Best MacBooks for Students 2023
The best MacBook for students will be the one that best meets their educational needs. It’s true that there aren’t many choices in the MacBook family that students on a tight budget can afford. At least not compared to what Windows has to offer. However, there are too many attractive options if you know where to look.
MacBook is one of the best laptop on the market. However, students, especially college students, often need something affordable, and Best MacBooks and Macs often have a reputation for being expensive. However, there are ways around paying full price. First of all, Apple always has discounts and promotions for students, especially during big sale events and back-to-school season. There is also the fact that slightly older models can be sold at online retailers whenever new models are launched.
Now that you know the tricks to getting a student-friendly MacBook, it’s just a matter of figuring out which model fits your matriculation needs. A lot of it depends on the program of study the student intends to pursue. And, we are here to help.
We’ve tested and reviewed each MacBook that hits the market, and our top picks for the best MacBooks for students below will get you off to a good start. Check out our picks for all types of students, as well as Best MacBook deals available now.
If you think the MacBook isn’t for you, you should check it out Best Windows laptop for schools, as there are hundreds of Windows laptops to choose from. Or if you don’t need anything powerful, one of these Best Chromebooks for students can do the trick.
Best MacBooks for Students 2023
While the MacBook Pro has absolute performance to suit power users and content creators, for the rest of us, there’s the MacBook Air (M2, 2022). That’s not to say it’s not powerful in its own right. On the contrary, we found its performance to be superior in our testing, handling 4K video editing and music production quickly and quietly (thanks to its fanless design). In some benchmark tests, its single-core performance is even on par with the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 2022).
It’s not just its specs that have seen an upgrade over its predecessor. Its battery life increases to 5 hours, delivering 16 hours of use on a single charge, while its screen is larger and the design is sleeker. We might not get the full colors that the 24-inch iMac sports, but you’re getting a much more modern design here. It is even thinner and smaller while offering a larger screen size.
Just keep in mind that this is an expensive one. If you’re on a tighter budget, there are other cheaper options on this list.
Read our in-depth Review of Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
Apple has launched their much talked about M1 silicon chip, the chip that has so far truly changed the game. And, the first laptop to receive it was the company’s thinnest and lightest laptop, making it one of Apple’s most interesting laptops in recent years.
The MacBook Air (M1, 2020) came close to the performance of the more expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) during our testing, and despite the fanless design, we didn’t notice any problems. any major throttling problems. It also lasts about four hours longer than its predecessor.
Even with the launch of the new MacBook Air (M2, 2022), the MacBook Air M1 is still very powerful and also much cheaper, especially if you can sell it. With great performance alongside great battery life while still being reasonably priced, the M1 MacBook Air is overall the best MacBook for students in 2022.
read in full Review of Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) may not get a major design overhaul, but what it lacks in that department, it makes up for in outstanding performance and battery life. Thanks to Apple’s groundbreaking M1 chip, the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro delivers superb performance and outstanding battery life.
In fact, its performance is so impressive that it can easily handle 4K – and even 8K – videos. It kept up with Final Cut Pro admirably, allowing us to go through the footage while also showing a preview of the video. And, while it’s true that the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) has comparable performance, the fact that the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) has a fan means it can work harder and for longer.
In terms of battery life, it lasted 13 hours and 22 minutes during testing, giving users 5 hours more than its Intel counterpart. Whether you’re in high school or college, this is the best MacBook for students if you’re looking for a powerful laptop that keeps things small and light. This
read in full Review of Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020)
Its 2021 predecessor may be a near-perfect laptop, but the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023) beats it in terms of power. It may have cemented the line’s status as a mobile workstation for content creators, but it’s also great for photography, videography, and graphic design students on a more flexible budget. .
During testing, it handled everything we threw at it, from editing videos in 8K to recording multiple instruments at once and editing multi-track audio projects in Albeton Live 11. Meanwhile, Its Liquid Retina XDR and mini-LED technology display delivers vivid colors and rich, deep contrasts, making our creative experiences incredibly immersive.
It retains the same design as the 2021 model, but with solid build quality, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s expensive, though, so only invest if you can prove the price is right for your needs and you won’t be forced to live off instant noodles until you graduate.
Read our full in-depth Review of Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)
The MacBook Pro is now itself with the introduction of the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021) and its 16-inch version. Armed with the new M1 Pro and M1 Max, the MacBook impresses with its breathtaking power and equally compelling battery life – just what every professional needs and deserves.
It really shines when it comes to heavy professional-grade creative work, allowing us to seamlessly create complex 3D scenes in Cinema 4D and edit 8K videos in Final Cut Pro seamlessly during testing. . Then Apple rounded it all off with an XDR display with a maximum brightness of 1600 nits and a wide color gamut. It’s one of the most impressive screens we’ve seen on a laptop.
There’s also an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, all of which can be made available by the now-returned MagSafe charging. It’s one of the most expensive MacBook Pros ever released, but it’s also certainly one of the best.
Read our in-depth Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) review
The 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M2, 2022) may not come with a new design update, which makes it look a bit redundant, especially since the M1 version in its own right is already quite impressive. However, while there’s nothing exciting about it on the surface, Apple’s brand new M2 chip certainly makes up for that considerably.
If you already have a 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro, this may not be worth the upgrade — unless, of course, you need a little more power. In our tests, this 2022 model scored better in both single-core and multi-core CPU tests. That means its multitasking capabilities are greatly improved, allowing users to open and use multiple open applications at the same time.
It also scored twice as well as the Intel Core i7-1185G7-powered Surface Laptop 4 and lasted nearly two hours longer than the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro on our battery life test. That is while keeping the same price as before.
Read our in-depth Review of Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022)