Top Apps Mac 2018 Students

06.08.2020by
Top Apps Mac 2018 Students Rating: 5,0/5 7225 reviews

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BestMacBook for StudentsiMore2020

Whether you're still in high school or racing across your college campus, a laptop is an essential piece of equipment for every student. Apple makes some of the best laptops around with its MacBook lineup. Whether it's a powerful MacBook Pro, or a light and portable MacBook Air, Apple's laptops will power you through any task you'll meet. For most students, the 2020 MacBook Air is the best choice. It has enough power to face most any academic challenge you come up against, while still offering up to 12 hours of battery life.

Best Overall: MacBook Air (2020)

Most students looking for a new MacBook should pick up the MacBook Air. It's less expensive than other MacBooks, as well as lighter. And though it might not be as powerful as the MacBook Pro, it offers enough power for the average student to get through their daily scholastic workload, especially when outfitted with the optional quad-core Intel Core i7 processor.

The 2020 MacBook Air should also have enough battery to take you from class to class. Like previous versions, the latest iteration of the MacBook Air features up to 12 hours of battery life. This version also features an improved, scissor switch-based Magic Keyboard, just like the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Pro is probably overkill for most students. Sure, some will be able to take advantage of its more powerful processors available to it. Still, if most of what you're doing is writing papers, putting together presentations, or doing research on the web, you probably don't need the level of power a MacBook Pro offers.

Pros:

  • Great balance of price and power
  • Light and portable
  • Scissor switch keyboard is back
  • Touch ID
  • Up to 12 hours of battery life

Best Overall

MacBook Air (2020)

Sweet spot of power, portability, and price.

Lightweight, yet with enough power to get you through most academic tasks, the MacBook Air is the perfect student computer.

Source: iMore

Because the 2019 MacBook Air uses the same processor as the 2018 model, you can save a good deal of money by going with the 2017 model of MacBook Pro. No Retina display, no Touch ID, but it's still a fairly capable machine, even if the processor is a few years old at this point.

You should also have enough battery life to get through your daily workload. Like the more recent models, the 2017 MacBook Air is rated for up to 12 hours of battery life.

While I'd still recommend the newest MacBook Air for most people, the 2017 model is still a solid alternative if you're looking to save some money. It's not flashy, and it won't win any awards for speed, but it'll still be a dependable device throughout your academic life.

Pros:

  • Relatively cheap
  • Still a solid performer
  • USB-A ports
  • SD card slot
  • Excellent battery life

Best Value

MacBook Air (2017)

A capable computer for the money.

The 2017 revision of the MacBook Air is still a capable machine that will get you through most of your tasks without hassle.

Source: Rene Ritchie / iMore

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the computer to get if you need the most power that you can afford in a portable package. You can configure it with several options, whether you need that eight-core processor, 64GB of RAM, or 8TB of storage.

But even at its base configuration, a six-core Intel Core i7 with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU, it'll still handle any task a student can set to it besides the most computationally intense workflows. If you want a no-doubt-about-it machine, get this MacBook Pro.

Pros:

  • Latest Intel processors
  • Configurable up to 8TB of storage
  • Myriad of expansion options
  • Bigger display

Cons:

  • Bigger than other options
  • More expensive
  • May be overkill for most

Best for Power Users

16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)

Most bang for your buck.

The 2016 MacBook Pro will perform great at any task you set it and should last you well after your academic career is over.

Best Power Alternative: 13-inch MacBook Pro (2019)

Though this model won't reach the heights of the 16-inch model, for those students that need or want more power than the MacBook Air can offer while sacrificing as little portability as possible, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a good choice.

It's missing some advantages of the 16-inch model, namely the bigger screen, large storage options, and discrete GPU. However, it's powered by recent Intel quad-core Core i5 processors, so you'll still have enough power for fairly demanding tasks, such as photo and video editing, graphic design, and mobile music production.

Pros:

  • Balances portability and power
  • More portable than 16-inch model
  • Option for up to four Thunderbolt 3 ports

Cons:

  • No discrete GPU
  • Limited to quad-core processors
  • Limited storage choices

Best Power Alternative

13-inch MacBook Pro (2019)

A big step up from a MacBook Air.

This is the MacBook you should get if you need a step up in power from the MacBook Air.

Bottom line

Whether you need a computer for high school or college, the most recent MacBook Air is the right choice for most students. Whether you're writing papers, putting together a Powerpoint or Keynote presentation, or even editing some images for a photography class, the MacBook Air will be a reliable performer in your academic pursuits.

It doesn't have the power of something like the 16-inch MacBook Pro, nor even the 13-inch MacBook Pro. But it's still a capable machine at a solid price. The Retina display is beautiful and vibrant, and the built-in Touch ID sensor makes everything from authorizing operating system tasks to paying for things online with Apple Pay more convenient and secure.

