I’m Peter, an IT/Systems Analyst with James Madison College. I’ve been here for over 20 years and get asked about laptops pretty often.
If you’re stressed about picking the “right” one, you can relax. This decision isn’t as critical as it might seem. Almost any modern laptop will meet your needs. These are my personal recommendations, not official MSU policy.
You probably don’t need a new laptop
If you already have one and it’s working reasonably well, it will likely serve you just fine.
If you do need to buy one
Keep it simple. A MacBook Neo is a great choice for most students. I use one myself (not as my primary machine, but regularly), and it handles everyday tasks very well. If you tend to keep a lot of tabs or apps open, a MacBook Air is a good step up.
Apple laptops are generally consistent in quality, hold their value well, and having a local Apple Store can be helpful if you need support.
Windows laptops can also be a good option, but there’s more variation between models, so it’s worth choosing carefully and avoiding the very cheapest ones. They are unfortunately prone to more issues. It's hard to recommend one these days with the Mac being so competitively priced.
Use a password manager
It may take a little getting used to, but it makes a big difference. Use a different password for every site and turn on two-factor authentication whenever possible. Proton Pass is free.
Back up your files
MSU provides 1 TB of cloud storage. Keeping your work there ensures you won’t lose anything if your laptop has a problem.
Microsoft Office
MSU students have free access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. You can download it from office.com when signed in with your MSU account.