What kind of computer do I need?

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Hey all,
I'm starting school in September and wanted to know what kind of computer I should get.
My school doesn't ask for any specific type of computer so I'm looking at both PC as well as Mac.

I know there's a ton of lecture material plus videos & audio files you need to store for USMLE prep but it's still hard to figure out how much storage I would REALLY need.

What kind of computer do you guys recommend? Pc or Mac air/Mac pro? How much RAM(4GB vs 8GB) and storage(256GB vs 512GB+)?

Thanks!!
 
I start school this year as well, and I went with the Macbook Pro 13" 2.9gHz. I have had PC's all my life and thought the macbook was just an overpriced laptop, but after using the Macbook for the last month or so I absolutely love it. It may be more expensive, but looking at lasting lifetime of a computer I think a Mac is well worth it.

I also went with 750GB of normal storage and 8GB of RAM, and I couldn't imagine needing anything more than that. If it ever came down to it, you could buy an external harddrive for cheap and store on there as well.

Good luck!
 
I'm a rising sophomore in college and am currently using a Macbook Pro 15" that I got back when I was a junior in high school and it still runs great; it's a quad core with 500GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, but then again it was 2k, so definitely very expensive.

First off, I would definitely get a laptop no matter what operating system you end up choosing because it will be carrying it everywhere basically.

If you are paying for it by yourself, I would go with PC just because it's more affordable.
If you are looking for something that will last you through college and med school and are willing to drop 1 or 2 grand, probably go with Mac.

It also just depends on which you prefer. A lot of Mac users can't stand PCs and vice versa.

Another thing to think about is the variety you have with the brands. WIndows has a lot of different options as far as the physical computer, but once you get the computer, with, for example, Windows 7, you will be stuck with that until you either buy another computer or pay about $300-$400 for the next version (in the example case being Windows 8). With mac, you don't have much variety as far as physical computer, you have about 4 types of laptops and a couple types of desktops, but you will be able to get the newest iOS when it comes out for $30.

If you have any questions about Mac feel free to ask me anytime.
 
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I've had the same Macbook for the last six years; I bought it when I started college and it's still plugging away. I just upgraded to a Macbook Pro this week for med school though, because I wanted something new with more memory and power. If you think you might want to go with a Mac, Best Buy actually has a student discount for $100 off Macs for people with a .edu email right now. It makes the 4gb 13" Macbook Pro $899, versus $999 with education discount + $100 app store gift card being offered by Apple.
 
I'm currently using an HP spectre xt envy 14. It's a nice powerful computer that can handle constant usage and gaming, while it remains aesthetically pleasing. I recently got my hands on it--it usually runs for ~$1000 but I got it on Amazon warehouse for a nice deal. This laptop usually serves as an alternative to a macbook.
 
I have a 13" MacBook Air.

best. notebook. ever. designed. and. made.

It's almost as light as an iPad.
 
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docelh said:
I have a 13" MacBook Air.

best. notebook. ever. designed. and. made.

It's almost as light as an iPad.
Click to expand...

I really want to get one when I go to med school, but is the storage and memory adequate?
 
katizzle said:
I really want to get one when I go to med school, but is the storage and memory adequate?
Click to expand...

It's been more than fine for me. I store some videos on it and my entire music collection. I use it for work, for multi-media, browsing, etc. It shouldn't hold you back with stuff you would need for medical school.

As for memory, it's fully loaded with 4GB. No issues at all with accessing/using multi-media. What's cool about is it uses a different storage media technology (Flash drive), which makes it even faster to load and read the data from the disk. So it's actually faster than computer with traditional disk drives from a performance standpoint.

The storage will only be an issue if you plan to permanently store an archive of hi-def movies on your computer. If that's the case, laptops aren't really ideal for those and people usually get an external disk drive. And this is also possible with the MacBook Air.

