Laptop for 6th Form - MacBook or Windows?

[NanaStrikesAgain]

We need to get a laptop for our son before he starts 6th form in Sept. They use Windows/Teams at his new school so it can’t be a Chromebook.

He’s going to be doing photography A Level so needs something powerful enough to cope with photoshop etc.

Also needs a decent battery life probably 9hrs+.

Ive seen that you can install Windows onto a MacBook. Has anyone done this, and if so does it work smoothly?

We’ve been looking at Windows laptops like Acer / Lenovo etc and reviews don’t seem great for batteries and coping with photoshop editing, which is steering us towards a MacBook.

It needs to be straightforward to use as DS has dyspraxia/dyslexia.

What have you bought your 16yr old for Yr12?

I don't have a 16 yr old, (or any children for that matter) but I'm in the writing-up year for my PhD with a lot of the concerns you/your DS have. I don't have a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia, but my sense of direction is poor, my balance is shocking and I can't multitask to save my life. I'm almost certainly dyscalculic.

My current laptop is a MacBook Air. I was able to install Windows on it quite easily, by going through my university's tech web page and downloading from there. Your DS's school may have a similar set-up and if it does, it will save you some money as you won't have to pay for him to access Windows as long as he's at school. Windows on Apple works a little differently to how it works on a Windows machine - I had to hunt around for things, eg, layout and spelling/grammar preferences. But once you get used to it, it's very straightforward. The battery is huge - I can take my Mac Air out for a full day at the library and as long as I have plenty of juice already in the machine, I won't need my cable and charger. The quality for Teams etc is fab.

A word about thumb drives - the standard ones you get for Windows laptops don't fit Apple, so if your DS is like me and has heard all the horror stories about entire projects lost forever etc, he will probably want to back up in at least three different locations (eg, Cloud, Cloud Drive on the machine itself and a thumb drive and/or external hard drive.

I wouldn't say Windows laptops aren't good - far from it. For one thing, the Windows package gels more intuitively on a Windows laptop. But the visual quality offered by Apple is bound to appeal to someone studying a visual art and the battery life will also be a pull.

Thanks!

Hhmmm I think having a different layout of windows on a MacBook would be really confusing for him. And will add to his stress levels especially initially while he gets used to it.

He isn’t very tech savvy, and in his last school they didn’t use much technology apart from some very ancient school laptops.

I think probably a windows laptop would be a safer option, need to read some more reviews!

i would say windows, but go with what OS they use at school. Presumably it’s windows as they will be required to do spreadsheets, PowerPoints, word documents. None of which are available on Mac.

downloading windows on Mac looks completely different also there aren’t the normal keys he’s used to, eg you have to press the apple key rather than ctrl alt delete

Decent windows laptops can be pricey so I would be looking for something second hand.

Bear in mind with a Mac the OS is only compatible for newer models, so one day the laptop will probably be obsolete and unusable.

I would go with a MacBook.

I have one for work (do a lot of graphics and video work) and DD has one for school/college as she uses software that is only compatible with Mac.

We both use Office365 which gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. I have a family subscription that gives access for up to 6 people, and DD gets a subscription from school/college.

I haven't noticed any difference using Office Suite on Mac to on my Windows laptop.

My Macs seem to last about 7 years - and that is with daily very heavy use and a lot of travel.

Go with a Mac, especially for photography. it’ll last him all through uni and still be good as new which is less likely with a windows device.

Itll take a little adjustment, but Mac is actually more intuitive, and if he has an iPhone or iPad he can work across them.

hi DS's first choice sixth form recently announced a bring your own device scheme so all sixth formers will need a touchscreen device for all subjects but DT seems to be that a windows based device is better. the intention is they will write directly on device rather than paper books. Already use Teams but are encouraging OneNote. school have given spec too so a little restricted in what can buy/ save money on. DS already has a one year old HP laptop but not touchscreen.

going with a HP Envy touchscreen laptop most likely to avoid any compatibility issues for DT and DS will get Microsoft / cloud stuff through school.

all subject to results that is - waiting till 21/8 hoping there will be back to school etc offers on.

Dd had a Lenovo, higher end, about £800 then. Lasted through university including complex engineering software. They can access power at most schools

Why would they be lost forever?

If you only back up on your laptop and not the Cloud and/or a thumb drive and something happens to it, eg theft, corrupted hard drive, water damage, you've lost your only source for your material. Back up elsewhere and at least your work's protected.

Oh yes. Fair. It's just that I've spent a lot of time researching people who are the experts are MacBooks data recovery and repair.