College: Laptop or Desktop?

DallasStar · Aug 6, 2003, 06:20 PM

Hi guys, I'll be going off to college after this year, and I'm just wondering if it would be a better idea to get a laptop or a new desktop PC to take with me to college. (it would be better if I could get responses from those who are or have been in college recently).

sinjin · Aug 6, 2003, 06:26 PM

laptop will get stolen...go with the desktop.

UZ7 · Aug 6, 2003, 06:37 PM

mainly desktop, but if you can get both go for both

HsuGotaQ · Aug 6, 2003, 06:45 PM

Well it depends on what you are going to major in. If it has anything to do with gaming, then I`d suggest the Dell Precision M60 laptop. Here`s the specs :

* Intel® Pentium® M processors with speeds up to 1.7 GHz
* Available with Intel CentrinoTM mobile technology
* NVIDIA® QuadroTM FX Go700 graphics engine with 128MB of DDR memory
* Brilliant 15.4" UltraSharpTM Wide Aspect WUXGA display
* Communications include 56Kbps1 V.92 modem (integrated), 10/100/1000 Ethernet2 (integrated) LAN and choice of Intel® PRO Wireless LAN (standard) or Dell TrueMobileTM wireless LAN (optional)
* Integrated SmartCard Reader
* Dell Tri-MetalTM Chassis
* D-Family commonality. M60 shares the same D/Dock, D/Port, D-Family modules and a/c adapters.

This laptop should really rock your world. I`d also suggest maybe waiting for the new Alienware laptop to come out too. Anyway, go with what you really need (a.k.a. LAN friendly and compatible)

Necrosis · Aug 6, 2003, 07:06 PM

Should of put up a poll for this Dallas...but I'm saying PC for obvious reasons. Once your out on your dorm I would get a laptop then.

DallasStar · Aug 6, 2003, 08:51 PM

Okay.... so now on to another question: which would you recommend 3.2ghz P4 or Athlon XP 3200+ ? (not saying that this is what I'll buy... just wondering what the current opinions are)

Necrosis · Aug 6, 2003, 09:14 PM

Ask me again at the end of September....

Vampyromaniac · Aug 7, 2003, 12:20 AM

Lol, he'll be in college by then! Dallas, I think the P4 is faster, esp w/ 800MHz FSB, but of course the AMD is cheaper, and still damn fast. Depends on how much money you have, I guess.

EDIT: forgot to say, definitely get a desktop, not laptop

**Roadee** · Aug 7, 2003, 12:34 AM

Get a PC....hell of a lot easier to type out your term papers on and do research. Spend a little extra money on a 19" CRT and a TV tuner card and decent speakers. Dorm rooms are fairly small, with this setup you can watch TV, DVD's, listen to music, do research, and homework. Basically your PC will become a small entertainment system. Really saves on space and makes the PC worth that much more to you. Also make sure that you have a case with locking doors, room mates can be nosey sometimes, also it will keep the possible dipshit from taking something from inside your case, like a cool vid card!! You will encounter every form of person in college.......good, and bad....sometimes you wont find out who is what until it is too late.

Intel or AMD?

You are going to college......which usually equates to a very limited budget. Considering the difference in cost between the two, I would pick AMD. You will be able to have more options going with the AMD, and you really wont notice the difference in speed useing MS Word, or any other real world software related to doing school work. Unless you are going into high end graphics. Applications only use so much processing power, buying the latest-greatest, isn't worth the money when the prices drop so fast. You really wont notice the difference between using a 2.5g and a 3.2g on basic applications. Save the money and get a really good set of speakers and a nice large monitor, you will get more use out of them in the long run.

studbagel9 · Aug 7, 2003, 12:40 AM

However if you want to buy the AMD you'll make up the price you saved by buying that Thermalright SLK-900 heatsink ;p

**Roadee** · Aug 7, 2003, 12:44 AM

I dont see where that makes any sense. Unless you are overclocking you dont need the slk-900. The stock heat sink does just fine for stock speeds, and with the lower voltage of the newer processor's, you can overclock quite well with stock cooling. Heat is not a issue anymore, hasn't been since the Palamino...

studbagel9 · Aug 7, 2003, 01:25 AM

It was partly a joke, and partly true. My 2500+ with stock cooling reaches 52+ degrees celcius after gaming. I don't overclock at all either. Go figure.

