Following A-Level results day, incoming freshers are likely listing the ‘uni essentials’ before the big move. Cutlery? Check. Excessive amounts of stationary? Check. The question is, do you need a MacBook for uni?
As a recent graduate and professional writer, I’m weighing up the pros and cons of taking a MacBook to uni.
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Debate: Do you need an Apple MacBook for uni?
As someone who is an avid Apple user, this question struck me as a tricky one.
For context, I studied journalism throughout university, before graduating on to becoming a writer for HITC. It goes without saying that my course required a lot of writing – I’m talking endless word documents.
Plus, it’s worth noting that my second and third-year campus time was pretty much non-existent due to the pandemic. Thus, I needed a good-quality laptop to get me through WFH sessions and tedious Zoom lectures.
Personally, I couldn’t imagine uni life without my MacBook. It was simple to use, ran course-essential software easily, and the sleek design made it portable when travelling from lecture to lecture.
On the other end of the spectrum, a former coursemate of mine, Niamh, 21, completely disagreed. Niamh was able to graduate with a first, and told me: “I used OneDrive, so I was able to reach my work via both my laptop and the uni Apple computers. It worked well for me, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything or at a disadvantage because of it.”
Likewise, former student Millie, 20, gave her insight: “You just need something that works quickly, can hold large files, and has a camera for Zoom in the interest of COVID. If you’re a student with a tight budget, a Mac is expensive!”
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Sitting on the fence, fellow HITC writer Ellissa weighed in: “Well I’m pretty loyal to Apple and just prefer the way they’re set out and find them way easier to use, so I loved it. But no, I wouldn’t say it’s essential.
“I did History and Journalism, and all of my work was pretty much essay based or just writing articles on word documents, so I don’t see why you couldn’t do that on any other laptop. But, if you’re doing a more arty degree I can definitely see it being essential!”
Two other coursemates of mine, Georgina and Paige, had a similar outlook, with both identifying how easy a MacBook is to use. Georgina, who now works in PR, told me: “The efficiency of a MacBook and its reliability with modern technology is what makes it a solid resource.”
Although, it’s important to keep in mind that life will likely return to (more or less) normal this academic year, meaning fewer campus restrictions. So, is it worth looking into cheaper laptop models if you’re able to use university facilities?
Pros and cons of an Apple laptop weighed up
Still undecided? Let’s turn to an old-fashioned pros and cons list.
Pros
- Easy to use due to the simple layout.
- Thin and sleek, meaning it is easily portable.
- Fast-running and relatively reliable.
- Pairs with other Apple products, meaning that you’re able to airdrop attachments from your iPhone as opposed to using email.
- You’re able to use iCloud storage.
- Runs software well, i.e. Adobe InDesign or Photoshop.
- Provides helpful applications by default, such as ‘stocks’, ‘keynote’, ‘pages’, and a dictionary.
- It has relatively good battery life.
Cons
- It’s pretty pricey.
- The lifespan of a MacBook isn’t all that long (I replaced mine after 5 years).
- You’re limited to Apple products/applications – i.e. the Apple App store.
In short, an Apple MacBook is a good idea for university, if you’re planning on using it for more than just web-surfing and word-document writing.
If you’re on the search for a good-quality laptop that won’t break the bank, take a look at the HP Chromebook.
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