Vratislav Holub Apple computers enjoy enormous popularity in various circles, where they are often referred to as generally the best machines for work. This is mainly due to the excellent optimization of hardware and software, thanks to which it offers great performance and low energy consumption, which is also a great addition to the unrivaled integration with the Apple ecosystem. It is therefore not surprising that Macs have a relatively solid presence even among students, who often cannot even imagine their studies without MacBooks.
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Flying around the world with Apple Personally, Apple products accompany me throughout my university studies, in which they play a relatively essential role. So, for example, if you're considering whether a MacBook is a good choice for your study needs, then you've come to the right place. In this article, we will shed light on the main advantages, but also the disadvantages that result from using an apple laptop.
Advantages of MacBook for studying
First, let's focus on the main advantages that make MacBooks so popular. Apple laptops dominate in several respects and definitely have a lot to offer, especially in this segment.
Design and portability
First of all, we must clearly mention the overall design of MacBooks and their easy portability. It's no secret that Apple laptops stand out when it comes to appearance alone. With them, Apple bets on a minimalist design and an all-aluminum body, which together simply works. Thanks to this, the device looks premium, and at the same time you can immediately determine whether it is an Apple laptop or not. The overall portability is also related to this. In this regard, of course, we do not mean the 16″ MacBook Pro. It's not exactly the lightest. However, we would most often find MacBook Airs or 13″/14″ MacBook Pros in the equipment of students.
Macbook Air M2 (2022)
The aforementioned laptops are characterized by low weight. For example, such a MacBook Air with M1 (2020) weighs only 1,29 kilograms, the newer Air with M2 (2022) even only 1,24 kilograms. This is what makes them ideal study partners. In this case, the laptop is based on compact dimensions and low weight, which makes it no problem to hide it in a backpack and go to a lecture or seminar. Of course, competitors also rely on low weight ultrabooks with the Windows operating system, in which they can easily compete with MacBooks. On the contrary, we would also find a number of even lighter devices in their ranks. But the problem with them is that they lack some other extremely important benefits.
Performance
With the transition from Intel processors to Apple's own Silicon solution, Apple hit the nail on the head. Thanks to this change, Apple computers have improved incredibly, which can be observed especially in the laptops themselves. Their performance has skyrocketed. MacBooks with M1 and M2 chips are therefore fast, nimble, and there is certainly no risk of them getting stuck during the aforementioned lecture or seminar, or vice versa. In short, it can be said that they simply work and work very well. Chips from the Apple Silicon family are also based on a different architecture, thanks to which they are also much more economical. As a result, they do not generate as much heat as previously used Intel processors.
When I was still using a 13″ MacBook Pro (2019), it often happened to me that the fan inside the laptop started up to maximum speed, because the laptop did not have enough time to cool itself. But something like that is not exactly desirable, because it happens through fault thermal throttling to limit performance and, in addition, we draw the attention of others to ourselves. Fortunately, this is no longer the case with new models - for example, the Air models are so economical that they can even do without active cooling in the form of a fan (if we don't drive them into extreme situations).
Battery life
As we mentioned above with regard to performance, newer MacBooks with Apple Silicon chips not only offer higher performance, but are also more economical at the same time. This has an extremely positive effect on battery life, in which Apple laptops clearly dominate. For example, the already mentioned MacBook Air models (with M1 and M2 chips) can last up to 15 hours of wireless internet browsing on a single charge. In the end, it offers enough energy for the whole day. I myself have already experienced several days when I used the MacBook actively from 9 am to 16-17 pm without the slightest problem. Of course, it depends on what we actually do on the laptop. If we start rendering videos or playing games, then it is clear that we simply cannot achieve such results.
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Reliability, ecosystem + AirDrop
As we already indicated in the beginning, Macs are reliable thanks to excellent optimization, which is a very important benefit in my eyes. Their connection with the rest of the apple ecosystem and mutual data synchronization are also closely related to this. For example, as soon as I write a note or reminder, take a photo or record an audio recording, I immediately have access to everything from my iPhone. In this case, the popular iCloud takes care of synchronization, which is now an integral part of the Apple ecosystem, which helps in simple connection.
I would also like to highlight the AirDrop function directly. As you probably know, AirDrop enables virtually instant sharing (not only) of files between Apple products. Students will appreciate this function in several cases. This can best be illustrated with an example. For example, during a lecture, a student can make the necessary notes in Word/Pages, which he would need to supplement with some illustrated figure that can be found on the projection screen or on the blackboard. In that case, just pull out your iPhone, quickly take a photo and immediately send it to your Mac via AirDrop, where you just need to take it and add it to a specific document. All this in a matter of seconds, without having to delay anything.
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Disadvantages
On the other hand, we can also find various disadvantages that may not bother someone, but can be a major obstacle for others.
Compatibility
In the first place, there can be nothing but the proverbial (in)compatibility. Apple computers rely on their own macOS operating system, which is characterized by its simplicity and already mentioned optimization, but it lacks in the case of some programs. macOS is a significantly smaller platform. While practically the whole world uses Windows, the so-called Apple users are at a numerical disadvantage, which can affect the availability of software. Therefore, if it is important for your studies to work with some applications that are not available for macOS, then of course buying a MacBook does not make sense.
In the past, this deficiency could be solved by installing the Windows operating system through Boot Camp, or by virtualizing it with the help of suitable virtualization software. By switching to Apple Silicon, however, we as users partially lost these options. The only functional option now is to use the Parallels application. But it is paid and may not work best for your specific needs. Therefore, you should definitely find out in advance what you actually need and whether Mac can help you with it.
Gaming
Gaming is also closely related to the aforementioned compatibility. It's no secret that Macy doesn't quite understand gaming. This problem again stems from the fact that macOS is at a numerical disadvantage - on the contrary, all players use competing Windows. For this reason, game developers do not optimize their games for the Apple platform, thereby saving time and money in the end. Anyway, there is hope that Apple Silicon is a potential solution to this problem. After switching to custom chipsets, performance increased, which theoretically opens the door to the world of gaming for Apple computers. But there is still a necessary step on the part of the developers, who thus have to optimize their games.
Gallery
But that doesn't mean you can't play anything on Mac. On the contrary, there are a number of interesting games that can entertain you immensely. From my own experience of using the MacBook Air with the M1 (2020), I know that the device can easily handle popular games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, World of Warcraft, Tomb Raider (2013) and many others. Alternatively, the so-called can also be used cloud gaming services. So casual gaming is real. However, if it is important for you to have the opportunity to play even more demanding / newer games, then in that case the MacBook is not a completely suitable solution.
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What is the advantage of studying that "it is possible to immediately determine whether in a particular case it is an Apple laptop or not"?