"Why you should get a Mac for college (and not a PC)"
Written by a college student, just like you
(who also works for an on-campus computer store and repair shop)
Hi, welcome to MacRumors' forums. Here you'll find a lot of useful information on just about everything Apple, including iPhones, iPods, and of course, the Mac. Your question is a common one, especially for the college-bound kid. Many students nowadays are seeing why the Mac is the best choice for the next four (or five, or six) years.
It's the best selling and number one computer on college campuses. So with all that being said, the question is how to convince Mom or Dad why to get a Mac instead of the old, dying PC.
To make this even easier, it's safe to know that I'm currently a college student for a very large university in the midwest. When I'm not in class or sleeping, I'm usually working at our on-campus technology store -- where we sell both Macs and PCs. I used to work sales, but now I work tech support for our business. Having seen both sides of the spectrum really gives you an idea of what the best choice of computer is for the average college student. Our campus, which has over 27,000 students, is primarily Mac-based. It's interesting to see, because in a world filled with so many Windows machines, thousands of students here use Macs in conjunction with their iPods or iPhones. Of the computers we sell at our store, 75% of them are Macs! It can be pretty crazy during back-to-school season, to say the least! So what makes the Mac such a go-to computer for all these college kids? After a little bit of research (and simply going to work everyday), it became quite obvious...
Macs don't get viruses. This is essential. Sure, you'll get the PC-pundits who'll say otherwise, but truthfully, you really don't need to worry about getting adware, malware, spyware, or any of that nasty stuff when you're on a Mac. At my work, we get almost 100 PCs per week that are being checked in for repair simply because of virus problems. You know what we do?
We erase their entire computer to get rid of the viruses --
and we charge them for it, almost $115 each time they need to do it. That's a lot of money... and some people come in once a semester for it! Imagine $115 multiplied by the number of semesters you're in school -- that's money you wouldn't have spent should you have got a Mac instead.
Macs have all the best software. Sure iTunes is great and all, but until you're seen
iPhoto, you haven't seen anything yet. iPhoto enables you to organize, edit, and upload photos to Facebook (all in one program, mind you). The application is so intuitive and easy to use, you'll have a blast editing pictures and creating awesome projects. The same goes for the rest of the
iLife suite, including the ability to edit video and create websites.
As technology becomes such an important part of the classroom experience nowadays, more professors are requiring students complete video projects and presentations. Why not make it look great and easy to do all at the same time. You won't have to purchase any additional software (unlike your PC peers), so you'll save money and be able to have a project that looks better than anyone else's in the lecture hall. That means more time for important things, like watching The Office or playing some Gears of War, of course.
Macs are great to take with you. The MacBook and MacBook Pro are both
under an inch thin, and weigh only five pounds. Compare that to the typical PC, which is oven more than an inch and a half (if not more) in thickness. It usually also weighs a ton. No wonder why most PC users still take notes the old fashioned way: their PCs are still sitting back in their dorm rooms because they're annoying to have to drag from class to class. But the Mac is light and elegant -- you can easily slip it in your bag or backpack, and be on your way. That gives you more room for the heavy and bulky stuff, like that English 101 textbook.
Macs are computers to grow with, not out of. With so many built-in features and applications, a Mac is simply a joy to use. And because everything is designed and engineered by Apple (the machine itself, the operating system, and its apps),
if there ever is a problem, you can always contact Apple for award-winning, first class support. A classic example is something like a power charger -- if it breaks, Apple will send you a new one, free of charge, in 24 hours. Compare that to say, HP... who takes up to two weeks to do the same thing (believe me, customers get angry about it). It feels great knowing that Apple's on your side, which is part of what makes using a Mac a blast.
To wrap it up, college kids use Macs because they're the best choice for day-to-day use. The number of problems PCs encounter just aren't worth it when compared to a Mac: think of how much time and money you'd lose for working on a PC. And that’s just the thing: while Macs may seem a little pricier to start with, they often tend to be much cheaper in the end. I'd suggest taking this information to heart, showing it to Mom or Dad, and try to get their opinions on it.
Don't forget that college students also get educational discounts on Macs, and Apple has often thrown in a free iPod touch and a free printer with each Mac purchase (I'd wait 'til June, that's usually when they announce that deal). Also, if there's an
Apple Retail Store near where you live, take your parents there to really get a sense of what makes the Mac such a great machine. There, Specialists will be able to give a grand tour of what makes a Mac, well... a Mac. And maybe, just maybe, that'll convince them right there.
Check out Apple's
website for even more information, including
guides for people considering the switch to the Mac, in addition to Apple's
student site.
Good luck, and welcome to Mac.
(Yes, I'm a fanboy, I know.)
refurb store for $849 and a seperate monitor in 20" or 22" for under $160 and you've got a nice setup for collage...