What's The Best Apple Mac Laptop To Buy



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Aug 25, 2020. Jun 02, 2020. Buying a new laptop is a big investment, so it is important to read reviews. See which Dell, Apple, and Acer laptops top the list of five-star laptops! Apple discontinued its 12-inch laptop in July 2019. You may be able to buy one in Apple’s Refurbished and Clearance Store, but supplies won’t last long. 13-inch models.

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Whether you’ve received your first college homework or just opened that letter of acceptance to the university of your dreams — it means the best time to buy a MacBook has arrived. Studying at a university or college today has become more challenging than ever before, but there are ways to make your efforts less strenuous, by surrounding yourself with good and reliable technology.

Many students around the globe consider Apple to be providing some of the best laptops for college students, and rightfully so. Apple’s operating system has established itself as the most intuitive, trusted, and fastest platform around — it’s highly appreciated by anyone who doesn’t want to take the risk of their work going missing due to a hardware malfunction. Not the least important feature of Mac computers is their immunity to viruses, which comes with a benefit of saving on antivirus software. Pretty good news so far.

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How To Find The Best Mac For Education

The process of choosing the best MacBook for college depends on the kind of student you are, the type of assignments you get, and what you’ve generally come to expect from your computers. Apple is known for making their products to last, so even if you decide to buy a cheap Mac laptop for university, it should still be in good shape long after your graduation.

Since your studies will include both theory and practice, it’s crucial for your laptop to be able to support all the apps necessary during your time in college. If you’re not anticipating to be working on any complex projects over the course of your studies, then a cheap Mac laptop will be a reasonable purchase for you.

To ease the process of finding the best Mac education pricing and quickly resolve the age-old question of whether to get MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college, take a look at the following aspects.

What you need to know about Mac laptop prices

When you first start comparing Mac laptop prices, it might seem as though MacBook deals for college students are not that cheap. However, once you dive deeper into your search for the top computer on the market, you’ll not only find many cheap Mac laptops, but realize that even the most expensive models are completely worth their price, due to their exceptional longevity and overall efficiency.

Besides, if you’re a registered student, you’re eligible for the Apple college discount to use towards your new Mac from Apple’s Education Store. Occasionally, there are some back-to-school deals too, usually during the summer months — the right time to buy a MacBook.

Want to find additional ways to save money but still get the best MacBook for college? Consider shopping at Apple’s refurbished store or buying a cheap Mac laptop secondhand.

Now that you know everything about Mac education pricing, let’s explore some of the best laptops for college students on the market right now.

Performance: 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)

If you’re looking to get the most power in a portable package, this is the best laptop for college, period. MacBook Pro runs on the latest Intel processors and could be configured with up to 8 TB of storage. Depending on your needs, this can be seen as an advantage or drawback, since as an average student you might not need all that power and hard drive space. A larger display is another great feature of this Mac for students, but it also makes the laptop heavier than the competitor models. It even looks more expensive than other Mac laptops, but arguably the price is fully justified by the myriad of expansion options.

Balance: MacBook Air (2019)

One of the best features of the new 2019 MacBook Air model is its 12-hour battery life — enough to finish your homework after a day of classes without the need to carry a charger. MacBook Air is often named the best laptop for college by students because it’s light and portable, allowing for an effortless transfer between classes. Given the substantial power of its processor, this Mac laptop is almost unbeatable in terms of the price-to-quality ratio. A minor flaw to mention, however, is lack of extensive customization.

Price: MacBook Air (2017)

If the two previous MacBook models are not something you’re really into, you can try to turn to an older laptop and get a good MacBook deal for college students that way.

A MacBook Air model from 2017 is still a pretty good Mac for students, even though it doesn’t have a Retina display or Touch ID. And, of course, it being a few years old, you could argue that its processor is old or that storage space is limited. But if those things don’t concern you, this Mac is a solid performer overall, despite its age.

Buy MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college?

As one of the most frequently asked questions from students, getting MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro for college has no definitive answer — it all depends on your specific requirements and needs. MacBook Air, for example, is generally considered the best Mac for college students at large, due to its light configuration and long battery life. It’s also one of the cheap Mac laptops that nevertheless covers all the basics.

