MBP for College?

[Tori.Shi.329]

I am currently debating on which Mac to get, either Pro or Air? I'm leaning towards the Pro mostly because of the power but I'm not sure if I need it for college. I have about 2000 bucks to spend but I'm probably going to get it configured.
I'm leaning toward the 13" inch MBP 2.6 GHz with the Retina mostly because it does have the SSD and better display as compared to if I upgraded the 15" regular MBP.
Is 2.6 Ghz of power enough? My Samsung laptop is only 2.4 and I think it works fine. Do I need to upgrade?
I'm probably upgrading the storage from 256 SSD to 512 SSD; is this necessary/a waste of money? I usually carry everything on a flash drive so I might not need to.
I probably with also buy the USB SuperDrive because it probably I might still use CD and DVD for like transportation. But is this really necessary? I'm kind of saying no mostly because right now I'm not really using DVD or CD because I can just use my flash drive.
As for college, I'm pursuing a medical track and the first 4 years I only need 4 courses in science. I'm also planning to minor in Arts (not graphic) but like classical art studies. I'll probably have to attend graduate school so this laptop needs to last about +6 years? probably only 5 though.

I need your 2 cents! THANKS!!!

 

[GermanyChris]

I wouldn't do anything take the 2k and but it in a nice money market account earning interest JIC.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Start w/ a MBA. There is zero reason to schlep around a heavier laptop or pay for power you don't yet need. After your sophomore year re-evaluate your computing needs and if you need something more robust sell the MBA and upgrade to the 15" rMBP. The great thing about Macs is that they retain their value, unlike PC laptops would lose almost all their value the moment you unseal the box. So don't feel "trapped" into think you are making a 4 year decision.

NO laptop is going to last you 6 years. At best you'll get 4 out of it. If it doesn't become slow as a snail in 4 years to make you want to upgrade Apple will effectively stop supporting it in all but security updates. So don't take a "long view." It's tech and all tech gets stale quickly.

 

[GermanyChris]

Start w/ a MBA. There is zero reason to schlep around a heavier laptop or pay for power you don't yet need. After your sophomore year re-evaluate your computing needs and if you need something more robust sell the MBA and upgrade to the 15" rMBP. The great thing about Macs is that they retain their value, unlike PC laptops would lose almost all their value the moment you unseal the box. So don't feel "trapped" into think you are making a 4 year decision.

NO laptop is going to last you 6 years. At best you'll get 4 out of it. If it doesn't become slow as a snail in 4 years to make you want to upgrade Apple will effectively stop supporting it in all but security updates. So don't take a "long view." It's tech and all tech gets stale quickly.

I have two 4 year old computers 😀

 

[devilcm3]

Start w/ a MBA. There is zero reason to schlep around a heavier laptop or pay for power you don't yet need. After your sophomore year re-evaluate your computing needs and if you need something more robust sell the MBA and upgrade to the 15" rMBP. The great thing about Macs is that they retain their value, unlike PC laptops would lose almost all their value the moment you unseal the box. So don't feel "trapped" into think you are making a 4 year decision.

NO laptop is going to last you 6 years. At best you'll get 4 out of it. If it doesn't become slow as a snail in 4 years to make you want to upgrade Apple will effectively stop supporting it in all but security updates. So don't take a "long view." It's tech and all tech gets stale quickly.

I have two 4 year old computers 😀

my friend brought a Powerbook G4 to the class, everybody was shocked. 😱
the battery is surprisingly good for a museum piece.


anyways, to OP ... if you don't plan to change i'd say get the MBP.
programs and OS will gradually getting heavier and using more computing resources, by using classic MBP you can at least perform minor upgrades to extend the lifespan of the machine.

if you're going for the rMBP, get the highest spec (except processor) possible.

personally i don't think MBA does not have the raw power to extend past 3 years with 'comfortable user experience'.
unless you plan to stick with the same OS permanently.

 

[Rhinoevans]

Use the Samsung that you currently have and when it dies, get a MAC. New models coming out every year, and if you have a functioning computer. Then save you money. Prices drop and computing power gets better.

I bouhgt a 15 cMBP last year, think that my Sony VIAO was going to die. WRONG. STill running strong, and I probably should have waited to get the Haswell instead of the IvyBridge.

Good luck.

When it dies, I would get the MBA. For college, mostly papers and internet research, and ANY computer can do that. Dont pass on the cMBP either, but if you wait till Samsung dies, probably cMBP will no longer be an option. All non-user upgradable Retinas by then, just a guess.

