Student laptop

[Ktperry]

I just buy Apple products ( except desktop machine ), because of the resell value.
Phones/tablets/laptops, 2 years later you can atleast sell them for 50+% of their initial value. While some Samsung you're lucky if you can get 25-30% of the initial value.

[Kimpan]

Okay, that's fair. My sister has a UX305 that she uses for university work, and she is having a great time. She doesn't game though, at all.

In the case of you comparing those specs, it's worth investigating whether you can upgrade the amount of RAM in the MacBook. If you can, go with that one. If you can't, I'd still lean more towards the MacBook because of the better CPU, better onboard GPU, and the lower resolution screen making it easier for you to game if you wanted. It also sounds like you are leaning more towards it, and it seems like your university supports that ecosystem more.

I can get a 8GB Ram. But its 350-400 USD more expensive. Is the 4GB really worth that much?

I won't really game much on it. Maybe once every month, if even that.

I just buy Apple products ( except desktop machine ), because of the resell value.
Phones/tablets/laptops, 2 years later you can atleast sell them for 50+% of their initial value. While some Samsung you're lucky if you can get 25-30% of the initial value.

Thats what makes me lean towards Apple alot more. While the windows laptops might be equal / slightly better.. They will be harder to resell. (I saw someone selling a macbook from 2011 on my Facebook in some resell group and it was sold within 30min for 500 USD!!!!) and he didnt even list the specs -_-

[Denkou]

Have you thought about getting a Surface Pro? I used one in the Microsoft store yesterday and loved it.

[Kimpan]

Have you thought about getting a Surface Pro? I used one in the Microsoft store yesterday and loved it.

Yes I have but it's even more expensive than a Macbook Air, and that's without a type cover. With a type cover the i5/4gb ram model costs more than a Macbook Pro retina or equal to a Dell xps 13.

[mikeakanice]

You can also check out the microsoft surface line up, they have some pretty good machines and even the cheaper ones should be able to do most of what you want.

The surface lineup is a mess right now with bugs plus the surface pros with windows 10 won't get him anywhere near the battery life he wants.

[callipygoustp]

People still game on laptops? Seriously? People do? Laptops were a poor investment when they made sense back in the late 90s early 00s. These days? A cheap one if you are student looking to take notes on one. Otherwise, if an employer doesn't provide one..... waste of money.

[Deleted]

Don't listen to Mac haters. Yes, Macs are very expensive but remember you pay for what you get. Where the Mac lacks in gaming, it makes up for in reliability and simplicity. If you are looking for an efficient, long lastly, and high quality Lap top for your studies.... buy a Mac. Leave the PCs to the gaming and Macs to the students/teachers/professionals.

If you know know how to deal with basic stuff on a PC than stick with windows. If you fuck up your PC by simply turning it on than go IOS...there is no wrong choice, there is just a "better" choice IF you trust yourself to not fuck it up.

- - - Updated - - -

I can get a 8GB Ram. But its 350-400 USD more expensive. Is the 4GB really worth that much?

I won't really game much on it. Maybe once every month, if even that.




Thats what makes me lean towards Apple alot more. While the windows laptops might be equal / slightly better.. They will be harder to resell. (I saw someone selling a macbook from 2011 on my Facebook in some resell group and it was sold within 30min for 500 USD!!!!) and he didnt even list the specs -_-

This is false, resell value for phones and tablets don't drop compared between 2 brands. Laptops I wouldn't know, though I could believe it as I wouldn't trust other people with a Laptop I would own.

[mrgreenthump]

People still game on laptops? Seriously? People do?

You know.. School/work, where most people have to spend ~8-10 hours a day and they have nothing to do. Well less of a point for work, cause you would be working ideally, but still. Also travel plays a big part, not long ago when I had to travel 5 hours a day for work 5 days a week. Not really something one likes to spend doing nothing.

Also schools at least here have gone to requiring students to have their laptops. And something that runs games ain't that expensive even. Only a bit more than standard.

[Kagthul]

... the retarded amounts of misinformed Mac hate makes me want to punch children.

I cant stand misinformation, so im going to debunk a few things before i get to helping the OP again.

"Macs are more expensive"

... than what? If by that you mean you can get a PC of -similar- specs for cheaper, sure. Of -equivalent- specs? Not so much. Yes, there's still a premium, but in most cases its about 100-150$ at most. Well worth the price of entry for the stability of OSX alone, much less the -much- higher resale value of the hardware and general hardware quality.

"Macs cant do all sorts of stuff"

.... like.... what? Office? Got that. Creative Suite? Not only got that, but better and more capable on Mac. Umm... other than games (an area where Macs are admittedly weak, if you buy a Mac to game, more fool you)... what is there that a PC can do that a Mac cant? Or cant achieve with a 30$ piece of software (Parallels or VMWare Fusion) and virtualization?

Back on topic:

How does the Chromebook work when I am not able to be on Wifi etc? As they do not have any storage from what I can see. - I spend 3h~ on a buss each day.
And does Powerpoint work, that's something I really need.

Two options here - you can us Office 365, which is basically cloud-based Office, or you can use Google Docs/Drive - they have a presentation software analogous to Powerpoint (try it out first to make sure it meets your needs).

