Getting a Laptop for College

eamoss · 19-09-2006 3:34pm #1

Hi, Iv just startin in 1st year in NUIM and I was wondering what would be the best laptop to get. Im studying Computer Science and Software Eng and the max I would be spending would be about €1,500

yeshi · 19-09-2006 10:17pm

I would tend to go with HP as their laptops are very good and their support for customer is out standing, in saying that they have now outsourced to India with very little reps in the North so that could all change.

Dell, well I dont have much say about them without getting sued - lets just say I was on their tech support (as too HP) I wouldnt recommend Dell to my worst enemy.

uncle_sam_ie · 20-09-2006 8:37am

Go with a MacBook or Macbook pro you wont regret it.

TerrorFirmer · 20-09-2006 8:42am

We need more info before we can just recommend a laptop in that price range. What will it be used for? Basic usage? Graphics intensive apps? Is portability a big necessity? Or a larger screen? etc...

I would not go with a Mac, against the above poster, if you are doing comp science and software engineering.

uncle_sam_ie · 20-09-2006 7:36pm

A year ago I would have agreed, but since Apple has gone over to intel I don't see any reason why he/she shouldn't go with a Mac. He/she will have a laptop that will boot any os that he/she wishes to use.

TerrorFirmer · 20-09-2006 11:02pm

uncle_sam_ie wrote:

A year ago I would have agreed, but since Apple has gone over to intel I don't see any reason why he/she shouldn't go with a Mac. He/she will have a laptop that will boot any os that he/she wishes to use.

Thats true but a good enough reason for me personally is the price of Macs in comparison to other brand laptops - whats the point in paying rip off prices for a Mac running another OS other then OSX when you could get a better spec'd other brand machine for probably less?

uncle_sam_ie · 20-09-2006 11:49pm

HavoK wrote:

Thats true but a good enough reason for me personally is the price of Macs in comparison to other brand laptops - whats the point in paying rip off prices for a Mac running another OS other then OSX when you could get a better spec'd other brand machine for probably less?

Well,we need to know what the laptop is going to be used for. He/she might not need to run windows at all, but If there are apps at the collage that are windows only he/she could always run those apps using parallels or bootcamp. Then run everything else in OS X, which is a better and safer OS. I personally think my Macbook pro running OS X is great machine and worth every penny. Also, Apple has excellent support.

red_bairn · 20-09-2006 11:54pm

PC Suck! (In my opinion) Go Mac!!!

tywy · 20-09-2006 11:57pm

red_bairn wrote:

PC Suck! (In my opinion) Go Mac!!!

I agree

plus this whole macbooks are more expensive than the dell equivalent is a lie anyway

Donald-Duck · 21-09-2006 8:45pm

uncle_sam_ie wrote:

Well,we need to know what the laptop is going to be used for. He/she might not need to run windows at all, but If there are apps at the collage that are windows only he/she could always run those apps using parallels or bootcamp. Then run everything else in OS X, which is a better and safer OS. I personally think my Macbook pro running OS X is great machine and worth every penny. Also, Apple has excellent support.

I've read much better things about the MacBooks than other laptops,but for someone who has never used any form of mac what would the changing to a mac be like?Also is it really ideal to use one for Computer Science? I'd have imagined it would change things slightly would it not?

palance · 21-09-2006 10:51pm

A Mac is completely unsuitable for someone beginning a computer science degree. Try a Dell or an IBM(called Lenovo now).

www.laptopsdirect.ie have some good prices although some of the forumers have differing reports on the quality of the service they received from them.

uncle_sam_ie · 21-09-2006 11:27pm

Why?

eamoss · 22-09-2006 1:04pm

I would be using it for homework ie programming but I would also be using it for playing games when I get bored and surfing the web. I wud like a big screen but seeing that I will prob will be carrying it around with me in college I dont think it would be feasible so a small screen would be the best op I think.

Im unsure on Macs as I have been using pcs all my life!

I was told to go for an Acer are they any good?

BTW im a he

uncle_sam_ie · 22-09-2006 2:27pm

If It has to be a PC laptop I'd go for one of these babies. http://www.falcon-nw.com/ There're a bit pricey ,but It's a really good company that sell the ultimate gaming laptops. What ever you do buy just make sure it's not a Dell.

ressem · 22-09-2006 2:30pm

I find the common programming tools, eclipse/netbeans/visual studio, to be demanding of resolution and screenspace. So I've always gone for desktop replacements aka 14" screens 1400x1000, 2Kg+ beasties. But for college, I'd agree with a lightweight.

Beyond the normal critisisms, Dell seem to be expensive at the moment. Specced an ultralight last month for €180 less than it's price today.

Dual booting XP on a macbook is still a bit of a hack, with a higher possibility of becoming unstable with driver and windows updates, e.g the USB, power/heat control, bluetooth.

You'll want lots and lots of memory, 1 GB as a starter, preferably as a single sodimm with room to add a second in future years.
Hard drive space, lots. If you're programming linux/solaris/webservices in later years, then you might yourself using vmware virtual server images on your computer, each eating 6GB.

You have to know whether you need Windows XP pro or home as it's an expensive change to make after purchase. reasons you might need XP pro include perhaps being necessary to connect to the college domain.

As for MS Office, assuming you're getting it, cheap option is the Student version which involves buying a box for about €130, returning a form to MS, who post the actual software to you. Alternative is Sun openoffice, free but a few small gotchas.

dcarroll · 22-09-2006 2:58pm

why whats wrong with dell?

though they do seem more expensive than usual these days, maybe back to college or something like that?

Lord Oz · 22-09-2006 3:04pm

Just get a dell and install linux on it(or just use windows, it's not the black death), perfect for software development. You're fooling yourself if you think a mac is the best for software development.

ressem · 22-09-2006 3:55pm

Most of the brand name laptops are OK, but have a very limited selection of up-to date lightweight laptops.
Samsungs Q35 is a bit out of date processorwise but in budget and lightweight.
Acer and Toshiba are in the middle of updates so it might be difficult to get an up to date lightweight. Acer have only started with lightweights (TravelMate 3020).

I think the Dell critisism is out of date. Was true 2-5 years ago. The dell latitude D420, D620 are nice machines, the business support has been good. If they weren't so inconsistently upping and lowering prices, I'd recommend them.

As for

http://www.falcon-nw.com/

Their lightweight laptop weighs 7 pounds, they're in the US so support will be slow if it exists, import duty etcetc.

Hugh_C · 22-09-2006 5:11pm

Donald-Duck wrote:

what would the changing to a mac be like?

pretty simple really, OSX is probably asbout as intuitive as it gets. quick to learn. Actually, you don't have to really learn it at all. There is a section on the Apple site for switchers: http://www.apple.com/getamac/

Donald-Duck wrote:

Also is it really ideal to use one for Computer Science? I'd have imagined it would change things slightly would it not?

Dunno really unless you can elaborate what your course is about and what it needs. MacBooks can have three OSes running - OSX Windows and Linux. So that pretty much covers all eventualities.

Getting a Laptop for College

Comments