<p>I got a big burst of college excitement tonight and started looking at laptops again: dangerous, I know. But anyhow, I was looking at the ones that are sold through JHU's MCP program. Can anyone offer some insight into these computers for me? I'm a little disappointed they don't offer any Sony Vaio models, since that's what I'm familiar with.</p>
<p>Thanks!
Paige</p>
<p>Just one suggestion. The MCP program information you are reading is for the enrolling class of 2011 (not 2012). It doesn't hurt to look, but I would strongly suggest not purchasing anything until the site is updated this summer for enrolling Class of 2012 members. </p>
<p>Later in the spring and summer, there will be VERY ACTIVE discussions on the message boards and Facebook group about computer purchases. Everyone will have opinions.</p>
<p>My question on this topic: are Macs OK?</p>
<p>MACs are absolutely welcome at Hopkins. I know many current freshmen who purchased Mac laptops and love the decision they made. It will always come down to personal preference.</p>
<p>OP:</p>
<p>My advice is to wait until the summer before you buy anything for college. If you buy now, there will be something better and faster (and harder and stronger) released before you go to college. You want your computer to last you as many college years as possible. So, if you wait on your purchase, you'll have it longer in college. </p>
<p>Apple is an amazing user experience. During the Macworld Conference and Expo in January, they will release many amazing products (by oracular fortune)... so I'd wait until the summer before we leave for Hopkins to buy a Mac, as it will be cheeper and better then.</p>
<p>And Macs>PC</p>
<p>-Adam</p>
<p>OP, if you want to buy a laptop now to use during senior year, the mobile hardware market will not change much until the end of 2008 or early 2009, when quad-core laptop CPUs will be introduced to the market. Prior to then, most midrange to high-end laptops will carry Intel (Core 2 Duo) or AMD (Turion X2) dual-core processors, and the important hardware aspects should not change much with the exception of some minor updates to the Core 2 Duo architecture. </p>
<p>I would look at models with Intel processors (since they are faster and use less power than AMD's aging K8 based Turion X2) and get at least 2 GB of RAM to futureproof yourself for the next few years. Either integrated or discrete graphics should be fine if you are just planning to do basic word processing and email, but if you want to watch HD movies or play the occassional game, a discrete graphics unit like the nVidia 8400M is recommended. Also, look for a model with an LED backlight on the screen, as this improves battery life considerably (Some new Windows models and the current Macbook Pros have this feature)</p>
<p>As for the whole Mac vs PC debate, get whichever you prefer. With Macs, however, you do have the option of running Windows under Boot Camp or Parallels should you not like the OS X interface. (It is possible to run OS X on a PC, but the process is much more confusing and not officially supported).</p>
<p>Hope this helped</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance!! (:</p>
<p>I was actually surprised at how many people had Macs this year.. dare I say there might even be MORE Macs (at least from what I can tell in various lectures) than PCs right now. But definitely do wait if you don't absolutely need it, 'cause I'm 99% sure Apple is going to come out with something much better by the time you actually get to school.</p>
<p>Thank you AdmissionsDaniel. AdamJaz, are you going to the MacWorld conference next month? Wish I could (get free passes from my Mac vendors) but have a conflict.</p>
<p>@NJ_mother</p>
<p>I wish I could go to MacWorld, but I don't have passes... I'd be glad to take those of your hands :D</p>
<p>hmmm unless mac comes out with something super spectacular soon, i think i'll end up sticking with a pc (probably sony vaio, why doesn't mcp carry them?). i just can't see myself with a mac/if it broke i couldn't make my brother to fix it.</p>
<p>:D thanks for everyone who posted. i actually learned more than i thought i would.</p>
<p>Adam, if I get any, I'll contact you.
FBZ, Macs don't break. They just don't.</p>
<p>NJ_mother, </p>
<p>I was just going to say that!</p>
<p>And, that would be awesome... I'd be in California in a heartbeat. (And now that I'm done with the admissions process, I can pull roadtrip stunts like that).</p>
<p>Can you please explain to me why and how a laptop is more efficient in lectures than paper and pen?</p>
<p>Not a 2012, but a current student, and I'd say the majority of people stick to pen and paper in lectures. Even if professors post powerpoints/lecture notes online before hand (and many do, at least for my engineering classes), it's still a lot easier to print out the lectures and take notes on them than taking notes in powerpoint or word and trying to type in equations and formulas. I'd say there are maybe one or two people in each of my classes that take lecture notes on a laptop. It might be a bit easier/more useful for humanities classes to type notes, but in the classes I've taken, it's still been a small minority on laptops. The only laptop I would personally consider to take notes using would be a tablet PC since it's almost like writing notes, but I've only seen one person that I know who has one (it was pretty cool)</p>
<p>My D#1 (Rutgers, Class of 2007) wanted a laptop, not to take to class but to take up less space on her desk- and it could be locked under the dorm bed when she wasn't in the room. Indeed, Rutgers recommended laptops in dorms for the space reason.
I do know people who are proficient enough to take notes on laptops.</p>
<p>There is actually a very in-depth discussion thread about purchasing a computer for Hopkins ... and also discusses the questions of whether students use laptops in class (pretty much they don't!):</p>
<p>i know for sure that i definitely won't be bringing a desktop from minnesota. so, it's a laptop not for notes, but for portability and convenience. thanks for all the input :)</p>
<p>I go to a laptop high school (where we own our own and take notes on in most of our classes), so I would probably be one of the few in every class using it. Paper and pen just seems too weird to me now (our math teacher even emails us the notes).</p>
<p>As to the mac/pc debate, is it common for engineering students to have macs? I've been trying to decide if it would be worth it to switch from my dell to a mac.</p>
<p>there is a good percentage of students with macs here. both windows and mac OS's are compatible at hopkins so its a matter of preference. i am a comp sci major so im used to xp, vista, os x, and ubuntu and to tell you the truth, youll get used to either. they all have their ups and downs and thats the reason why i used all 3. </p>
<p>i should tell you that if you do purchase a mac, it comes with bootcamp, where you can install windows vista or xp on it. in essence, youll have a mac and windows system on one laptop. its a very attractive option for purchasing a mac.</p>
<p>i personally have a dell xps m1210, which is for gaming and portability. recently i decided to get another laptop (b/c my dell is getting old). it is the hp tx1000z. it was fairly inexpensive ($999) but it is very portable, comes with vista, attractive features and it is also a tablet pc. it really helps with notes and stuff.. plus it just looks cool. i also installed ubuntu on it.</p>
<p>so.. simply, either mac or a vista machine will do the job. i think its just a matter of preference.</p>
<p>"im used to xp, vista, os x, and ubuntu ... all 3."</p>
<p>So, essentially, vista doesn't constitute an operating system :P ?</p>