Best MacBook for College Students 2026: Air vs Pro Complete Buying Guide

The MacBook Air M4 (13") is the best MacBook for most college students in 2026 — it's lightweight at 2.7 lbs, delivers 18 hours of real-world battery life, handles every academic workload from coding to video editing, and starts at $1,299 ($1,099 with Apple education discount). The MacBook Pro M4 is worth the $300+ premium only if you're in a program with sustained heavy computation: architecture students running large 3D renders, engineering students doing simulation work, or music production students running large Logic sessions. For liberal arts, business, CS, design, and most STEM programs, the MacBook Air M4 is more than enough — and the education discount makes it easier to justify.