College: Laptop vs Desktop

[xXKelbaXx]

Although I have 2 years before I make this decision (Plan on majoring in Chem so if anyone has info on that please do share), I'd like some insight now. Personally would you bring a laptop or a desktop to college?

[astcell]

My only options were a calculator and a slide rule.

How well can you study with a laptop? Will you take it to the pub, the football games, and the outings? Are you more ikely to study if you stay put and do the work, or if you go sit under a tree? Examine your study habits and purchase accordingly.

[dYn4mic]

Depends on quite a few other factors I think....The biggest ones being your budget (but you have two years, so.. save save save i guess).. and how much travel your going to do/ what you want to do with it.

Personally, I'd go with a laptop. Centrino is great, thin is 'in' you could say.... But I'd stay away from HP, Dell and a no-name brand. IBM if you want quality and durabilty.
Unless you really need the processing power/HD space (which is kinda dumb), I wouldn't go and buy one of those new huge laptops thats 19" across and has a dual 3.4Ghz Xeon processor and all that BS. Laptops are supposed to be portable.

Maybe go with a small desktop and small LCD?
I could go on for a long time about this...
There are a lot of options... and you've got plenty of time to work it out.

[CP99]

But I'd stay away from HP, Dell and a no-name brand

or gateway, I bought a gateway 400VTX its my main computer at the moment, sooo many things are phisically wrong with it.

Make sure if you get a laptop that it has a durable outside, the VTX i have has soft mallable plastic as its casing. crap. I want that new HP.

[KeLviN]

Although I have 2 years before I make this decision...

by the time your ready to but a new computer, they will only be available in models that attach directly to your brain stem.

why dont you come back in 1 year and 11 months and dig up this thread. maybe then the information will be relevant

[Quiet]

by the time your ready to but a new computer, they will only be available in models that attach directly to your brain stem.

Wait for one of these.

Otherwise, I'd go with a laptop. Easier to transport and provides less cluter in a dorm room.

[psyco_path]

There are disadvantages to both.

Desktop = Your stinky ass dorm mate playing EQ on it all day everyday, then whining when you need to write a paper. It will assplode when he decideds that it would be ideal for a kegstand.

Laptop = Might as well wear a shirt that says please take my rig, I might have some money in my walet as well.

I know it sounds stupid but leave the machine at home for the first few weeks. use the computerlab. it will save you hassles in the end.

[allentrace]

Although I have 2 years before I make this decision (Plan on majoring in Chem so if anyone has info on that please do share), I'd like some insight now. Personally would you bring a laptop or a desktop to college?

Most colleges now require laptops if you are going for an engineering or science degree. A friend of mine attending Virginia Tech was required to purchase a laptop and the school also offered deals with vendors like Gateway and Dell, most schools have deals called Academic Discounts if you know where to look. Also I would recommend a Laptop because of the WiFi that laptops come automatically equipped with now a days. And while you are on campus you will be able to take advantage of the campuses High Speed Internet Access. ( Wishfull thinking but damn would I love to get my hands on an OC 3 line not even 12 or 24 just 3.)

[TheCotMan]

Although I have 2 years before I make this decision (Plan on majoring in Chem so if anyone has info on that please do share), I'd like some insight now. Personally would you bring a laptop or a desktop to college?

Laptops are at greater risk for being broken because of use (transport), and their LCD only last [an average of about] 4 to 5 years before something forces a replacement (and replacement can be expensive.) [I've had some LCD that last 3 years, and one that has lasted 10]

When you buy a laptop, you often end up paying about 30-40% more than a similar desktop machine when you consider all of the pieces (memory size and speed, bus speed, CPU name/model and speed, media storage size and speed, as well as buffers, video card speed and model, etc.) So, you can either get about 30% more "stuff" in a Dekstop machine, or pay 30% more for a laptop when compared to a common base.

[bascule]

Get a (good) laptop if you can afford it. Otherwise get a desktop. Simple as that.

[octalpus]

This might be a moot discussion. My school included a laptop as part of the tuition. There was no option to decline. Stop obsessing over the future and enjoy the next 2 years.

[supertechkid]

I believe that it all depends on your personal preference, what you want to do, your work/study habits, and what you can afford. That said, it's never a bad idea to ask the opinions of others to help get an outside perspective on the issue in order to come to a well rounded answer.

I'll be starting college in August, and I plan to take both my laptop and desktop, but I've got lots of reasons for doing this. The laptop I can take to class for notetaking, easier organization, and if I feel couped up, I can get up and leave. The desktop provides me with more power, storage, and it also leaves me with a computer to experiment with programs on, without leaving me high and dry. Another reason is because I'm also going for a degree in Computer Science.

Your best bet is to take your time, carefully, and meticulous, look at everything from the pros and cons of a desktop compared to a laptop, how it fits into your life, up to all of the other information/advice that you can muscle up, but you must not forget to include the college you plan on attending and its requirements, but don't jump the gun on making the decision until it's certain that you're accepted.

I hope I've been helpful.

[Second]

Speaking of which, I just got a laptop as a "going to college now" gift from my parents. I'm really excited because now I actually have something of my own to experiment/test things on. Before it was risky because if i screwed up, my whole family was affected, now it's just a matter of losing unimportant stuff.

[alienSkull]

I'll be starting college in August, and I plan to take both my laptop and desktop, but I've got lots of reasons for doing this. The laptop I can take to class for notetaking, easier organization, and if I feel couped up, I can get up and leave. The desktop provides me with more power, storage, and it also leaves me with a computer to experiment with programs on, without leaving me high and dry. Another reason is because I'm also going for a degree in Computer Science.

I am planning on doing the exact same thing. I'm bringing this desktop that I have right now, minus 2 of the 3 monitors (space concerns) and I'm buying a new laptop in a few weeks. I am going to be bringing them both.

And if physical security is an issue for your laptop (it will be) I do believe that there already is a thread on the subject.

[pr0zac0x2a]

I'll be starting college in August, and I plan to take both my laptop and desktop, but I've got lots of reasons for doing this. The laptop I can take to class for notetaking, easier organization, and if I feel couped up, I can get up and leave. The desktop provides me with more power, storage, and it also leaves me with a computer to experiment with programs on, without leaving me high and dry. Another reason is because I'm also going for a degree in Computer Science.

Couple things, speaking as a 4th year computer engineering major. Bringing the laptop to class is a bad idea in my opinion. You pay less attention in class, and a whole hell of a lot of the notes you are taking are not easily placed into a text document. Drawing a network diagram then making arrows to from your notes to the diagram is a heck of a lot easier on paper. Also, your laptop WILL get stolen in a few months. Yes I know you think you'll watch out for it, but trust me, its extremely likely. I met a guy at a party a couple years back who claimed he was putting himself through college stealing textbooks and laptops. Lastly, you look like a real douche being the laptop guy in your classes. Classes are better without the computer in front of you.