 

[Interstella5555]

I have two 4 year old computers 😀

My Rev 1 MBP made it to 6 and is still technically working as a backup...

 

[GermanyChris]

My Rev 1 MBP made it to 6 and is still technically working as a backup...

I use my ’09 17” everyday, my MP is just now slower than an iMac but still has an upgrade path. My 8yo daughter uses her ’07 Mac Book daily (Snow Leopard and Win7 64). My wife is the only one with less than 2 yo computer.

My 17” doesn’t feel slow at all and got a pick up with 10.9 DP1 I see no reason yet to replace it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I have two 4 year old computers 😀

I didn't mean they evaporated after 4 years, but rather they wouldn't be pleasant to use. Hey, I still have my 1988 Mac SE/20, but I wouldn't want to use it. If you still get use out of yours God bless. Be there, never again. (Also vastly depends on what you are using it for. A lot of current GPU or proc intensive s/w won't even load on a 4 y.o. Mac).

 

[GermanyChris]

I didn't mean they evaporated after 4 years, but rather they wouldn't be pleasant to use. Hey, I still have my 1988 Mac SE/20, but I wouldn't want to use it. If you still get use out of yours God bless. Be there, never again. (Also vastly depends on what you are using it for. A lot of current GPU or proc intensive s/w won't even load on a 4 y.o. Mac).

Which ones?

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Which ones?

Oh geez, I don't have them all in my head. I do know there is a slew of 2009 era Macs (not all, but many) that can't run Adobe CS6 because it requires a min of 512MB VRAM and many graphics cards back then only had 256MB.

MBA, iMac, and stock MP from that time frame can't run Final Cut Pro b/c the video doesn't support OpenCL

There plenty of other graphic intensive apps that either won't load at all on a 4 year old Mac or if they do run won't do it at an acceptable speed.

And of course many apps, esp ones from Apple require 10.6.8 now, which can be a rough ride on minimum spec computers of the 2008 vintage.

 

[GermanyChris]

Oh geez, I don't have them all in my head. I do know there is a slew of 2009 era Macs (not all, but many) that can't run Adobe CS6 because it requires a min of 512MB VRAM and many graphics cards back then only had 256MB.

MBA, iMac, and stock MP from that time frame can't run Final Cut Pro b/c the video doesn't support OpenCL

There plenty of other graphic intensive apps that either won't load at all on a 4 year old Mac or if they do run won't do it at an acceptable speed.

And of course many apps, esp ones from Apple require 10.6.8 now, which can be a rough ride on minimum spec computers of the 2008 vintage.

CS 6 runs just peachy on my MBP, Final Cut 7 runs on anything from G5's to Modern MP's Final Cut x runs just fine on both my MP and MBP. Maya runs just fine on my MP and MBP..

Remember 4 years ago is mid 2009 not 08..

I don't know what 08 will run but it's likely that it will also run all the above.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

CS 6 runs just peachy on my MBP, Final Cut 7 runs on anything from G5's to Modern MP's Final Cut x runs just fine on both my MP and MBP. Maya runs just fine on my MP and MBP..

Remember 4 years ago is mid 2009 not 08..

I don't know what 08 will run but it's likely that it will also run all the above.

I said stock MP not MBP. I also said some machines, not all. It depends on how they were configured.

09 would be three model years ago. 08-09 is 4 model years ago. 09-10 is 3. 10-11 is 2. 11-12 is 1. 12-13 is current for most models.

 

[GermanyChris]

I said MP not MBP. I also said some machines, not all. It depends on how they were configured.

but a GT 120 supports Open CL, and that was the base card in '09

Actually pretty much anything from early '08 forward supports Open CL

 

[KUguardgrl13]

I am currently debating on which Mac to get, either Pro or Air? I'm leaning towards the Pro mostly because of the power but I'm not sure if I need it for college. I have about 2000 bucks to spend but I'm probably going to get it configured.
I'm leaning toward the 13" inch MBP 2.6 GHz with the Retina mostly because it does have the SSD and better display as compared to if I upgraded the 15" regular MBP.
Is 2.6 Ghz of power enough? My Samsung laptop is only 2.4 and I think it works fine. Do I need to upgrade?
I'm probably upgrading the storage from 256 SSD to 512 SSD; is this necessary/a waste of money? I usually carry everything on a flash drive so I might not need to.
I probably with also buy the USB SuperDrive because it probably I might still use CD and DVD for like transportation. But is this really necessary? I'm kind of saying no mostly because right now I'm not really using DVD or CD because I can just use my flash drive.
As for college, I'm pursuing a medical track and the first 4 years I only need 4 courses in science. I'm also planning to minor in Arts (not graphic) but like classical art studies. I'll probably have to attend graduate school so this laptop needs to last about +6 years? probably only 5 though.

