Minimum Equipment Requirements

- The College strongly recommends the Apple MacBook Air 13” - 256GB with the M2 chip Set as the minimum requirement. The MacBook Air with M1 Chip will suffice, but the machine will struggle with speed and battery life in 2 – 3 years.

- Optional Portable USB Hard Drive minimum size 500GB (for backing up) or use College issued Google File Stream to backup online.

- A hard-sided sturdy carry case is highly recommended and is compulsory, soft sleeve cases, and neoprene jackets are thin and do not provide any protection if the MacBook is dropped. Clip-on covers do not provide suitable protection.

AppleCare+ Protection Plan

- Please ensure that you purchase the MacBook under the educational pricing structure and purchase the AppleCare+ Protection Plan.

- AppleCare+ for Mac provides up to three years of expert technical support and additional hardware coverage from Apple, including up to two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months. 

- Each incident is subject to a service fee of A$149 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or A$429 for other damage.1 In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts by chat or phone through getsupport.apple.com.2 Coverage begins on your AppleCare+ purchase date.

- The final decision on the best option/model for each child needs to be made by you the parents/carers. 

- The BYODD MacBook program is a compulsory condition of enrolment at Magdalene Catholic College.

The link below explains the Apple pricing structure for the different MacBook models currently available.  

Click here to compare models

Options Available:

Option 1: Use an existing MacBook

Students use can use an existing MacBook, portable hard drive and carry case that the family already owns and that meets the school’s specifications available for their child to use. Some machines may need a replacement battery depending on the battery life, as students are not allowed to bring chargers to school. 

Option 2: Apple Retail store

Purchase a MacBook from an Apple Retail store. There are several Apple Retail stores in Sydney that offer special educational packages for students. Our preferred Apple reseller is EDUCOMIT who are based in Smeaton Grange - https://www.educomit.com.au/ 

EduComIT Flyer 

Option 3: Self Funded

Purchase a new Apple MacBook model, hard drive and carry case from any commercial retailer. Please be aware that the standard warranty is limited to only 12 months unless the AppleCare+ for Mac Protection plan is purchased this will extend the warranty to a full three years (36 months).

http://www.apple.com/au/legal/statutory-warranty/

The final decision on the best option for each child needs to be made by you the parents/carers, as you will have ownership of the machine. 

A good Durable carry case is a MUST.  They are not fashion accessories. Its only job is to protect the MacBook from damage.