Looking for the best MacBook for students? You're the right place. We've reviewed almost every MacBook Apple has released, so we're in a good position to pick out the best options for students, whether you want a budget MacBook or a powerful option for projects on a course that requires demanding video editing or 3D work.
We've based the selection below on our own expert reviews of each device, taking note of specs, price and design. Our full reviews are linked below and will give you more information about each model. For options from other brands, see our pick of the best student laptops in general. And be sure to take a look at our guide on how to grab an Apple student discount.
We think the latest MacBook Air 15 provides the perfect balance for most students. It's fairly light for a 15-inch laptop while still providing plenty of space to work on, and it also gets a boost in performance over previous models thanks to the M3 chip. Read more below
This is our top pick for the best balance between price, power and portability. The sleek and compact MacBook Air M2 is at great price following the release of the new M3 model, but it can handle most students' need with ease. Read more below
For students that need to run demanding creative software, the M3 Pro MacBook Pro is a deam. We found it to run smooth even for heavy video editing and motion work, and battery life is outstanding. Read more below
For a more portable Pro that's more comfortable to carry in a backpack, the 14-inch M3 Pro model is just as powerful as its larger sibling. Read more below
This isn't a MacBook, but this compact desktop computer is a great value alternative and ideal for those who want to pick a larger screen to work on. Read more below
The best MacBook for students in full
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Our top pick for students who need a versatile laptop for general productivity and possibly light creative work is the latest MacBook Air 15 with Apple's M3 chip. It's cheaper than a MacBook Pro, but more powerful than previous Airs. With a 15in display, it also provides plenty of work space while still being relatively light thanks to the fanless design.
When we reviewed it, we noted that it was efficient and quiet and delivered excellent battery life. Our benchmark test results showed the chip performed on a par with CPUs like Intel i9s and AMD Ryzen 7 chips without needing the cooling fans of a PC, so while the integrated GPU can’t reach the highs of a separate Nvidia chip, it can handle demanding creative programs well, and you can take memory up as high as 24GB. We had no problem editing large batches of RAW photos on our review model, which came with 16GB.
Meanwhile, the larger size meant our reviewer could actually use it on his lap without feeling his wrists were going to fall off the sides, and the trackpad is large enough to use comfortably. As for ports, there are two USB-C, which include Thunderbolt 3, plus a MagSafe charging port, so there are plenty of options for charging and attaching adapters and USB-C peripherals, including tablet chargers.
Those with more specific demands: students working in video editing, motion design or 3D, for example, would be recommended to consider a MacBook Pro if their budget reaches. But for creative courses involving 2D design, we think the latest Air is the sensible buy for the price.
If you're on a tighter budget, our pick as the best value MacBook for students is the M2 MacBook Air. This laptop has recently been superseded by a new M3 model for 2024, and Apple's dropped the price of this 2022 model as a result. Considering that the M3 version is a relatively iterative upgrade with no major changes in design, we think this is the one to go for if you're on a budget.
It light and compact, making it ideal for carrying to class or to the library in a bag. but it's now slouch in terms of performance. We found that it could handle many creative software programs with ease, including Photoshop, and light video editing, especially the 16GB configuration. We found the screen to be accurate and bright enough to cope with working under bright lights that cause reflections.
Battery life was also very good in our tests, giving us 16 hours of video playback on a charge. That's less that a MacBook Pro (see below) but still more than many Windows laptops. We also found that the 1080p webcam gives a good picture for video calls, which can be handy for online classes.
If you need to use power-hungry software like After Effects, Premiere Pro or Davinci Resolve, you might find it worth investing in the more powerful MacBook Pro line. And there is no laptop more powerful or capable than the new MacBook Pro M3, with the latest-gen chipset stepping things up even further from the already-massive power of the M2 Pro.