Those who anticipate spending lots of time working on complex projects need to look for an advanced processor, large storage capacity, high-resolution display, or all at once. MaBook Pro is a great option here, since it offers much more power without sacrificing portability and lightness. On the other hand, it’s safe to say that if you need a laptop simply for research and written assignments, then a MacBook Pro might be a waste of money. But don’t let that stop you just yet, since you could be eligible for the Apple MacBook Pro student discount.

How to speed up your learning

Now that you’ve settled on the best laptop for college to satisfy all your needs, you can look at some of the best apps out there that can make your learning process more interesting and productive, supporting you through your university years.

Studies is an indispensable tool used by students who are adamant about customizing their education to get the best results. Fully synchronized with iCloud, this flashcard creator allows students to easily maximize their learning experience. In addition, Studies has a convenient calendar for effortless class management.

To create your own stack of flashcards via Studies:

  1. Click New Stack in the top left corner

  2. Add a title to your stack

  3. Click Save

How to organize your study notes

Regardless of the program you’re in, all college majors require you to work with an abundance of information. Paper notes are mostly inconvenient and irritating, so having the best MacBook for college is a really sound idea. But you need a proper all-in-one solution.

MarginNote takes a new approach to note-taking, by creating flashcards to optimize your learning and organize your textbook storage system at the same time. This app is perfect for students who want to save time on scribbling notes and keep them organized — easily search through the MarginNote’s smart system, and access any material on the go. MarginNote saves all your entries in one place and allows access from any Apple device, whether it’s a Mac for students or an iPhone.

To start using MarginNote:

  1. Open the Document menu

  2. Click Import in the top-left corner

  3. Import a book

  4. Now you can start reading and annotating as you go

How to optimize document and textbook search

Learning is always associated with the need to efficiently save useful clips, drawings, photos, or graphics — that’s why every student needs a good scanner app.

Prizmo is the perfect way to quickly convert all those physical documents (or PDFs) sitting on your desk to searchable digital material with very little effort. This smart app not only corrects the curvature of your photos and scans, but also has an incredible feature of translating any document to 59 different languages.

Here's how to turn any picture into a document file with Prizmo:

  1. Click New Document

  2. Drag and drop a picture of a page into the new window

  3. Use Curvature Correction to crop the area that you need

  4. Edit the text if needed

  5. Click Export in the top-right corner to save the new PDF document

How to excel at math and science easily

Students majoring in sciences have to solve complex math problems on a regular basis and are often able to find the answer faster if they scribble the formulas on a piece of paper first. But since we live in the 21st century, it’s a good idea to hand in assignments digitally and keep a copy on your Mac just in case.

MathKey makes a students’ life easier by providing a way to write any formula on your MacBook using a trackpad, mouse, or an Apple Pencil. The app will then import your writing into any digital format like LaTeX, MathML, or images.

While math is not always easy, working with MathKey is refreshingly simple:

What's The Best Apple Mac Laptop To Buy Free

What
  1. Launch the app and start drawing formulas using any input device

  2. Click Convert

  3. Save your work into your preferred format

In the end, a carefully selected Mac for students, with the right apps to enhance it, will not only provide immense support during your college years but will also be a useful tool when you go off to work in the professional field of your choice.

And it’s a positive bonus that Studies, MarginNote, Prizmo, and MathKey mentioned above are all available to you right now for a free seven-day trial through Setapp, a platform of over 170 of the best Mac apps, including some of the most essential ones for students. Now that you know how to pick the best MacBook for college and how to get the best apps, nothing can stop you from learning.

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Windows laptops aren’t for everyone, especially if you’re locked into the iOS ecosystem. To that end, you might be eyeing up a shiny new MacBook as your next computer. There aren’t too many models to pick from, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to make a choice. Here’s our list of the best Apple laptops available right now.

See also: Best MacBook deals

Apple keeps things simple with just two lines of laptops: the lighter MacBook Air and the heavy-duty MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch and 16-inch versions as well, and we’ll touch on both configurations.

The best Apple laptops:

Editor’s note: We will update this list of the best Apple laptops regularly as new devices launch.

1. MacBook Pro (16-inch)

Apple has phased out the 15-inch MacBook Pro and replaced it with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, its most powerful laptop yet. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is a beast that can handle just about anything you can throw at it — for a hefty price. Apple’s most powerful laptop can be yours from $2,399 if you skip the optional improvements.

