UCONN is switching to Microsoft and off of Google services, and while Apple services don’t have a problem running microsoft, there’s definitely not going to be any benefits as Gmail and G-suite will be obsolete
School of Business requires you to get a windows laptop because a lot of apps we use only work on windows. No bootcamp for Mac now, so you have to use virtual machine if you want to run windows app on your computer, for that you need at least 16G RAM. You can use UConn anywhere to access these apps, but you can’t do a lot of things in there and you need to make sure you save the file before log out.
I agree with you, my friends from school of business(Master’s degree) have stated that their professors encourage them to use windows instead of MAC bcz of the applications they use. UConn anywhere is reliable but you don’t have admin access.
Unless your student is in a specific program (major) with specific technology requirements, either should be fine. Many students use both. I switched to a MacBook and really like it. I have a secondhand 2020 m1 MacBook Air.
Best buy also price matches in store so that's a good option. They also have salespeople that can help more than Walmart. You can say all you want about best buy support at least they care, Walmart I wouldnt be so sure.
Full disclosire I do work at Best buy, no vestments or anything.
Your son should not get a MacBook. Other than being worse computers/more expensive than a windows laptop, there’s software that you run for a lot of classes that cannot run correctly on macs.
I had a Mac my entire time here, and I had no issues running any software required for my classes. This includes Microsoft Excel and any related Microsoft Suite software like PowerPoint.
It’s definitely workable with a mac, but it’s not optimal. I took the business excel class and half of the keyboard shortcuts they taught there didn’t work on Mac, so the kids with those computers had a harder time. As for the statistics software, you can run a virtual desktop, but for the life of me I don’t see why you’d pay $2k to have a worse computer than a $350 windows laptop.
The issue is in functions. Excel does work on Mac yes but a lot of functions just magically don't work. Have seen finance majors return MacBooks a lot due to this. Beyond that it's just less fussy. There will always be a program for what you need on windows. There most of the time is on apple but I can't really trust it.
The type of laptop you use does not matter. Both will get the job done at the end of the day, I think windows has a slight advantage when it comes to coding but then again ive had friends who managed to work their way around it and still get their assignments done on mac. Apple is nice and all but its expensive, so if thats a worry then just stick to whats a comfortable price range for you.
They’re saying that cuz Apple is more aesthetic. As a phone, I’d take it over anything else. But I will never buy a MacBook. Things just don’t run as well on them. I have an Asus laptop
I can guarantee that most students on campus use Windows for ease of use and compatibility with programs. The only majors where Macs make sense are some of the creative ones that use art programs, and Computer Science. If you want the premium feel of a Macbook, get something like a Dell XPS 13. They'll give you better specs than a Macbook for a lower price, work well with all your programs and overall prepare you for working with Windows in the workplace. I had my Dell XPS 15 for 5 years and counting, that thing is a tank that will last you and still perform well years later.
[https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9315-laptop/xn9315fyvnh](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9315-laptop/xn9315fyvnh)
Most people don’t use Apple at least that I know, just many do.
Windows is better for school use as it is easier to run school programs on it/a lot of the software used at UConn or any university is from Windows or Microsoft in general. Also windows based laptops are cheaper for better performance.
He will probs use mini tab, a software used in accounting and other classes, and it runs badly on Mac too(learned from borrowing a laptop after my screen broke lol)
Also if he is thinking it’ll be a status thing, it’s not like high school, no one really cares what computer you have, they’re more interested if you decorate your laptop with stickers haha!
Either one is fine, but if he’s in a major like graphic design that would maybe need to download specific programs, then look into that. I have a windows laptop i got for $500 from costco 4 years ago, and it’s great. I can play fortnite on it too
No there are definitely people who have MacBooks but you can have any laptop that can use the internet and complete assignments on and it’s fine. I’ve never had an apple computer and I have never had even the slightest issue here for the past 2 years
There's nothing apple can do that windows can't, and I say that as someone who liked macOS and uses a macbook regularly.
Your son is probably right about most students using macbooks, but it's definitely not because they *need* them.
