Choosing a Computer

Owned by Alexis Pae
Last updated: May 17, 2022 by Joshua Cunningham
4 min read

One of the most common questions we receive from students is which computer best sets me up for success at MVNU. 

A few simple things to keep in mind. This topic is surprisingly complex but we’ve tried to simplify it as much as possible. 

  • While you can find computers for $200 or $300, in our experience these will last a year or two at the most as they’re made with cheaper parts or lower Quality Assurance practices. With this in mind, we would recommend spending no less than $600 for anything you hope to last through a college career. 

  • Depending on the degree your student is wanting to pursue, some computers are more necessary than others. If they’re considering Graphic Design or Engineering, they’ll need a computer powerful enough to handle the complex software needed for the program. Degrees like English won’t require as powerful of a system. And obviously the more power the more expense.  See more below.

Equipment Choices

There are several form factors to consider: Tablet, Ultrabook, Convertible, and Notebook. Each of these have their own strengths and weaknesses. Laptop is generally a common term that can be used interchangeably with most portable form factors.

  • Tablets tend to be less powerful, but more portable (with no physical keyboard). 

  • Ultrabooks tend to be powerful and portable but often times are pricier and sometimes bulkier (due to the physical keyboard). 

  • Convertibles are able to convert from laptop to tablet and some can even separate the physical keyboard from the screen. These are relatively new and sometimes pricey, but our biggest misgiving is that since they’re expected to “convert” we’re not sure how sturdy the hinges are for so much movement. 

  • Notebooks are the cheapest options as they don’t have the extra bells and whistles of the aforementioned laptop types, but they tend to be bulkier/heavier. 

PC vs Apple

This argument seems to go on forever and ever, but to simplify it I usually ask two questions: 

  • What experience do you have historically? If you have used a mac before and trust it better, that may be enough justification for you to go with a mac. 

  • Are you willing to deal with the up-front frustration of learning a new Operating System from scratch? I always equate it to Automatic and Manual transmissions in a car. If you learned on an automatic, you will have a learning curve to get used to a manual and transitioning to a mac (or PC) will have the same period of adjustment. 

*Also for your consideration:

Apple Computers seem to be more expensive, but consider that you’re paying for the following: 

  • Verified hardware (since Apple makes their own hardware and doesn’t allow the free market to build junk-versions that would drive the price down). 

  • Brand recognition 

  • Stability (Apple’s OS gets less viruses, doesn’t need rebooted as often, etc…). 

  • Resale Value 

When shopping for a windows computer consider these basic specifications: 

  • Windows 11 – If it lists 10 or older it is probably an older model not meant to handle the full power of Windows 11. 

  • >8GB of Memory (RAM) – The larger this number the better, but anything less than 8GB will cause the computer to run so slowly you’ll wish you bought something better. 

  • Storage size is only important if you have a ton of files you want to store (pictures, music, videos, etc…) that aren’t located in the cloud or on discs. 

  • SSD over HDD – SSD technology is flash storage (like a flash-drive) which is much faster than the older spinning hard disk of HDD. 

  • Intel i3, i5, or Core M for best processors. i7 is overkill (unless you want to be an Engineer or a gamer) and Celeron or Pentium are too slow to be worth your while. 

    • Also consider AMD options. Terms like Ryzen are a competitor to Intel’s “i” series processors. AMD tends to be less expensive while still being a powerful processor option.

  • Watch out for useless add-ons that drive up the price. It may not be important to you to get a Blu-ray drive in your laptop so why pay extra for it?

    • One common add-on is an Antivirus software, which is somewhat less necessary than it was 10 years ago. 

    • Another common add-on is MS Office or a trial. Neither are necessary as student automatically get the full MS Office suite included in tuition.

Program-Specific Requirements

Depending on the program of study your student wants to major in, there may be other things to consider: 

  • Engineering majors should consider aiming more towards a $1500-$2000 computer with much more RAM (16GB or more) and an i7 processor. 

  • Graphic Design students do all of their work on Apple systems using advanced Adobe software and need a higher-end MacBook than the first-tier option. See this article for more information.

As an added service, MotherBoard will gladly review and give suggestions or recommendations on any equipment you find. Send us a web link at motherboard@mvnu.edu and we can take a look and point out pros and cons. 

For this or any other questions, please feel free to contact us at any of the below methods.