POLL: what computer for college?

[pennylane]

I can't decide. Help!

I'm going to Berkeley next year (as a freshman). I live in southern California, so I'll be driving up there (at least to go there in August with all my junk).

I have a desktop now, but I may (or may not) get a laptop to bring. It's up to me. If I want, I can get a relatively good (say, around $1500ish?) laptop. But I'm not sure if I want to just bring my desktop and get a cheaper one, but smaller and lighter for increased mobility. Any ideas?

 

[Jugernot]

I'd say just buy a good laptop. I recently got a Dell 5100, which I would say is a "good laptop". It's got the following:

2.53GHz P4
512meg PC2100 DDR (upgrade myself)
30gig UDMA100 HD
24/10/8/40 DVD/CDRW drive
builtin ethernet and wireless 802.a/b
ATI Radeon 7500 (weakest part of the system IMO)
15" SXGA+ screen (1400x1050 res)
USB 2.0
Firewire

I got this for under a $1000 when Dell was running one of their sales with a coupon.

I've thought more than once about just using it as my primary computer, but my desktop is almost as fast and has dual 19" monitors, so I decided against it.

Anyway, I'd just buy a fast laptop and it'll do whatever you need it to do all builtin.

 

[mchammer187]

get a laptop then you wont waste any time playing games

 

You're never going to use the laptop. Trust me - I just finished my first year at UM and everyone I knew ('cept my roommate from Singapore) had their laptop on their desks for all 8 months of the school year.

Buy a sweet desktop with a flat panel monitor. You'll relish the awesome space savings.

Additionally, there are computer labs ALL over campus here. I never once wished I had a laptop.

 

[Bigdude]

Get a Dell laptop dude!

 

[Anubis]

desktop. yull use teh laptop for liek 2 weeks. then itll just sit at you desk

 

[wyvrn]

Laptop if you school is network friendly. I commute to school and it really helps to have a laptop to do my assignments. I cannot drive home between classes because the drive is too long. Plus, the rooms are being refurbished across campus to have wireless and ethernet access. And college professors are encouraging computers because much of the curiculum, quizzes, notes, and discussion boards are online. Plus, I can take notes on my laptop for most of my classes which is more convenient than keeping track of several notebooks. I use my laptop a lot more at school now that I can get online just about wherever I want.

 

[Platypus]

Please stay AWAY from laptops. I cannot tell you how many people have had problems with trying to run their laptops like a PC and being pissed when they cannot. You will pay more for the laptop and you will get less. Theft is also a problem. Build your own system for a fraction of the cost.

 

[wyvrn]

Well theft is not a problem for me because I am not careless. Just don't leave your laptop lying around unattended, and you shant have a problem. The bigger problem is an aching arm from carrying mine. The only thing I would change is to buy a smaller size notebook and have a cheap desktop at home with cdrom drive.

 

[AgentEL]

i'm at berkeley and i can say that a slim laptop was very convenient. I was on campus constantly and I really liked the convenience of always being connected.

They started AirBears, so that any student with a wireless card can hook up to the internet pretty much all over campus (libraries, computer science building, cafes).

 

[Bigdude]

You can buy a Dell for less than building a system!

 

[zephyrprime]

I recommend not buyin anything until you feel a need for it. People always want to buy in advance of school starting but you may not really know what you'll need until you're there.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
I recommend not buyin anything until you feel a need for it. People always want to buy in advance of school starting but you may not really know what you'll need until you're there.

Ditto, unless you have a need to work mobile at HS now or something else.

Build a system or just take it with you since your posting here. Get a flat screen to save some space unless you have space on your desk for whatever monitor you have.

Only get a laptop if you are going to do work on it or are likely to takes notes on it in class.

 

[MrBond]

I never take my laptop on campus. It's too much to worry about. It's useless for note taking, because I'm taking technical courses with lots of figures and such (that aren't easy to put into a computer).

I do use it for excel when doing homework, but I'm always doing that at my house, so it's only slightly easier.

If you're gonna be in the dorms, a flat panel monitor might be a good idea. Our desks were tiny, with my monitor on it, I had no room for a keyboard and only about a 1'x1' square of open space. I don't know how big the desks are at berkley though.

Edit: regarding the poll, the cheaper the laptop, the bulkier it is usually. For less than $600, you can get a used Thinkpad T20 from ebay, they're SUPER light and thin (no more than an inch)

 

[newbiepcuser]

Originally posted by: mchammer187
get a laptop then you wont waste any time playing games

 

[Jugernot]

See I can't disagree more with you guys. I take my laptop everywhere with my and I'm a fulltime student. Luckily everywhere I have classes, has wireless internet, so it's a seemless transition for me. I can do whatever I want anywhere.

 

[idNut]

For some reason I'm anti-laptop. They've never impressed me but if you're going to just type papers, a laptop is a wise choice otherwise, desktop.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Desktops don't get stolen nearly as often.

- M4H

 

[Siddhartha]

I would get a mid level desktop for demanding computer needs and a decent used laptop.

 

[NeoSolo]

depends on what you are going to use it for.

computer/engineering fields and games... you will want large lcd, nice keyboard, and a lot of storage

I am not too sure what other majors do with computer other than write paper and internet surfing... so.. laptop will be better to take to lib or lab.


one thing for sure is that, I used hated moving computer during summer break and winter break when I was going home. I had tower case.

 

[m2kewl]

get a shuttle xpc with a p4/3.0ghz HT and dell 2000fp

 

[furyalecto]

I tried a laptop at school & it was a huge pain. Desktop & LCD all the way.