The Mac is user-friendly 1.

The high user-friendliness of the Mac is legendary. And anyone who has worked with an iPhone or iPad will immediately find their way around the intuitive Mac interface – all without thick manuals. Existing teaching materials can be easily migrated from the old computer to the new Mac, and connecting peripherals (printer, monitor) is a breeze – missing drivers are a problem of the past.

6. The Mac is stable and secure

Apple devices are far less vulnerable to malware and viruses due to the tight integration of hardware and software compared to other operating systems. Stored data is automatically encrypted, and new apps are checked for known security issues before they are executed. And thanks to the excellent symbiosis of hardware and software, maintenance effort is minimized.

2. The Mac awakens the creative potential in you

The onboard creative and productivity apps such as Pages, Numbers, Keynote, GarageBand, or iMovie are intuitive to use and enable every user to produce professionally appearing documents and media with the help of integrated templates. And those who want more will find their very own favorite creative app in the 'Education' category in the App Store among more than 100,000 apps.

7. The Mac offers software and hardware from a single source

Apple offers a complete ecosystem of hardware, apps, and services for education. High-quality devices combined with macOS, the modern operating system, and specially developed apps make the Mac a powerful and reliable companion for teachers. This is especially true for mobile devices, which are ready to use within seconds and, thanks to the extremely long battery life, last an entire workday.

3. The Mac combines the best of both worlds

Microsoft Office programs (PowerPoint, Excel, Word) work seamlessly on Mac as well. For the teacher, this means that they can continue to work in their familiar environment and use existing teaching materials 1:1 on the Mac. Conversely, documents created on the Mac can be exported into a variety of standardized file formats and thus easily shared with other colleagues. And if necessary, a Mac can also run Windows.

8. The Mac has a high residual value

Thanks to the high-quality hardware, which still looks good after years of use, and the long-term relevance through software updates, Apple devices have a comparatively low depreciation – and this benefits you when purchasing a new Mac: With Apple Trade In, you can exchange your old device for a credit towards a new one – thus saving real money.

4. The Mac helps you work flexibly

The tools of the Apple platform work perfectly together and enable you comprehensive mobile productivity: No matter where you are and which Apple device you are currently using – all files are always up to date and can be supplemented or revised at any time – during free periods, on the go, or from home. The Mac helps you to accomplish your daily tasks more easily and flexibly.

9. The Mac is sustainable

The materials used in the new MacBook Air and their manufacturing process are focused on sustainability: The casing is made from 100% recycled aluminum to minimize environmental impact without compromising on quality. The longer the device is used, the better it is for the planet. And old, non-functional devices are recycled for free to minimize the amount of raw materials extracted.

5. The Mac simplifies collaboration

With Airdrop, you can easily share large documents, photos, videos, and websites wirelessly with other Apple devices nearby. Thanks to cloud synchronization, all documents are available on all devices at any time and can be shared with other users using the 'Collaboration' feature to work together in real time on joint educational projects.

10. Data protection is taken very seriously on the Mac

Apple places great emphasis on privacy and the privacy of its customers - which is a significant factor especially in the educational environment! The corresponding technology is already integrated into the development of the devices and is continuously being developed further. Apple primarily focuses on data minimization, anonymization, and encryption: For example, the Safari web browser prevents the sharing of user data across multiple websites, thus making it difficult to create personalized user profiles.

Switching from Windows to Mac M1, M2, or M3: A teacher shares his experience

Digitalization not only poses major challenges for parents and children. Teachers are also required to work with the latest technologies and teaching methods.

Children have a lot of imagination. They want to be taught creatively and productively. Our experience has shown that they like the intuitive and simple operation when working with Apple devices. But what does this mean for teachers who work with Windows?

We spoke with T. R., a teacher from Zurich:

Why did you choose a Mac?

For a long time, I resisted buying Apple products due to cost reasons. However, more and more people from my circle of friends and family have switched from Windows to Mac, and they all raved about how efficiently they can work with their Apple products. That made it time for me to explore this myth as well.

Productivity, efficiency, and compatibility are also priorities for me. I thought switching from Windows to Mac would be complicated and time-consuming. But the most important applications, such as Microsoft 365, work exactly the same on both computers. Moreover, I must admit that I greatly underestimated the performance. For data transfer and setting up the most important basic functions, I used the help of DQ Solutions. Simply put: The transition was no problem at all.

How has your workday changed with a Mac?

