Is a 16" MacBook Too Big?

[WAMCthrowaway]

Recently matriculated and have been eyeing one of the new M2 pros. I prefer the size of the 16 inch for the utility of extra screen space, but I know its much less mobile than the 14". I guess my main concern would be bringing the laptop to the hospital during clinical rotations? Do clinicals necessitate you bring your laptop to the hospital? And if so, do you need to move/ carry it frequently?

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[Med Ed]

If you want the 16 then get the 16. You will not be given EMR access via a private laptop, and you'll have your phone to look up info on the fly, so there is no discernible need to lug one around on rotations. You also don't want to worry about it getting stolen.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

For my clerkships and rotations, there were never enough computers for MS to access the EMR, and if we were using one, we were expected to give it up to an attending or resident. However, we were able to access the EMR with our private laptops and tablets so bringing your laptop to clerkships/rotations were necessary.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Whatever works for your school/clinic.

Just make sure you consider an extender monitor that can connect with your laptop for those moments when dual-screening (when studying at home).

 

[VaultArmitage]

Just my 5 cents as someone who is doing a comp bio PhD. There's no way a student needs the M2 pro chip. It is such overkill for any task a student does on a daily basis. The base model has 16gb of RAM, 10 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, and 512 SSD storage (and that's just the 14 inch!)

10 CPU cores? My 2017 MacBook Air had 4 and it lasted through 4 years of 3-4 hours of daily coding.

16gb of ram? Again the good old air had 8 and was totally fine. Maybe if you routinely open up 20+ tabs in your web browser.

16 GPU cores? If you're also an avid gamer then you *might* use the GPU cores but then again you're not choosing Apple if you're an avid gamer. They're great for machine learning and video editing and that's about it.

Basically, if you want the pro because if have extra cash and want the nicest new toy then get it. But if you getting it because you think you need it as a student then that's definitely not true. The M2 air is the best option imo as a student with superior battery life and a chip that will handle everything a student could ever throw at it.

 

[VaultArmitage]

Also: Apple is supposedly releasing a 15inch MacBook Air which would be a great choice.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Buy whichever $2500 googling/Anki machine makes you happiest. Or buy an older/lower tier one that can do all the stuff you need it to for 1/3 the price.

 

[WAMCthrowaway]

Just my 5 cents as someone who is doing a comp bio PhD. There's no way a student needs the M2 pro chip. It is such overkill for any task a student does on a daily basis. The base model has 16gb of RAM, 10 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, and 512 SSD storage (and that's just the 14 inch!)

10 CPU cores? My 2017 MacBook Air had 4 and it lasted through 4 years of 3-4 hours of daily coding.

16gb of ram? Again the good old air had 8 and was totally fine. Maybe if you routinely open up 20+ tabs in your web browser.

16 GPU cores? If you're also an avid gamer then you *might* use the GPU cores but then again you're not choosing Apple if you're an avid gamer. They're great for machine learning and video editing and that's about it.

Basically, if you want the pro because if have extra cash and want the nicest new toy then get it. But if you getting it because you think you need it as a student then that's definitely not true. The M2 air is the best option imo as a student with superior battery life and a chip that will handle everything a student could ever throw at it.

I’m well aware it is overkill haha. I just really like the technology and having good specs. It also helps with future proofing. Dont forget about the promotion display either. That sh** is amazing to use.

 

[WAMCthrowaway]

Also: Apple is supposedly releasing a 15inch MacBook Air which would be a great choice.

I will actually consider the 15 inch air model, assuming it comes with the 120 Hz display and releases before I matriculate. The screen size and refresh rate are why Im eyeing the pro models at the moment. If this were to drop in time, it would be a no brainer

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

I’m well aware it is overkill haha. I just really like the technology and having good specs. It also helps with future proofing. Dont forget about the promotion display either. That sh** is amazing to use.

You don't need to justify your financial decisions to anyone.

It seems that some places will bar you from accessing EMR and other will allow it. This seems like something you should ask your school about to see what they recommend given the conditions.

If your primary goal is to have something portable then I would suggest the 13" macbook air.

I also imagine that you would feasibly be able to carry around an ipad / ipad mini with you in your coat pocket or a lanyard situation. Hopefully there will be a better ipad mini at some point, but there are dozens of great tablet options. Phones do seem to be more "go to" nowadays, and the Galaxy Fold series seems promising for having an ultra portable device that turns into a tablet. (Even if you don't use it over your iphone for normal stuff).

If you've never had a 16-17" laptop before then I can tell you, it's a portable workstation, not a 2lb ultrabook. Sometimes you need more than 1 or 2 devices so consider having the right tool for the job. I've long used multipurpose devices and it can get frustrating when having a separate dedicated device for each task '/ station works much better.

 

[WAMCthrowaway]

You don't need to justify your financial decisions to anyone.

It seems that some places will bar you from accessing EMR and other will allow it. This seems like something you should ask your school about to see what they recommend given the conditions.

If your primary goal is to have something portable then I would suggest the 13" macbook air.

I also imagine that you would feasibly be able to carry around an ipad / ipad mini with you in your coat pocket or a lanyard situation. Hopefully there will be a better ipad mini at some point, but there are dozens of great tablet options. Phones do seem to be more "go to" nowadays, and the Galaxy Fold series seems promising for having an ultra portable device that turns into a tablet. (Even if you don't use it over your iphone for normal stuff).

If you've never had a 16-17" laptop before then I can tell you, it's a portable workstation, not a 2lb ultrabook. Sometimes you need more than 1 or 2 devices so consider having the right tool for the job. I've long used multipurpose devices and it can get frustrating when having a separate dedicated device for each task '/ station works much better.

Thank you for your input. The EMR thing is definitely something I will try to find out. I remember carrying around a laptop as a scribe, and I couldn't imagine doing that with the 16". Though, if EMR access is prohibited on personal devices, that won't be something I need to consider. I wonder if EMR software is even compatible with macOS?

 

[Med Ed]

Thank you for your input. The EMR thing is definitely something I will try to find out. I remember carrying around a laptop as a scribe, and I couldn't imagine doing that with the 16". Though, if EMR access is prohibited on personal devices, that won't be something I need to consider. I wonder if EMR software is even compatible with macOS?

I need to amend my previous statement: as a medical student you may or may not have access to the EMR(s) through your laptop.

Either way I don't think you should let that impact your near-term purchase decision. For one, you have no idea what EMR access is going to look like in 2+ years. As you may have heard, hacking EMRs for fun and profit is getting more common, and all manner of new rules and protocols may be implemented by 2025.

If you are allowed access to the EMR on a private device, the best way to do it now is on a tablet. iPads in particular are good for this, because the iPadOS is pretty secure and the devices can be wiped remotely if they ever disappear. They are also relatively inexpensive and portable. Some places prefer the Surface, but to each their own. To my knowledge laptops actually present the biggest security headache to IT.

So my suggestion is to just get the laptop you want now and just anticipate getting a tablet in a couple of years.