Otherwise, Chromebook might be an option.

AND! How does it go with connections?? I need a laptop for my presentations alot of the times.

All of them have at least an HDMI out. HDMI can be easily converted to DVI. A few also have a VGA out (the one i have does). They can mirror or run a second display. I use mine to watch movies on hotel TVs all the time via HDMI.

That being said, a Mac isn't a bad option either. its a lot more full-featured, but im not a fan of the Air myself. Yeah, its super thin and svelte, but its non-upgradability of any kind annoys me. Id consider going with the non-Retina MBP, if you can swing it. Its a bit more powerful, still fairly small and light, and is actually upgradable (RAM, HDD, etc).

They resell extremely well (precisely because they are one of the last user-servicable Mac laptops)

[Jakexe]

For what it's worth i've found my surface pro to perform perfectly as a student/work laptop. One of the best and most surprising purchases I've made. A tad expensive but I've had flawless performance and it's gone above and beyond what I expected from it. Battery life is surprisingly good and charge time is great.

[callipygoustp]

You know.. School/work, where most people have to spend ~8-10 hours a day and they have nothing to do. Well less of a point for work, cause you would be working ideally, but still. Also travel plays a big part, not long ago when I had to travel 5 hours a day for work 5 days a week. Not really something one likes to spend doing nothing.

Also schools at least here have gone to requiring students to have their laptops. And something that runs games ain't that expensive even. Only a bit more than standard.

And as I mentioned in my post, that you chose to cherry pick from, yes, for school and work I can see the need for a laptop. AS I MENTIONED IN MY POST! LTR. What you quoted speaks directly to gaming on a laptop. If you are going to quote something speak to it.

A cheap laptop is all you need for school. Hell, for most work all you need is a cheap laptop as well. Spending money on a laptop with the intent of gaming on it is a colossal waste of money.

[Kimpan]

... the retarded amounts of misinformed Mac hate makes me want to punch children.

I cant stand misinformation, so im going to debunk a few things before i get to helping the OP again.

"Macs are more expensive"

... than what? If by that you mean you can get a PC of -similar- specs for cheaper, sure. Of -equivalent- specs? Not so much. Yes, there's still a premium, but in most cases its about 100-150$ at most. Well worth the price of entry for the stability of OSX alone, much less the -much- higher resale value of the hardware and general hardware quality.

"Macs cant do all sorts of stuff"

.... like.... what? Office? Got that. Creative Suite? Not only got that, but better and more capable on Mac. Umm... other than games (an area where Macs are admittedly weak, if you buy a Mac to game, more fool you)... what is there that a PC can do that a Mac cant? Or cant achieve with a 30$ piece of software (Parallels or VMWare Fusion) and virtualization?

Back on topic:



Two options here - you can us Office 365, which is basically cloud-based Office, or you can use Google Docs/Drive - they have a presentation software analogous to Powerpoint (try it out first to make sure it meets your needs).



All of them have at least an HDMI out. HDMI can be easily converted to DVI. A few also have a VGA out (the one i have does). They can mirror or run a second display. I use mine to watch movies on hotel TVs all the time via HDMI.

That being said, a Mac isn't a bad option either. its a lot more full-featured, but im not a fan of the Air myself. Yeah, its super thin and svelte, but its non-upgradability of any kind annoys me. Id consider going with the non-Retina MBP, if you can swing it. Its a bit more powerful, still fairly small and light, and is actually upgradable (RAM, HDD, etc).

They resell extremely well (precisely because they are one of the last user-servicable Mac laptops)

Is the macbook pro worth the extra 600 usd then?

[Denkou]

Is the macbook pro worth the extra 600 usd then?

Compared to the Macbook Air? Depends on how you want to use it. The Pro has a much faster processor as well as a higher resolution Retina display. If you plan to do any type of photo/video editing or watch a lot of shows and movies, the Pro may be a better option. The battery life is a few hours shorter and it is a bit heavier, however, so if it's strictly for school use then an Air will more than suffice.

[Kimpan]

Compared to the Macbook Air? Depends on how you want to use it. The Pro has a much faster processor as well as a higher resolution Retina display. If you plan to do any type of photo/video editing or watch a lot of shows and movies, the Pro may be a better option. The battery life is a few hours shorter and it is a bit heavier, however, so if it's strictly for school use then an Air will more than suffice.

First. I want to thank you and everyone else in this thread for helping me out with my thoughts and suggestions. It's all valid help I've gotten from you all!


So I've done some more research and I have pritty much decided on a Mac.
1. Easier for me in the future to know the eco system of the schools. Almost every student in Sweden either has a Macbook or a iPad in the ages I plan to become a teacher for.
2. The resale value is alot higher and easier to sell.
3. I want the premium feel.


Anyhow.. So I spent almost all night looking around on various sites and christmas sales. I've found these three options.
1. MacBook air 13" 4gb / 120 GB SSD - 1010 USD.
2. MacBook air 13" 8gb / 120 GB SSD - 1170 USD.
3. MacBook Pro Retina 13" 8gb / 120 GB SSD i5 - 1470 USD.


