your child comes to you asking for 13 or 15 inch MacBook Pro. They give you some sound reasons why they need it: durable design, great operating system, really well done apps, have desire to learn video editing, code in swift, little photo editing on the side, will take them through high school and college.

I would love for parents to chime in. My take, if you are willing to mow lawns for a couple years, in addition to household chores like wash dishes, plus your own allowance, sure, I would chip in and help you buy it.

At the same time, I just feel like it would be overkill for a student. Sure, if they have an after school job, save from their allowance, go ahead and buy it.

It just depends on how they were raised and who they are. For example, back when I was in Middle school, from 2006-2008, my father bought me a smartphone. I never lost it or cracked the screen. In fact it's sitting a drawer somewhere to this day. As long as I had good grades and took care of business he would do everything he could to get me what I wanted.

Now I would NEVER buy my cousins a new Mac, even though they are in their 20s, because they manage to tear up their stuff after a week. They managed to crack the screens of their brand new iPod Touches in few weeks that they got for Christmas several years ago. I sold my old iPhone 6 Plus to one cousin and she STILL managed to crack the screen even though I used it for a year with the same damn case and no screen protector.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

My parents bought me a new MacBook Pro when I was going into high school, my 2012 13" rMBP. They also paid for my current 2016 MBP (which I got shortly after starting college). My dad has been obsessed with computers since the '80s and he loves buying them for himself and for others, so there was no question of it in my family.

I love MacBooks and if I had the money, I would buy my child one, though it need not be maxed out (unless they are themselves computer fanatics who will take advantage of the higher specs). But a student who really only needs a computer for taking notes could be fine with an iPad, a 12" MB, or even a PC (though I'd have trouble purchasing one of those on principle).

 

[alex00100]

I don't think fairly is the same as equally. Studying is admirable, and housekeeping is responsible, supportive, and enabling for the income earner, but these roles are not equal.

Tell this to your wife.

 

[BigRed1]

I get used computers for myself. My kids then get my cast-offs. They are pretty young, though. I think when they leave for college we will buy them each a decent mac laptop so long as they have worked hard through high school and have shown themselves to be responsible and thankful people. I have no reason to doubt that that will be the case.

 

[Elise]

I'll be giving my son my 12" MB once I receive my new MBP. He'll only be using it at home they'll be no taking it out of the house. I bought my daughter a new MBP in 2015.

 

[fillitupage]

Abstract,well calculated thoughts.good advice

 

[rutrack]

Came across an article on sixcolors.com from Jason Snell about purchasing a Mac for a student. Now, obvious exceptions include family where money is no exception and obviously know you have a genius and you want to give them the best tools to learn.

Taking into consideration, a MacBook Pro is really a premium device, is this something you really would burden the cost of for a 16 year old or younger? Take another scenario, you have a HP Stream laptop or MacBook Air and your child comes to you asking for 13 or 15 inch MacBook Pro. They give you some sound reasons why they need it: durable design, great operating system, really well done apps, have desire to learn video editing, code in swift, little photo editing on the side, will take them through high school and college.

I would love for parents to chime in. My take, if you are willing to mow lawns for a couple years, in addition to household chores like wash dishes, plus your own allowance, sure, I would chip in and help you buy it.

At the same time, I just feel like it would be overkill for a student. Sure, if they have an after school job, save from their allowance, go ahead and buy it.

All my kids are using Mbp since a very early age, admittedly they are all 2015 MBP 13". I think it's the best tool for them, really easy to work on, takes ALOT of abuse, not very suitable for gaming, the price was good for the tool. Perfect machine. Now the new one - likely no.

 

[pshufd]

Bought laptops in 2007 for the kids: 15 inch MacBook Pros. Bought son a 2011 for grad school work. Daughter preferred Windows. Son has a 2014 and 2015 now. 2015 is from work. I'd only buy expensive hardware if I knew that they were going to take care of the devices, which they did. As far as reliability goes, that varies depending on the year and model. The 2007s required 3 motherboard replacements. The 2011 required one as well. The 2014 and 2015 models have been flawless.

 

[Falhófnir]

I wasn’t allowed my own until I turned 16 =P actually I think that was some good parenting tbh. I’ll probably take a similar approach with any kids further down the line - fixed desktop internet/ schoolwork access and no smartphone for as long as I can reasonably resist. Of course that will mean I might have to keep any laptop I owned locked away in a study or something which would kinda negate the purpose.

 

[mollyc]

I replied when this thread originally was posted. In the intervening time my daughter entered 7th grade and we bought her a 2018 23” MBP. Has been great for her and she is very responsible.

 

[GoldfishRT]

I used run down and outdated Macs until recently. I don’t know that I’d have bought teenage me a loaded Pro. I could barely convince myself that I need one now (and I don’t but now I’m a manchild with some money and nobody can stop me).

A cheap MacBook Air would be the choice if I had a brat that needed a computer. It’s not like it can’t XCode or Final Cut or Logic X. It’s just not quite as fast but for small projects a teenager would do, its more than adequate.