Does step-son need Macbook for uni?

bigmaz

tberry6686 wrote: »

For a Journalism course ? Not a chance that this is needed. The lowest level of macbook would be more than capable of running any software he is likely to be using. In fact any half decent windows laptop would do the same.

Agreed. Although if money was no object, then I would say go for the high spec Macbook but that's my preference.

Has he told you why he needs such a high spec?

Yolina

tberry6686 wrote: »

For a Journalism course ? Not a chance that this is needed. The lowest level of macbook would be more than capable of running any software he is likely to be using. In fact any half decent windows laptop would do the same.

^^^ that ^^^

I'm a photographer, usually play with large files and many layers in Photoshop and I happily do that on a lower spec laptop than what he says he "needs" for his course. Oh and I use Windows laptop is a Dell and is now about 4-5 years old I think.

mr_fishbulb

britishboy wrote: »

Macbook Pro15'4 inch
Intel quad core i7 2.5Ghz
16Gb RAM
512Gb flash hard drive

That version of the Macbook Pro was only released 3 months ago.

Unless the first assignment on the Journalism course is a piece entitled "How to score yourself a top of the range Macbook", I would be calling BS on this spec of machine as a requirement.

Paully232000

He could well be trying it on.

Ask him for the course materials handbook. Every University course I have been a student on and taught on produces a course handbook which specifies what you need, usually broken down into essential and nice to have.

I have never in all my years known such an expensive piece of equipment to be listed as essential. I could be wrong however.

jbainbridge

Paully232000 wrote: »

He could well be trying it on.

Ask him for the course materials handbook. Every University course I have been a student on and taught on produces a course handbook which specifies what you need, usually broken down into essential and nice to have.

I have never in all my years known such an expensive piece of equipment to be listed as essential. I could be wrong however.

I doubt you are wrong.

OP - ask to see the course requirements.

If you can afford this top of the range laptop go for it - I very much doubt it is required for the course.

Hoseman

Here's my two pence...

If I was the step son, I would say I definitely need it. Its a must, will help with productivity and some other stuff I would make up.

If I was the parent/guardian I would say, sure you do. How much are you contributing to it? Otherwise you can do one.

victor2

He could go far in business. Obviously mastered the first lesson - decide what you want and ask for much more. Then let "management" cut it so that they feel good, and you get what you originally wanted.

securityguy

Paully232000 wrote: »

He could well be trying it on.

Ask him for the course materials handbook. Every University course I have been a student on and taught on produces a course handbook which specifies what you need, usually broken down into essential and nice to have.

I have never in all my years known such an expensive piece of equipment to be listed as essential. I could be wrong however.

I've never seen a laptop that high powered in a computer science department, staff or student. None of my students have anything remotely that powerful for final year or MSc projects.

zagubov

britishboy wrote: »

Hi everyone, sorry for the long delay in replying, summer hols and a house moved have pushed this into 3rd place (until yesterday). Heres the spec of the laptop that we 'apparently' need to get him:

Macbook Pro15'4 inch
Intel quad core i7 2.5Ghz
16Gb RAM
512Gb flash hard drive

and either:
Nvidia GeForce Gt 750M

or

Intel Iris pro graphics & AMD R9 M370X, 2GB GDDR5.

Is there a suitable alternative, if this high level of spec is actually required?

Thanks again everyone, going to sit my partner down this evening and get her to read this post, bless her shes the worlds biggest technophobe.

I'd be amazed if he needed anything like that. As its journalism he may well need to integrate with mac software the uni uses. If he gets a macbook he can run windows on it as well if he wants (but that doesn't apply the other way round).

Many older macbooks since about 2008 or so will run modern software packages including the most recent OSX. I'd check on ebay what's affordable and ask him to speak to the techs at uni about how well they would work. Or contact their IT dept yourself and ask, in case DS turns round and says "computer says no".;)

Big_Graeme

For a journalism course? He's at it.

Anything will do what is needed on the course, a second hand windows laptop will run Word, Endnote and any other software they need, there is nothing a Mac can do that a Windows machine can't and there is no special software to run.