which macbook should I get for a web and multimedia university course

It depends on what web programming you will be doing, .NET, javascript, C#, etc. If your course involves Visual Studio you will need Windows.

So you should get a computer that will run Windows well. Although the Air will run Windows I think the power of the Macbook Pro will be bettwr for you..

What are you using now?

Dreamweaver (if you're using it for HTML and CSS) uses very small amounts of system resources. Photoshop, gaming, etc., are a different story - they can really drain system resources quickly.

If you're going to run heavy duty graphics apps I would suggest getting the 15" MacBook Pro Retina with the discrete GPU. More expensive but, in the long run, better for what your needs.

Good luck,

Clinton

The simple solution is to place the money you have to spend on a new computer in one hand and your computer needs, specs, in the other hand and if they don't match then you either lower you needs/specs or raise the money.

Then buy what is best for both catagories.

If the money isn't a problem then go with the 15" which has the fastest CPU, discrete graphic with the most RAM and biggest SSD Apple offers.

The slight bigger overall size and weight of the 15" shouldn't matter to a young college student and the larger screen size is a plus.

But if your now using Windows why are you thinking of switching to a Mac? All Mac's use the same hardware as Windows PCs it's just the case they come in and the OS they run that is different. Along with that you will need all new software for the Mac. No Windows software runs on a Mac unless you install a version of Windows on it (Which a lot of Mac people do).

jesstomo12,

if keeping your MacBook Pro for “the long run” is high on your list of priorities, you should be aware that none of the Retina models have user-upgradeable RAM; you must decide how much RAM you will need at the time of purchase, and live with that choice for as long as you own it. The batteries in the Retina models are glued in place, so they’re also not user-replaceable. The SSDs in the Retina models are user-replaceable, but have a proprietary form factor, so there aren’t many non-Apple alternatives from which to choose.

If user-upgradeable RAM and disks will factor into your decision-making, then the Mid 2012 (non-Retina) MacBook Pros are still available. If money isn’t an issue for you, then the 15-inch Mid 2012 MacBook Pro with the build-to-order 2.7 GHz Core i7 CPU (and its two GPUs) would be a possibility for running multimedia and graphic design programs. It can be upgraded to 16 GB of RAM, although Apple itself doesn’t offer the 8 GB memory modules that would be needed to equip it with 16 GB. It uses industry-standard 2.5-inch form factor disks, so you would have the choice of the Apple disk options or many non-Apple HDs and SSDs.

There is no more Non retina Mid 2012 15" model Mac notebooks. Apple discontinued them. You may find a Refurbished unti on the Apple Refurb site.

LowLuster,

thanks for the correction. The 13-inch Mid 2012 MacBook Pros are still available new, but their more limited graphics capabilities might not appeal to jesstomo12. Refurbished models (or well-kept used models) could be a possibility for the 15-inch Mid 2012s.