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Mac for student

S

smileforme

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hey guys,

I've looked through several advice-topics and it seems the opinions of others really helped a lot of users. I'm hoping for the same.

Right now I only own a netbook and a 22 inch external monitor. Having only the power of the netbook available can be quite a pain- thats why id like to buy a mac.

The computer will be used for the usual: internet surfing, emails, videos, etc. I recently really got into photography so I will also be using photo editing software.

Considering the price: I dont want the price to be the deciding factor (I do want the computer to last a bit) but since I am a college student with a full time job- the less the better.

Portability: I need a computer for studying which i will have to carry around quite a bit - my netbook has been performing just fine with that.


I was wondering which setup would be the best for me:

- I could buy an Imac and continue to use my netbook for uni. I would sell the external monitor. The problem with this is that I will be spending half a year in Asia relatively soon. It would be more troublesome to take an imac with me

- I could buy a macbook pro and use it with my external monitor. Im guessing I would go for the 13 inch model because of portability and price- but im open to suggestions otherwise)


Right now I'm leaning towards the 13 inch macbook pro option but I was wondering what you guys will think. Oh and gaming is not important for me- i would actually prefer it if my computer couldnt run games very well as it would prevent me from wasting time 😛.
 
Get a mac mini and use it with your existing monitor. Then you still have the netbook to haul around school.
 
For the price of a Mac Mini you can purchase a refurb MacBook (Pro) that will probably be fine for your needs. jmann's solution is also not a bad idea, but if you need the power on the road, then - yeah...
 
It comes down to whether you need portable performance or not. Also if it is going to be too troublesome for you to bring an iMac to Asia with you then I think your decision is just about made. Half a year is a long time without a computer if you need one and your netbook isn't good enough. Answer those two questions and you will have your decision.
 
thegoldenmackid said:
For the price of a Mac Mini you can purchase a refurb MacBook (Pro) that will probably be fine for your needs. jmann's solution is also not a bad idea, but if you need the power on the road, then - yeah...
Click to expand...

No, you can't. A Mini is $599 brand new. The cheapest MacBook, even in the refurb store, is $749. There are no refurbished Minis in the store, but the savings would be even greater there.

I second the suggestion to get a Mini. Same basic internals as the Macbook/MBP you're considering, but cheaper, and you can use your existing monitor. You can even take it to Asia with you when you go and pick up a cheap monitor to use while there...

Of course, a 21.5" iMac is actually relatively portable for your needs to. Getting it to and from Asia wouldn't be that hard, and I'd sooner have the iMac than the Mini...
 
Thanks a lot guys. I really considered your suggestions and i decided to go for a macbook pro. The cheapest option would be buying a mac mini/imac but I realised that my netbook is probably not going to last more than a year and I would have to buy a new one. I'll use a mac pro with my external monitor.


miles01110 said:
Check out the base model 15" MBP. The extra screen size will make a difference doing photo editing.
Click to expand...

Is it really worth it? € 200 more for a slight increase in size and the same specs? I wouldnt mind the extra weight/size but I'm just not sure whether the advantages would be that great. Could someone who has done some photo editing on both 13 and 15 screens post his opinion?
 
erm i'd say the 13
signature_SmileyFace.jpg
don't get the 15 because if your getting an external monitor you won't need the extra screen space... but as for the imac, if you need power, then it is a definate
 
I'll second thegoldenmackid advice to go try out the models in store to see which screen size is better for you. Most store models will have programs like Photoshop loaded so you can try it out to see how well it works.

Personally, I find that the 13" more then fit my needs which are mainly Web and Document creation with occasional Photo and Video editing.

Anything bigger would have a negative effect on my Mobility so was not really a serious option.
 
Personally I think the best option would be to keep the monitor you have got, and get the 13" macbook pro. Its powerful (significantly more than a netbook) and portable so you can take it to classes and also travel with it when needed! I have an iMac and it really is a great machine as a student, but it lacks the portability (especially if you need to take it to another country).
signature_silverapple.jpg
 
like the peers have said, it just all depends on what u do in life. If u are a casual user on the run then a 13 would do fine, but if u use your computer constantly than the 15 would be more of an ideal choice. Like personally i hate laptops because i think the screen sizes are too small and really i would rather not drag another 3-6 lbs on top of my books where ever i went just to browse the internet while i'm not listening in class. But if your comp is your lively hood than that is something you're willing to deal with.
 
chill. said:
why would your netbook not last more than a year?
Click to expand...


I'm already having hardware issues with it.


opera57 said:
Personally I think the best option would be to keep the monitor you have got, and get the 13" macbook pro. Its powerful (significantly more than a netbook) and portable so you can take it to classes and also travel with it when needed! I have an iMac and it really is a great machine as a student, but it lacks the portability (especially if you need to take it to another country).
signature_silverapple.jpg
Click to expand...


That's the option I'm leaning towards right now.
 
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