College Student Question

[SpotOnT]

I bought both my kids macbooks, because thats what I prefer, and they hated them and resisted using them. They told me before I bought them that they wanted windows. They also have iphones and ipads. I ended up having to sell them and buy them windows gaming laptops, which they love. Lesson learned and $$ lost.

Maybe your situation is different, but forcing your adult son to get a mac when he wants windows seems like a terrible idea.

lol this was kind of my first thought too. A college kid is old enough to know what tools they want/need.

Not to disagree with OP, their logic is sound. Why lug a stupid big, hot gaming laptop around campus when you have a gaming PC in your room! A Macbook and a Windows PC do sound like the better option to me. (But of course, I am not the one using them).

PS. Don’t even get me started on how unusable those gaming laptops are with regards to battery life. In my experience they’re really just a portable desktop PC.

 

[mpetrides]

Awesome…thanks! With an Air would you have chose the 15” screen over the 13”?

Absolutely. Having the extra screen real estate makes a big difference in being able to have multiple windows open side by side without having to continually shuffle between them.

I haven't been in college in 5+ decades, but I did use try to use a smaller size (11") Air briefly when writing textbooks and it drove me crazy being unable to have research papers open in one window while writing my manuscript in Word in the other window--without having to shuffle the windows all the time. Even though I liked the lighter weight/more compact size of the 11" MBA when moving from office to office, I eventually gave up on the MBA and went back to my 15" MBP when working on my book because the screen real estate was a more important consideration in actually getting work done.

What's more, the weight difference between the 13" and 15" MBA models isn't that consequential--unlike the monumental weight difference between the 14" MBP and the 16" MBP. So, large benefits from having a 15" screen to work on and no major downside when compared with a 13" MBA.

 

[bhirt37]

Damn...this is exactly what I didn't want to hear...LOL! My biggest issues with the Windows gaming laptops is that they are large and heavy to carry around and bring to class, they generate a lot of heat with the graphics cards and from my previous experiences with Windows laptops are that heat is the biggest issue which eventually kills them down the line. I also fear is he has that in front of him in a lecture he is going to be tempted to play games versus pay attention in class with that temptation right there.

What has been your experiences so far with those gaming laptops?

They are bulky and heavy, just over 2 years old. But text books are lighter than they used to be, and less of them!! I havent heard any complaints or really asked about the things you are wondering. I do think they act more like a desktop than a laptop sometimes, but that is really a feeling. I know they also use their ipads a lot for school. Since your son already has a gaming machine, maybe it would be totally different. Or maybe his gaming machine is getting a little old and he wants something with a more modern GPU and thinks a windows laptop might be the ticket.

Sorry I cant be more help.

 

[boak]

M4 MBA + iPad 11 will be the ideal combo for most students next year

 

[bhirt37]

lol this was kind of my first thought too. A college kid is old enough to know what tools they want/need.

Not to disagree with OP, their logic is sound. Why lug a stupid big, hot gaming laptop around campus when you have a gaming PC in your room! A Macbook and a Windows PC do sound like the better option to me. (But of course, I am not the one using them).

PS. Don’t even get me started on how unusable those gaming laptops are with regards to battery life. In my experience they’re really just a portable desktop PC.

I completely agree with you and OP, his idea is a good one and probably the better one. However our kids don't always see things the way we do.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Our son is a senior and will be off to college this summer. He is doing an undergraduate degree in biology.

I am researching and shopping for laptops for him. Yes, he does like to game like normal teenagers. However, he has a Windows gaming desktop that we plan on him taking and staying on his desk in his dorm room. We still feel like he will need a laptop for his studies and portability for group studies. In my mind, I see him using the laptop to do his homework, FaceTime, surf on the internet, watch a movie, ect. All these items are very capable on the MacBook Air (would probably hold out for the M4).

