Last Updated on 14/03/2022 by TheDigitalHacker
Apple MacBooks aren’t cheap. For what it is worth, it surely has a massive asking price. As a price-conscious beginner, getting the right MacBook becomes super important.
At the end of the day, laptops are depreciating assets. So you need to be super clear about your needs and wants to ensure the maximum utility of your money. That being said, how should you get aboard the Mac train? Here is a comprehensive guide to getting the right MacBook for beginners:
What Kind of a Customer are You?
Depending on the kind of demographic you fall into, your idea of what the ideal MacBook looks like will be different.
The Light User – Macbook Air
In other words, what kind of person are you? Are you a student? Are you a businessman? Are you an artist? Are you a photo editor?
If you have answered “yes” to any of them, you honestly don’t need to spend a lot of time thinking this over – you can go with whichever MacBook Air is available at your location. The MacBook Air is the lightest of the lot, but don’t underestimate its power. It is not only nearly at par with the Pro counterparts but is also miles ahead of the Windows competition.
The newer MacBook Air comes with the M1 chip. It is tried and tested, and the numbers are honestly insane. For a student who wants to get it for reading and content consumption with the occasional editing and writhing documents and presentations, this is a no-brainer. The graphical performance is pretty good as well, despite the new MacBook Air not having a fan. That is some incredible engineering!
The Heavy User – Macbook Pro
Do you write lots of code? Do you edit and render videos? Does your line of work require greater graphical prowess? If you’re a heavy pro, go Pro on the MacBook too!
The latest MacBook Pro is the top-of-the-line Ultrabook that money can buy. It is certainly more powerful than the Air, owing to the availability of more active cores in CPU and GPU, while also functioning at higher clock speeds. It also has a better display that helps understand raw footage under better color configurations.
It doesn’t matter if you are making your device more secure by getting a Bitdefender antivirus for Mac, or planning to launch a spaceship to the Moon—the MacBook Pro is something meant for you, and only you. This can practically handle anything you throw at it and will always be unscathed.
The MacBook Pros also come with proper cooling systems. This enables a longer, well-sustained performance at higher clock speeds without any throttling whatsoever. Oh, and did we mention the port predicament?
The Air lacks I/O of most kinds. The latest MacBook Pro, on the other hand, has all the I/O bells and whistles. You can also attach an external GPU to it to meet all graphical needs too. Needless to say, this is the crème de la crème of Ultrabooks. With a higher asking price, if you still want to save a bit here, get the 14-inch model instead of the 16-inch.
The Question of Price
Now that your use case is decided, you also have to consider the price. Luckily, if you look at older and newer MacBooks, the price ranges are pretty diverse. In other words, there is something for everyone, even when your budget is a concern.
However, here too, you can take a few considerations into account. How do you decide between refurbished or new
Considering an Older MacBook?
Some of you might be considering a really old MacBook. For them, the market is healthy. While you might not get the benefit of the newer Apple Security chips in older MacBook, you can still use the same software, including really some state-of-the-art softwares like Final Cut Pro.
You can get an older MacBook for even as low as $300! And hey, you might just even get the ports back on the Air!
Students Can Make the Most of Discounts
As a student, we expect you to not have all the money in the world. For this, always keep an eye on Apple’s “Back to School” offers that are running every year. The discounts on MacBook, there are pretty great! Once you verify your institute’s documents, you should be good to go.
The prices vary according to the models. You will ideally get more discounts on the Pros because they are already pretty pricey. That being said, keep your eyes peeled for these discounts.
For the Rest – As you Please
For the rest of you, just get what you think is appropriate based on your needs. Oh, and keep storage options in mind too. Prices vary a fair bit based on storage, so watch out for that.
To Conclude
Buying a MacBook has never been easier. Keep the aforementioned things in mind, and you will not be lost in the sea of MacBook options!
