Best Laptop for College, $800 max

[ElFenix]

once a laptop is in a backpack, weight almost doesn't matter. 4 lbs, 7 lbs, it's all the same. used to carry a laptop, 2 spare batteries, some notepads, and textbooks all in one bag. use both straps.

 

[aferrick]

The $700 mba sounds nice, but I dont particularly like macs all that much. I'd also prefer a nicer display.
I've been thinking of waiting for the new Acers to be released; the ones with the 840m/850m. They look pretty good.

 

[Imaginer]

Consider the Thinkpad Yoga lines that come with a pen (highly useful for notes, formulas, and powerpoint annotations and addition of notes that aren't just text). The pen is very useful in being non-linear in documentation. (yes that is not within a price range, but should give the mentality of the device one would need overall).

Other lines to consider with a pen, would be the Sony Tap, that falls more in line with a slate tablet PC with a wireless keyboard that can attach magnetically to the screen to protect it like a cover. This also comes with a pen for notes along with typing.

I say having a pen is immensely useful in combination of a full OneNote program. One can easily eliminate papers and papers of carried bulk and consolidate all reference material (in e-books, non-linear note taking, referencing, and running some class programs). Tablet PCs would be more fitting in some classroom areas with EXTREMELY limited desk space.

Also something to look is Sony's Vaio Flip, similar to the Yoga and Thinkpad Yoga) of Leveno, but has a pen as well.

You should be expecting a good discount as Sony is exiting Vaio manufacturing.

Also of point, and possibly a bit out of your range, is the Surface Pro 3 - cheapest configuration.

I wouldn't place much emphasis on just looking at the dGPU (potential) options in the devices. The primary goal is work first, gaming as a bonus - though the machines above possibly may fit gaming, and I can definitely attest the Surface Pro 2's iGPU gaming performance to be adequate.

I would definitely appreciate handwriting notes, diagrams, formulas as an engineering student along with typing for communication and reports. Consider devices with a pen as well.

 

[Imaginer]

But... oh crap, am I about to recommend the Surface Pro 3?

It really is hard not to in this setting. Really it is. The price for what one would get and need falls well in line.

Dell has a Venue 11 Pro, and even with the keyboard accessory, would fall in line too of pricing.

 

[s44]

The chromebook is a throw away device with only 16gb of storage and a bay trail processor. It costs 1/3 as much but is 1/10th as capable.

The problem for Apple and Microsoft is that the C200 is a third of the price of the Air (or comparable Ultrabook) but actually has *90%* of the functionality. Most people use their $1000 laptops to surf the web, watch videos, and read Facebook, with occasional emails or light document processing. They are wasting basically all the money and CPU/GPU power that's over the Chromebook point.

 

[aferrick]

I like the idea of the Surface Pro, but it's expensive and has limited storage space.
I can probably find a refurbished/used one that comes with the pen and touch cover for cheaper. If it's the i5 and at least 128GB for $800 or less I can deal with that.
The Yoga series (thinkpad and lenovo) are both cool and useful, though the 13" models I heard are awkward as tablets.

 

[Imaginer]

I like the idea of the Surface Pro, but it's expensive and has limited storage space.
I can probably find a refurbished/used one that comes with the pen and touch cover for cheaper. If it's the i5 and at least 128GB for $800 or less I can deal with that.
The Yoga series (thinkpad and lenovo) are both cool and useful, though the 13" models I heard are awkward as tablets.

Storage shouldn't be a problem if you aren't installing an entire library of Steam files (which can be easily done and used on an external USB drive or MicroSD card).

Personal storage can be had under those options. Anticipate the programs you would use regularly and size the drive space accordingly, with some allocation for swap space accommodations (if you want performance aspects)

Do you have a PC right now with programs you would use frequently? If so, can you estimate your drive use and see if it would be carried over accordingly?

Also, new 4GB/128GB storage for the Surface Pro 1 here.

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Sur...=1403206912&sr=8-2&keywords=surface+pro+2+128

 

[aferrick]

I mean for storage with 128GB it'd be subtracting the OS first, then at least 2 or 3 games at a time.
If it was 256GB then that'd be fine.