With that being said, I am the old Dad and really have no idea what the kids really do with their laptops in college. Anyone with college students regret getting the Air over the Pro? Any college students forced to run Windows on their Air because of school compatibility issues? Both laptops are in the budget range and I am just trying to balance overbuying with also not underbuying if that makes sense.

Check with Admissions because the uni will probably have some kind of a minimum laptop spec, probably right on the school website. Some unis are very specific, some very non-specific or no comment.

A Macbook Air laptop should generally be fine. Just put maximum RAM in it and a bigger SSD to add some flexibility because most freshmen really do not know what their computer usages will evolve to or how mobile their usage patterns may become.

Involve the student in the decision. Some may prefer smaller/lighter and some may want maximum screen real estate and/or a full-on desktop setup with external display (driven by the laptop) in the living space. Some may have good eyes/ears and prefer the far superior Macbook Pro display, speakers and performance despite the MBP's slight extra weight. Note that for most 18 y-os an extra pound or two is not a big deal. Much older I schlepped a 6+ pound 17" MBP laptop everywhere during grad school and was happy to have the (heavier) extra mobile screen real estate.

 

[Alameda]

Two kids in college, both with MacBook Airs, 8/256, and no complaints. My son did need a lesson about quitting applications — he said the computer was running slowly, so I pressed Alt-Tab and the screen filled with icons. He said that nobody ever told him about quitting applications. Go figure.

 

[Tyler.Schmaltz]

Mac Tech for 15 years at a local university around 4000 students. MacBook Air will be more than enough for college. The biggest issue we have with student laptops is they always run out of storage. We got tons of students every year who cant download stuff or install updates because they got the cheapest MBA with a 128Gig Hard Drive. So we recommend to students a 512gig hard drive and 16 gigs of ram. As far presentations go in classrooms we have HDMI and USB-C connectors available on all podiums to hook up laptops to the screens. The fan noise on any mac will not be a issue in quiet classrooms. Depending on which college they are going to they should get microsoft office for free as long as they are enrolled.

 

[butterwm]

Check with Admissions because the uni will probably have some kind of a minimum laptop spec, probably right on the school website. Some unis are very specific, some very non-specific or no comment.

A Macbook Air laptop should generally be fine. Just put maximum RAM in it and a bigger SSD to add some flexibility because most freshmen really do not know what their computer usages will evolve to or how mobile their usage patterns may become.

Involve the student in the decision. Some may prefer smaller/lighter and some may want maximum screen real estate and/or a full-on desktop setup with external display (driven by the laptop) in the living space. Some may have good eyes/ears and prefer the far superior Macbook Pro display, speakers and performance despite its slight extra weight. Note that for most 18 y-os an extra pound or two is not a big deal. Much older I schlepped a 6+ pound 17" MBP laptop everywhere during grad school and was happy to have the (heavier) extra mobile screen real estate.

Great inputs. We are running to the Apple Store this evening so he can put his hands on both the Airs and MBPs. If he wants to go with an air then I will probably wait for the M4’s to help future proof it a little bit. If he is set on the MBP then I will hope for a good Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal.

 

[Ctrlos]

I’m for all intents a college professor and I see all sorts of machines on campus. Apple are incredibly popular for writing but don’t always have the highest compatibility for software, for example MacOS doesn’t support Autodesk Revit, a popular CAD/BIM app for architecture and construction.

To maximise compatibility with the apps your son already has might I recommend the ASUS Zenbook S14 with Core Ultra 7? Easily 20+ hours of battery life, thin and light yet fully compatible with all the applications you might need.

I’m not trying to dunk on the MacBook Air. It’s a brilliant portable. But if your sidelining a PC because of battery life concerns here you would have none.

 

[snak-atak]

I put my 2 girls through college, one with the M1 MBA and the other first with her grade school Intel MBP and then she traded it for the M2 MBA. These will be the last laptops I ever buy them because they are that good, and by the time they are ready to upgrade years from now, they will both be completely independent young adults. FYI, I’ve only had to buy them 2 MacBooks each as their first ones lasted >8 years. Goes to show the great longevity of the MacBook, both Intel and silicon.