The MacBook Air, for a long time, was the best Mac for most people, including students. Thanks to recent revisions, it occupies that space again, offering a light, portable package with enough power and battery life to get you through an entire day of school.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Joseph Keller is a senior writer at iMore. An Apple user for more than a decade and a half, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Rene Ritchie has been covering the personal technology industry for a decade. An outspoken analyst and critic, he writes at iMore.com/vector, podcasts at applepodcasts.com/vector, and you can find his show at youtube.com/vector. Follow him @reneritchie on Twitter and Instagram

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Hubba Hubba

Make sure you have all the ports you need for your Mac with a USB-C hub

The MacBook Pro (Late 2016 and newer) sports at least two, and up to four Thunderbolt 3 ports, but that's all. What to do if you need other ports? Get a hub!

Students preparing to head back to school or even embark on a new college journey can benefit from having the right technology at their fingertips. Between desktop Macs, MacBook Pro laptops, and even iPads, choosing the perfect device for school can mean sorting through hundreds of different configurations.

AppleInsider is breaking down your list of options to find the best Mac for students, whether you're a college student heading off to campus this fall or the parent of a child in elementary school needing a budget-friendly Apple computer for remote learning. From the longest battery life to the lowest Apple prices on machines that offer best-in-class performance, we've got you covered.

Students who need a bit more power, such as artists and designers, can easily find it here. The large, 16-inch screen provides ample working space at a 3072-by-1920 native resolution, perfect for working in programs like Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. The option to upgrade to a Core i9 processor means you'll always have power to spare, regardless of the project.

Depending on what programs students will be running, they have several memory and graphics options available to them. For general use, the base 16 gigabytes of memory will be more than enough for most students and has the added benefit of saving them money. If a student plans on doing extensive video editing or 3D modeling, they can upgrade to either 32 or 64 gigabytes of RAM at an additional cost.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro has a variety of options when it comes to graphics, as well. The base model features an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M card with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, which is sufficient for most users. However, power users may find that upgrading to the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M option gives them better results when working in programs like Maya or AutoCad.

For students in creative majors, such as digital arts and design, we suggest upgrading storage to at least 1TB, if not more. That assures that you won't be butting up against storage caps during finals week. For multi-device users, an iCloud account is recommended, especially for students who like to split between working on a MacBook Pro and an iPad.

Top Apps Mac 2018 Students Login

As always, it's suggested that prospective students speak to their academic advisors about what sort of computer may best suit their needs.

  • High performance
  • Long battery life
  • Big screen
  • Expensive
  • Heavy
  • Huge footprint

What the MacBook Air lacks in power it makes up for it in portability and price. You can get a new baseline MacBook Air for $899 with a student discount. The 13.3-inch retina display will display your notes and video in brilliant colors at a high 2560-by-1600 resolution.

There are two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the side, which means you can charge your device and connect an external drive or peripheral at the same time. Higher-end MacBooks have more ports, though, so having only a two-port option might be a deal-breaker.

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Because it weighs in at only 2.8 pounds, your back will thank you as you move about the campus during the day. The base model comes with a 1.1GHz Core i3 processor with 256GB of storage. This configuration works great for most use cases related to studying and note-taking. If you need more processing power, you can upgrade to an i5 or i7 chipset, or double your RAM to 16GB for a premium.

The mid-tier MacBook Air retails for $1,299 with the i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Upgrading the memory or processor past this configuration leads you into 13-inch MacBook Pro pricing territory, but only upgrade to that machine if graphic processing for design apps and games are important to you.

  • Low price
  • Lightweight
  • Small form factor
  • Low performance
  • Upgrades are expensive
  • Only two ports
The 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro is a portable Mac for students

Whether you're a commuter, living in a dorm, or simply want the option to take your MacBook Pro to class, the best all-around choice is the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. It combines portability with enough power for nearly any project most students will encounter.

The small size means it fits easily into most backpacks and laptop bags, but the 2560-by-1600 native resolution allows for ample working space. This makes it ideal for writing papers or working in your college's course management system, and the gorgeous retina display is ideal for streaming your favorite Apple TV+ shows.

This MacBook has several different storage options to choose from. We suggest that students upgrade to the one terabyte storage option, which allows them to store papers, projects, and pictures without fear of butting up against the storage capacity. For users who save a lot of music or video files, we suggest at least two terabytes to be safe.

Mac Pro 2018

For the average college student, the base 16 gigabytes of memory should be plenty. Users who do more intense programs, or those looking to future-proof their MacBook for a bit may want to upgrade to the 32-gigabyte option, but it comes at an additional cost.

Again, for most students, the 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor will be more than enough. For students who plan on dabbling in video editing or 3D modeling software, upgrading to the Intel Core i7 option may be ideal.

If you're not sure what upgrades you should pick, your academic advisor or a professor in your major should be able to help point you in the right direction.

  • Smaller size
  • Faster processor in base model
  • Plenty of upgrade options

New Mac Pro 2018

  • High starting price when compared to similar MacBook Air
  • Must upgrade to more expensive option for more ports
  • No discrete GPU options

We might all want a MacBook Pro, but if you can live without the portability, then invariably –– invariably –– a desktop computer will give you more performance, more power, and more storage than a laptop for the same price. Plus, no MacBook Pro can match the screen of a 27-inch iMac 5K.

