The pandemic had a significant impact on education–as it did on everything else. Because of that, pursuing it became difficult for both the students and the teachers. While cases have significantly dropped, COVID-19 remains a reality we need to face. And even this should not postpone learning. So, to prevent an academic freeze, education systems transitioned into online learning that both students and teachers had to adapt to–quickly. And as we all learn to adjust to the new normal, teachers and students had to rely on technology to make distance learning possible. But how sure are we that the tools we have can sustain learning in this new classroom setup?
Mac for Education
Whether you’ve been a macOS user for a while or even if you’re just planning to upgrade, knowing which device suits your education setup should be your priority. There’s always something that fits your lifestyle, no matter which direction you’re taking. If you are a student or a teacher, MacBook Air will be your best partner for your daily tasks. It is flexible, light, portable, compact, and sleek enough to finish your online courses in stylish colors. But if you have more budget to spare, you’re in for a lot of extra features with the MacBook Pro. To help you explore and choose which Mac model to buy in 2022 for your education, take a look at some of our best picks and checklists of Mac features below.
1. Apple MacBook Air M1 2020
Price range: PHP 56,990.00 – PHP 70,990.00. Available in Power Mac Center Web Store.
MacBook Air lives up to its name with its sleek, thin, and lightweight build that makes it easy to carry anywhere. It is made better with Apple’s M1 chip (a chip designed by Apple, known for its best-in-class CPU and GPU capacity), so you can now study or teach longer for up to 18 hours even on the go–also available in Shopee, Lazada, and Viber Store.
| CPU | Apple M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU |
| GPU | 7-Core GPU |
| RAM | 8GB Unified Memory |
| Storage | 256GB to 512GB |
| Display | 13.3-inch IPS display with 2560x1600 resolution |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours of streaming |
| Ports | Two thunderbolts 3 |
| Weight | 1.29kg (2.8lbs) |
The fanless design allows this Macbook to do silent operation along with superfast SSD storage that launches apps and opens files in an instant. Now, you can multitask and complete all your assignments and projects faster. Top your class with flying colors as this model is available in 3 finishes – gold, space gray, and silver.
2. MacBook Pro M1 2020
Price range: PHP 73,990.00 – PHP 85,990.00. Available in Power Mac Center Web Store.
Like MacBook Air M1 2020, the Pro is also supercharged with Apple’s M1 chip. This model is Apple’s most popular pro notebook with up to 20 hours of battery life. This Mac model is perfect for education, especially for students or teachers who are into graphic design, programming, photography, music creation, video editing, and other artistic endeavors. Get it in two colors– Space Gray and Silver–also available in Shopee, Lazada, and Viber Store.
| CPU | Apple M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU |
| GPU | 8-Core GPU |
| RAM | 8GB Unified Memory and can be expanded to 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB to 512GB |
| Display | 13.3-inch IPS display with 2560×1600 resolution |
| Battery Life | Up to 18 hours of streaming |
| Ports |
Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports for charging and accessories |
| Weight | 1.4kg (3.0lbs) |
This version of MacBook Pro has an incredible 8-core GPU that crushes graphics-intensive tasks and enables super-smooth gaming–yes, gaming! A long and tiring day at school may burn you out. Instead of spending all of your time doing school activities and assignments the whole day, why not make the most out of this cool laptop?
3. Mac mini with Apple M1 chip
Price range: PHP 38,990.00 – PHP 50,990.00. Available in Power Mac Center Web Store.
Unlike the MacBook Air and Pro, it does not come with a display. But these highly-sought Apple budget devices are perfect for homeschooling or online classes despite having the downside of needing to connect to a display. Its powerful Neural Engine (which gives 15x faster machine learning) can make up for it. Edit videos, work on your assignments, or even play with speed and power beyond anything you’ve ever imagined–also available in Shopee, Lazada, and Viber Store.
| CPU | Apple M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU |
| GPU | 8-Core GPU |
| RAM | 8GB Unified Memory and can be expanded to 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB to 512GB, can be configured up to 2TB |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-A ports, and Gigabit Ethernet |
| Weight | 1.2kg (2.6lbs) |
What to Consider?
We gave you a few suggestions of devices to help you choose the right Mac for your education, and here are some additional factors to consider:
- Price – Consider your budget and know which Mac fits your pocket. If you are just going to use the computer for homeschooling and not for studying on the go like in libraries, or coffee shops (which is not recommended because of our pandemic situation), you can just opt-in to a Mac mini. Affordable yet powerful and has fast processors.
- Battery – (excluding Mac mini on the list) Longer battery life is also a great factor to consider. Again, if you are just going to use the computer at home, buy a Mac mini which you can use as long as it is plugged in. But if you really like to work outside to get things done in coffee shops, parks, or while traveling, you can choose between a MacBook Air (easy to carry) and a MacBook Pro (good for graphics).
- Processing Power – Better processing power gives you the ability to work on your projects, edit videos, watch movies, and play during your breaks.
Bottom Line
These top picks will help you decide which Mac device will help you with your academic pursuit. The right technology should make all tasks easier and lighter. So, it is best to know the right one before upgrading or getting a new one. Know all the series of MacBooks and learn the difference between each model, try to check out the Mac comparison.