**Roadee** · Aug 7, 2003, 01:58 AM

That temp is pretty high, should be a bit lower than that. I am guessing that you have excellent case cooling, and have used some kind of thermal paste other than the pad that comes on the stock HS. IF so, than I would suggest you try out MBM 5 to make sure that your temps are read half way correctly, that is if you aren't already using it. Also dont forget to take room temp into consideration, after all, it is summer

UberLord · Aug 7, 2003, 06:17 AM

Back on topic, I'd personally go for a laptop.

1. Take it anywhere (duh

)
2. Pixel perfect screen
3. No temptation to play games to distract from college work (unless you like 2D games or get a ninja laptop)
4. Probably more reliable (hard to overclock, hard to upgrade, hard to mess around with in general)
5. Laptops tend to come with more freebies when bought with Windows (CD burner, DVD player, Ms Works, etc)
6. Modern Linux distro's support most laptops out of the box - although XFree86 may need a small patch for the obsucre video chipset ID's.

Personally - if I had the money - I'd get the top of the range Apple iBook.
However, my Compaq Presario 2100 running RedHat Linux 9 is more than enough for web browsing, email, multimeda, word processing, spread sheets, programming (currently playing around with Mono a .NET equivalent which supports C#

) and loads of other stuff.

krazy1 · Aug 7, 2003, 07:33 AM

You could be like a friend of mine who is a CS Major....... 2 Laptops and 2 Desktops all networked together in his dorm....heheheheh

Personally I would do the laptop over the Desktop.. you can take the laptop to class... I found the laptop very nice for note taking since I get writers cramp very easily with the arthritis in my fingers...... But I myself would also have to have a desktop in my Dorm.... GOtta have something to game with on the weekends......

~~DriveEuro~~ · Aug 7, 2003, 12:55 PM

Desktop without a doubt. You'll have broadband in your room. You'll be cheap and download music and videos quite a bit. And gaming on some laptops suck. Just stick with the desktop. Believe me, I've been there. The only benefit to the laptop is the foot print it takes up and the fact you can take it everywhere. When I was in school I had a buddy who took his laptop daily with him to classes and to the McDonald's on campus where he chilled daily and did his homework. But out McDonalds had ethernet hubs at every table.

Vampyromaniac · Aug 7, 2003, 01:46 PM

Ah, actually Dallas, you didn't mention if you would be in a dorm, or what. I suppose if you were in a dorm, space might be an important issue. And the distraction issue that Uber mentioned might be something to think about too.

rockandchelle · Aug 7, 2003, 02:59 PM

I will speak from experience, I am graduating soon and during my college career I have been stuck with a laptop for the first 2 years, and now a desktop that i have had for about 2. I have to say, I like the desktop much better, it offers more performance than a laptop; however, I do sometimes wish I had a decent laptop to take to school with me for reports and what not.

So, it is really a preference thing I guess, but I would definately vote for the desktop.

~~DriveEuro~~ · Aug 7, 2003, 03:04 PM

If your parents or you can afford it you can always get a mediocre laptop plus a desktop. Cuz if you think about it all you need is something to take notes or to type papers on and that can go online. You don't need a huge HD, you don't need excessive amounts of ram. You don't need a killer video card. You just need the bare minimum on a laptop.

UZ7 · Aug 7, 2003, 03:12 PM

yeah, all you need a laptop for is notes/typing up reports while not at home(apt/dorm), it does help (if you can type) all around, helps you keep organized, a pda is not a bad choice either, you can get any of them at low costs, so if you're always on a go and do a lot of reports in the library/class etc... its a good choice

toddsmack2k · Aug 7, 2003, 03:44 PM

Like what has been said in here before it depends on what will you actually do with the laptop. Would you use it in class to take notes and would it be of that much actual service to you being a portable PC? Do you think it is going to be a problem to get your work done in your room? If you would use the main feature of a laptop, the ability of being able to take it with you on the go. Then yes I would recommend it. If not though then for sure get a desktop with a large screen and some great speakers!

DallasStar · Aug 7, 2003, 04:22 PM

I always take notes by hand, and I prefer it that way. It forces me to learn whether I like it or not. I don't believe I would ever try to type my notes unless it was "copy this off of the board/screen".... I guess desktop it is then... (and then maybe a crappy laptop if i get money). Thanks for the help.