Any Apple Silicon is leap ahead. Might be able to grab a used 2020 M1 macbook pro for that money. Answer from softwarebuyer2015 on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/macbook › what macbook should i purchase in 2025 as a broke college student?
r/macbook on Reddit: What MacBook should I purchase in 2025 as a broke college student?
January 22, 2025 -
I have a 2014 MacBook Pro 15”, and it’s starting to really become unusable. I am taking an earth science class at my college that requires me to use google earth, and my iPad Pro is not sufficient. Can anyone recommend a cheap used MacBook? I don’t need the newest MacBook, I just need something to work on my 3D printing files and use software like google earth and excel. Thank you very much, I used to be all up to date on everything Apple, however lately I haven’t been in the know and want to know which computers to avoid or if there’s a good deal I don’t know about. I’m trying to stay under or around $500
CNET
cnet.com › tech › computing › laptops › best macbooks we’ve tested (november 2025)
Best MacBooks We've Tested (November 2025) - CNET
November 3, 2025 - CNET’s editors recommend the M4 15-inch MacBook Air as the best overall laptop and the M4 13-inch MacBook Air as the best laptop for students. You can get them for less right now during Best Buy’s MacBook sale.
Videos
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Ultimate MacBook Buying Guide (2025 Edition) - YouTube
The Best MacBook For College Students (2025 Buying Guide) - YouTube
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Which MacBook Should You Buy In 2025? (Buyer's Guide) - YouTube
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2025 Mac Buyer's Guide: Don't Waste Your Money! - YouTube
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The Best MacBook To Buy For Programming (2025 Buying Guide) - YouTube
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I Tried 2025 M4 MacBooks: Here's the Ones to Get - YouTube
What are the best MacBook alternatives?
The two Windows laptops I’ve tested that come closest to a MacBook’s mix of solid build quality, streamlined design, strong performance and long battery life are the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance along with outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer runtime than that of the MacBook Air. The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 doesn’t offer as long a runtime but supplies a high-resolution OLED display that detracts from battery life, but
cnet.com
cnet.com › tech › computing › laptops › best macbooks we’ve tested (november 2025)
Best MacBooks We've Tested (November 2025) - CNET
What’s the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?
On the whole, MacBook Pro models are more powerful and more expensive, while also being slightly thicker and heavier than their Air counterparts.The MacBook Air is available with a 13.6-inch or a 15.3-inch display. The 13-inch Air starts at $999, and the 15-inch Air starts at $1,199. The MacBook Pro is available with a 14.2-inch or 16.2-inch display. The 14-inch Pro starts at $1,599, and the 16-inch Pro starts at $2,499. The 16-inch model has such a higher starting price because it has a more powerful M4 Pro chip, while the base model of the 14-inch Pro features the M5 chip, which is newer bu
cnet.com
cnet.com › tech › computing › laptops › best macbooks we’ve tested (november 2025)
Best MacBooks We've Tested (November 2025) - CNET
Which Macs support Apple Intelligence?
The current generation of MacBook Air and Pro models as well as the previous generation allow you to use Apple Intelligence features. The M3, M4 and M5 chips feature a 16-core neural engine that supports Apple Intelligence.
cnet.com
cnet.com › tech › computing › laptops › best macbooks we’ve tested (november 2025)
Best MacBooks We've Tested (November 2025) - CNET
WIRED
wired.com › gear › apple › which apple macbook should you buy?
Best MacBooks (2025): Which Apple Laptop Should You Buy? | WIRED
October 29, 2025 - Is Now a Good Time to Buy?AccordionItemContainerButton · For the most part, yes. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air received the M4 treatment in March 2025, and rumors suggest we won't see the M5 version until the spring of 2026.
NYTimes
nytimes.com › electronics › laptops › the best macbooks
The 3 Best MacBooks of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter
October 27, 2025 - The Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025) is the best MacBook for most people. The days of the MacBook Air being too underpowered for everyday use are over, and now the opposite is true: MacBook Pros have become too heavy to carry around, and ...
Best Laptop Deals
bestlaptop.deals › articles › the-best-macbook-to-buy-in-2025-complete-buyers-guide
The Best MacBook to Buy in 2025 — Complete Buyer’s Guide
October 8, 2025 - The 13-inch MacBook Air remains Apple’s most popular laptop — and for good reason. It’s the perfect choice for students, office workers, or anyone who wants a reliable, well-built everyday laptop.
Mac Business Solutions
mbsdirect.com › mbs-blog › article-choosing-the-best-mac-for-a-college-bound-student-in-2025
Choosing the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student in 2025 - Mac Business Solutions - Apple Premier Partner
June 6, 2025 - Social Media: Which Mac is best for a college student in 2025? Our short answer is either the 13-inch or 15-inch M4 MacBook Air.