We found that this laptop can make smooth work of even the most demanding graphic design, animation, video editing or 3D modelling tasks. In our tests, we edited 8K video in Final Cut Pro in a project with colour correction and up to five videos playing simultaneously at moments, and we didn't experience a single glitch or hold-up. Meanwhile, the mini-LED true HDR display with 1,600-nit peak brightness is a joy for creative work.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro also boasts the best battery life of any MacBook. Apple says that you should get around 14 hours of web browsing from a charge, but we've seen more like 17 hours for basic online work. You can also configure it up to 96GB of memory, up to 8TB of storage. All this is overkill, of course, if you just want a MacBook for surfing the web and keeping up with your emails. And for that use, this is a large and weighty option.
If you require a powerful MacBook to run creative software, but also value portability, then the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2022) may be the best student MacBook for you. It's lighter and more compact than the 16-inch device but provides almost all of the same specs, with only battery life being slightly lower.
You get the same choice of processors, same ports and same 1,600 nits of peak brightness as with the 16 incher but with a smaller screen. That makes the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2022) more comfortable for use out and about, for example in class or in a cafe. When we tested it, our reviewer found it performed brilliantly for everything from 3D modelling to image editing and video editing – we got instantaneous results when doing complex tasks in Cinema 4D. We also got an impressive 11 hours of web browsing from the battery.
We think the 2023 Mac mini makes a great value desktop MacBook alternative for students who don't need the portability of a laptop that they can take with them to class. It packs the same M2 chip as the MacBook Air at the top of our list or the more powerful M2 Pro, and it's incredible compact for a desktop device, which makes it perfect for student digs where space may be at a premium.
We tested the M2 Pro version and found that it could handle pretty much everything we demanded of it, including video editing. And it's much cheaper than a MacBook Pro. Of course, the potential downside is that you'll need to buy peripherals separately: monitor, keyboard, mouse. However, this could also be advantage for those who want the comfort of working on a large screen. If you don't need portability, a Mac mini and a good external monitor can make a great setup for creative work.
The best MacBook for you will depend on your needs, budget and whether your prioritise screen space and power or portability. We've chosen the 2022 MacBook Air 13 as the best student MacBook overall because it's slim and compact, provides more than enough power for most students' needs, and the price has dropped following the release of a new M3 model in 2024. However, students with more specific requirements, such as those that need to run demanding video editing software may want to consider a MacBook Pro.
We tested all of our picks of the best MacBooks for students in hands-on reviews. When we reviewed each laptop, we performed a series of benchmark tests in order to evaluate build quality, performance, display, battery life and ergonomics. We also put each laptop through its paces in real-life situations using a range of different software applications and media.
To choose the best MacBooks for students for different needs, we compared display size and portability, the ability to run the software needed for various creative courses, the comfort of the keyboards and more.
We think that in general MacBooks are good for students, although whether a MacBook is right for you will ultimately depend on your needs, preferences and budget. In our many years of reviewing MacBooks, we've found them to almost always be well-built and among the most powerful laptops available.
MacBooks are slim and light, putting them among the most portable laptops around for each size category. This is a big advantage for students who need to carry a laptop to class or to work in a library or other location. We also find Macs, and the operating system MacOS to be intuitive, user-friendly, and reliable. That said, there are caveats. Not all programs are available for MacOS, so if you need a specific piece of software for your area of study, you should check its runs on MacOS. Macs are also not the best for gaming, although that's starting to change.
Is a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air best for students?
This depends to an extent on what you study. MacBook Airs are more affordable than MacBook Pros, and they also tend to be slightly slimmer and lighter because of their fanless design. However, they aren't quite as powerful.
We think that any MacBook Air since 2020 will be powerful enough for most students' needs, and there's really no need to consider paying more for a MacBook Pro if you're no studying on a tech-heavy subject that requires the use of demanding software. However, students studying video editing or 3D design are likely to benefit from the improved performance of the MacBook Pros in these areas.
Beren has worked on creative titles at Future Publishing for over 13 years. Cutting his teeth as Staff Writer on the digital art magazine ImagineFX, he moved on to edit several creative titles, and is currently the Ecommerce Editor on the most effective creative website in the world. When he's not testing and reviewing the best ergonomic office chairs, phones, laptops, TVs, monitors and various types of storage, he can be found finding and comparing the best deals on the tech that creatives value the most.