Screen resolution is an important criterion for me as a glasses wearer. If I sit in front of the device all day, I tire less quickly on the Mac. I also work much faster and more efficiently. I prepare the lessons relaxed at home on the iMac and then transfer all the data with the cloud function to my MacBook Air or directly to the children's work devices. This saves additional effort and time. Creativity knows no bounds. The children and I have a lot of fun in class as a result.

Here's what our customers say:

Exceptional performance, long battery life, no issues with existing software.

«» My experiences with the new M1 chip from Apple are convincing: Exceptional performance, long battery life, and - thanks to Rosetta 2 - no problems with existing software. I would like to give an example: My 10-year-old Mac Pro took 2.5 hours in Adobe Photoshop. My new Mac mini M1 takes less than 2.5 minutes for the same task! In addition, the new M1 models have a price advantage over the Intel models, which allows for better utilization of the existing budget. I am also switching my personal Macs to M1 - and my family is thrilled. Rainer Egle, Mac Support, University of Zurich

13" MacBook Pro M1 actually achieve the performance of the 16" models with Intel processors.

«» If possible, future acquisitions will include Macs with M1 processors. Likely 13″ MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M1. The advantage is quite clear, as the current 13″ MacBook Pro M1 can achieve the same performance as the 16″ models with Intel processors. At BFH Bern, there is a trial run where existing Mac Pro desktops with Intel processors are being replaced by the new Mac mini M1, as they have become very powerful. Olaf Prinz, Team Leader Workspace Services BFH Bern

Most users can switch to a Mac with M1, M2, or M3 without any concerns.

«» At the ZHdK, 32 of the purchased 50 devices are already in use. From the ZHdK's perspective, there are no reservations about the new Macs with Apple Silicon, as they are completely trouble-free in daily operations. The new devices impress with good performance, long battery life, etc. Therefore, most users can switch to a Mac with M1, M2, or M3 without any concerns. Tilo Sepanjang, ITZ ZHdK Zürich

I am enthusiastic about the Apple Silicon devices.

«» We currently have 30 MacBook Air M1s in use. I am thrilled with the new Apple Silicon devices – especially the battery life and the absence of a fan. The transition to devices with the new processors was mostly trouble-free, because the school had already ensured that the software portfolio was up to date. We mainly use Office programs and Archicad. Archicad is currently still running under Rosetta 2, which is roughly comparable to running it on a Mac with Intel.
Marco Frei, Nänikon-Greifensee Upper Secondary School

Webinars Mac M1, M2 and M3 in School Teaching

Digitalization poses major challenges for educational institutions. Teachers are required to work with the latest technologies and teaching methods. We will show you how to work with a Mac in classroom instruction, the seamless interaction between Mac and iPad, and how the new Mac changes teaching and learning.

Currently, no webinars are scheduled ...


Frequently Asked Questions.

With its flat and compact design, the 24" iMac is ideal for use in schools. Multiple users can work on it, and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID allows for quick user switching, giving all users fingerprint access to their personal desktop. The 4.5K Retina Display is perfectly designed for everyday school use and features the best camera, microphones, and speakers ever included in a Mac, making the 24" iMac also excellent for video calls. With the M3 chip, the 24" iMac handles even the most demanding tasks. It wakes up quickly from sleep mode, and apps start and operate at top speed.

What special advantages does the new 24" iMac with M3 chip offer in the education sector?fold

The iMac and iPad complement each other well. With features like AirDrop, Handoff, and the universal clipboard, all users can start their work on the iPad and continue later on the iMac. Even iPhone apps can be run on the iMac and iPad.

How do the iMac and the iPad complement each other?fold

The deep integration of hardware and software, thanks to M1, M2, or M3 and macOS Sonoma, enables even more performance for everyday tasks such as surfing the web or running professional applications.

What advantages do the M1/M2/M3 chip and macOS Sonoma offer compared to Windows and Intel?folded

Important details.

Performance per watt refers to the amount of power that a chip can deliver with a certain amount of electricity. The M1 offers the world's best CPU performance per watt. It can deliver up to 2x the CPU performance of the latest PC laptop chip at a given power of 10 watts. The M1 can also deliver the peak CPU performance of the PC chip while consuming only a quarter of the power. This means that the M1 chips also achieve great battery life in Mac notebooks.

What does performance per watt mean and why is it important?fold

The M1/M2/M3 chip features the Apple Unified Memory Architecture. This architecture combines its high-bandwidth and low-latency memory into a single pool within a dedicated enclosure. This allows all technologies in the SoC (System on a Chip) to access the same data without the need to copy it between multiple memory pools. As a result, performance and energy efficiency are greatly enhanced.