❤️🧑‍💻❤️

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I’m for all intents a college professor and I see all sorts of machines on campus. Apple are incredibly popular for writing but don’t always have the highest compatibility for software, for example MacOS doesn’t support Autodesk Revit, a popular CAD/BIM app for architecture and construction.

To maximise compatibility with the apps your son already has might I recommend the ASUS Zenbook S14 with Core Ultra 7? Easily 20+ hours of battery life, thin and light yet fully compatible with all the applications you might need.

I’m not trying to dunk on the MacBook Air. It’s a brilliant portable. But if your sidelining a PC because of battery life concerns here you would have none.

A BioSci freshman is a far way from construction CAD, but I agree with the point of being open to student needs evolving.

Note that Revit 25 does run on M-series Macs under Parallels, etc. If a heavy CAD app like Revit 25 (~US$3k/year non-student cost) is intended IMO that is an entirely different discussion that would get very hardware-specific very quickly.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Great inputs. We are running to the Apple Store this evening so he can put his hands on both the Airs and MBPs. If he wants to go with an air then I will probably wait for the M4’s to help future proof it a little bit. If he is set on the MBP then I will hope for a good Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal.

Also start your son off with a righteous backup plan from his first day with the new laptop. Young students are prime targets for thieves, and many, many students have lost entire theses when a computer was stolen or a drive failed. 2025 probably cloud backup is the way to go, but daily copying to some kind of offsite storage is mandatory.

Establishing thoughtful backup into one's computing life is an important lifetime habit to learn.

 

[butterwm]

A BioSci freshman is a far way from construction CAD, but I agree with the point of being open to student needs evolving.

Note that Revit 25 does run on M-series Macs under Parallels, etc. If a heavy CAD app like Revit 25 (~US$3k/year non-student cost) is intended IMO that is an entirely different discussion that would get very hardware-specific very quickly.

I realize the major could dictate a lot about the type computer being needed. He is planning on doing a cancel cell biology undergraduate degree followed by med school. Most of the med school requirements I could find have specs for both MAC and Windows. A few of them say the computer can’t be older then 4 years so there is a chance we might have to do a refresh between the first 4 years and the second.

 

[ForkHandles]

Our son is a senior and will be off to college this summer. He is doing an undergraduate degree in biology.

I am researching and shopping for laptops for him. Yes, he does like to game like normal teenagers. However, he has a Windows gaming desktop that we plan on him taking and staying on his desk in his dorm room. We still feel like he will need a laptop for his studies and portability for group studies. In my mind, I see him using the laptop to do his homework, FaceTime, surf on the internet, watch a movie, ect. All these items are very capable on the MacBook Air (would probably hold out for the M4).

With that being said, I am the old Dad and really have no idea what the kids really do with their laptops in college. Anyone with college students regret getting the Air over the Pro? Any college students forced to run Windows on their Air because of school compatibility issues? Both laptops are in the budget range and I am just trying to balance overbuying with also not underbuying if that makes sense.

College students, by and large work virtually. They log in to the university network, Remote Desktop if you like, and use that for all their work.

Their files are stored on the university network. The app’s they need are accessed via the servers.

They need very little in the way of massive tech except for Safari or Microsoft edge or chrome.

My advice, don’t be in a rush, let them get settled in, find out what everyone else is using, what their tutors recommend and send it to them next day.

 

[neuropsychguy]

I currently have a college student who is a computer science major using a 16GB/512GB M1 MacBook Air. It does everything needed. My child isn't a huge gamer though but will play Civ VI on the laptop and has a Switch for some other games. Personally, I'd recommend a non-gaming laptop to help encourage the student to maybe play fewer games while out and about.

I am a university professor though and can comment on what many students use at my university. None of my students are bio majors but many are pre-med. Most use MacBook Airs and/or iPads (a lot of my students have iPads and some have other tablets). Some have Windows computers -- anything from an ultrabook to a gaming one. Those who have gaming laptops are frequently having to plug them in. Some students have MacBook Pros but those tend to be the graduate students.

