How do you choose a MacBook for school?
Which MacBook suits your studies?
| Field of study | MacBook model | Processor | RAM | Storage capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High school | MacBook Air | At least Apple M1 | At least 8GB | At least 256GB |
| Vocational studies | MacBook Air | At least Apple M1 | At least 8GB | At least 256GB |
| Education and pedagogy | MacBook Air | At least Apple M1 | At least 8GB | At least 256GB |
| Social studies and economics | MacBook Air | At least Apple M2 | At least 8GB | At least 256GB |
| Medicine and health | MacBook Air | At least Apple M2 | At least 8GB | At least 512GB |
| Media and graphic design | MacBook Pro | At least Apple M3 | At least 16GB | At least 512GB |
| Engineering and exact sciences | MacBook Pro | At least Apple M3 Pro | At least 24GB | At least 512GB |
Conditions and wishes
Are you a student or going to be studying? It's important to have a suitable laptop. Which student laptop you choose depends on your field of study, the conditions from school, and your personal wishes. A 13-inch MacBook Air is convenient in your school bag and on small desks. Do you edit detailed files? A larger screen is nice to have. Remember that the RAM and storage aren't expandable. When in doubt, always choose more.
Note: this is general advice. We recommend that you always follow the study guide and the advice of your studies. This way, you're sure that you're making the right choice.
Student MacBook for light tasks
High school
In high school, you're taught different subjects. You're mostly busy doing homework, writing reports, and making presentations. Choose a MacBook model with at least an M1 chip. You don't need much RAM, 8GB is enough. Do you store many files in iCloud? That means a 256GB storage capacity is more than enough.
Vocational studies
Are you attending a vocational study in areas like wellness, hospitality, sports, or services? You'll be using your laptop mainly for support, like taking notes. A MacBook model with at least an M1 chip is powerful enough for this. Often, 8GB RAM and a 256GB storage capacity are also enough.
Education and pedagogy
Are you studying in the field of education, like Pabo, Educational Science, or Pedagogy? You'll need a fast laptop on which you can smoothly make all your internship reports and projects. Choose a model with at least an M1 chips and 8GB RAM. Check in advance how many books and files you'll have to store locally. Go for at least 256GB storage.
Student MacBook for medium demanding tasks
Social studies and economics
Are you studying Marketing and Communication, Public Administration, Law, or HRM? You'll need a MacBook that's suitable for writing reports and doing research. That's why we recommend a model with at least an M2 chip. Often, 8GB RAM is enough. We advise you get at least 256GB of storage so you can store all your files and results locally.
Medicine and health
Are you attending a medical study, like Medicine, Physiotherapy, or Psychology? You'll be working in online learning environments, doing research, and writing reports, for example. Choose a MacBook model with at least an M2 chip and 8GB RAM so you can smoothly work with software. Choose a MacBook with at least 512GB storage, so you can store files and theories locally.
Student MacBook for demanding tasks
Media and graphic design
Are you attending a creative study, like Photography, Graphic Design, or Film Production? Go for a MacBook model with at least an M3 chip. For 4K video editing, we advise the M3 Pro chip. Do you want to work with 8K video editing? Go for the M3 Max. Choose at least 16GB RAM so all your creations render quickly. Do you want to store files locally? Go for at least 512GB storage.
Engineering and exact sciences
Are you attending a technical study, like Computer Science, Engineering, or Architecture? You'll need a powerful laptop. You get a lot of design-oriented subjects and work in demanding software. That's why we advise a MacBook Pro with at least an M3 Pro chip and 24GB RAM. Go for the M3 Max if you create large 3D designs or develop apps. Choose at least a 512GB storage capacity.