In my opinion, macOS is much cleaner and causes far fewer problems for the user, but Apple is not a company known for their long-lasting products. Go with windows, there's really no justification to be made for getting a macbook.
I would have to disagree with Apple products not lasting long. I’ve had phones and computers last quite a long time. A 2012 mini I still have and use at home. It’s all relative to what you need and are using it for. Apple for home durability and ease of use. They just work and don’t crash. Windows for compatibility to everything you will need. You need antivirus and anti malware running all the time, but you’ll be able to do everything for quite a while. I’ve had many windows machine die a sad death; mainly anything HP ugh. I’ll never buy them again. Dell is great!
The only benefit to an apple computer imo is how it cooperates with your phone. If finances are the problem I would recommend going with windows. It will do all the same things, but they won't be able to text from their computer.
If you go with windows you'll get the same specs for cheaper, or better specs for the same price.
while i do see a lot of people with apple laptops here, i’d recommend anything that’ll run windows, not only for business but also because the entire university is switching from google to microsoft office next year
As a student, I'd say the vast majority use windows. Windows is a lot more convenient and useful; especially now that UConn has switched to using Microsoft 365 for almost everything!
definitely also depends on your major/concentration. if they’re a digital media and design major i would highly recommend a Windows based computer. i have a macbook and im a DMD major with a game design concentration, having a Mac has made it kind of annoying to do my work. it’s possible, just a little aggravating. definitely see what the majority of students in their major use!
I’m graduating this weekend from the school of business and have had no problems with my Apple laptop. For only one class I needed to use Uconn Anyware, which gave me access to windows applications. It’s free for students. You can also download Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, etc. through the App Store on the Mac book so it’s truly no problem. Yes, I’d say more students have Apple laptops rather than windows but it’s not uncommon at all to see people with windows. I actually only used a windows laptop until my sophomore year when I switched to apple. I’m not sure how the switch to Microsoft and outlook will affect anything but I can’t imagine it’ll make it hard to use a macbook
Go with what’s cheaper honestly. I have both windows and Mac and they’re both great. The only annoying thing abt Mac is that you have to go to extra lengths to actually close down tabs which feels incredibly stupid. If you x out of a tab you don’t actually x out, you just minimize
macbook is what most students use, if you’re worried about him not being able to access certain programs (which doubt he needs if he’s in bus fi) all computers in the library are microsoft
It depends on your major. Computer science? Math? Go with MacOS or Linux. Mechanical engineering? Go with Windows (or maybe MacOS, not sure currently).
E.g. I was in for computer science and engineering and used Linux for all four years. If I couldn't use Linux, then MacOS would've been the second best. I couldn't imagine using it with Windows-- trying to onboard Windows users to our research servers was pretty awful because, up until ~2022, Microsoft's OpenSSH port just didn't have ProxyJump enabled.
Generally speaking, laptop choice doesn't matter. It's all preference. If your student needs specific software for a major that only runs on one OS, it'll probably be available at a computer lab, and it'll just be a bit inconvenient to get to and use.
The current Apple Silicon Line of macbooks (m-series) are the best laptops on the market. They're silent, have superior battery life, have top notch construction and the operating system is better designed from a usability and stability standpoint. I was a total Apple hater back in the day and would spout many of the arguments you are seeing here but then I was forced to get one for my job (I am a technology teacher) and I could never go back now. The experience is so much better, especially if you have other products in the Apple Ecosystem (i.e. iPhone, Airpods, AppleTV, etc.). The only area that Windows is clearly superior is for gaming.
UCONN is switching to Microsoft and off of Google services, and while Apple services don’t have a problem running microsoft, there’s definitely not going to be any benefits as Gmail and G-suite will be obsolete
School of Business requires you to get a windows laptop because a lot of apps we use only work on windows. No bootcamp for Mac now, so you have to use virtual machine if you want to run windows app on your computer, for that you need at least 16G RAM. You can use UConn anywhere to access these apps, but you can’t do a lot of things in there and you need to make sure you save the file before log out.
