Is a MacBook laptop worth it?

[KeatAlex]

I'm a graphic designer and I own an iMac. Although not the same as a MacBook, the specs are similar. I've owned my Mac for over 5 years without a single issue. It hasn't slowed down. It has been unaffected by windows viruses so I never worry about it crashing (even tho I still have a backup), and it still works as beautifully as it has when I first got it. You can install a variety of programs on it and multitask. I have had photoshop, illustrator, and indesign working simultaneously at the same time (pretty heavy programs to be running together) and have had no problems. I've played WOW with my ex bf on it and got no graphic lag. The variety of software it accepts is not small. If you plan to use it for school it can be very helpful since the Mac itself tries to help you. It comes with SD ports and while a MacBook Air has limitations, they do sell separate optical disc drives if you need to use a CD. I'm not a fanboy of apple or windows but I can tell you that I'm never going back to windows. While they can do some stuff the Mac can't, I personally don't need those services. Plus with PCs I had to constantly replace it because of slow performance and viruses.

 

[EpicGamer12]

If you want something reliable and you know how to take care of laptops, a mac is usually great. Macbooks are not great if:
1) You are very into gaming
2) You are more into customization of the OS itself
3) You don't want to overpay for mediocre specs.

Macs for sure are great, especially the Macbook Pro. Some of the newer "Macbooks" are only so expensive because of what they fit into such a small space. In reality their specs aren't that great and won't last you that long.

Just remember that if just for web browsing and school, a simple $500 Lenovo or ASUS laptop (such as a Thinkpad / E series) would be very reliable and would run Windows 10. You could also dual boot Ubuntu which is an operating system that is similar to but better than OSX.

 

[Midoriya]

If you want something reliable and you know how to take care of laptops, a mac is usually great. Macbooks are not great if:
1) You are very into gaming
2) You are more into customization of the OS itself
3) You don't want to overpay for mediocre specs.

Macs for sure are great, especially the Macbook Pro. Some of the newer "Macbooks" are only so expensive because of what they fit into such a small space. In reality their specs aren't that great and won't last you that long.

Just remember that if just for web browsing and school, a simple $500 Lenovo or ASUS laptop (such as a Thinkpad / E series) would be very reliable and would run Windows 10. You could also dual boot Ubuntu which is an operating system that is similar to but better than OSX.

Was going to suggest this too. Asus makes really nice laptops

 

[Locket]

Is overheating a common issue with let's say, 9-12 hours of use daily? Not heavy use but browsing and typing.
The main problem with all my windows laptops is they eventually overheat over the years to the point it's unusable because it'll crash or burn my lap. I'm tired of having to buy a laptop every 2-4 years so if a Mac will last longer than that, id probably be sold since it's just for casual use.

It gets hot in 1-3 hours of use :/

 

[EpicGamer12]

It gets hot in 1-3 hours of use :/

If this happens to you or the person you quoted, you just need to clean your laptops. Use compressed air and dust out your fans.

 

[Forek]

MacBooks can't play much MMOs or games from what I've seen, so if you are in to gaming i dont suggest it.

 

[ams]

I use a MacBook for school and I'd say it's worth it. My last one lasted about 5-6 years whereas a lot of my friends from school with cheaper PCs would have to get new computers much more often. In terms of doing basic things like web browsing and using microsoft office it worked great.

However like others said there are software limitations. The most annoying was when I was working in a genetics lab and most of the data analysis and stats software would only run on PCs. It really limited the work that I could do at home and ended up affecting which projects I was assigned.

But I'd definitely recommend a MacBook if you're not too worried about those types of limitations. As others have said there are also gaming limitations, but I haven't really had those issues since the games I play usually have mac versions (on steam etc.).

Edit: With regards to the lack of CD drive I can say that I never had to use CDs in university as most programs/textbooks are online now so I wouldn't worry too much about that. I have the new MacBook pro (not air) and it doesn't have a CD drive but I haven't missed it at all.

 

[EpicGamer12]

I use a MacBook for school and I'd say it's worth it. My last one lasted about 5-6 years whereas a lot of my friends from school with cheaper PCs would have to get new computers much more often. In terms of doing basic things like web browsing and using microsoft office it worked great.

However like others said there are software limitations. The most annoying was when I was working in a genetics lab and most of the data analysis and stats software would only run on PCs. It really limited the work that I could do at home and ended up affecting which projects I was assigned.

