Every time the school starts, I always receive various questions from relatives and friends. They are generally "My son is going to college soon. What brand of laptop should I buy him?", "This Lenovo notebook and Which Huawei laptop should I choose?", "My son wants to buy a gaming laptop, but I'm afraid that he will play games in the dormitory every day, so why don't I change to a cheaper laptop?" and other common questions, but one of them aroused my concern. Interested because this parent plans to buy the latest MacBook for his daughter Air came to inquire with me before purchasing.
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After all, in my impression, the user group who will buy MacBook is already small, let alone college students who have just entered college life. Taking this opportunity, I will talk about it today Do college students need to spend eight to nine thousand yuan to buy a MacBook that they have never touched before? Does it have a positive effect or a negative effect on students?
MacBook, a disaster for college students?
Before the article officially begins, let me tell you my conclusion: I do not recommend it. At least 90% of college students do not need to buy a MacBook. There are two main reasons:
First of all, it is a software adaptation problem. Nowadays, 99% of the software in universities and related course grabbing software are developed based on Windows or even XP systems, especially the course grabbing websites, even if you buy the most expensive Mac I can't get into the studio either. When a friend asked me to help her log in to register for civil service exams, she was stuck at one step because she was using a MacOS system. In the end, she had to borrow a colleague's Windows computer to completely solve the problem.
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And most of the learning-related software only has Windows installation packages. It is impossible for the teacher to find you a version that can adapt to the Mac system. Considering the current situation of domestic universities, priority is given to ensuring their use. Therefore, students who choose between MacBook and Windows must understand clearly the software required for daily study in your major. Whether MacOS has a corresponding adapted version, otherwise it may not be as helpful to you in learning. a book.
Moreover, in terms of entertainment, MacOS has to be fully supported by Windows. Basically, there are no Mac versions of mainstream online games on the market. Even the few that do do not provide domestic servers, and they cannot match one person for half a day. In other words, it is basically impossible for you to use a MacBook to play games with your roommates, but it is indeed helpful to combat Internet addiction. Consumers who have such needs can consider it.
Picture source Origin official website
Some readers may object. I can just install a dual system on MacBook or directly open a virtual machine. This is actually feasible, but it is limited to Macs equipped with Intel processors. Because the later M1 and M2 are very unfriendly to virtual machines and dual systems, some weird bugs often appear. The actual experience is not as easy to use as a normal Windows computer, and you use a MacBook to install the Windows system. Somewhat nondescript.
Then there is the issue of cost. I admit that MacBook has many advantages that Windows notebooks do not have, such as: top-notch workmanship, thin and light body, high-end texture, extremely complete Apple ecosystem, etc. But corresponding to this is a high price. Now if you want to buy the cheapest M1 version of MacBook (8+256G version), it also costs 7999 yuan, and Mac has higher requirements for running memory. In most cases, I still recommend Buy the 16G version (the price naturally goes to 9,499 yuan).
Picture source Apple official website
And if you want MacBook to play its maximum role, users must have at least an iPhone in their hands. Or an iPad. The price of a set has reached around 20,000 yuan. This budget is considered a big expense for most families. Considering the budget and academic problems of many college students, there is not much to try. It is a wrong opportunity (you will lose at least 20% when selling second-hand electronic products), so you should be more cautious.
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Having said so much, is the high-priced MacBook really useless? Of course not. MacBook has many advantages over Windows laptops. For example, the system is stable and clean enough. As long as the user is not trying to kill himself, he will not be harassed by viruses or junk software. For example, the screen of MacBook is still the best in the notebook market. First-class existence, ppi is extremely precise and has excellent color management and HDR support are also very friendly. The experience of watching videos with it is indeed better than that of Windows. In addition, Apple has built an ecosystem for many years, allowing users to seamlessly connect between iPhone, iPad, Mac and even AirPods , the speed and synchronization rate of their respective file transfers are also beyond Windows.
To summarize briefly, MacBook is currently only suitable for three types of users. One is college students who do not need to use professional software for daily study. If they usually use it to chat and watch videos, MacBook is indeed sufficient; the other is those who like to study video editing or video editing in their free time. I am a user of the later stage of the picture, because Mac users are originally positioned as professionals, so there are many professional software on MacOS, which are simple and easy to use, and are a good choice for novices; third, they are pure Apple fans, there is nothing to say about this .
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If you can’t tell why you bought a Mac, then I ask you not to buy a Mac. It is definitely not suitable for you now.
How to choose a laptop that suits you during college?
Going back to the question at the beginning, there is less than half a month left before prospective college students enter school. Parents should also prepare their children’s entrance gift packages, and faced with the dazzling array of laptops on the market, we How to choose? This question can also be divided into two points, the type of notebook and what kind of notebook is needed for the child's major.
Currently, notebooks are mainly divided into thin and light notebooks, gaming notebooks, and all-round notebooks.
Thin and light notebooks focus on thinness, convenience, and longer battery life. Thin and light notebooks generally refer to a thickness of less than 20 mm and a weight of less than or around 1.5kg. The thin and light notebooks on the market today all have good performance and excellent designs. , suitable for most user groups. Of course, its thin and light nature means that its performance will not be too high. It is basically impossible to run some high-load applications.
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Gaming laptops, also called high-performance laptops, are generally above 15 inches and pay more attention to heat dissipation and performance. In addition, they have higher-level independent graphics cards, making them heavier overall. Gaming laptops are not designed specifically for gaming. Many majors require 3D modeling, rendering, and video editing, which only gaming laptops can meet. However, most gaming laptops are bulky and have very poor battery life. They can barely survive for three hours without power.
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All-round notebooks are between thin and light notebooks and gaming notebooks. They generally refer to thin and light notebooks equipped with MX350 and MX450 independent graphics cards. There are also notebooks equipped with higher-end graphics cards. This one can only be compared with the same price. Compare. Even if an all-round laptop is equipped with a high-end independent graphics card, its performance will still be weaker than that of a traditional gaming laptop. It is a bucket laptop. It does a good job in all aspects, but it is not outstanding.
Today’s notebooks are all pursuing performance while also taking into account thinness and lightness. Many terms have been derived from them, such as business notebooks, design notebooks, and workstations. These are designed according to the usage scenarios, which can be dazzling to see. Therefore, when we buy a notebook, we cannot choose based on the name, but according to the needs.
The second is the child’s university major. University is mainly divided into two subjects: liberal arts and science.
Like literature majors, most of the software used daily are basic office software such as office and wps, which are generally mainstream and light. Majors such as science, engineering, and art design are more complicated to choose. After all, some majors require 3D rendering software with higher performance requirements. You can check this based on your commonly used software, and you can check it on the official website. to the configuration requirements. For example, if there is a need for video editing and playing AAA games, then you have to consider a game laptop. For video editing, it depends more on the CPU and memory. For film and television post-production professionals, it is also recommended to choose a game laptop. If readers have needs, we will also publish a special laptop recommendation list later.
Photographed by Lei Technology, no infringement allowed
To put it bluntly, the reason why MacBook’s market share has been suppressed by Microsoft , in addition to price factors, more importantly, the positioning of the two is completely different. For people who can rely on it to make a living, the MacBook is an artifact, but for most groups, the MacBook can at most give you a smoother experience. system and a relatively complete ecological environment, so my answer to the question at the beginning is still: "No".
