MacBook Pro for GCSE

[GreySheep]

Does anyone know if a MacBook Pro will be a good laptop to use for GCSE years?

I’m clueless on this but DD is into photography so know it’s good for that but wondering if it’s good as an all round laptop for the GCSE years too?

I’ve tried googling but it’s all so technical. I’d love to hear from any parents whose DC have used a MacBook Pro during GCSE courses or hear if any other laptop recommendations.

They used to do an education discount, I think you needed an education email to prove you were studying, if she has one definitely look into that.

If it is for your daughter and you can prove she is in school, you should get educational discount if you buy it from an apple store. Also worth discussing iPad Pro - I’ve just switched from a MacBook as the iPad is touch screen and can write on it too, so more flexibility. Apps allow you to run Word etc so can use it instead of traditional laptop.

I just bought a MacBook Pro in apple box refurbished and mint condition with Microsoft word all for £350 delivered. They are amazing computers, fast and simple unlike complicated pcs they take seconds to load. Bought for dd 14 for Christmas. We've had pcs in the past and sold them after a few months due to all the crap that seems to build up over time and make them ridiculously slow. I've used macs for 20 years and never had a problem with them.

I want it to also have the ‘omg look what I’ve got’ factor.
Great role modelling OP. Teaching your DS that the more you pay for something the better you are.

If this is money from an inheritance that your DD has received, let her decide herself what she wants to do with it. If she wants to blow it on an incredibly expensive piece of tech that will be pretty worthless by the time she goes to Uni then so be it. When my DF died, his grandchildren all decided to buy the same piece of jewellery to remember him by.

And before you start on the moral comments again, I don't think it's immoral to buy one, just a bit stupid.

Just got a Mac Book Air which is fantastic. Apple will price match other shops up to 10% or you could look at John Lewis who have Pros and Airs for £150 off with 2 years guarantee and up to £70 off Microsoft office if bought at the same time, in their Black Friday sale.

My DDs both had Macs (Air and Pro) at university. They both still have them years later! They are the best if you are into arts. They also are lightweight and that’s a plus too. If you can afford one, get it. If you would rather get a cheaper one for school and worry about it getting nicked, get a cheaper one. However these are the best and you don’t need them for GCSE work.

Macbooks don't last longer than Windows laptops. You pay 2k for a Windows laptop and it will last every bit as long as a Macbook. I have Windows Laptops that are 15 years old that run fine. You can also upgrade and service a Windows laptop cheaply and easily. Macbooks are sealed for users and repairs are grievously expensive. Macbooks have reliability problems with keyboards (sticky keys) and screens (power failure and delamination). Macbooks aren't easier to use and every time I fire mine up it seems from the Ark that it has no touch screen. Yes, it's nice to have something expensive but that is what you get. Windows caught and passed Apple years ago. Have a look at a Dell Xps 15 with an Oled screen if you want incredible wow factor. There are other amazing choices out there

@GreySheep No problem, I woke up after a dream where I was a time-travelling Peaky Blinder, it was gruesome I did not want to sleep after that, so had some time to waste. Feel free to send me a message if you want any more advice, whatever you decide to do.

Curmudgeon - that's not been my experience at all of having windows machines for decades, including several very expensive ones, and then my MacBook. I've noticed a massive difference. Had no end of issues with previous machines and none with this.

I do think a lot of it is personal preference though and it's what you're used to using. I'm very much an Apple fan and I love how all my devices work together and work with Dh and DD's devices.

I use both all the time - Mac at home and windows at work. I have my preference. I'm sure others do too.

@Soontobe60 with all due respect, I’m asking for tech advice, not how to remember a lost family member. Without knowing my circumstances you judge my parenting. My DD is an incredibly grateful child who feels no need to have the latest tech or brands. But for once in her young life, after the latest in a line of losses, I want her to have something special that will also help her with her studies and even possible future career. Your post is unhelpful and amazingly judging. If you have tech advice please share it but I did not ask for your judgment of a situation you know nothing about other that from the few sentences I’ve posted here. Not helpful when I’m grieving myself and just trying to find help with technical stuff I don’t understand.

I can't think of any good reason to pick a mac over a quality Windows pc anymore.

It used to be the case that apple catered better for the creative industry's (I ran media studios for many years) but those times have mostly passed. Adobe suite (a creative software solution for audio/video and photography, it's used by many professional media companies including the BBC etc. ) runs cross platform and so you don't need to be tied to a particular operating system.

In terms of reliability it just isn't true that macs are more reliable. If you buy from a reputable company the build quality will be just as good.

The OS used to be (in my opinion) significantly better and more stable, but that's not true anymore either. Windows 10 is a very good OS (I was a die hard apple guy till a few years ago, please believe me it took quite a lot of convincing on this). As with lots of computer solutions once your equipment gets older you struggle with the latest updates... This is true of Macs and Windows Pcs alike.