 

[Piroko]

The problem for Apple and Microsoft is that the C200 is a third of the price of the Air (or comparable Ultrabook) but actually has *90%* of the functionality. Most people use their $1000 laptops to surf the web, watch videos, and read Facebook, with occasional emails or light document processing. They are wasting basically all the money and CPU/GPU power that's over the Chromebook point.

The problem with any Chromebook is that you can't run a single scientific program on ChromeOS. It definitely does not have anywhere near 90% - or even 20% - functionality for his usage scenario. It's a 250$ plastic toy.

B.t.t., from my personal experience, college will work a lot better if you don't have any games on your notebook during college. I don't have any problem with a secondary use as a gaming notebook during holidays, but games distract way too much~
Which would also solve your HDD size issues. 128 GB is plenty for Win8 and various programs.

 

[aferrick]

That makes a lot of sense and is a really good idea.
It'd probably help to know what programs I'd need for college, too LOL

 

[ponyo]

The problem with any Chromebook is that you can't run a single scientific program on ChromeOS. It definitely does not have anywhere near 90% - or even 20% - functionality for his usage scenario. It's a 250$ plastic toy.

B.t.t., from my personal experience, college will work a lot better if you don't have any games on your notebook during college. I don't have any problem with a secondary use as a gaming notebook during holidays, but games distract way too much~
Which would also solve your HDD size issues. 128 GB is plenty for Win8 and various programs.

You can easily install various forms of Linux using Crouton. Or install Wine using Crouton and run Windows program. Chrome remote desktop is also a possibility if he has another PC/desktop.

I would probably buy a Macbook or Windows laptop just to be safe but Chromebook is great alternative and great second laptop.

 

[Imaginer]

That makes a lot of sense and is a really good idea.
It'd probably help to know what programs I'd need for college, too LOL

Even if you do not know, you would be typing or more likely doing a lot of hand notes. Power point presentations, annotations in a 2 dimensional manner (rather than just text entry manipulation in a 1 dimensional entry) my vote goes to a Tablet PC with a pen.

Even on a typical, small, fold table desk classrooms have, both the Surface Pro and cover keyboard laid flat would well enough be suited for the task in writing, typing and referencing all in one. Viewing angles are good to being great enough to handle writing from a vantage point of the device being flat.

And yes, games would be distracting. However, a treat every now and then. One can also partake in practicing drawing too in some cases.

 

[Piroko]

That makes a lot of sense and is a really good idea.
It'd probably help to know what programs I'd need for college, too LOL

I'd plan with 10 GB for MS Office, Libre Office, MS Visio and another 15~20 GB for programs and documents that will accumulate.

 

[aferrick]

Is Libre Office just like a collaborative MS Office? I thinks that's what I gathered from their website. And, that's a good distribution of data, I like that.
Okay so, Surface Pro (1,2,3) vs Lenovo Yoga (1, 2, pro, thinkpad), vs Dell XPS 12?

 

[Imaginer]

once a laptop is in a backpack, weight almost doesn't matter. 4 lbs, 7 lbs, it's all the same. used to carry a laptop, 2 spare batteries, some notepads, and textbooks all in one bag. use both straps.

You say this, but traveling with my Envy 14 in my backpack over time can get to me.

With a lighter device, the endurance is extended.

The saying of holding a glass of water at the moment isn't heavy - but hold it over an hour and it would be.

 

[Imaginer]

Is Libre Office just like a collaborative MS Office? I thinks that's what I gathered from their website. And, that's a good distribution of data, I like that.
Okay so, Surface Pro (1,2,3) vs Lenovo Yoga (1, 2, pro, thinkpad), vs Dell XPS 12?

MS Office is just as collaborative.

OneNote notebooks can absolutely be shared in access to anyone you want to view. Those with Office, can have a much better time contributing if you allow them. Even in the notebooks, you can password section off sections for your own use.

