College students. Is a laptop worth it?

[jsbush]

I'm starting my first year of college in a couple months and I was thinking about getting ride of my main pc and getting a decent laptop so I can bring it to classes. I'm taking CST (computer systems tech) course which last two years.

Since my budget is extremely tight would it be worth getting a laptop for use in class, and to bring back home on weekends (live 2 hour drive away)?

Also if I don't have a laptop I will be needing to rent one from the college for a two week period my second semester for a certin class.


Thanks

 

[minendo]

Wasn't worth it to me until my parents moved 1000 miles away and I needed one to travel. Lugging it to class was basically a hassle for me.

 

[JohnCU]

A laptop is awesome in college for taking it to the library and to other peoples' rooms when you need to work on stuff. At Clemson, we have a lot of the classes that have sections that require a laptop (ex: calculus, chemistry, english).

 

[cchen]

not really.... i never used my laptop once this semester at school.... its good for taking home though or on trips

 

[lowfatbaconboy]

im a cs major i didn't need a laptop
nor did i want one
my good ole' desktop served me well
but going back home at xmas it would be a pain to take the computer back if your far away.....(which i was)
but we have something like 7 computers in the house (some really old)
though i could just find one that that was decent enough for just general internet and media use.....so eh

 

[Mr N8]

I would get a Desktop with a nice Pocket PC. Pocket PC is more portable, anyway.

 

[wyvrn]

It depends on your situation. For me it was because 1) I commute 2) we have a wireless network throughout campus and 3) much of my course content (IE: powerpoint presentations) is in electronic format, so I use my laptop a lot in class. If you are a typical student living on campus, without a wireless network and your teachers just lecture or hand out their notes, then you aren't going to get a whole lot out of a laptop.


edit: if you just want portability between home and school a couple of times a year, you could get a mini-itx system and lcd monitor which would easily fit in your car to take home and not weigh much.

 

[Electric Amish]

If I had the money and was going through my programming classes again it would be nice to have one, especially since the college just installed wi-fi capabilities.

For normal stuff, though it's probably overkill.

amish

 

[UglyCasanova]

Nope. My suggestion would be to wait a while and see how it is, if you still think you need one go for it. I thought I needed one, but after 1 quarter I sold it and got a desktop.

 

[ClueLis]

You could go for a sff machine to make things easier to bring home.

 

[hopeless879]

Just got done with my first year in college. I was considering buying a laptop before I started also. I found I had absolutely no need for one. Very few people brought a laptop to class. The only time I would find it useful is for taking home for the weekend (college is the funnest on the weekends, stay there, don't go home.)

 

[NTB]

If this is going to be your main computer, go for it. Being able to use it in class - you said yourself that it would be required for one - or between classes is nice, and you'll be able to take your work home if need be, too. And like somebody else said, a laptop is nice if you need to get away from noisy roommates or a party down the hall (that is, assuming you're going to live in the dorms).

That said, make sure you get what you want right at the begining - more RAM, a bigger screen, bigger harddrive, etc. You can't upgrade a laptop as much or as cheaply as you can a desktop, so if something comes up short down the road, you might be stuck. Had I thought about it when I bought my laptop a year ago, I would have gone for something a little bigger than this 14" XGA (1024x768) screen.

EDIT: if it isn't going to be your main machine, or if you have easy access to a computer to use at school, in the dorms, and/or at home, a desktop and Pocket PC may be better, as has already been said. I love my laptop, though I honestly don't use it that much. Maybe a pocket PC would have been better. It certainly would have been cheaper. I do occasionally find myself setting my laptop up in the computer lab, though. The PCs here are so loaded with crap and strapped for RAM that they're slower than dirt and unstable to boot; I'd rather just use my laptop.

Nate

 

[slackerinabox]

Wow, most people replied that a desktop was the way to go in a previous, similar thread.. After helping my gf lug her computer around 4xs I have to say I wish that I didn't offer to build her a computer.. For almost the same price (the lcd was $700 back then) we could of and should have gotten a laptop.. esecially since her dorm was the size of a closet last semester..

 

[xyion]

hardly anybody takes laptops to class. Professors dont like them too much as people tend to misuse them (play games, post on AT) and dont pay attention in class. Plus most of the time i find it hard to take notes with one. Its easier to write equations stuff out by hand than on a laptop. Plus you can doodle in the margins. I also dont honestly see the need for a desktop AND a laptop. Bring one or the other, but both isnt necessary IMHO.

 

[leung324]

all of my friends are getting a laptop or already got one for their first year in college. it seems that I am the only one bring desktop. well, I am proud to bring my desktop and my sony clie nx70v with me.

 

[tokamak]

i took my desktop. not once during the past year have i said to myself, "wow i really need/want a laptop". save your money.

 

[Kevin]

My university is giving us free laptops. I heard they tacked it on to tuition, but I've got a full scholarship, so its still free to me...

 

[Eli]

I just bought a P180 laptop for 50 bucks shipped from someone here on AT.

 

[leung324]

Originally posted by: Kevin
My university is giving us free laptops. I heard they tacked it on to tuition, but I've got a full scholarship, so its still free to me...

are you going to RPI or CUNY honor college?

 

[Kevin]

Originally posted by: leung324

Originally posted by: Kevin
My university is giving us free laptops. I heard they tacked it on to tuition, but I've got a full scholarship, so its still free to me...

are you going to RPI or CUNY honor college?

Nah, SJU...

 

[gururu]

it is difficult to take notes with a laptop during class. it may, as others have pointed out, be ideal for being able to mobilize your work. I know that it has been much more useful in grad school than in undergrad.

 

[bradruth]

Not really. I hardly used it down at college, but I used it when I came home to write papers.

 

[RossMAN]

Nope.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Nope.

 

[brtspears2]

Nope, theft issues if you plan to live in dorm. The moment you leave it alone, or your roomate leaves the door open, gone.