I’m currently deciding between building a desktop and buying a chrome book versus buying a powerful laptop that can replace both (while being a lot more expensive). I’m likely going to major in physics and I’m wondering if any of you know whether or not a Chromebook will be sufficient for high level math and physics classes.
The chromebook wont run any PC apps that your school provides. You can check with them, but most schools still have a PC presence and may expect you can install and use those apps. My recommendation
- Check the schools policies. They may supply equipment, require certain equipment, or have certain recommendations.
- Dont get a desktop. Hardly anyone has them now in college.
- Dont get a high end laptop. You wont need one for most classes. Get $300 laptop and plan on throwing it away every 2 years.
- Consider having a portable internet device, like a tablet or Chromebook, in addition to a laptop. they are cheap enough and you may find the portability handy if you are primarily reading.
GL
I would suggest a Windows PC(Asus,Lenovo or Dell) or Mac with at least these specs:
i3 Processor
4GB Ram
128GB SSD
I think the money if worth it. A Windows Laptop With these specs & higher will be around $500-$800
A desktop is better than a laptop, but you sacrifice portability. That’s your choice
You can check to see if all of your programs will work with ChromeOS/Linux
Some schools/majors have very specific computer requirements, especially in design, engineering, and sciences. You will likely want or need a laptop for in class work Before you get too far into making a decision about a computer to take to school with you, look carefully at the school and programs you are interested in. Also consider what your options are for repair if you have a problem with it. Computers are the absolute lifeline for many programs and you’re really SOL if you don’t have access to one… some schools give good discounts and free/quick repair if you have a problem and bought it there.
Do you have to run complicated software for physics/math classes on the higher level? I highly recommend AGAINST getting a mac due to lack of compatibility and paying 1.5-2x more for the exact same specs. My girlfriend was a Landscape Architecture major and her macbook pro was just awful (free from her scholarship though), she was asking to borrow my HP Pavillion when at home or just worked on school desktop computers.
The thing that will really make a price, spec, and battery life difference for a laptop is whether you need a separate graphics processing unit to use your software.
Consider that you will probably be using Matlab, mathematica, etc. - none of which run on a chromebook. I’d look for a laptop with a quad-core processor, 16Gb RAM, and an SSD. Your school may provide desktops for student use, and may have virtual PC’s you can use with a Mac or Windows computer - in which case you can use a cheaper windows laptop or macbook. An external monitor is also a big help for your dorm room or apartment - I use a 4k TV which works great!
@TooOld4School Does that stuff require a powerful GPU?
3D modeling- yes. Others -no. Having a separate GPU with it’s own video memory gives you more memory to work with, which can help when working with large data sets or complex simulations. It can also help with driving a large external monitor. I would usually recommend getting the ‘base’ GPU, but not the more expensive high end GPU unless you game a lot. I have a late 2013 yr Macbook pro laptop with a separate GPU, which comfortable drives two 4K monitors plus the laptop screen. As an FYI, you can use a Macbook with Parallels or VMWare to run windows for all but the most demanding gaming applications, but you definitely want 16Gb of RAM. Otherwise get a loaded up Windows laptop.
I was going to say that if OP is decent with computer he could get an external GPA set up and then get a nice transportable maybe 13 inch laptop with an integrated graphics card for great battery life but then an external GPU set up and … 4k monitors… I guess :P. Or maybe something less expensive.
@philbegas , there is a good argument to go with a windows 2-in-1 style laptop with a pen and touchscreen too, which are a lot cheaper and are good for note taking, etc. The chances of using high end simulation programs are only known to the OP, but the OP will certainly write papers and appreciate something light and easy to carry. Since the OP has not stated a budget it is hard to give advice. Even convertibles like the Lenovo Yoga 910 series support a 4K monitor through their USB-C ports, and have sufficient RAM and a fast enough GPU to run even simulation programs while being a lot cheaper than a portable workstation style product.
You don’t need 16 GB of RAM or a quad-core processor (on a laptop?) to run MATLAB or Mathematica. Both will run on a Pentium processor with 2 GB of RAM - 8 GB and a dual-core processor should be plenty for a computer to get you through college.
I also wouldn’t recommend buying a $300 laptop and throwing it away every 2 years, either. Number one, that’s incredibly wasteful. Number two, most of the computers you can buy at that price point are going to be only a step above a Chromebook in terms of processing power, and you’ll kick yourself when you need to run things like MATLAB on them. Also, non-Chromebook laptops in that price range are going to be heavy and have terrible battery life, which kind of defeats the purpose of buying one.
If I were going to college in 2016 I’d buy a thin and light ultrabook and use that as my main computer. A modern ultrabook can be both very thin and light but also very powerful for your purposes. You can buy a monitor, mouse, and external keyboard relatively inexpensively and turn it into a desktop when you get home (possibly with a docking station, if you wanted). You could probably spend between $600 and $1,000, depending on your budget, and get a great one. My personal computer was $800 and I can run Mathematica and/or MATLAB on it (I do run other modeling/statistical analysis programs on here). My work computer is also an ultrabook. We carry them around everywhere - you can take them to a meeting to Skype in or take notes and them dock them to 2+ monitors at your desk to get work done and forget they’re laptops. I recommend Asus, Lenovo, HP, and maybe Dell (particularly their business line). We also have that sweet Surface Book, but it’s expensive!
If you were going to get a “companion” portable device I’d say go for the tablet. TO me it doesn’t make sense to have a laptop and a Chromebook; if you have a thin/light enough laptop you’re just going to bring that everywhere you’d bring the Chromebook. But a 7-10" tablet might be a good companion to have. You could even get a compatible stylus and take notes on that. Wacom sells some for Apple and some select Android devices. Honestly I also use my big phone (iPhone 6S Plus - 5.5") as a small tablet replacement.
Seriously all the Chromebook hate. This is the sort of question I’ve been wondering but my main problem is that I’m unsure what programs are required for physics students.
Chromebooks can be extremely useful if you install another operating system on them. Crouton lets you run Ubuntu and switch seamlessly between it and Chrome OS. MATLAB does run on Ubuntu. Haven’t had any trouble with this setup except it being hard to run Windows only software.
The OP could also run a remote desktop.
If you dual partition a chromebook because you hate chrome OS then why not just buy a different small computer from the get-go? I don’t think most people want to deal with getting a Linux.
I didn’t do a dual partition because I hate Chrome OS. I just needed my laptop to do more. Chrome OS is pretty neat with Android support rolling out and everything. If you want to program or use software, you can’t do that on Chrome OS, but I keep Chrome OS because it’s streamlined and helps with research projects.