# Should I get a Macbook Air for college? If not what would be best?



## Brad (Dec 27, 2011)

I'm starting college next year and the Macbook Air really appeals to me, specificially the 11" model due to it's extremely thin, light, and small design. It's so small I could put it in a pocket in my backpack and not really tell that I have a computer on me. 

Right now I have an Asus windows laptop, which quite honestly is way to bulky and heavy to bring around everywhere. I looked at other "Ultrabooks" with the Windows OS and they're honestly pretty over priced, especially because alot of them aren't really "Ultrabooks", just slightly slimmed laptops, and don't really compare to the Macbook Air when it comes to being thin and light. The half decent ones are nearly the same price as Macbook Air, and that doesn't appeal to me because after using Windows for so long, then switching to Mac OS on my desktop, everything on the Mac OS seems so much smoother and faster and is just overall a better experience for me.

So basically, would you reccommend a Macbook Air? If so, 11"? 13"? The prices were just cut, a 13" model is only $1099 (with the student discount), and the 11" model being $950 with the discount. OR I could go for a Macbook Pro, but the only thing that concerns me with those are they're a bit heavier than the Air, which is something i'm really trying to avoid. I would normally be tempted to get the new Retina Macbook Pro due to the thinner design, but I don't really feel drawn in to blow $2199 on a laptop that will probably be cut by hundreds of dollars by next year.


----------



## GunnyHighway (Sep 28, 2010)

All I can say is if you do get one, *baby it like crazy*. You don't want to know what a screen replacement costs, even for a computer repair store with insane overseas connections.

Another thing is you're stuck with what you buy. You can't upgrade the RAM, as it is soldered on the motherboard.

I've never been a fan of ANY super slim laptops. Although, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon looks pretty neat.


----------



## Inscrutable Banana (Apr 1, 2008)

I would go for something cheaper, easier to service, and probably less of a theft magnet than a shiny aluminum buzzword-body MacBook Air. IBM Thinkpads were good workhorse laptops and I'm pretty sure I've read/heard that Lenovo has kept the brand in good shape after they acquired it.


----------



## here4umm (Jun 9, 2012)

[Personally Identifying Details Deleted]


----------



## successful (Mar 21, 2009)

I would Just go on and spend the extra $300 and get the 13' Macbook Pro. It's sill lighter then most laptops. 

but airs are cool, Just no diskdrive built in. And i don't think you can upgrade ram either so you're stuck with that mem.


----------



## werdiscv (Nov 1, 2011)

I have the 11" Air and love it, so thin and light (and still fast enough for all my needs, even some light gaming). I use it for college too, great to take to classes. I used to have a 13" Pro, but that thing was so heavy compared to the Air. Definitely go for it. Make sure you max out your RAM when you purchase though, as it's soldered to the motherboard and thus is impossible to upgrade later.

As for Mac OS vs Windows, really it doesn't matter because you can dual-boot and have both.


----------



## Brad (Dec 27, 2011)

werdiscv said:


> I have the 11" Air and love it, so thin and light (and still fast enough for all my needs, even some light gaming). I use it for college too, great to take to classes. I used to have a 13" Pro, but that thing was so heavy compared to the Air. Definitely go for it. Make sure you max out your RAM when you purchase though, as it's soldered to the motherboard and thus is impossible to upgrade later.
> 
> As for Mac OS vs Windows, really it doesn't matter because you can dual-boot and have both.


Yea, I would probably max out the specs when ordering it. Since you use an 11" do you think those are ideal, or would a 13 be better?


----------

