The academic year is kicking off for some, while others, like colleges and universities, is just a few weeks away. Not everyone can afford a laptop, but those who can often have a tough time deciding which one to get. For parents, the most affordable one is usually the best choice, but is it always the best for students?
Now, let’s talk about college students, especially the newbies. I highly recommend checking out Apple’s presentation template, “Why I Need a Mac for College” education= college-students= #presentation=>. It’s designed for American parents, but the info still applies to parents everywhere, including Filipinos.
Getting an Apple laptop (or desktop, for that matter) can be a bit pricey. On the surface, it might seem like it, but it’s not entirely true (well, it used to be haha). Comparing a Mac to a PC is like comparing apples and oranges. They’re built on different computing architectures, making it difficult to compare them based on technical specs alone.
For example, let’s say you’re looking at the entry-level Macbook Air with the latest M4 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. An equivalent (in price) PC might have an Intel i5, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, and it’ll also have more ports. Based on price alone, the Macbook Air is smoked! But when it comes to performance, the M4 processor is way better than the i5. Oh, and the PC is also over half a kilogram heavier, probably because of the bigger screen.
The comparison shouldn’t just stop at the technical specs. There are other things to consider, just like the Apple presentation template (which students can use to present to their parents). So don’t fall for the specs war.
If you’re a Computer Science or IT student, the Mac is the best hardware to get. Just like the PC, you can install virtual machines to run Windows and Linux. But unlike the PC, it has access to XCode, Apple’s software engineering tool for developing iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, watchOS, and visionOS apps. With the upcoming support for containers in macOS 26, a Mac is an even more compelling choice for software developers.
So, if you are a student looking for a laptop, I recommend checking out the presentation template from Apple. If you are convinced that it is for you, use it to convince your parents to get you a Mac. Good luck!