<p>I’m an incoming freshman, bio major.
I’m thinking Macbook Pro. Undecided about the retina.
I’m wondering if I will I need a CD drive for any classes? And did you guys go with the 13 inch or 15?
Thanks!</p>
<p>personal preference, jessie.</p>
<p>Many students have Air, many have Pro, many have PC. </p>
<p>Personally, I think Retina Pro is better since it has a ethernet port, and one doesn’t have to worry about losing a dongle. Yes, (most of) BC is wireless, but wireless doesn’t work great in dorms – cinder block dorm walls are not conducive to wireless throughout a building. The retina ver is almost as light as the Air.</p>
<p>As a parent, I recommended my kids get the 15" since it was their main computer and they did not have a separate monitor; the 15" is easier or the eyes, and allows you to keep open all of those social media sites when you should be studying. Plus, its better for spreadsheet work, IMO. OTOH, many had 13" or smaller.</p>
<p>Again, personal preference.</p>
<p>But note, BC provides a lot of sw, including MS Office, so you can download it for free.</p>
<p>Enjoy your time in Chestnut Hill.</p>
<p>[Software</a> Downloads - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/software.html]Software”>http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/software.html)</p>
<p>I always recommend a PC made by the manufacturers Lenovo and Asus. Excellent, durable computers with a wider variety of options than the Apple. PC will definitely give you more bang for your buck. Macs don’t really blow PC out of the water in any way. However, they are still excellent computers. If you are inclined, I would get the MacBook Pro over the other models, as it is more versatile.
I personally prefer 15 inch models, but it is up to your preference.</p>
<p>As a rising junior I would definitely recommend a Macbook Pro 13 inch. Retina I guess is a plus but my laptop’s too old to have that feature. There are many reasons for this: the 13 inch model is not as small as it seems and can fit/work 95% of the time. Furthermore, it’s much more portable and is easier to place on those tiny little desks in Devlin 008 or other large class rooms. </p>
<p>I also have to recommend it because of the CHARGERS. The majority of people I know have a Macbook Pro 13 inch and they will have the same charger as you, in case you need to borrow theirs. Furthermore, the library has macbook chargers to rent (4 hour rentals) and they don’t carry all the types of PC chargers. </p>
<p>Also, as a former owner of multiple PC laptops, I can say without a doubt Apple has built a more durable and dependable product than any PC i’ve had. That convenience alone is worth the extra money, especially for busy college students.</p>