I need your 2 cents! THANKS!!!

My 2009 13" basic model MBP is still running just peachy at 4 years old. I'm on HDD #3 and just upgraded the RAM, but those are two things you couldn't do with an rMBP or an MBA. Granted those two machines have SSDs that are more solid than HDDs. Honestly $2K is way more than you need for a college laptop. 8 GB RAM and an i5 is plenty for internet research and writing papers (I only have a C2D, so an i5 is more than what I have lol). As an art minor, you might take some classes that require Adobe. I have a friend who's a painting major, and she used Photoshop and some of the other programs in CS. She got the 15" 2009 MBP (can't remember the exact specs, but they are higher than mine).

Your best bet is to go into an Apple Store or your school's bookstore if they sell them. Tell them what you plan to use it for (don't say how much you're willing to spend!). Any mention of art, and they will probably lead you toward more RAM and an i7. Hard drive size can always be supplemented with flash drives and external hard drives. If you don't want to buy Adobe, your art dept should have an iMac or Mac Pro lab available for you to use 🙂

 

[snaky69]

I am currently debating on which Mac to get, either Pro or Air? I'm leaning towards the Pro mostly because of the power but I'm not sure if I need it for college. I have about 2000 bucks to spend but I'm probably going to get it configured.
I'm leaning toward the 13" inch MBP 2.6 GHz with the Retina mostly because it does have the SSD and better display as compared to if I upgraded the 15" regular MBP.
Is 2.6 Ghz of power enough? My Samsung laptop is only 2.4 and I think it works fine. Do I need to upgrade?
I'm probably upgrading the storage from 256 SSD to 512 SSD; is this necessary/a waste of money? I usually carry everything on a flash drive so I might not need to.
I probably with also buy the USB SuperDrive because it probably I might still use CD and DVD for like transportation. But is this really necessary? I'm kind of saying no mostly because right now I'm not really using DVD or CD because I can just use my flash drive.
As for college, I'm pursuing a medical track and the first 4 years I only need 4 courses in science. I'm also planning to minor in Arts (not graphic) but like classical art studies. I'll probably have to attend graduate school so this laptop needs to last about +6 years? probably only 5 though.

I need your 2 cents! THANKS!!!

What do you actually plan on doing with the computer? To make an analogy, you're asking us how big you should build your garage without actually telling us what you intend to put in it.

The fact that you are comparing your Samsung 2.4Ghz processor (what is the exact model, there are dozens of processors that match that vague description, and they aren't all made equal) and the 2.6Ghz in the MBP tells me you probably don't need the power at all, if you needed it, you'd know it.

 

[phaedarus]

The best advice I have for you is to simply keep your existing laptop until the end of its lifespan.

Macbooks are prime targets for theft, especially in educational institutions. It doesn't matter how careful you plan to be; in college you're probably going to get drunk, smoke pot, couch surf or be in the middle of nailing some broad whose name you won't be able to remember the morning after and it's during those vulnerable moments where that backpack containing your Macbook you've been guarding like a hawk gets snatched.

On the lucky chance that your notebook isn't stolen, Moore's Law will be more than happy to fill in the gaps by conjuring up occurrences of spilled drinks, long drops from a high-rise, forgetting to grab your bag when getting off the bus and any number of other scenarios that will undoubtedly happen while you're in college.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that you should invest in a chromebook if all you need to do is write papers when your current laptop buys the farm. $260 laptops are far more expendable than a new macbook.

This also goes for any new iDevices.

Do the smart thing and leave'em at home.

 

[Skyhigh223]

I bought a rMBP for college and it's bloody brilliant. Don't be an idiot, and ignore the naysayers*.


#YOLO
#ALCOHOL
#PARTY
#TOPLAD
#UNILIFE

But seriously



*I'm not joking

 

[gamerish]

I agree with the others who say to hold onto your current laptop. Once that goes or if you just really want a new laptop, go for the Air. It's not sounding at all like you need the extra power behind the Retina, so the Air will be more than enough for your needs.