We are committed to providing fast, efficient, and affordable software solutions that set new standards in the software development industry.
  • Are Macintoshes Bad for Students?
Technology Articles > Computers > Apple > Are Macintoshes Bad for Students?

Award winning packaging, innovative programs, and a simple sense of pride have made Macs popular with students all over the world. In fact, more students are carrying shiny new Macs to school than ever before. It’s increasingly difficult to find flaws with the latest Macs. Plenty of reasons why Macs are ideal student tools exist. Yet, there are some reasons why a Mac may not be the best choice for all students.

Why Mac has Begun to Attack
There’s a phenomenon happening on college campuses. An abundance of Macs can be seen in dorm rooms and on desktops throughout the nation. Seemingly, Mac has gained more attention overnight than Apple has seen in the past decade. The reason behind this surge in popularity has to do with a number of reliable Mac features.
Macs can now operate Windows programs relatively flawlessly. A Mac laptop can last for seven hours with a single charge. Macs are far less susceptible to viruses than computers that run Windows exclusively. Macs also happen to embrace the aura of “cool” that so many students yearn for. All of these things have caused nation-wide campus “Mac attacks.”

Bad Mac Facts
Macs tend to be out of the realm of most student budgets. A basic Mac laptop costs $999. A basic Mac desktop costs $1000+. These prices are significantly higher than other computers. Price differences aside, new Mac users may find it difficult to switch from a Windows platform to a Mac platform.
While Apple boasts that their computers are easy to use, this is not necessarily true. Most people who are about to enter high school or university have been working with Windows for a long time. Making the sudden switch to Apple could prove to be difficult. A higher learning curve will present a struggle for some students.
Student struggle may continue when it comes time to repair a broken-down Mac. A Mac in need of repair must be brought to a specialty repair shop. Your local electronics retailer may not be able to fix a Mac for you. In the instance that a retail giant can fix a Mac, you’ll wind up spending a fair amount of money getting your computer back into top shape.

Software Limitations
Running a Microsoft program on a Mac is possible. The problem is that most programs were made for computers that use Windows. You can purchase a Mac version of nearly every program, though this will require learning how to use that program on a Mac. Buying and installing necessary programs for Mac can become costly and time consuming.
Another compatibility issue is that sharing files with a Microsoft user can be difficult. Some Apple files may not open in Microsoft Office. This can become a hassle when attempting to share files with other people. Sharing files with people who are currently using older Microsoft programs may also prove to be difficult. There are some ways around these software limitation, but, again, there is a large learning curve involved in learning how to share Mac files simply.