I know a lot of students like having an iPad to take notes on. They can pull up lecture slides or OneNote or some other software and do all the markup on them that they need.

 

[warriors2017]

College students, by and large work virtually. They log in to the university network, Remote Desktop if you like, and use that for all their work.

Their files are stored on the university network. The app’s they need are accessed via the servers.

They need very little in the way of massive tech except for Safari or Microsoft edge or chrome.

My advice, don’t be in a rush, let them get settled in, find out what everyone else is using, what their tutors recommend and send it to them next day.

Support your local campus stores. They often offer education discounts and help out with school related questions.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I realize the major could dictate a lot about the type computer being needed. He is planning on doing a cancel cell biology undergraduate degree followed by med school. Most of the med school requirements I could find have specs for both MAC and Windows. A few of them say the computer can’t be older then 4 years so there is a chance we might have to do a refresh between the first 4 years and the second.

Any M4 Mac should be fine for an MCB undergrad, just have extra RAM and internal mass storage for flexibility and for longer life cycle. After 4 years of MCB he will likely have new needs for the years after that.

Note that MAC references network addressing; the correct term for Apple computers is Mac.

 

[akidokraja]

That is what I was kind of think and leaning towards. If I go with the MacBook Air I will probably wait until March and get the M4 chip to future proof it. He really doesn't need it until he goes off to college and that gives him a few months at home to get used to it and setup before he leaves.

Have you found anything at your school you needed to do that wasn't MAC compatible and you had to figure out some kind of workaround? When we did the school tour I asked some of the students and it seemed to be 50/50 MAC vs Windows. We went in the school computer school and while they sell both it's obvious they favor MAC with their store displays.

Just dual boot with Windows if needed.

 

[Eracles]

Macbook pro! And specifically a m4 pro: is powerful and more long lasting than an air. I still can use for some serious work a macbook pro from 2012, that my parents gave me as a gift for university.

 

[ForkHandles]

I currently have a college student who is a computer science major using a 16GB/512GB M1 MacBook Air. It does everything needed. My child isn't a huge gamer though but will play Civ VI on the laptop and has a Switch for some other games. Personally, I'd recommend a non-gaming laptop to help encourage the student to maybe play fewer games while out and about.

I am a university professor though and can comment on what many students use at my university. None of my students are bio majors but many are pre-med. Most use MacBook Airs and/or iPads (a lot of my students have iPads and some have other tablets). Some have Windows computers -- anything from an ultrabook to a gaming one. Those who have gaming laptops are frequently having to plug them in. Some students have MacBook Pros but those tend to be the graduate students.

I know a lot of students like having an iPad to take notes on. They can pull up lecture slides or OneNote or some other software and do all the markup on them that they need.

Second that.

My little boy writes all his notes on an iPad Pro using good notes and Apple Pencil. He is a maths under grad student though and equations are everything.

 

[Spock]

If they have a gaming laptop, they wont use the MacBook for class. Maybe for a little bit at first but they will want the gaming laptop to play games on in between classes or even class. I would look into getting an iPad Air or iPad Pro instead.

 

[ssmed]

Regarding size. Many of our students find 512 mb too small by the end of their degree.

 

[Surf760]

As a much older sibling of two people who recently graduated college… The only reason to get a Windows computer over Apple is if that degree program has an actual app that requires Windows like Engineering. If not, get a Mac and the biggest but lightest one that makes sense (my vote is for the air). Walking around campus all day with a 16” laptop is heavy

 

[raythompsontn]

When I started looking at Windows Laptops the reviews weren’t that great

The Surface Pro Laptops are excellent. I have had two of them and they worked just fine. The Dell series of thin laptops are also very good.

Just dual boot with Windows if needed.

You cannot dual boot with the M series of MacBooks.