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POLL: notebook or desktop for college?

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since your parents are buying your first system, make it a laptop, IMO. then you can put together a nice desktop over time from your own savings -- a far cheaper route than any decent laptop. so the parents pick up the $2000+ expense, while you, over time (& hanging out in the hotdeals forum) can pay ~ $600 bux for a desktop, if you decide you need it. i wish i had both, but i'm limited to a self-built desktop. would love to be able to study/write outside the apartment.
 
I'm building a desktop.. or taking the one I have with me when I go into college next year. I'll also be buying an iPaq though, which I think will come useful. 🙂
 
You can upgrade your desktop in 6 years when you're still in school. Also, you don't have to worry about it getting stolen all the time...they're less likely to grow legs and walk. Needless to say, the screen is better for gaming and you'll also be able to enjoy a much cheaper price tag to help pay for books (those bitches be ex$pen$ive).
 
I had the same question last year. My conclusion was that there is no way that I'll ever need to use a laptop in class or at school for the first few years of my education, and by the time I do need to use a laptop at school, the one I would have bought for first year would be too old and outdated for the tasks I'd need it for.

Desktop all the way.
 
A decent laptop is a nice thing to have. I had one, and it was nice to be able to get up and write papers somewhere else when my dorm was noisy.

You can probably save some money by getting one with pretty modest specs, since you probably won't be playing too many games on the laptop. Besides, you're better off staying away from games in college anyhow. 🙂 I'd suggest getting one with an LCD you don't mind looking at, and a built in input device that you're comfortable with. Those were the most important features for me.

-Russ
 
laptop definitely. numerous advantages (1) you won't waste your valuable college years playing games and instead have real fun 😀 (2) you won't get distracted by games (3) watch DVDs wherever you are (4)won't waste your valuable college years geeking out and tooling your desktop when you should be hanging out and having fun. Really the disadvantages (besides theft) are actually the advantages of the laptop.
 
I have a 4 year old NEC Mobile Pro 750C Windows CE handheld that I have used occasionalyl in school for notes and stuff..it works fine, and has a big enough keyboard. I'll be able to use that if I ever need to go to the library to write a paper. I'm going to build myself a desktop next year for college, even though I'm not that big of a gamer - get me one of those 17" LCDs...sweet 🙂
 
Desktop. You'll be paranoid not to take your laptop anywhere on campus because it might get stolen (and it will) so you'll leave it in your room 24/7.

The desktop will give you the most bang for your buck. But I'd build your own, why do you need a "Dude you got a Dell Dimension 8200"?

If you do decide to get a laptop, the Inspiron 4100 is a nice choice.
 


<< Seriosuly.. get/build a nice desktop and buy a pda. 🙂 >>



That's a great idea, build a rig with nice 17" monitor for < $1000 then buy a Pocket PC (Compaq iPaq) for around $300 with WiFi 😀
 
Get both. You need no more than a P200 for actual work, and you can get a $200-300 laptop for that. Use the other $700 on a sweet desktop. If the laptop gets stolen, its not as big of a loss.

All my friends that have laptops WISH they had desktops.
 
I love my laptop, but make sure to get one that can play games, or it'd be pointless (you'd get too much "work" done!! :Q)
 
Desktop.

Almost everybody I knew who had a laptop, including myself, left the laptop at home. It never went anywhere.
 
my roomate here has a laptop, he doesn't even carry around the damn thing :disgust:
i don't get it, why on earth buy a frickin laptop if you are gonna treat it as a desktop.
maybe cuz he is a rich bastards...
 
Those who say laptop either didn't live in dorms or studied too much. Ask anybody in a dorm what they do on their desktop and they'll say LAN games! Laptops SUCK. Don't be that guy carrying aroudn the laptop when hardly anybody else bothers. Get a desktop, and not just for the gaming. It's better, man!
 
Desktop, unless your major recommends a laptop (at my school some colleges like business or agriculture do this). For graduate/law school laptops would be preferred but your new system would be outdated in four years anyway.
 
i say buy a laptop now, save up some money, and build yourself a decent desktop. or if you have easily enough accessible computers while you are at school, go with the desktop (for example, i'm really active in this one organization and they have an office with 6 computers that i can use in the building next to where almost all my classes are. so, i get access to both the comps and the office)
 
I've been using a laptop for the 1 and 1/2 year I was in school. I use it to take notes, do my assignments, and surf the net during class hours(on days when class lecture or course really gets boring!!! 🙂 ). Its really wonderful that I don't have to use the much limited desktops that the school provided us with. I've a Dell Inspiron 8100 btw. School has 802.11b as well, so I can get hooked onto the 'net anywhere anytime, don't have to worry about no computers around or all used up.

A P3-1.2Ghz w/512mb ram, DVD/CDRW, 15" SXGA display, and a Radeon7500 mobility will suit your needs/wants just fine. Dell has a 30-day money back guarantee (less shipping cost) so why not give it a try and if it doesn't work out for you just send it back? Or like some say here get a used cheapie laptop and not worry much about it getting stolen? I highly value the ability to do my work and bring it with me anywhere I go. I'm not always confined to one space. I have a desktop as well. Like others, I find myself now using the laptop 99% of the time, the desktop is just eating dust right now really...

My 2 cents 🙂
Plucky
 
I brought my desktop in the beginnin gof the year. I now have my wireless IBM T23.


I suffer the consequences. More desk space, but no capability to play games the way they are supposed to be played (1280x1024x32).

I say, get a cheap notebook, and spend money leftover on the desktop.

I still don't mind having a laptop🙂
 
i say go with the desktop, i'm at college now with a Dell 8200 and i love it, a lappy would be nice, but for now, it's great to download songs, movies, etc....
 
get both. laptops are great. i love them. but i can't build one. so i got a desktop.

desktop is awesome. build your own. don't get a dell, you can get better parts and stuff for your money.
 
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