One of the most important aspects of succeeding in college is having a laptop that best fits you.
From writing papers to submitting assignments and conducting your own research, your laptop will be an essential tool in your academic life—especially at WSU.
Photo by Tori Wick
The eWarrior Digital Life and Learning Program equips WSU students with a fully configured and supported laptop computer. You’re given the choice between a PC or Mac laptop. Here are five things to consider when deciding on a laptop:
1. What is a PC?
A PC is considered to be any computer or laptop made to run with the Windows operating system. These laptops are usually Dell, Sony or HP brands. The specific PC being offered by WSU this year is the HP Elite Dragonfly Notebook.
2. What is a Mac?
A Macintosh, or more commonly known as a Mac, is a laptop made by the brand Apple and runs on an operating system called OS X. The Mac laptop WSU offers to students is currently the 2020 MacBook Pro.
3. Variety of Applications
PC and Mac have their own applications. For this reason, it’s important to consider the major or minor you’re pursuing at WSU. Depending on your area of study, these applications may or may not be necessary. For example, business majors usually need PCs in order to access Windows programs, such as Microsoft Access or Publisher.
PC uses the Microsoft Store to access and install the following applications: MS Office, Internet Explorer, Media Player, Media Center, Windows Defender, SkyDrive, VLC media player, and Chrome browser.
Mac uses the Apple App Store to access and install the following applications: Photos, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Safari, Mail, Messages, FaceTime, Calendar, Contacts, App Store, iTunes, iBooks, Maps, Photo Booth, and Time Machine.
4. The Ultimate Aesthetic
The design of each computer is done rather well, but for some students, the way the computer looks is important. The Mac is known for its overall sleek design because of its lighter color and light-up keyboard. On the other hand, the PC can vary in design, but it has a very clean and professional look with its unique dragonfly blue hue.
5. Features
The PC currently offered at WSU is a laptop that’s able to folded in half to become a tablet, which is great to take on-the-go notes. Along with the tablet feature, the PC also has a touchscreen and can be used with a pen (available for purchase) or your finger. Not to mention, the PC weighs less than the Mac laptop.
Although the Mac doesn’t have the tablet or touchscreen feature, it does have an uber-high resolution (2560×1600) that’s great for visuals and other graphics. The Mac also comes with a Touch Bar, which allows you to easily access your most important shortcuts.
Both laptops also include fingerprint sign-in, so you can boost your productivity on either device.
Photo by Tori Wick
While these aspects are important to consider, choosing the right laptop is mostly based on personal preference. Your laptop will be a tool you use throughout everyday life here at WSU, so having one that fits you and your academic goals will make your experience as a Warrior even better!
Updated by Hailey Seipel ’20 on 06/15/2020