It doesn't have a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive, nor does it have an Ethernet jack. It's fully designed to access the Cloud via Wi-Fi technology.
 
docelh said:
It's been more than fine for me. I store some videos on it and my entire music collection. I use it for work, for multi-media, browsing, etc. It shouldn't hold you back with stuff you would need for medical school.

As for memory, it's fully loaded with 4GB. No issues at all with accessing/using multi-media. What's cool about is it uses a different storage media technology (Flash drive), which makes it even faster to load and read the data from the disk. So it's actually faster than computer with traditional disk drives from a performance standpoint.

The storage will only be an issue if you plan to permanently store an archive of hi-def movies on your computer. If that's the case, laptops aren't really ideal for those and people usually get an external disk drive. And this is also possible with the MacBook air.

It doesn't have a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive, nor does it have an Ethernet jack. It's fully designed to access the Cloud via Wi-Fi technology.
Click to expand...

Hmm...I never considered that. It would SUCK to not have an ethernet jack. I use mine every few days. I think I've finally gotten over my 'it needs a CD drive' thing (even though I still use that, too) because I can buy an external, but I never considered Ethernet.

That being said, I come from a household with both Macs and PCs, use the Mac at work myself, and have a PC at home...I haven't really found Mac to be as wonderful as it's cracked up to be. In the past 5 years, the Mac has gotten a virus and the Windows hasn't (lol) which I realize is an anomaly, but still! Honestly, the only reason our work gets them is because of the metal body (they don't want to replace them for physical damage), but more and more PCs seem to have it these days.


To be 100% real, you are NOT going to run yourself out of the storage or RAM on any normal laptop these days unless you are using a lot of heavy programs (you're not...you'll be using Office and Chrome, unless you are silly and still use IE or Safari), doing data collection with hundreds of pic files (sorry, did I say hundreds? I meant thousands), or dual-booting several OS's. It is possible if you own the computer for years, but at that point just buy an external hard drive.

Myself, I plan to pick up a Surface when I finally make it to Med...tried it out in the store and it was just NICE. Super responsive, super light, had plenty of specs and honestly seemed like the perfect bridge of tablet and computer. It's expensive, sure, but I'd rather spend the money on something light, flexible, and responsive than a heavy 'powerhouse' laptop with specs I will never come close to needing...I'll just have to be sure to get an Ethernet adapter! :laugh:
It's basically the Windows version of the Air, only far more portable with a touchscreen and an OS designed to USE it. It has less memory than the Air (128 as of now) but the same RAM. I would trade memory for usability any day, especially seeing as how I come nowhere CLOSE to using that much memory on the laptop I spend 50% of my waking hours on!
 
Test out a few laptops at Best Buy or whatever, and see what you like best. I have a 13" MacBook Pro (the older version) and its still doing well. It's slowed down a little bit in the last couple of years but mostly because I need to clear it out and I have the entire set of Adobe programs on here for my job. Now that I have an iPhone (as of a week ago) syncing between the two is awesome.
 
I've got an acer laptop that was like $300, had it for two years and runs like an absolute beauty.
 
docelh said:
^ Actually, the Ethernet jack is not that big of a deal either....

http://www.cablesandkits.com/jetlan...-p-3764.html?gclid=CNifiLfIv7gCFcuf4AodS0EAFA

It's just not built in.

I'm over needing any optical drives.
Click to expand...

I'm aware...I even mentioned that I'd have to buy an adapter in my post. I just think it's annoying. Not as bad as the optical drive, cuz I'm sure as hell not carrying one of those around everywhere, but it takes one of the few simple, universal things about computers (oh, you need internet? The jack is right here) into something you have to remember to take with you all the time.
 
mehc012 said:
I'm aware...I even mentioned that I'd have to buy an adapter in my post. I just think it's annoying. Not as bad as the optical drive, cuz I'm sure as hell not carrying one of those around everywhere, but it takes one of the few simple, universal things about computers (oh, you need internet? The jack is right here) into something you have to remember to take with you all the time.
Click to expand...

Well, wouldn't you have to take the ethernet cable with you all the time? Keep the adapter plugged into that and remembering it won't be an issue.
 