2018 Mac Pro Reviews

That clearly makes this machine a perfect buy for arts, graphics, or media students. However, you don't need to be running Photoshop or Final Cut Pro X to appreciate the benefits of an exceptional screen.

Plus, the way the 27-inch iMac 5K is effectively a slim screen with a computer hidden inside it, means that it's a great buy for a small dorm. You could do with a good lock on that dorm, but you couldn't do better than this iMac.

The same iMac range does include a 21-inch model, with a screen that is optionally 4K, but it isn't recommended. The 27-inch version doesn't just come with six more inches of screen diagonally, it comes with higher resolution, and processors up to 8-core Intel Core i9.

The 21.5-inch iMac 4K can have up to six cores and Intel Core i7. The non-Retina edition has only two cores and an Intel Core i5 processor. The 27-inch model easily beats both of these with its graphics processor options, too.

  • Large high-resolution displays
  • Highly configurable and upgradable
  • Choose your own mouse and keyboard
  • Not portable
  • Still ships with slow HDD or Fusion Drives in lower-tier models
  • Old design that might be changed in next update
The budget-friendly Mac mini is a great option for college students

Top Apps Mac 2018 Students Free

The Mac mini is officially a desktop, but it's small enough that you could move it around easily. You wouldn't take it to class, and you couldn't do much with it once you got there, but when you need to move where you set up your work, its small size is convenient. And it belies just how powerful the tiny Mac for students can be.

You do have to buy a separate screen, keyboard, and mouse or trackpad, however. And while the entry-level version now comes with 256GB of SSD storage, that's still not excessive. When it came with 128GB SSD, it was essential to pay extra to get more and that's no longer true, but buying 512GB will make for a better, longer-lasting machine.

  • Semi-portable in small casing
  • Choose your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse
  • Many ports
  • High base model price while still needing all the peripherals
  • 256GB at entry model is untenable
  • Low powered processor options and no discrete graphics

If your coursework can be accomplished via a web app or you do not need any specific desktop-based applications, you may want to try an iPad for school. If you're using an iPad for schoolwork, you'll likely want a keyboard and trackpad as well, which does add to the overall cost.

Of course, there is also the option of buying the iPad as an add-on device and use it as a small note-taking tablet with Apple Pencil or as an extended display for your Mac with SideCar. However, should you decide to take advantage of the iPad, the device can significantly enhance any workflow.

As a reminder, the iPad can only run apps from the App Store, so you'll need to ensure you can perform your classwork from the iPad before purchasing the device.

The 10.2-inch iPad has a retina display and lacks some of the more pro-level features to drive the price down. It supports the first-generation Apple Pencil and Apple's Smart Keyboard. The current iPad has an A10 Fusion chip that is still supported by iPadOS and can easily run modern applications.

This is the perfect device for a young student just starting out, and Apple pushes this device for education markets. The base model has 32GB of storage for $329, but it is recommended you upgrade to the 128GB option for $100 more.

The iPad Air is Apple's best iPad that still has Touch ID. It has a laminated 10.5-inch display and supports the first-generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. Its A12 Bionic chip delivers a similar experience to what is found on the pro models, but in an older design.

You'll likely want the iPad Air if you don't want to spend more on the pro models or just want to use it as a secondary computer. The iPad Air starts at $499 with 64GB of storage, but as with the base iPad, it might be wise to upgrade the memory to the next tier. The 256GB model is $649.

The iPad mini is essentially the iPad Air crammed into a 7.9-inch display. There is no Smart Keyboard, but the first-generation Apple Pencil is compatible. The $399 price gets you 64GB, and upgrade to 256GB for $549. The A12 Bionic is used in this model and excels in the smaller display.

The iPad mini is a versatile device. You can attach a keyboard and use it as a miniature computer, or carry it in your pocket with the Pencil and have a portable-digital notepad.

The iPad Pro is Apple's flagship tablet, and the company promotes it as a fully capable Mac alternative. You could use it as a second display or notepad like with the other models, but as these devices cost as much as a MacBook Air or Mac mini, you'll likely want it for more.

The A12Z Bionic, LiDAR camera and full-screen 120Hz display set the iPad Pro apart. Apple also offers a unique keyboard called the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and it features scissor-switch keys and a trackpad on a thin-designed case. Combine this with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and you'll have a laptop/tablet combo that takes whatever shape you need on the fly.

The 11-inch iPad Pro is $799, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $999 for 128GB of storage. This can be increased up to 1TB of storage in either for a $500 increase.

Top Apps Mac 2018 Students 2017

All iPad models can be configured with cellular for a $150 price increase at purchase.

2018 Mac Mini

Ultimately, the best Mac for students is dependent on each person's particular needs, including grade level, college major, learning environment (remote vs in-person) and budget. To all the students out there, we wish you the best of luck as you hit the books for the 2020-2021 school year.

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