<p>I see that Apple offers discounts for students (e.g. $100 off a Macbook Pro) but are there any special deals offered to freshman before they enter school in September, or is this the only discount we can expect to receive?</p>
<p>Expect all computer dealers to have HUGE back-to-school sales for their laptops during the summer, since it’s their most profitable time of the year. From what I know of, Microsoft is renewing its promotion of a free Xbox 360 with a Windows laptop costing $700+. Others will definitely have special student discounts throughout the year (though they might not be for very much), with extra sales throughout August.</p>
<p>It’s worth it to shop around a lot before you buy, and wait for holiday sales and promotions. Last year I got a beautiful new HP laptop somewhere around $350 off its usual price.</p>
<p>And keep an eye on sites like [Laptop</a> Sales 2012, Laptop Deals on Core i3, i5, & i7, HP, Dell, & More](<a href=“http://dealzon.com/computers/laptops]Laptop”>http://dealzon.com/computers/laptops) too. Great place to start.</p>
<p>My daughter is dead set on a Mac, but we have always been a PC family (hard to justify the additional $$ for a Mac). It seems that many (if not most) college students have Macs these days. Is there something that special about them (e.g. weight, performance, etc.), or is a lot of it due to “status”?</p>
<p>I’d say it’s about 50/50 for college students with Macs vs. PCs. It’s really personal preference - most programs nowadays are compatible with both. If you can’t afford a Mac, get a PC. You can get better specs for less money with a PC. Also, make sure to check your daughter’s major requirements, as some majors state that one type may be better than another. For graphics or art programs, people seem to prefer Macs.</p>
<p>Definitely. I would warn that engineering majors would have an easier time using a PC, though I see 50/50 for actual usage. My roommate for example had to install Windows on her Mac anyway to use some of the programs for her engineering courses. So just be careful.</p>
<p>It’s hard to say either is inherently better than the other. Typically, Macs are built in with higher specs, but it’s true that with the same specs, you can get a much cheaper PC. But many people find Macs easier to use, less bothersome, less susceptible to viruses (which is true from the way the system is structured), I don’t know. They’ve become a lot more popular in the last few years for sure, and so compatibility issues have decreased dramatically.</p>
<p>It may be helpful to note that if you need one or the other, there are both Macs and PCs in the computer labs around campus with all or most of the software you would need for your assignments. You can even check out a laptop at the library, which is pretty cool and convenient.</p>