Roughly 80-90 percent of students and faculty at VMS use Apple MacBooks. Education tends to lean towards Apple but it really comes down to personal preference when deciding between Microsoft and Apple. Most of the software tools that your students will use are web-based and thus hardware agnostic.
Chromebooks
While we recommend that students use a more powerful device than Chromebooks for grades 9-12, Chromebooks can still be the right option for some students. The lower cost of purchasing a Chromebook and the lower cost of repairing a Chromebook should be a consideration if your student is not ready to take care of a more expensive device. Limitations are computing speed and options for installing software. Some classes may require Adobe Creative Cloud, CAD software, and other rendering and modeling applications that Chromebooks will not be able to run. However, for general internet research and Google Workspace for Education, Chromebooks can still get the job done.
Apple
Apple offers a slight discount for students here: https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop The most economical option at this time is the $899 MacBook Air 13” with the M1 Chip and 256GB of SSD storage. Bestbuy and Costco also sell this model and occasionally offer them for less than buying directly from Apple. Using an iPad or iPad Pro is acceptable if your student has a keyboard for it.
Windows
Windows 11 is Microsoft’s most current operating system. Windows 10 will continue to be supported by Microsoft until October 2025.
Windows devices offer a lot of flexibility for students interested in running open source software, gaming, and productivity apps. There are also a lot of choices when it comes to pricing and performance levels. The disadvantages to Windows devices, in my opinion, are they can be more vulnerable to malware and require more effort to keep up to date with security updates.
Windows devices are offered by many manufacturers. VMS has partnered with Dell to offer special pricing on laptops and desktop computers. The special offer can be accessed here: http://www.dell.com/mpp/VailMountainSchool
Accidental Damage
There are a lot of water and liquid-damaged laptops every year. The most important advice I can give anyone regarding how to avoid costly repairs is to keep liquids away from your laptop when using it. If you do spill something on your laptop, shut it down immediately (hold down the power button for 10 seconds) and don’t try to turn it on again for a few days.
Apple and other manufacturers offer accidental damage protection. Look closely at the terms to decide if it is worth the price for your situation. For example, 3 Years of AppleCare+ is $159 for the $899 MacBook Air. There is an additional $99 fee for screen damage with AppleCare+. Water damage is an additional $299 fee with AppleCare+. Dell offers similar accidental damage insurance.
Malware
Malware is software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It includes viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware spyware, adware, and other malicious programs. Malware infections and ransomware, in particular, have increased significantly over the last two years. I recommend that all Mac and Windows users have malware protection software installed on their computers.
Please reach out to Kelly Enright, Director of Technology, if you have any questions.
Email: support@vms.edu | Phone: 970-477-7195
