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User profile for user: pghgurl
pghgurl Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Best MacBook to buy for college and work

I currently have a MacBook Pro mid-2012 version, with 500 GB SATA memory and i5 5.2 GHz. After using it for 4 years, my system works well (there are occasional lags), but my trackpad does not work at all (I can get that repaired for $100). I am taking some Python classes right now, so I wanted to get a new MacBook. I am debating between a MacBook (256 GB SSD, 1.3 GHz i5) and a MacBook Pro (128 GB SSD, 2.5 GHz i5). I was wondering if 128 GB storage is quite small, as compared to 500 GB, and if the newer MacBooks have slower processing speed, so what aspect should I focus on as a student, especially for programming classes, and what will also be better for the long-term. I just want to get some guide on what would be the best laptop for me in the $1300 range. I could be misinterpreting this, but from the specifications of the newer laptops it looks to me as if Apple downgraded their products and made them weigh less.

MacBook Pro

Posted on May 25, 2018 11:14 AM

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User profile for user: JimmyCMPIT
JimmyCMPIT
User level: Level 7
29,217 points

May 25, 2018 11:26 AM in response to pghgurl

the 2012 can be upgraded to 16GB RAM and an SSD

this investment would give you a faster system than what came out of the box when it was new.

If you can get the trackpad repaired it would be a very good platform to code in python.


The new Macbooks are designed for less battery consumption at the cost of power, they are a good mobile device for social media, but for school work I'd go with something else personally.


If you were willing to spend $1300 I'd repair the 2012, max the RAM and the SSD, use the current drive as USB backup, then buy a PC laptop and if you hate windows you can run Unix on just about anything and you can run Python in Unix.


p.s. do not ask me unix questions, I only know if from using Blender and it's all hieroglyphics for me. 🙂

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Best MacBook to buy for college and work

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