But I'd definitely recommend a MacBook if you're not too worried about those types of limitations. As others have said there are also gaming limitations, but I haven't really had those issues since the games I play usually have mac versions (on steam etc.).

Edit: With regards to the lack of CD drive I can say that I never had to use CDs in university as most programs/textbooks are online now so I wouldn't worry too much about that. I have the new MacBook pro (not air) and it doesn't have a CD drive but I haven't missed it at all.

My brother is still using a 2006 MacBook Pro with just a RAM upgrade. It also had to have the keyboard repaired because it disconnected. It is dying but it's 9 years old, so understandable.

 

[ams]

My brother is still using a 2006 MacBook Pro with just a RAM upgrade. It also had to have the keyboard repaired because it disconnected. It is dying but it's 9 years old, so understandable.

Yeah, my old computer would have needed a new battery, cables (stupid cat) and more RAM so it was time for an update. But MacBooks are awesome for long-term use.

 

[lizzy541]

i have a macbook air and i really love it, and would recommend it. it's great for internet browsing, doing school work, and occasionally art. it is not good for games at all. it easily overheats when i try games, but never any other time.

 

[JCnator]

Whoever said that Apple OS X is virus-free is dead wrong. Although OS X is much harder to crack than Windows, there are still times where an Internet threat manages to intrude in your Mac without ever knowing it. And they tend to hurt a lot more than your typical Windows threats, especially since I don't know any OS X software that actually eliminates them.

Did you know that you can actually install a Windows OS on a Mac hardware? It may sounds blasphemous at first, but you'll definitely get the best of both worlds. If you can't find an app that OS X can support, install Windows for its many, many compatible apps. It's not only possible by using computer virtualization technology (such as Oracle VM Virtualbox), but you can also divide your hard drive into two partitions. The latter is a decent option if your RAM from your MacBook of choice isn't high enough to run a lot of apps alongside with a virtualization software.
That option is great if you're fine with the hardware, but not the OS that they typically come with a Mac.

 

[EpicGamer12]

Whoever said that Apple OS X is virus-free is dead wrong. Although OS X is much harder to crack than Windows, there are still times where an Internet threat manages to intrude in your Mac without ever knowing it. And they tend to hurt a lot more than your typical Windows threats, especially since I don't know any OS X software that actually eliminates them.

Did you know that you can actually install a Windows OS on a Mac hardware? It may sounds blasphemous at first, but you'll definitely get the best of both worlds. If you can't find an app that OS X can support, install Windows for its many, many compatible apps. It's not only possible by using computer virtualization technology (such as Oracle VM Virtualbox), but you can also divide your hard drive into two partitions. The latter is a decent option if your RAM from your MacBook of choice isn't high enough to run a lot of apps alongside with a virtualization software.
That option is great if you're fine with the hardware, but not the OS that they typically come with a Mac.

Yep. If you get a Mac virus it's likely you're gonna have to pay $100+ to get it removed. Also, vice versa when it comes to Windows laptops dual booting Mac OS X and Linux OS. I used VMWare for awhile but dual booting is so much better.

 

[Mega_Cabbage]

It depends on what you're going to (or what you want to) school for. Anything art or graphics related could be better implemented on a Mac. Windows is good for engineering and programming.

 

[Ichigo.]

given your circumstances, i'd say a macbook would be a good choice. i've had my mackbook pro for over 4 years now and it's still working well (knock on wood aha). but since it's 4 years old, the battery life isn't as good anymore. i purchased it as a freshman in college, and i never experienced any issues. your situation may be different from mine, but i only HAD to use a CD once, which was for a statistics program. at the same time, my friend had the newer macbook and had to get an external cd drive, so that's a solution.

i'm really glad i ended up purchasing a macbook. i'm not the most tech savvy person, so i would've gone through like 2 or 3 PCs during these 4 years. they always seemed to get viruses.

 

[Yuki Nagato]

I use Macs sometimes in class and I detest them. I find them incredibly clunky and awkward to use and this is after one full year of usage. Save your money.

 

[Zanessa]

The MacBooks get hot too.

You won't:
Be able to insert an SD card in it
Be able to do other stuff that I can't name (GIMP or any downloaded app from the internet are hard to work with)

That's all I have. I used a MacBook for a year, sooo...

I can do these things so????


Anyways, I love my mac. The best investment made ever.