MDEDWARD said:
Would it be an overkill to get a 15 inch MacBook Pro?
Is MacBook Air sufficient?
Click to expand...

I don't think you need it, I have a 13" and I think it is a great screen size. Not to mention it will cost you a few hundred bucks more for a slightly larger and heavier computer.
 
The Milkman said:
Well, wouldn't you have to take the ethernet cable with you all the time? Keep the adapter plugged into that and remembering it won't be an issue.
Click to expand...

Uh, no...most homes/offices/libraries will have ethernet cables here and there. They won't have the adapter. The hotel is the only place where I've really felt I needed a cable of my own. Again, it's not a huge deal, and since this is the direction computers are moving, I'll get over it. I just find it quite annoying.
 
MDEDWARD said:
Would it be an overkill to get a 15 inch MacBook Pro?
Is MacBook Air sufficient?
Click to expand...

Word is the new MBA is the best, even better than the current MBP. Whichever one you choose will get the work done. By the way, MBA has a very good battery-life. It is around 20+ hours.😱
 
^ yeah, Thunderbolt is the better option than the USB...

mehc012 said:
That being said, I come from a household with both Macs and PCs, use the Mac at work myself, and have a PC at home...I haven't really found Mac to be as wonderful as it's cracked up to be. In the past 5 years, the Mac has gotten a virus and the Windows hasn't (lol) which I realize is an anomaly, but still! Honestly, the only reason our work gets them is because of the metal body (they don't want to replace them for physical damage), but more and more PCs seem to have it these days.
Click to expand...


MacOS is built on Unix, which is *many* levels fundamentally superior to Windows on just about every technical foundation that matters. On this count, the Mac wins.

Look and feel. It didn't matter too much to me that the Mac is just easier to use and more intuitive since I was already used to Windows. But then Windows 8 came out. When I saw it, I said f*#k this (I'm done buying news Windows devices). At least the Mac look-and-feel is consistent. On this count, the Mac wins.

My dad is an engineer, so I grew up using PCs forever. I still have a PC. There's not a year that goes by where I don't have to completely rebuild my PC due to virus/adware/****ty Windows security/crappy Windows OS overall/corrupted hard drive (crappy Windows I/O level software). Some years, I have to do it more than once. That's just b.s. for anybody to have to deal with. On this count, the Mac wins.

Software aside, the MacBook Air is an extremely well-designed and even better-made hardware product. They just packed a lot of stuff into it while making it lighter and sleeker. And they really thought through all the annoyances of using a laptop. And addressed those. This is in sharp contrast to Windows laptops, which are usually made my Asian manufacturing companies that specialize in pushing out low-cost, low-quality machines. Besides all that, it just looks sleek and great.

Solid engineering, solid art.




mehc012 said:
It's basically the Windows version of the Air, only far more portable with a touchscreen and an OS designed to USE it. It has less memory than the Air (128 as of now) but the same RAM. I would trade memory for usability any day, especially seeing as how I come nowhere CLOSE to using that much memory on the laptop I spend 50% of my waking hours on!
Click to expand...

I love the MacBook Air and the iPhone, but I'm not an iPad guy.

One thing I like about Apple is that they take full responsibility for designing and producing the whole computer. That's why I think they make better products. So I'll pass on Windows, Surface, Windows Phone, and whatever they make.
 
docelh said:
^ yeah, Thunderbolt is the better option than the USB...




MacOS is built on Unix, which is *many* levels fundamentally superior to Windows on just about every technical foundation that matters. On this count, the Mac wins.

Look and feel. It didn't matter too much to me that the Mac is just easier to use and more intuitive since I was already used to Windows. But then Windows 8 came out. When I saw it, I said f*#k this (I'm done buying news Windows devices). At least the Mac look-and-feel is consistent. On this count, the Mac wins.

