MacBook 101: A student’s guide to switching to Mac

All you need to know about Mac, the ultimate academic companion

Will a MacBook be suitable for me, no matter what degree I’m enrolled in?

Absolutely. A MacBook is a machine for the Arts, capable of composing music, making movies, and designing beautiful print-ready publications. It’s a machine for the Sciences, ready to visualise datasets, build apps, and explore 3D models. 

It’s a machine for Commerce, equipped to crunch numbers, analyse reports, and produce dazzling presentations. Whatever your discipline, you’ll find that a MacBook has more than enough power and versatility to cope with your academic workload.

That’s why, according to a recent independent survey conducted across five countries, Mac is the computer of choice for 80% of college and university students.

My university requires me to use Microsoft Office for coursework and assignments. Will a MacBook meet the grade?

Yes. MacBooks are fully compatible with the Microsoft suite, as well as with other popular platforms such as Google Workspace and Adobe Creative Cloud.

You can just as easily work on the Mac’s built-in productivity apps, such as Pages and Numbers, and export to Word and Excel when you’re ready. We live in a cross-platform world, and Mac is happily at home in it. 

I’m in it for the long haul, undergrad and post. How likely is it that a MacBook will be able to stay the course with me?

Very likely indeed. With their precision engineering, best-in-class components, and lightweight yet durable Aluminium Unibody construction, MacBooks are built to last.

Take good care of your MacBook, and it’ll easily endure for the length of your studies, no matter how hard you put it to work. 

The proof is in the higher resale and trade-in value of Mac machines, versus their Windows counterparts. Just as you’ll reap the rewards of your commitment to study, so can your investment in Mac pay dividends long after you’ve graduated. 

How well does a MacBook handle the pressures of a typically demanding day, on and off campus?

Without even breaking a sweat. The new generation of M1 and M2 MacBook Airs, for example, are fanless and totally silent. That’s thanks to Apple’s revolutionary SoC (System on a Chip) design, which integrates multiple components on a single chip, significantly boosting efficiency, performance and power.

Another major benefit is improved battery life, which means your MacBook can last up to 18 hours a day on a single charge. You can safely leave your charger at home, and focus on keeping as cool as your Mac when the heat is on.

Some of my classes will be online. How good is the MacBook for remote work?

It’s virtually unbeatable. Every MacBook comes equipped with a high-quality webcam, microphone, speakers, and WiFi connectivity, so you’ll be able to zoom into your virtual classes and conferences with ease. 

This makes it ideal for group work too. You can connect with your peers and fellow researchers on FaceTime, even if they’re using Windows or Android. 

And whether you’re working from home or a coffee shop, you can collaborate, edit and share files across platforms in real-time.

What about privacy and security when I’m using a MacBook on campus or out and about?

Don’t worry. Privacy and security features are hardwired into MacBooks, with multiple layers of protection at the hardware and software level.

FireVault encrypts your data to protect it from authorised access. System Integrity Protection prevents potentially malicious software from modifying your protected files and folders. 

And if you misplace your MacBook, you can remotely enable Activation Lock, which will prevent anyone else from using it and will improve your chances of recovery.

How well do MacBooks work together with other Apple devices?

They work very well together. iCloud keeps your documents, data, and messages in perfect sync, across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. And you can easily pick up where you left off, using Handoff, Apple’s handy continuity feature. 

Start a document in Pages on your MacBook and carry on seamlessly in Pages on your iPhone or iPad. Compose an email on your iPhone and send it later on your MacBook. 

Then there is AirDrop, which allows you to share files and photos swiftly and easily between devices. In the Apple ecosystem, everything works better and smarter together.

Just one more thing. As a student, is there any way I can get a good deal on a MacBook?

There certainly is. Registered students at South African tertiary institutions are entitled to special education pricing at iStore. All you need is a copy of your ID, and proof of registration for the 2024 academic year. 

For more information, visit https://www.istore.co.za/education