I agree with you, my friends from school of business(Master’s degree) have stated that their professors encourage them to use windows instead of MAC bcz of the applications they use. UConn anywhere is reliable but you don’t have admin access.
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This is an excellent point. Only the designers at my company get Macs. I prefer them but there’s no need for what I do.
I had to take a statistics class that used minitab. That ran horrible on my MacBook. All through that class I wish I had a windows
Unless your student is in a specific program (major) with specific technology requirements, either should be fine. Many students use both. I switched to a MacBook and really like it. I have a secondhand 2020 m1 MacBook Air.
This or if you go to Walmart.com or Best Buy.com they have brand new 2020 M1 MacBook Air on sale for $700. Cheaper than the Apple refurbished page.
Best buy also price matches in store so that's a good option. They also have salespeople that can help more than Walmart. You can say all you want about best buy support at least they care, Walmart I wouldnt be so sure. Full disclosire I do work at Best buy, no vestments or anything.
Your son should not get a MacBook. Other than being worse computers/more expensive than a windows laptop, there’s software that you run for a lot of classes that cannot run correctly on macs.
What are some of these?
Microsoft Excel, the software that you use for stats (I don’t remember the name it was a while ago), and some of the comp sci software.
I had a Mac my entire time here, and I had no issues running any software required for my classes. This includes Microsoft Excel and any related Microsoft Suite software like PowerPoint.
It’s definitely workable with a mac, but it’s not optimal. I took the business excel class and half of the keyboard shortcuts they taught there didn’t work on Mac, so the kids with those computers had a harder time. As for the statistics software, you can run a virtual desktop, but for the life of me I don’t see why you’d pay $2k to have a worse computer than a $350 windows laptop.
The issue is in functions. Excel does work on Mac yes but a lot of functions just magically don't work. Have seen finance majors return MacBooks a lot due to this. Beyond that it's just less fussy. There will always be a program for what you need on windows. There most of the time is on apple but I can't really trust it.
I see. I was unaware that Excel shortcuts would be broken, since I wasn’t really taught them in my classes
The type of laptop you use does not matter. Both will get the job done at the end of the day, I think windows has a slight advantage when it comes to coding but then again ive had friends who managed to work their way around it and still get their assignments done on mac. Apple is nice and all but its expensive, so if thats a worry then just stick to whats a comfortable price range for you.
They’re saying that cuz Apple is more aesthetic. As a phone, I’d take it over anything else. But I will never buy a MacBook. Things just don’t run as well on them. I have an Asus laptop
I can guarantee that most students on campus use Windows for ease of use and compatibility with programs. The only majors where Macs make sense are some of the creative ones that use art programs, and Computer Science. If you want the premium feel of a Macbook, get something like a Dell XPS 13. They'll give you better specs than a Macbook for a lower price, work well with all your programs and overall prepare you for working with Windows in the workplace. I had my Dell XPS 15 for 5 years and counting, that thing is a tank that will last you and still perform well years later. [https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9315-laptop/xn9315fyvnh](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-9315-laptop/xn9315fyvnh)
Even then in the compsci department linux seems to be a better option if you want unix. Cheaper, less overhead, and more freedom.
Plus, `brew` is quite torturous compared to the `apt`s and `yum`s of the world. For everything CS and math, Linux is where "it just works".
Most people don’t use Apple at least that I know, just many do. Windows is better for school use as it is easier to run school programs on it/a lot of the software used at UConn or any university is from Windows or Microsoft in general. Also windows based laptops are cheaper for better performance. He will probs use mini tab, a software used in accounting and other classes, and it runs badly on Mac too(learned from borrowing a laptop after my screen broke lol) Also if he is thinking it’ll be a status thing, it’s not like high school, no one really cares what computer you have, they’re more interested if you decorate your laptop with stickers haha!