My dad is an engineer, so I grew up using PCs forever. I still have a PC. There's not a year that goes by where I don't have to completely rebuild my PC due to virus/adware/****ty Windows security/crappy Windows OS overall/corrupted hard drive (crappy Windows I/O level software). Some years, I have to do it more than once. That's just b.s. for anybody to have to deal with. On this count, the Mac wins.

Software aside, the MacBook Air is an extremely well-designed and even better-made hardware product. They just packed a lot of stuff into it while making it lighter and sleeker. And they really thought through all the annoyances of using a laptop. And addressed those. This is in sharp contrast to Windows laptops, which are usually made my Asian manufacturing companies that specialize in pushing out low-cost, low-quality machines. Besides all that, it just looks sleek and great.

Solid engineering, solid art.






I love the MacBook Air and the iPhone, but I'm not an iPad guy.

One thing I like about Apple is that they take full responsibility for designing and producing the whole computer. That's why I think they make better products. So I'll pass on Windows, Surface, Windows Phone, and whatever they make.
Click to expand...

Didn't say it sucked; I said it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I have used both extensively and at the end of the day, they'll both do what you need. I don't agree with many of the statements you've made here, but quite frankly, so what? I don't care that you have them, many people agree with you (or disagree) and I have no desire to get into the tired old argument when no one is going to change their stance. I put forward stated my preference because it hadn't been brought up yet, and personally, I prefer Windows. The Mac look and feel might be consistent, but if you don't like it in the first place, that's not a good thing. You happen to like the interface, and so you prefer Macs. Doesn't have to be a big thing, man.

**I will say that if you have to rebuild your computer 1/yr, you're doing something wrong. And no, Macs aren't infallible on that front either.
 
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The new Macbook air is pretty solid but I'm also tempted to buy the Macbook retina dispaly..
Their screen looks so much better!
 
I'm starting school this Fall also, and just recently bought the Thinkpad T430S. I haven't tested it in the school environment, but I've been using it for a few weeks this summer. The body feels solid, and honestly, it looks way nicer than I expected. It is all black...but in a sleek stylish sort of way haha.

For the price, it came with a ton of features, a nice warranty package, and the laptop feels sturdy. I've heard good things from friends who owned Thinkpads in the past. Just hoping mine can live up to it's reputation. Anyhow, for PC laptops, these seem to be well used, and looking at raw specs you get for the price, I think it easily beat out the MacBook.
 
MDEDWARD said:
Would it be an overkill to get a 15 inch MacBook Pro?
Is MacBook Air sufficient?
Click to expand...

I have the MacBook Pro 15" is pretty heavy (about 7 lbs) and 15" is actually pretty big. It gets really annoying lugging it around everywhere. It also isn't the kind of laptop for just sitting in bed or somewhere with it in your lap. You definitely need a desk or flat surface when using it.
The MacBook Air in 13" should be perfect as long as you aren't using CDs/DVDs.

Mr Avante said:
Absolutely. Storage=500gb, Memory=4gb. You need nothing more🙂
Click to expand...

I only saw the MacBook Air 13" has a 128GB and 256GB storage. I think you were reading my post about my MacBook 15" that has 500GB storage and 4GB memory.

Also, does anyone know how many cores are in the MacBook Air 13"?
 
I got a 13.3' Mac Book Pro w/ Retina i7; 2.9 GhZ; 256 gb last month for 1599.99 w/ a free Windows 8 Parallel and I absolutley love it. You get some ridiculous discounts at macmall.com. I got nearly $600 off from them.
 
How much storage do I REALLY need?

256GB or 512GB? It's quite costly to upgrade the storage space.
 
It really depends on what you prefer. Although OSX and Windows are more similar than many will admit, people do have strong preferences for one or the other. If you prefer Macs, go with a MBP or MBA. If you want a PC, go with a PC.

In my experience (both Mac and PC) I have found Macs to be overall more reliable. Tend to not have as many issues in the long run. I always see the students with PCs on campus always having to plug in their laptops for it to work, overheating issues, just general annoying things. Not all PC's are bad obviously, but I think Macs tend to be more reliable overall.

