Hello all! My very generous relative is offering to get me a new computer for college as a graduation gift. I have little knowledge about what the “best” kind of computer to get, so I’d love some advice!
Perhaps some background info would be helpful:
I’m planning on studying primarily (if not solely) in the social sciences/humanities (in other words, I don’t need a heavy-duty computer for fancy computer programs, coding, etc.).
I am well-acquainted with macs (I currently use a MacBook Air)
User-Friendliness is a very high priority. Definitely not a techie by any stretch!
Get an M1 MBA, 13 inch MBP, or wait for the 16in MBP. Check the school you are going to. They will have computers to buy usually at an education price that will be able to handle anything you need for classes. Apple also has the education pricing along with the free AirPods currently.
You may want to wait until you get to your campus.
Depending on your university, they get good discounts and can provide software specific to your school programs.
The school can also upload a LoJack on your computer. Some are tied directly to campus security.
I vote for a MacBook Air M1, either the 8 core or 7 core GPU. Currently Apple’s Education Store is selling the base model for $899 with a free pair of AirPods. It does not sound like you will need 16 GB Ram. Also, I believe BestBuy is running sales on MacBooks right now, too.
That said, you might consider waiting until the year begins to find out about your college’s tech requirements or student discounts.
My daughter really likes her MacBook Air (she had her dad’s old MacBook Pro) and admits she likes her AirPods more than she expected; I purchased her computer at this time last year.
Good luck with your choice. And thank your relative for their generosity (which I am sure you did)!