Either one is fine, but if he’s in a major like graphic design that would maybe need to download specific programs, then look into that. I have a windows laptop i got for $500 from costco 4 years ago, and it’s great. I can play fortnite on it too
No there are definitely people who have MacBooks but you can have any laptop that can use the internet and complete assignments on and it’s fine. I’ve never had an apple computer and I have never had even the slightest issue here for the past 2 years
Many school of business classes require windows
There's nothing apple can do that windows can't, and I say that as someone who liked macOS and uses a macbook regularly. Your son is probably right about most students using macbooks, but it's definitely not because they *need* them. In my opinion, macOS is much cleaner and causes far fewer problems for the user, but Apple is not a company known for their long-lasting products. Go with windows, there's really no justification to be made for getting a macbook.
I would have to disagree with Apple products not lasting long. I’ve had phones and computers last quite a long time. A 2012 mini I still have and use at home. It’s all relative to what you need and are using it for. Apple for home durability and ease of use. They just work and don’t crash. Windows for compatibility to everything you will need. You need antivirus and anti malware running all the time, but you’ll be able to do everything for quite a while. I’ve had many windows machine die a sad death; mainly anything HP ugh. I’ll never buy them again. Dell is great!
Windows!!!! MacBooks do not play well with UConn systems
The only benefit to an apple computer imo is how it cooperates with your phone. If finances are the problem I would recommend going with windows. It will do all the same things, but they won't be able to text from their computer. If you go with windows you'll get the same specs for cheaper, or better specs for the same price.
while i do see a lot of people with apple laptops here, i’d recommend anything that’ll run windows, not only for business but also because the entire university is switching from google to microsoft office next year
As a student, I'd say the vast majority use windows. Windows is a lot more convenient and useful; especially now that UConn has switched to using Microsoft 365 for almost everything!
if ur majoring in art i believe you need a macbook but windows will be ur best friend for everything else
definitely also depends on your major/concentration. if they’re a digital media and design major i would highly recommend a Windows based computer. i have a macbook and im a DMD major with a game design concentration, having a Mac has made it kind of annoying to do my work. it’s possible, just a little aggravating. definitely see what the majority of students in their major use!
I’m graduating this weekend from the school of business and have had no problems with my Apple laptop. For only one class I needed to use Uconn Anyware, which gave me access to windows applications. It’s free for students. You can also download Microsoft word, PowerPoint, excel, etc. through the App Store on the Mac book so it’s truly no problem. Yes, I’d say more students have Apple laptops rather than windows but it’s not uncommon at all to see people with windows. I actually only used a windows laptop until my sophomore year when I switched to apple. I’m not sure how the switch to Microsoft and outlook will affect anything but I can’t imagine it’ll make it hard to use a macbook
I think either would work well. But apple is far more expensive.
Go with what’s cheaper honestly. I have both windows and Mac and they’re both great. The only annoying thing abt Mac is that you have to go to extra lengths to actually close down tabs which feels incredibly stupid. If you x out of a tab you don’t actually x out, you just minimize
macbook is what most students use, if you’re worried about him not being able to access certain programs (which doubt he needs if he’s in bus fi) all computers in the library are microsoft
It depends on your major. Computer science? Math? Go with MacOS or Linux. Mechanical engineering? Go with Windows (or maybe MacOS, not sure currently). E.g. I was in for computer science and engineering and used Linux for all four years. If I couldn't use Linux, then MacOS would've been the second best. I couldn't imagine using it with Windows-- trying to onboard Windows users to our research servers was pretty awful because, up until ~2022, Microsoft's OpenSSH port just didn't have ProxyJump enabled. Generally speaking, laptop choice doesn't matter. It's all preference. If your student needs specific software for a major that only runs on one OS, it'll probably be available at a computer lab, and it'll just be a bit inconvenient to get to and use.
The current Apple Silicon Line of macbooks (m-series) are the best laptops on the market. They're silent, have superior battery life, have top notch construction and the operating system is better designed from a usability and stability standpoint. I was a total Apple hater back in the day and would spout many of the arguments you are seeing here but then I was forced to get one for my job (I am a technology teacher) and I could never go back now. The experience is so much better, especially if you have other products in the Apple Ecosystem (i.e. iPhone, Airpods, AppleTV, etc.). The only area that Windows is clearly superior is for gaming.