Is a 17" laptop out of the question?

Funkstard · 31-08-2006 7:12pm #1

I'm getting a laptop for college, so it will be lugged around the campus & on buses quite a lot over the next few years. Is a 17" completely unpractical?

It's not that I particularly would love one, I've found a good deal on a laptop which is 17" and only 17"

Karoma · 31-08-2006 7:16pm

TBH, yes. But then, it is a personal choice. I don't know how strong you are or whether you enjoy this sort of thing.
Google search the model and check what weight it is.

Lexie · 31-08-2006 7:17pm

hi Funkstard

I have a 17" that I lug in and out of college. The screen is great because I use AutoCad and drawings are easier to work with than on a 15". Its a bit on the heavy side but it doesnt bother me.

Funkstard · 31-08-2006 7:27pm

/\/\see that's the thing...I'll be using AutoCad, Photoshop and probably 3DSMax eventually

Lexie · 31-08-2006 7:29pm

Its down to whatever you prefer. I just prefer the 17" for such programs.

majiktripp · 31-08-2006 8:43pm

Get a good backpack carry case and you'll be sorted be cause you can throw your college stuff in with it aswell,I used mine all the time,plenty of room in say the Dell XPS backpack for bout 3 laptops!

TempestSabre · 10-09-2006 9:23am

If its not something you'll need to carry around between classes then a 17" would be fine for just carrying here and there occassionally. I've a 16" and I never minded carrying it around and I love the screen. But I'm changing mine now to a smaller laptop 14", because I want better battery life, and I'm prepared to suffer a smaller screen to get more battery life.

mloc · 10-09-2006 6:17pm

im going for a 14 inch screen, because my 15 inch was too big a pain in the ass to carry around. check overall weight first. the one I'm looking at is around 5lbs. anything over 7lbs is gonna be a pain in the ass.

and it's not like i don't like big screens, my desktop has a 24" TFT.

turbot · 12-09-2006 7:19am

I think 17inches is definitely on the heavy side, especially when you include the heavy power adaptor.

However,if you're doing 3ds max / hardcore graphic and multimedia, the big screen is useful.

So if you do get a 17inch laptop, be sure to get the Dell XPS backpack to go with it, which is really comfortable (I have one myself and think it's great)!

My plan:

A 17 inch XPS M1710 so I can do development and design anywhere (I already got this)

a 12 inch XPS m1210 so I can do everything anywhere, while noting its not ideal for graphic design... (I'll have one within a month)

TempestSabre · 12-09-2006 7:48am

I'd buy the smaller laptop, but get a TFT and wifi keyboard/mouse to use with it.

Funkstard · 14-09-2006 2:14pm

Well I got a 15.4" Dell anyway. So far I'm very happy with it, I'm sure it will be more than fine for what I need. What's TFT? Is it that Truelife screen? I kind of regret not getting it, but I just thought it was some gimmick so I ignored it.

TempestSabre · 14-09-2006 3:03pm

Funkstard wrote:

Well I got a 15.4" Dell anyway. So far I'm very happy with it, I'm sure it will be more than fine for what I need. What's TFT? Is it that Truelife screen? I kind of regret not getting it, but I just thought it was some gimmick so I ignored it.

Most thin screens (laptops - desktops) are TFT's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TFT_LCD

Truelife is like a glossy finish, some like it some don't.

I meant I'd buy the laptop with a small screen but then buy a bigger desktop monitor to use a second screen connected to the laptop when back at base.

Is a 17" laptop out of the question?

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