Other Office areas though, one cannot simultaneously contribute to an open Excel file at the same time, it has to be saved and closed by the current user editing it for another to open that document and work with it. This applies with files stored locally and not on OneDrive. OneDrive has built in Sharepoint features.

So, you can save your documents to OneDrive, link it to download and sync with the folder directed to on a local PC, and others can contribute in the same manner.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/office2010/archive/2009/11/23/collaboration-without-compromise.aspx

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-editing/f5e32ff5-fdec-4d8f-8a78-b871a126cb9d

 

[aferrick]

It's difficult to decide whether to do a traditional notebook and have paper notes, or get a 2-in-1 and use OneNote, etc.
I like the idea of the convertibles, but I feel like the application hasn't been perfected enough yet.

 

[Piroko]

Personal opinion again, we've tried to do OneNote collabs before - it didn't work as well as we thought. Mostly because OneNote performs like a dog past a certain point, but I don't know if they improved on that in recent versions.
With that said, it still worked better than google docs. And so far everyone went back to paper sonner or later, but your mileage may vary.

 

[Torn Mind]

Matlab or something like it will be something many math-intensive disciplines will have you use. x86 with a full OS (Windows or fully-featured Linux, not Chrome OS) is the way to go. Windows especially since there's probably some Windows-only apps that you will just come across...

 

[Torn Mind]

A touchscreen is not strictly necessary, imo, since Wacom makes graphics tablets that can connect to a laptop via USB and basically replace the mouse. Whether you are comfortable with that sort of setup is ultimately dependent on your personal preferences, and hence it would be wise to buy something like an Intuos tablet at a store with favourable return policies. The tablet rectangle marks the absolute position on the screen, which might take some getting used to if you've only used a mouse all your life.

You could diversify and get an older generation Thinkpad T series for pure work(those keyboards are something else) and then burn the rest of the money on an APU laptop. Arrowdirect has some T400s for real cheap.

 

[Imaginer]

A touchscreen is not strictly necessary, imo, since Wacom makes graphics tablets that can connect to a laptop via USB and basically replace the mouse. Whether you are comfortable with that sort of setup is ultimately dependent on your personal preferences,.

Believe me, in a school setting, there would not be room for both a digitizer periphery and a laptop in play - those desks are small in some classrooms. The digitizer tablet would have to sit on the lap, and even then, cannot easily pan through an "infiinte" page space as easily with touch combined with penning on Tablet PCs.

Also, I have had this layout before, and in an even more cramped setting (a car as a passenger), the Intuos 4 I used would sit on top of the laptop's keyboard, thus blocking any usage of the keyboard if I need it, I have to be mindful of my computing usage and workings. Not to mention, no panning. This was also at the time where I emphasized dGPUs in my laptops as a must requirement.

It is personal, but believe me that it would be more of a hindrance with that dual setup.

 

[Imaginer]

Personal opinion again, we've tried to do OneNote collabs before - it didn't work as well as we thought. Mostly because OneNote performs like a dog past a certain point, but I don't know if they improved on that in recent versions.
With that said, it still worked better than google docs. And so far everyone went back to paper sonner or later, but your mileage may vary.

A bit of delay, but more or less due to the network's speed in keeping up the sync. It doesn't stop of each person placing their notes in the notebook in separate pages, to then combine later on - in case if one missed the other's notes of the professor's lecture.

If everyone is working the same page, I would see it posing a problem in overlap.

I still would like this solution though, and some cases a pen and paper would be necessary - but for me I would transcribe them to OneNote (taking an image, scanning, or directly writing word for word) in the end - paper and pencil/pen would fade or degrade over time plus bulk.

Another mention, one can screen capture sections of an e-book, pdf, web browsing page, and make notes in OneNote with the copy/paste content. This is also handy too - if feasible. Combined with a camera to snapshot the whiteboard, and then making notes with the camera capture before it is wiped up for more room, is another great application - though, not entirely possible in many seating arrangements.

 

[aferrick]

I've discussed some with my friend, whose school requires a tablet & pen for engineering. We're both considering the ThinkPad Yoga (good deals on Ebay!) with a Wacom pen. Seems like one of the best options currently.