Desktop vs. Laptop

Laptop vs. Desktop for college?? I am kinda stuck in between buying a laptop or building another desktop. I like the portability of a laptop. The idea of just being able to take it to the library and type programs or papers really appeals to me. Also i'm going to a college approximately 2 hours away from my home so it would be convenient to just throw it into a backpack and take it home. However, security is an issue, but i know you can buy the locks.

However, I like the upgradability and power of desktops.

Any comments or experiences w/ laptops at college that could help my decision?

phungilax said:

Also i'm going to a college approximately 2 hours away from my home so it would be convenient to just throw it into a backpack and take it home. However, security is an issue, but i know you can buy the locks.

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So, you don't live in the dorms? If so, than a lappy, no question about it,

Sorry, I will be living in the dorms. I was suggesting that since i will be living only 2 hours away i could come home basically whenver needed.

I would go with a laptop. The day you really could use the portability factor will come sooner than you think. If you get one like mine, you can take out the floppy drive and put in a second battery.

Also, keep both regular and crossover cables in you book bag. That way you can go head to head with a classmate and copy notes without the above mentioned floppy drive.

Laptop is definately better for college. I don't know about you, but I hate being stuck at home writing a paper when I can be out (either at the library or at a cafe) amongst other breathing humans. Laptops give you freedom that you just can't get with a desktop. Although laptops are more expensive and less powerful, the portablility is well-worth the price premium.

Also, a rapidly growing number of colleges are not allowing dorm residents to bring in any desktop systems because of space concerns.

I'll join those supporting the laptop. It does make it much easier to work with a study group, or in a library, and I know some people are using their laptops to record lectures as they are taking notes on it.

For security, I'd look into a biometric or USB security key system, and I'd permanently mark the outside of the case that your system cannot be used if stolen. Consider painting it the ugliest colors you can think of, too. Anything you can do to make your laptop a less attractive target will help.


BHD

get an alienware type laptop. they can go against a desktop.

Or go for the third option...

Get a Desktop (to save yourself some cash), and a small handheld just for typing. A two-year-old model shouldn't be too bad is you just need something for typing in notes.

The one I liked the most was a Sony model that had a flip-around 10" LCD screen and smallish keyboard. You could use it as a tablet, or a typing-only laptop.

So...

Nice middle-range gaming Desktop: $800
Older model handheld/tablet PC: $250
Total: $1050-$1200

Still more affordable than a REALLY good laptop and you get the best of both worlds.

P.S. I HATE laptops. They're pricy, not entirely durable, the battery life is meager, and they get outdated quickly.

notebooks suck. My college lets me take my desktop and 19" monitor. If your college doesnt, get an off campus dorm or just drive back home on the weekends to do your report or try the computer labs. no need for a notebook :rolleye:

I would also go with a laptop. Laptops are getting pretty good as of lately with the Radeon Mobility cards so you are able to play games on it pretty decently also. Also since PC's are pretty overpowered lately the Laptop should hold you over pretty well. Well thats my opinion at least. Captain slug also had a good idea. Get a desktop and a laptop. Because if you are wanting laptop for typing reports and things of that nature just go and get a 200mhz - 400mhz laptop for cheap. I have a 200mhz laptop and it gets the job done pretty well.

Having both is a rather good idea and is something i'm beginning to consider. With that solution, I would not have to be that worried about security. Losing a 3-4 hundred dollar laptop is much easier to handle than losing a 1500 dollar one.

The point of me using a laptop would be to be able to get out of my dorm and just go to the library and type papers, programs, and perhaps use the network. So hopefully a lower level laptop would be able to handle microsoft visual c++.

and i guess for my video editing and animation programs i could use on a desktop.

i just know know if i would feel like dragging a desktop to school for this. that was what i had in mind for a laptop....a desktop replacement. but the desktop and laptop is quite a nice solution. thanks for the input.

any other comments or experiences?? i'm kinda still undecided.

i'm studying web design @ school, i've got the two machines in my sig at home, and machine #3, my laptop, is awesome! i just bought it about 2 weeks ago, and it's perfect for mobility. I do all my homework on it and I can carry it wherever i like, without having to shuffle discs and zip drives around....

i got my lappy for $999, (plus $100 for 256mb of DDR, it only came w/ 128 originally) and it's sooo nice to be able to carry all my stuff in one spot. It has a 32mb ati mobility radeon, and yesterday I loaded up FIFA 2001 and it played just fine, it'll also play warcraft 3 without any hiccups.