See also: Apple MacBook Pro long-term review

At the base price, you’ll get a 9th-generation Intel Core i7 chip and 512GB of storage as well as the new (read old) Magic Keyboard with scissor switches. The Core i7 chip has a standard speed of 2.6GHz with turbo speeds of up to 4.5GHz for a little extra power. Apple includes 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in the base model along with an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics card.

While the base specs are nothing to scoff at, it’s pretty easy — though not cheap — to kick the Apple powerhouse into overdrive. You can swap for an Intel Core i9 chip at 2.4GHz with eight cores of power. The RAM and storage can rise all the way to 64GB and 8TB respectively, which should be plenty for nearly any task. You can beef the graphics up to AMD Radeon 5500M and top the price off at $6,099.

No matter how you configure this monster, you’ll get four Thunderbolt 3 ports, Bluetooth 5.0, and a powerful 720p front-facing webcam. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is available in Silver and Space Gray.

2. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 4 Thunderbolt ports)

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is probably the best Apple laptop for most people, regardless of the configuration. Apple has upgraded both models with the new Magic Keyboard. Also, the four Thunderbolt version is the best bet for processor junkies as it’s loaded with the latest 10th-gen Intel hardware. There are a few more key changes that boost the starting price to $1,799.

See also: The best Apple MacBook accessories

For starters, this version of the MacBook Pro comes standard with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Both can be upgraded to 32GB and 4TB respectively, and Intel Iris Plus graphics bring your work to life. You can also choose between an Intel Core i5 and Core i7 chip, the latter of which runs at 2.3GHz. Expect to shell out nearly $3,600 if you opt for the top-of-the-line configuration.

Like the larger 16-inch model, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in both Silver and Space Gray. All configurations are equipped with the Touch Bar that some people love and others hate, as well as the large Force Touch trackpad.

3. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2 Thunderbolt ports)

If you want the best budget-friendly Apple laptop with a Pro designation, the two Thunderbolt version is your best bet. It’s only equipped with 8th-generation Intel processors, but it does have the upgraded Magic Keyboard as well as the Touch Bar and Force Touch trackpad. Even better, the two Thunderbolt edition of the MacBook Pro starts at just $1,299.

See also: The best laptops you can buy in 2020

As the most affordable MacBook Pro, this version ships with a base configuration including 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and the aforementioned Intel Core i5 chip. You can jump up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage for an added cost and an Intel Core i7 processor will top you off at $2,599.

If you don’t need the latest processing power but you want a MacBook Pro, this is the best Apple laptop for you. It’s available in the same standard colors as the previous options and Intel Iris Plus 645 graphics are great for streaming and light gaming on the Retina display.

4. MacBook Air

The MacBook Pro steals much of the thunder, but the Air was actually the first 13-inch MacBook to receive the Magic Keyboard and the latest Intel processors. Unlike the MacBook Pro, all three MacBook Air setups are rocking 10th-gen chips and the Core i3 version comes in at just under $1,000.

What's The Best Apple Laptop

See also: 2020 Apple MacBook Air review

The Core i3 MacBook Air relies on 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD to get the job done along with Intel Iris Plus graphics. If you’re looking to splurge but you don’t want to go for the Pro, an Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage should complete your high-end machine. The top-tier configuration will jack the price to $2,249.

There are plenty of reasons to choose a MacBook Air — the slim wedge design, leaving the temperamental Touch Bar in the dust, and even the 100% recycled aluminum body. However, the MacBook Air sacrifices a bit of cooling power in favor of the slim body.

5. Honorable Mention: MacBook (12-inch)

What's The Best Apple Mac Laptop To Buy Computer

Unfortunately, the 12-inch MacBook has gone the way of the dodo. It was a short-lived replacement for the MacBook Air that was manufactured from 2015 to 2019. If you want the absolute smallest Apple laptop around, the MacBook is still worth a look. The Intel Core m3 edition retailed at $999 but only the Intel Core i5 version seems to be available.

Apple Laptops For Sale Best Buy

If you manage to find a base configuration Apple MacBook, you can expect 256GB of storage paired with 8GB of RAM and one single, lonely USB-C port. As you might have guessed, you won’t find brand-new Intel hardware either — the MacBook is rocking a 7th-gen processor. On the bright side, you can upgrade to 512GB of storage and choose from Silver, Space Gray, and Rose Gold finishes.