College Laptop

[Tylerthigpen!1!]

The parents are buying me a $600ish laptop that I get to pick outfor my high school graduation present. Not too sure on what I should get. I plan to major in Mechanical Engineering. Right now I am looking at a Studio 15 mainly because it is $150 off. Would the 15 inch screen be too bulky to carry around? Any advice is welcome.

[Hammock Parties]

You can always steal one.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Get a netbook.

[Jenson71]

I guess it depends on how big your backpack is, or if you do one of those over one shoulder across the body bags.

Netbooks seem to be popular because they are cheap and easy to carry around and work for homework purposes, surfing the internet and writing papers. As far as I understand, they don't have much power to do other things. I've seen a few kids on my campus have them. But if you're looking to load games or heavy media, I don't think a netbook will get you far.

$600 though you (your parents) can get more than a netbook. Just be sure you turn it off when you're not using it. You want to save energy right? No, the real reason is because your laptop might burn up if you sit it too long for too often. Then you have to get one of those air blower things. And that makes it a lot bulkier.

I never carry my laptop to and from classes though. I would advise against it at first. I don't think it helps more in taking notes, plus, I've seen students fool around on the internet in the middle of a class. You don't want to be that kid.

[SPchief]

Dude, you're gettin a dell

[Sure-Oz]

www.slickdeals.net
they usually have good deals on lappys

[Gravedigger]

Well obviously you won't be able to get a Mac with that price tag, but I have a 15" and its nice, I don't think bulk is really a problem anymore with laptops.

[Fat Elvis]

If you can pitch in an extra $300, this is the one to get....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218044029168

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by SPchief

Dude, you're gettin a dell

I did a few weeks ago...

[DaKCMan AP]

Often the engineering college or individual departments will have recommended laptop specs for students. If available, try to meet those. From my experience, get something light. When I started college back in '03 I got a $2300 top-of-the-line desktop replacement. It worked great, and I still have and use it. However, it was heavy and a major pain to bring to/from campus and often I left it at home.

You should be able to find a laptop with enough speed, memory and disk space that's light/compact enough to drag around campus. Since you're going into mechanical engineering something with a good graphics card would be nice for your cad/modeling tools.

[Jewish Rabbi]

A 15" laptop is barely a laptop. No need to get that big of screen, IMO, if you're going to be using it outside your house.

[The_Doctor10]

600 bucks for a laptop, you better spend the required money to get the best anti-virus on earth, and don't download a thing onto it, because within 8 months you'll be seeing blue-screens like they were pigeons; everywhere, all the time, and accompanied by shit.

I myself am going into my third year, and I had my previous laptop (799 at Future Shop) for maybe half that time. The rest of the time it was in Surrey or Toronto or God knows where getting fixed for the same damn issues over and over. With laptops especially, you get what you pay for, and with a 600 dollar computer, you're not getting too much.

I've since bought a Macbook, and it's been the most incredible machine I've ever owned. Despite it's admittedly steep price, I think the benefit of having my own computer throughout the course of a full academic year makes up for it. If you're in your first year, I'd hold onto your money and save to buy a Mac as soon as you can; not only is everyone at your school going to be telling you this within a week of you having been there, but in all honesty you won't likely need to write more than seven or eight papers anyway, depending on your major, which can most likely be done in your library. And as a first year, familiarizing yourself with the library's inner workings is going to be an invaluable skill as you progress. Trust me on this.

[AMDChief]

I got my daugther a refirb'd Gateway laptop last year from Newegg. Added a gig of ram and it's been great for her. I have purchased several things from them over the years and have never had a problem.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0%20-%20%24750

[Infidel Goat]

You could spend an extra $400 of your own money and get this one:

http://dealmac.com/Apple-Mac-Book-Ai...-h/296433.html

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Unleash_the_Phury

600 bucks for a laptop, you better spend the required money to get the best anti-virus on earth, and don't download a thing onto it, because within 8 months you'll be seeing blue-screens like they were pigeons; everywhere, all the time, and accompanied by shit.

I myself am going into my third year, and I had my previous laptop (799 at Future Shop) for maybe half that time. The rest of the time it was in Surrey or Toronto or God knows where getting fixed for the same damn issues over and over. With laptops especially, you get what you pay for, and with a 600 dollar computer, you're not getting too much.

I've since bought a Macbook, and it's been the most incredible machine I've ever owned. Despite it's admittedly steep price, I think the benefit of having my own computer throughout the course of a full academic year makes up for it. If you're in your first year, I'd hold onto your money and save to buy a Mac as soon as you can; not only is everyone at your school going to be telling you this within a week of you having been there, but in all honesty you won't likely need to write more than seven or eight papers anyway, depending on your major, which can most likely be done in your library. And as a first year, familiarizing yourself with the library's inner workings is going to be an invaluable skill as you progress. Trust me on this.

Not really. There are some good laptops that are very inexpensive right now. As far as the virus, as long as you have protection software, and aren't dumb, you shouldn't have trouble.