If you’re looking for a computer for school, a MacBook Air may seem like the default choice. But there might actually be a better option: two devices. A Mac Mini and an iPad make for a killer combination for students.
The Benefits of a Mac Mini
The Mac Mini is, hands down, the best small computer for a dorm. It’s got a tiny footprint—five by five inches, and only two inches tall—and sits comfortably under any monitor. It doesn’t need any extra desk space and won’t be collecting dust on the floor.
You do need to add your own display, keyboard, and mouse. If you’ve got these things already, then the Mac Mini offers simply unbeatable value. Even if you haven’t, you can still kit it out very affordably.
The biggest downside to the Mac Mini is that it isn’t portable. But since the iPad will take care of that, it means you can benefit from the ways a Mini is better than a MacBook.
The key to this is flexibility. you’re able to configure a Mini with whatever specs you need. For the base model, it’s as powerful as a MacBook Air at almost half the price, but you can also upgrade it to the level of a high-end MacBook Pro. You can opt for the M4 Pro chip and up to 64GB of memory if you need it. And you get your choice of screen size—MacBooks top out at 16 inches, but you can go much bigger with a Mini.
A Mac Mini has a lot more ports than any MacBook: three Thunderbolt, two USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet, compared to just two Thunderbolt ports on a MacBook Air or three plus HDMI and an SDXC slot on the Pro. If you need peripherals or expansion, you can get them without having to resort to using dongles. (And dongles, by the way, instantly reduce the portability of a MacBook.)
Plus, it’s more upgradable. We’ll get to this later, but swapping out the display or keyboard isn’t an option you have with a MacBook. I’ve had the same monitor for about a decade, and have used two Minis with it.
Apple Mac Mini (M4)
Powered by an impressive M4 chip, the redesigned Mac Mini starts with 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, a 10-core CPU, and a 10-core GPU.
The Benefits of an iPad
To overcome the lack of portability of a Mac Mini, you can combine it with an iPad. This lets you carry it into class for taking notes, recording lectures, accessing documents, and so on.
iPadOS is not macOS, but it’s pretty good as a kind of lite version of a desktop operating system.It handles multitasking well, and there’s no shortage of increasingly capable apps to use on it. Most of your favorite desktop apps will likely have tablet versions too.
The touchscreen adds something that no MacBook can offer yet.Get yourself an Apple Pencil, or indeed any third-party alternative, and you can use your iPad for note-taking, annotating, drawing, or anything else where you’d normally have to resort to a pen and paper.
AnApple Pencil is even good for gaming. Which brings us to the other benefit of an iPad for students: it fills the entertainment gap in your setup.
Apple Pencil
The Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) is the best stylus available for your iPad. This latest iteration features wireless charging, palm rejection, and an intuitive touch interface.
The iPad is simply perfect for content consumption, whether it’s Netflix, social media, or high-end gaming. The smaller MacBook Air is light enough to lounge around with while watching shows, but a larger one or a MacBook Pro is much less convenient. AniPad is far better than a MacBookwhen you’re traveling.
The iPad is accessible, too, with prices ranging from the affordable to the expensive, depending on which model and size you choose. They’re all powerful and have solid battery life.
Apple iPad Air (M3)
2025’s iPad Air upgrade features an M3 chip, is compatible with a new keyboard folio case, and has support for Apple Intelligence. It’s almost identical to the previous model in terms of look and feel.
The Perfect Combination
A Mac Mini and iPad combinationoffers the best of both worlds. Together, they give you both portability and power. They’re affordable, too. A $599 Mac Mini and $349 iPad even cost less than a $999 MacBook Air.
With the two devices, you’ll get the full macOS experience on a machine with as much memory as you want and a monitor as large as you need. You also get a tablet that is lightweight and extremely capable. It’s ideal for both studies and downtime. And the two devices link together seamlessly, so you can start work (or play) on one and pick up again on another.
Longer term, it’s a more versatile choice. When your needs change, it’s easier to upgrade one aspect, such as getting a new iPad or moving to a bigger monitor, than it is to buy a whole new MacBook.
Of course, it won’t be right for everyone. If you don’t have an existing display and keyboard, the initial outlay for the Mac Mini becomes a tad more expensive. And if you absolutely need a portable version of macOS, perhaps so you’re able to get some work done in a library or coffee shop, then the MacBook may still suit you better.
But for sheer power, flexibility, and value, the Mini and iPad combo is hard to beat.
MacBook Air (M4)
The MacBook Air with the M4 chip is Apple’s most powerful yet, with amazing battery life and buttery-smooth performance in a thin and light profile.
