Apple computers have always been a bit of a hit in the education sector, but according to a study by consumer electronics site Retrevo, the majority of college-bound students are not considering a Mac this year, instead opting for something less pricey.
"While Apple has done well historically in the education market, 2009 marks the dawn of the netbook," says Vipin Jain, Retrevo CEO. "Students told us they wanted longer battery life, smaller size, and a lighter laptop. 58% of them plan on spending less than $750.00. Only 18% have a budget over $1,000.00. Netbooks are affordable; some costing only $170.00. In contrast, Apple laptops start at $949.00. At a time when many people are experiencing economic hardship, having a new Apple laptop isn’t a necessity."
With that 17-inch laptop that was on sale at Wal-Mart for under $350, there does seem to be a lot of computer that a student can get if he or she shops around and catches the good deals.
For those of you buying for back to school either for yourself or someone else, what sort of computer (laptop or desktop) would you recommend?
