



The downsides to the MacBook Air are that the screen isn't as good as the MacBook Pro for creative work, it only has two USB-C ports (and a 3.5mm audio jack) as its total connectivity, and there's now a more expensive M2 version of this laptop available. And, like all Apple laptops, it has huge battery life – around 15 hours in typical web browsing use. It packs all this power into a very thin, fan-less design, which means it's perfect for the library. It can handle 4K video editing, complex music production, raw photo editing and so on, with 8GB of RAM as standard (creative students should opt for 16GB). If you don't believe us, ask anyone who already owns one of these machines. The M1 chipset that Apple launched with this laptop was such a step forward in terms of power and efficiency that it'll still comfortably cope with everyday computing tasks for years to come. It's now the older of the two MacBook Air models, but we still think the M1 MacBook Air launched in 2020 remains the best choice for the vast majority of students, which is down to one key factor – price.
#BEST MACBOOK FOR PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS FOR MAC#
If you're shopping more generally, check out our comprehensive list of the best MacBooks (opens in new tab) – and don't forget our guide to the best monitors for MacBook Pro (opens in new tab) if you'll need a bigger screen when at your desk, and our guide to the best external hard drives for Mac (opens in new tab) for backing up your work safely. But make sure you read the student discount section at the bottom of page, because Apple also awards money-off for student purchases. In this guide, we'll explain how factors such as screen and processor choice should influence a students' purchasing decision, and we'll also guide you towards the current lowest prices on these machines (also of note are our dedicated guides to the best cheap MacBook Air deals (opens in new tab) and best cheap MacBook Pro deals (opens in new tab)). They can tackle almost any task you throw at it, including taking seminar notes, watching back lectures, video calling your family and surfing the web. If you're headed back to school, college or university, a MacBook might sound like an expensive choice but it's guaranteed to get you through your next study years and beyond. Apple definitely makes some of the best student laptops (opens in new tab) on the market, which double as some of the best lightweight laptops (opens in new tab) – something that students will always appreciate as you're dragging your laptop to and from classrooms.