Don't spend too much (ie well over 1500-2000) on a laptop. You don't need that kind of firepower in the computer. Also, I think anything over 15" is not portable (even 15" is pushing it). I think the 13.3" size of MBPs and MBAs really hits the sweet spot.

If you have an iPhone/iPad, having a Mac makes it ridiculously easy to keep everything synched up.

Good luck!
 
I'm starting in a few weeks and I just got a new MBP 13". I love it so far.
 
I'm currently looking at a Macbook air that just came out recently. It has 1.3 ghz dual core processor, 4gb ram,128 gb storage space and its battery is supposed to last 12 hours. Do you think this is enough or should I get a macbook pro retina display?
 
MDEDWARD said:
I'm currently looking at a Macbook air that just came out recently. It has 1.3 ghz dual core processor, 4gb ram,128 gb storage space and its battery is supposed to last 12 hours. Do you think this is enough or should I get a macbook pro retina display?
Click to expand...

Again, let's be real...you'll be using it 95% for internet browsing and Office. It's plenty. Whether or not you get the MBP with its better display depends on which aspect is more important to you: portability or pretty pretty pictures. You don't need advice on this, you need an honest assessment of what you'll be using it for/what you care about in a computer. Go look at them in the Apple store and see if the display makes a big difference to you on the day to days. Then ask yourself how much you'll be carrying it around. Then flip a coin, make a spur of the moment decision, and immediately adjust your internal rationalizations to ensure that you don't regret your purchase, just like everyone else does.
 
mehc012 said:
Again, let's be real...you'll be using it 95% for internet browsing and Office. It's plenty. Whether or not you get the MBP with its better display depends on which aspect is more important to you: portability or pretty pretty pictures. You don't need advice on this, you need an honest assessment of what you'll be using it for/what you care about in a computer. Go look at them in the Apple store and see if the display makes a big difference to you on the day to days. Then ask yourself how much you'll be carrying it around. Then flip a coin, make a spur of the moment decision, and immediately adjust your internal rationalizations to ensure that you don't regret your purchase, just like everyone else does.
Click to expand...

The answer seems pretty obvious.. Thanks!
 
I have roughly 10,000 songs that I want to put on my computer. Is 256 gb enough or should I upgrade to the 512 gb on "my" MBA?
 
GeNae said:
I have roughly 10,000 songs that I want to put on my computer. Is 256 gb enough or should I upgrade to the 512 gb on "my" MBA?
Click to expand...

Why don't you open up whatever device they're currently stored in (unless you have ~80 bajillion CDs or something...in which case have fun with that one), see how big the folder is, and extrapolate from there. Alternatively, you could google the average file size of an mp3 (assuming that's the format you've got), multiply, and do the math.

Seriously? Why are you asking an internet forum how large your freaking music collection is? You have 8x as much information about your specific collection as we do; just plug the numbers in!

Sorry, rant over. Average mp3 size is ~4mB, so 10k of 'em would run you ~40GB. If that's all of the heavy storage you use (no huge programs, few video files, no GIANT photo albums with the raw image files, etc.) you should be fine with the 256.
 
mehc012 said:
Why don't you open up whatever device they're currently stored in (unless you have ~80 bajillion CDs or something...in which case have fun with that one), see how big the folder is, and extrapolate from there. Alternatively, you could google the average file size of an mp3 (assuming that's the format you've got), multiply, and do the math.

Seriously? Why are you asking an internet forum how large your freaking music collection is? You have 8x as much information about your specific collection as we do; just plug the numbers in!

Sorry, rant over. Average mp3 size is ~4mB, so 10k of 'em would run you ~40GB. If that's all of the heavy storage you use (no huge programs, few video files, no GIANT photo albums with the raw image files, etc.) you should be fine with the 256.
Click to expand...

Thank you for replying. I ask because I'm very clueless and people have been so great about helping people out on this thread. Thank you again for replying.
 
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