I'm currently a senior in high school. Next fall I'll be attending a university for Computer Science.. More specifically computer programming/software engineering. I'm trying to decide which Mac would be best but I'm completely overwhelmed by the information I've found so far.. Any suggestions?
Thanks 🙂
For Computer Science, I would get a 13 inch MacBook Pro. The reasoning is this: you will be able to install and run other operating systems in a Virtual Machine. You will be dealing with Linux a lot and possibly Windows Server; maybe even Solaris and more. The MacBook CPU is a little under-powered for running a VM reliably with decent usability. The same can be said for a MacBook Air. But with a MacBook Pro you will have a portable Computer Lab. :-)
13 inch MacBook Pro will offer you a great combination of both power and portability. How do I know this? I am a professional Computer Scientist. :-()
I'd suggest:
CPU == best you can afford, a nice i5 in the MBP would work well (i7 if you can afford the upgrade).
RAM == 8GB should allow for a single VM to relaibly - 16 GB you could use your MBP and have 2 VM's running reliably.
Storage: at least 256GB.
Good luck and hope you find the Mac to best suit your needs.
Hello amitybrown,
It would be best to wait until you find out which college you will be attending. Then ask the computer science department which machine they recommend. They may not support Macs at all. You could still use a Mac, but you would have to jump through more hoops. It would also likely make you a better programmer for the experience.
Should you wind up getting a Mac, get the best one you can afford. Max out the RAM - all the way. Don't buy a machine unless it has an SSD drive. Get an external backup drive too. Get the AppleCare extended warranty so your Mac will have a better chance of lasting through an undergraduate degree.
Which Mac for a comp sci major?