I wish i'd had a laptop a long time ago, it's so nice just to have all my stuff in one spot.

if you had a monitor already, you could build a simple 1ghz duron desktop for like $300 or so, and then put about $1000 toward a laptop.....

i check www.techbargains.com daily, they always list good laptop deals....a few weeks ago dell had a 1.5ghz celeron laptop for around $800 (After rebate) but it had free shipping and free digital camera, printer, or palm m105....

does anyone know that college libraries should come with computers? ever heard of a computer lab?


"The point of me using a laptop would be to be able to get out of my dorm and just go to the library and type papers, programs, and perhaps use the network."


ok you do that while everyone else uses the provided desktop computers which the college supplies. You also lose alot of privacy this is why I like doing my work in my dorm. Im too lazy to get out. as I said theres room for a desktop. use a small monitor if need be.

You don't have to bash laptops. There are certainly benefits in laptops and you don't lose a lot of privacy in a library unless you're liek "hey come and look at my paper" ...and going to libary is not the only reason i'm considering a laptop.

And certainly room is not an issue for me. The college i'm going to could care less about the space you take up in your dorm...i'm just looking at laptops because i think it would help me out a great deal with my computing "lifestyle"

"...and going to libary is not the only reason i'm considering a laptop."

I see. if you are going to the library, use the desktop computers they provide there. save the notebook well when your at a party maybe or on a date. maybe even in class if the prof. lets you. when I went to college no one brought their notebook to class. If all you need is for taking notes get a 486 notebook for $60

I am not a huge notebook fan, but here lately many of the colleges that I have visited to do IT work for them are implementing campus wide wireless lans.

If there are such plans then I would definitely look into a god laptop. I would never skimp on one with an average video card or screen either, my old laptop really messed up my eyesight.

Overclocker550 said:

"...and going to libary is not the only reason i'm considering a laptop."

I see. if you are going to the library, use the desktop computers they provide there. save the notebook well when your at a party maybe or on a date. maybe even in class if the prof. lets you. when I went to college no one brought their notebook to class. If all you need is for taking notes get a 486 notebook for $60

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that was my thinking in earlier posts. just get a cheap laptop.

i would say that it highly depends on your dorm's location. i live in a dorm that is about a 15 minute walk to the nearest decent computer lab (our dorms have them but there's only 15 computer for 800 people... i decided on a awesome desktop because i knew that i wouldn't want to walk somewhere to go use a decent desktop. plus, in college, how many classes do you have that you would need a laptop? probably almost none. i definitely like the idea of getting a slower 200 MHz laptop... it will run office with no problem if you are going to get out a type a paper or something.... one thing you have to worry about with older laptops is their batteries... usually they are dead if it's a used one... you might have to get a new one which can be harder to find for older models... i am currently checking out cheap laptops... i would love to just have one for group work... a great deal of my classes involve working in groups on computers and this way we could meet anywhere and still have computer access... plus my school has wireless networking so that helps a lot because i can sit almost anywhere on campus and have internet/network access. i don't even store my files on my hard drive... at school i have a 500 mb account on the school's servers... but of course i don't trust the school's servers so i back up my drive 4 times a day using task scheduler and backup consider walking distances, how much use you'll use each type of computer and such before really committing to buying one... i would say also shop for both... you might want to weigh price into it as well...

I dont think he is even listening to us

I still vote for handheld. Some of the older models have PCMCIA slots at 8+ hour battery life. You could install a wireless LAN card in the PCMCIA slot and check your e-mail or upload what you type to your main machine while you're in class.
(if you school is going wireless)

For me it's mostly an issue of battery life (since I prefer to take classes back-to-back and that can equate to being in classes for 6 hours).
But, I now simply don't need an input device IN class because I take keynotes and read the material outside of class.


Laptops are okay. But they're expensive, bulky, heavy (the cheaper ones), and not very cost effective.