Things I have to decide between right now is which model I'll get. One of my main concerns right now is the resale value. Is it worth spending the extra 400~ usd for the Pro and get a better resale value / easier to sell than a MacBook air?

All of the Macbooks are enough for my needs. It's just the resale value I am consider.


Also, this site: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com is telling me NOT to buy a Macbook pro because a new version is on it's way. Should I hold out and prehaps get the new one? Even tho it's prob even more expensive than the ones I am looking at right now.

[Denkou]

First. I want to thank you and everyone else in this thread for helping me out with my thoughts and suggestions. It's all valid help I've gotten from you all!


So I've done some more research and I have pritty much decided on a Mac.
1. Easier for me in the future to know the eco system of the schools. Almost every student in Sweden either has a Macbook or a iPad in the ages I plan to become a teacher for.
2. The resale value is alot higher and easier to sell.
3. I want the premium feel.


Anyhow.. So I spent almost all night looking around on various sites and christmas sales. I've found these three options.
1. MacBook air 13" 4gb / 120 GB SSD - 1010 USD.
2. MacBook air 13" 8gb / 120 GB SSD - 1170 USD.
3. MacBook Pro Retina 13" 8gb / 120 GB SSD i5 - 1470 USD.


Things I have to decide between right now is which model I'll get. One of my main concerns right now is the resale value. Is it worth spending the extra 400~ usd for the Pro and get a better resale value / easier to sell than a MacBook air?

All of the Macbooks are enough for my needs. It's just the resale value I am consider.


Also, this site: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com is telling me NOT to buy a Macbook pro because a new version is on it's way. Should I hold out and prehaps get the new one? Even tho it's prob even more expensive than the ones I am looking at right now.

Among the three options you listed, I would go with the Macbook Pro, for reasons I outlined in my previous post. Faster processor, higher resolution Retina display make it worth it to me. ~$400 more is not that bad; if it was $600 more like you previously stated then perhaps I would consider getting an Air.

The Pro will hold it's resale value better than the Air because it is a higher-tier model and also because brand new Airs are relatively cheap to begin with; most people would rather just pay a bit more and get a new Air instead of a used one, whereas the Pro is not a cheap laptop to begin with. That said, you should buy the laptop that fits your needs, not buy one based on how much it'll be worth on the secondhand market a few years from now. Macbooks are solid machines and will last you many years to come, so I wouldn't be all that concerned with how much you can sell it for later on unless you are the type of person who has to have the latest bleeding-edge technology as soon as it comes out. I've had my current 13" MBPr for 2 years now and I plan to keep it for at least another 2-3 years. It does everything I want it to do.

A new Macbook Pro probably won't come until late Q2/early Q3 of next year, so April-June. Usually they are refreshed every 1-1.5 years or so. The next refresh will most likely feature Skylake chips and also USB Type C, although whether or not they choose to have a lone USB Type C connector and force you to buy an adapter to use other connections (like in the current Macbook [not Air or Pro, just the Macbook]) or if they'll have a USB Type C connector along with your standard USB, HDMI, etc. remains to be seen. Given that this is a rather extensive "upgrade" and not just an incremental one, the price may increase a bit over current models as well.

The reason I say "upgrade" in quotations is because it's really up to you to decide if you need and want to wait for these features, or if the current model will do fine. Can you wait another 4-6 months to get a new laptop? Or do you need one ASAP? No matter what you buy, there will always be newer and better technology around the corner. Personally, if a new Macbook is something that you would use a lot every day and would help you a lot in your studies and whatever else that you do, then I would just go ahead and get it right now. It's up to you, though.

[Ktperry]

Just go with
2. MacBook air 13" 8gb / 120 GB SSD - 1170 USD.

No point in getting the new Pro retina, probably it will be around 1600$, and you have to wait a few months to be out.
Or if you really dont need the 8GB, go with the 4GB one, but tbh for 160$ bucks more, you can resell the 8GB easier.

The battery life is a few hours shorter and it is a bit heavier, however, so if it's strictly for school use then an Air will more than suffice.

As OP said, battery life does matter alot, hence my advice to go with Air.

[Kimpan]

I went with option 3. The Macbook Pro.

I need more than 7h battery life and the Macbook Pro is the best resale value in the future. Also the Forcetouch is something I loooove on my iphone 6s plus

[Djuntas]

I3

Onboard GPU or a low AMD radeon

8 GB ddr3

1 TB hdd

Shouldent be more than 3.000 KR on sale.

[Nadiru]

Mac resale value is a bad reason to buy Macs. For the price of an Airbook you could pick up two or three Asus T-100s. The Asus has excellent battery life, is powerful enough to run some modern games let alone word processors and things like that, and is sufficiently compact.

[Deleted]

I3

Onboard GPU or a low AMD radeon

8 GB ddr3

1 TB hdd

Shouldent be more than 3.000 KR on sale.

Yes - sounds possible (hi from Denmark) but I would strongly recommend a SSD - makes a huge difference, even with lightweight programs. Everything just starts up instantly, and you should be able to get something around 3000 skr with 120gb ssd