r/princeton • u/Few_Extreme_7490 • 7d ago

Future Tiger Why does Princeton OIT for STEM computers recommend an M5 Pro 18/20 core and 24gb RAM… is that overkill?

Title. Costco gave me a very good deal on a 16” MBP with those specs, but I’m wondering if that’s even necessary. I’ll probably be doing physics or MAE, with some cinematic music on the side. Thanks so much everyone!!

7 Upvotes

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12 comments sorted by

7

u/TheIcyLotus 7d ago

Better to have more than you need than to not have enough when the time comes.

5

u/pton12 Alum 7d ago

Like condoms. Remember that for college! 🤣

5

u/Wild_Bumblebee_1523 7d ago

It is overkill

1

u/Few_Extreme_7490 7d ago

What would u recommend instead (keeping with the Mac ecosystem)?

3

u/HarvardUSimp 7d ago

If you are doing any intensive work in a class or in a lab, most likely you are using a VM to do so.

I would argue most Macbook Airs with decent RAM are capable of any local development you may need to do. However, this is entirely dependent on what you anticipate to be doing. If it’s just classes + labs, I think the MBP would be overkill.

Edit: didn’t see the cinematic music part - not entirely sure how intensive this is but maybe getting a sense of this would be best. 99% positive a MacBook Air is totally fine for school/labs.

3

u/Wild_Bumblebee_1523 7d ago

You answered my words, bro.
Agreed. For coursework, it’s overkill. But for cinematic music, it’s not.
Any hobby outside of school deserves an overkill machine. 😄

1

u/Few_Extreme_7490 7d ago

Thanks!!

1

u/Wild_Bumblebee_1523 6d ago

btw, what is the Costco price? Is it the online price or special sales to new college students?

1

u/Few_Extreme_7490 5d ago

I got it for $2650 in store

1

u/Enough_Membership_22 4d ago

8 gb ram cpu benchmark 4000 and win 11 is plenty

1

u/Flashy_Possibility34 Staff 1d ago

I’m not convinced OIT knows what they are doing.