Austin MacWorks
austinmacworks.com › choosing-the-best-mac-for-a-college-bound-student-in-2025
Choosing the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student in 2025
June 24, 2025 - Which Mac is best for a college student in 2025? Our short answer is either the 13-inch or 15-inch M4 MacBook Air. However, students with substantial processing needs (such as audio or video editing) might want to consider the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Cheshire Macs
cheshiremacs.com › blogs › news › best-macbooks-for-students-in-2025-on-a-budget
Best MacBooks for Students in 2025 (On a Budget) – Cheshire Macs
May 27, 2025 - With refurbished MacBooks, you get the best of both worlds—top-tier tech at a student-friendly price. If you’re a student in 2025, the MacBook Air M1 is the best choice for most people.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/mac › which macbook is a better buy in 2025
r/mac on Reddit: Which MacBook is a better buy in 2025
January 10, 2025 -
Used M1 Pro 14 inch MacBook Pro costs the same as a new M3 MacBook Air. I wonder if the M3 MacBook Air is a better buy due to being brand new?
Top answer 1 of 5
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It also depends on what you need it for. The Pro version has some stuff that makes sense in some case (e.g. different ports, certain processor to speed up video editing, active cooling). So for some people, that makes more sense because they work a lot with video or have long processing times, needing active cooling. The M3 has other advantages, being thinner, some new architecture that is useful in certain cases. The thread u/BitterSample3403 mentioned is actually pretty good and goes more into depth what the differences are. But right now, your questions is a little bit like: what is better, a drill or a shovel that is 3 years old? It all depends on what you'll use it for.
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More thoughts from others on this: https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/1dkaex3/m1_pro_vs_m3_air/
Yahoo!
tech.yahoo.com › yahoo tech › computing
Best MacBooks We’ve Tested (October 2025)
October 9, 2025 - CNET’s editors recommend the M4 15-inch MacBook Air as the best overall laptop and the M4 13-inch MacBook Air as the best laptop for students. You can get them for less right now during Best Buy’s MacBook sale.
Mashable
mashable.com › home › tech › laptops
The 5 best MacBooks to buy in 2025: The M5 is here | Mashable
1 month ago - ... Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4). The 15-inch version of Apple's latest MacBook Air is beautiful, long-lasting, unexpectedly peppy, and priced very fairly, making it super easy to recommend for basically ...
Engadget
engadget.com › engadget us › computing › laptops
The best MacBook for 2025: Which Apple laptop should you buy?
October 23, 2025 - Now, if you can even find a brand new M3 MacBook Air (typically from retailers like Amazon or B&H), it’s often more expensive than the M4 version. During sales like Amazon Prime Day, we’ve seen the newest M4 Air go for as little as $799.
Laptop Mag
laptopmag.com › laptops › macbooks
Best Macbook for college students in 2025 | Laptop Mag
March 31, 2025 - For most college students in 2025, the MacBook Air M4 is the best Apple laptop. Use your college email address to bring the $999 price down to $899 for education (or the same $100 discount on higher-end models).
Eneba
eneba.com › home › 7 best macbooks to buy in 2025
7 Best MacBooks To Buy in 2025
3 weeks ago - With all that in one package, it’s clear why Apple laptops continue to lead the pack for anyone after the best MacBook experience. The best MacBook is the MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025).
Hoxton Macs
hoxtonmacs.co.uk › blogs › news › best-mac-for-students-2025
Best Mac for Students 2025 – Hoxton Macs
August 8, 2025 - Whether it’s an MacBook Pro for design or a Mac Studio for high-resolution video editing, Apple provides a user-friendly operating system and seamless connectivity across different devices.
ZDNET
zdnet.com › home › tech › computing › laptops
The best MacBooks of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed | ZDNET
10 hours ago - The M4 MacBook Pro is a surprisingly good gaming laptop in 2025, even though Apple computers have notoriously been second-choice machines for gamers. Show more · It really depends on the student, but there are some common factors to consider ...
UpTrade
uptradeit.com › blog › best-back-to-school-macbook
Best Back-to-School MacBook in 2025
July 23, 2025 - Discover why the MacBook Air 2020 and MacBook Pro 2020 (both with M1 chip) are top picks for students—affordable, powerful, and built to last. Compare specs, avoid outdated Intel models, and find certified refurbished deals on UpTrade.
Creative Bloq
creativebloq.com › tech › computers › laptops
The best MacBook for students: low-cost portable power | Creative Bloq
July 19, 2023 - If you're seeking the best value, the MacBook Air (M4, 2025) is our top recommendation: slim, lightweight and with a battery that comfortably lasts through lectures, essays and the odd Netflix break.
Digital Trends
digitaltrends.com › home › computing › best ofs
The best MacBook to buy in 2025: tested and reviewed - Digital Trends
September 1, 2025 - With plenty of MacBook models to choose from, which should you buy? Our guide examines performance, battery life, design, and more to help you find the answer.
Mongeit
mongeit.consulting › home › best macbook for college students in 2025: what to buy
Best MacBook for College Students in 2025: What to Buy - Monge IT Consulting, Inc.
June 7, 2025 - There are three main models to consider: 13-inch M1 MacBook Air (2020): $649, available and is exclusively available at Walmart. Buy this only if your budget is tight. 13-inch M4 MacBook Air (2025): Starts at $999.