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Laptop for computer related course

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  • 14-06-2013 5:32pm
    #1
    internet_user
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭


    hello, i will be going to college next september and will be doing some computer science related course, just wondering has anyone any recommendations on a laptop to buy? i know there will be computers there and i probably wont need a laptop for the course work although im not positive!


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    #2
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,963 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Unless you want to carry your work on a flash drive, which is inherently risky, (or simply use cloud services, but that can also be slow given what you're doing) a laptop is recommended.

    I'd suggest (at minimum) an Intel i5 or AMD A8 based laptop. You will not want a Macbook. You will not want an Alienware. You will also not want something thats excessively bulky, I would suggest at largest a 15.6" screen, and probably that because you'll be doing a lot of side-by-side multitasking. 4GB of RAM is fine, and a SSD is a judgement call: you would probably have no issue managing 128GB of space, but it's an added cost for the speed and mechanical durability.

    If you want to be really rambo about it, look into an external monitor that can be rotated vertically for your own desk space, it will help facilitate coding.


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    #3
    internet_user
    Registered Users Posts: 973 ✭✭✭internet_user


    thanks for that, also do you think i should look online or go into a store? would buying online save any money


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    #4
    looking_around
    Registered Users Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭looking_around


    buying online generally saves money, but having a store to go to should there be any problems is useful and tends to solves things quicker. You could also try haggling for better insurance prices.


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    #5
    mcw92
    Registered Users Posts: 1,496 ✭✭✭mcw92


    I got the latest Macbook Pro at the start of my computer software dev course in 2009.
    It was great. The keyboard was great for typing up essays and reports and such.
    Photoshop and Dreamweaver are great on it.
    For Windows only programs such as Visual Studio, I ran Windows inside Parallels Desktop and saw no slowdown what so ever.
    I was running 8GB Ram which really helped running all together.

    If a Mac isn't in your range, or isn't your thing,
    Id defo recommend a laptop with the latest Intel Haswel Processors, 8GB ram would be recommended, as you could see yourself with internet, office, photoshop, dreamweaver and more open all at once and you will not want slowdown at all when trying to do dev/design related work.

    A good keyboard you are comfortable with is a must.


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