What is a Unified Memory?fold

Yes. M1/M2/M3 uses the same advanced ISP technology as the iPhone 15. This enables improved image processing for higher video quality with better noise reduction, a larger dynamic range, and an improved automatic white balance in the integrated FaceTime HD camera in the MacBook Air and the 14" MacBook Pro. This makes your FaceTime calls look even better.

Do you use the same ISP technology as in the new iPhone 15?fold

*Tests conducted by Apple in October 2020 using pre-production 13" MacBook Pro systems with Apple M1 chip and 16 GB RAM. Performance was measured using selected industry-standard benchmarks, and comparisons were made with notebooks that were commercially available at the time of testing. The performance tests were conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of the MacBook Pro.

Setup and compatibility

With the Migration Assistant, you can easily transfer your content to a Mac model with M1, M2, or M3 and create a backup of the system with Time Machine – just like with a Mac model with an Intel processor. For Mac models with M1, M2, or M3, Time Machine only backs up user content, which simplifies the restoration process even further.

How can I transfer content from my current Mac to a Mac model with M1, M2, or M3?fold

The USB-C ports in the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini support both Thunderbolt 3 and the new USB-4 standard.

Do the new Mac models with M1, M2, or M3 support Thunderbolt and USB 4?fold

Mac models with M1/M2/M3 do not support eGPUs. M1 has the most advanced graphics processor Apple has ever built, and can deliver up to 6x faster graphics. It is the world's fastest integrated graphics in a personal computer.*

Do the new Mac models with M1/M2/M3 support eGPUs?fold

*Tests conducted by Apple in October 2020 using pre-production 13" MacBook Pro systems with M1 chip and 16 GB RAM. Performance was measured using selected industry-standard benchmarks, and comparisons were made with the most powerful integrated GPUs for notebooks and desktops available at the time of testing. An integrated GPU is defined as a GPU on a monolithic silicon chip with a CPU and a memory controller behind a unified memory subsystem. Performance tests were conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of the MacBook Pro.

Apps.

Developers are excited about switching to M1, M2, or M3 and are realizing native apps for it. With the combination of M1/M2/M3 and macOS Sonoma, these apps run faster than ever before. Your favorite apps from Adobe and Microsoft have already been adapted or run faster with Rosetta 2 than ever before – including apps with plug-ins. Apple is working closely with developers to update more applications so that they run on Mac models with M1/M2/M3.

Are apps updated by developers to run on the new Mac models with M1, M2, or M3?fold

The performance is generally better than with Mac models with Intel processors. Some graphics-intensive applications run significantly faster thanks to a combination of Metal and the graphics performance of the M1/M2/M3 chips.

Will professional apps run as fast on Mac models with M1/M2/M3 using Rosetta 2 as they do natively on Mac models with Intel processors?fold

Yes. Microsoft Office apps run natively on Apple M1/M2/M3 chips.

Does Microsoft 365 support the new M1/M2/M3 chip?fold

Yes. According to the official announcement by Parallels Desktop publisher Corel, the new version of the software offers a substantial performance boost of about 30% on Mac models with M1 compared to Mac models with Intel CPU. Additionally, the power consumption is about 250% lower.

Can Windows 10 also be installed on a Mac with an M1/M2/M3 chip?fold

Partially yes. Additionally, iPad apps are continuously being added.

Do my existing iPad apps also run on the M1/M2/M3?fold

Mac Catalyst apps are new apps specific to the Mac, designed by developers for use on Mac models with Intel processors or M1/M2/M3 chips. Running unmodified iPhone and iPad apps is a feature of Mac models with M1/M2/M3.

Are iPhone and iPad apps on the Mac the same as Mac Catalyst apps?fold

No. But one advantage of the common silicon architecture for all Apple products is that Mac Catalyst makes it easier for developers to make their iPhone and iPad apps available on Mac models with an Intel processor.

Will iPhone and iPad apps run on Mac models with an Intel processor?fold

Choosing the right Mac.

A laptop can be used as a central workstation at home or in the classroom, while the iPad serves as a mobile supplement.

Do I need a laptop if I already have an iPad?fold

Thanks to the 'Integration' feature, seamless switching between Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV devices is possible. Specific hardware and software requirements apply to each integration feature.

More on this here.

Can I share data with my iPad?fold

The battery lasts up to 17 hours.

How long does the battery last?fold

Yes. Up to a resolution of 6K.

Can I connect an external monitor?fold

Mail, Notes, FaceTime, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, GarageBand, iMovie, and more.

What software is included?fold