Macs still have this 'it costs more and it feels nice' thing. But you absolutely will not be settling for second best if you buy a Windows machine. The surface Pro is a great machine (although i think it falls into the same category as most macs and you could get an equally good solution for cheaper).

Good luck, hope you get something that works for you.

Hell no, macbooks are overpriced and rubbish, apple will do everything to force u to buy a new one if it so much as runs out of battery. Macbooks are the best at being a waste of money and they have no edge over conventional windows laptops, you just need to know the specs of what you are buying. If they want it for computationally heavy tasks you will want a laptop with a i7 and a discrete GPU roughly the same as a 1050 or 1650 and 16gigs of ram

The OP has said her daughter would use it for school work and photography, I really don't think there is a requirement for an exceptional spec. So what if it 'just' has the feel good factor, there is nothing wrong with that for a big purchase.

Hell no, macbooks are overpriced and rubbish, apple will do everything to force u to buy a new one if it so much as runs out of battery.

Utter rubbish! Apple do nothing of the sort. Of course m, have your preference but don't talk nonsense about apple forcing you to do x y z when it's clearly not true.

Personal preference is fine. Why do you then feel the need to rubbish someone else's voice. In what way does it make you feel better?!

I think the OP has made her mind up and will buy a Macbook Pro. I can only agree with snidered - go for the 16". I teach in a 6th Form college. About 40% of my students use Macbooks. Almost all have had keyboard failure - that is disgraceful given their price. 2 have had screen power failure.
Hopefully the new machine will remove these issues. You could of course, wait for the new keyboard to hit the Air and small screen Pro but that will be next year.

ShmarvDogg I went into my local Apple store last weekend to look into replacing my 2010 MacBook Pro which works fine, but is over 9 years old now. The advice from the guy there was not to rush. Possibly upgrade the operating system (free) and come in if I need some help. Saved me a fortune!

I am forced to use Windows machines at work and as a music teacher who does lots of arrangements and backing tracks, they aren't fit for purpose whereas my MacBook is brilliant.

I second/third the advice about the education discount, which I believe is 10% for teachers. If you live near an Apple store, I also recommend their free workshop sessions on their software. I ended up taking over some classes at short notice and wanted to be able to perform a particular task. I went in the shop without booking an appointment and spent an hour and a half being talked through how to do it. Admittedly it was 9.30 on a very wet Tuesday morning so I was the only person in there for part of the time, but they wouldn't take a penny from me. I'm a fan!

Mac Vs Windows is a contentious subject that people feel very strongly about, but turning a grieving parants request for technical help into a platform for debate is shameful.

ignore people's judgement I think it is a very sweet idea and will teach your child about respecting the things we have. Getting AppleCare is probably a good idea being a realist ☺️

turning a grieving parants request for technical help into a platform for debate is shameful

Wow.

. Almost all have had keyboard failure -

I know tons of people who use apple and none have had such issues. No keyboard or screen issues, infact no issues at all.

Thanks so much @Snidered. I’m ok at using tech (I get by) but I’m rubbish at knowing about the technical side or what’s best quality.

We’ve had a rubbish few years. DD has lost too many people and I’d in pain grieving. She never asks for expensive things or brands, so I just wanted her, for once, to have something that little bit special just for her. But equally something that will help her education.

Thank you to all the kind people who have offered good advice on here.

I've had my windows 10 laptop for 7 years and it's been fine. My husband's Mac (high spec built for his job based around images) has had several faults needing over £300 spent on it to fix it.

Don't think Mac versus Windows. Think specifications, comparability, what's in use at school, university, at work. It might be she needs to get used to a particular piece of software rather than hardware.

IMHO a computer should not be a special gift with inheritance money because, like it or not, one day it will be useless and need to be recycled.

A special digital camera might be a better purchase?

They used to do an education discount, I think you needed an education email to prove you were studying, if she has one definitely look into that

Unfortunately to get the personal education discounts you have to be at university or have a confirmed place (although they will accept payment from a parent LOL). Schools can get a discount but not school students.

Not true we got discount on both the Airs bought for the dc. One this month.Your dc’s school just needs to be registered. My dc both got free Beats too but think that offer has just passed this year.

Life is short. My similar age dc have had a fair bit of grief in the last year it sucks at any age but it’s doubly hard in these two academic/ teenage years Spend the money on what you think she would get the most joy in. I bought a digital camera with an inheritance. Mostly use my phone now and said camera is obsolete.

I think it’s a super idea. She really will get a lot of use from it and it will save you money in the long run.

I wouldn’t get Apple care though. Your household insurance will cover it.