College Students: What do you use your laptop for?

AeroEngineer3141 · November 26, 2009, 7:13pm

In addition to browsing the web, emailing, and typing up essays, what else do you do on your laptop? What specs did you opt for in order to meet their requirements?

Copy, paste, and fill in the following form. Type your response to the right of the tags (these will make the post presentation much easier to look at). If there are paranthases after the question, answer according to those parameters. If you're unsure, just leave it blank or give a rough estimation (ex: ~300GB, ~7000rpm).

[noparse]
General Information
*Major: *
*Operating System: *
*Laptop Manufacturer, Model: *
*Price: *

*How often do you use it (hrs/day)? *
*How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? *

Laptop Specs
*Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): *
*Memory (GB): *
*Hard Drive (GB, rpm): *

*Screen Size: *
*Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): *

*Weight: *
*Battery (cells): *

*Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): *

*Misc: *

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
*Text Editing: *
*Presentations: *
*Photo & Video Editing: *
*Programming (languages): *

*Watching Videos: *
*Playing Games: *
*Webcam / Mic: *

*Misc: *

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for?

Additional Information:
[/noparse]

hirako · November 28, 2009, 9:00am

One word:

pr0n

Phishy · November 28, 2009, 8:07pm

General Information
**Major: **Design (emphasis on visual communication, i.e. graphic design)
**Operating System: **Windows 7
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: **Sony VAIO FW 490J
**Price: **$1458

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? **I use it more than I should. haaa. I’d say at least five hours a day.
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? **I usually leave it in my dorm unless I’m going somewhere else to study and need a computer. I don’t take it with me to class because 1) it’s kinda big and the desks are kinda small; 2) it’s more practical to take notes by hand for math/science classes; 3) electronics aren’t allowed for the one class I have where a computer would be helpful for note-taking; 4) I walk everywhere and lugging this thing with me would be a hassle.

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): **Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, 2.53 GHz
**Memory (GB): **4 GB
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): **320 GB, 7200 RPM

**Screen Size: **16.4 in.
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): **ATI Mobility Radeon 4650, 1 GB dedicated vRAM

**Weight: **~7 lbs.
**Battery (cells): **9-cell

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): **CD/DVD drive, 3 USB ports, SD slot, HDMI port, audio in/out, etc.

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: **? Not sure what you mean by this.
**Presentations: **Haven’t yet, but probably will sometime next quarter.
**Photo & Video Editing: **Yes, I edit photos with Photoshop; don’t know how to edit videos.
**Programming (languages): **No, I’ve never done anything of the sort.

**Watching Videos: **Yes, Youtube, Facebook, Hulu, Megavideo, DVDs. It’s really nice for watching shows and movies.
**Playing Games: **Yes, Facebook apps, MMORPGs (but the Internet’s usually too slow for this, so I don’t play much)… er, Solitaire? =p
**Webcam / Mic: **Yes, built-in 1.3 MP camera and mic, used with Skype, Oovoo, Tokbox, Facebook video.

**Misc: **I listen to music on Pandora and Youtube. I don’t have many songs of my own.

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for?
Gee, all I ever do these days is surf the web. Um, drawing, probably. I use a tablet. Haven’t done much drawing these days though. Last time it was a Graffiti on Facebook for a friend’s birthday.

Additional Information:

leaftye · December 2, 2009, 4:20pm

General Information
**Major: **Physiology & neuroscience
**Operating System: **Windows Vista
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: **Fujitsu T4215
**Price: **$1200

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? **9hrs/4 school days, nearly zero on weekends
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? **Everywhere that involves anything related to school

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): **2 ghz dual core
**Memory (GB): **4 gigs
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): **200 gig, 7200 rpms

**Screen Size: **12.1"
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): **integrated

**Weight: **5 lbs?
**Battery (cells): **2 batteries, don’t remember mah or cells, but it’s good for 8-11 hours per charge

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): **Extra stylus, cooler, work-in-case, spare main and multibay battery, Plustek Opticbook 3600 book scanner, internal multibay dvd burner, cable lock, Logitech Nano mouse, Wacom Bamboo tablet for when I want to use my tabletpc as a laptop, and a bunch of other stuff

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: **Yes, but most stuff is handwritten
**Presentations: **I’ve hand drawn stuff on it and done a couple Powerpoint presentations
**Photo & Video Editing: **A little, but I mostly use my desktop for this
**Programming (languages): **

**Watching Videos: **Barely
**Playing Games: **No, never
**Webcam / Mic: **No/never used

**Misc: **

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for?
I mostly use it for handwritten notes, handwritten homework, drawing, reading books, and recently I tried using it for listening to music, but I prefer using a standalone mp3 player.

Additional Information:
It’s a tabletpc, and I use it hardcore as a tabletpc. I think it’s the best thing ever for school. There’s no way in hell I’d ever switch to using a laptop, regular textbooks and notepads for school.

khoagland · December 3, 2009, 11:32pm

General Information
**Major: ** Information Technology and Informatics
**Operating System: ** Mac OS X 10.6
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: ** Apple Macbook Pro 13" 2.53GHz
**Price: ** $1500 USD before tax, includes free wireless printer and ipod touch

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? ** a lot. in almost every class, and for personal use at least a couple hours a day.
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** in my dorm pretty much whenever i’m there, and in most classes.

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): **2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed; 1066MHz frontside bus
**Memory (GB): ** 4GB (two 2GB SO-DIMMs) of 1066MHz DDR3 memory
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** 250GB 5400-rpm SATA hard drive

**Screen Size: ** 13.3"
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ** integrated; NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory

**Weight: ** 4.5 lbs
**Battery (cells): ** nonremovable 60-watt-hour li-poly battery

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** 8x slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW); 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector); FireWire 800; Mini DisplayPort (adaptable to VGA, DVI-I, DVI-D, and HDMI); two USB 2.0 ports; SD card slot; Audio in/out (1 port); Kensington lock slot

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** i write all of my papers and take most class notes on it, as well as for personal note-taking.
**Presentations: ** not built-in, however Apple’s Keynote and Microsoft Office’s PowerPoint both work well and are user-friendly.
**Photo & Video Editing: ** - basic editing in iPhoto.
**Programming (languages): ** Vim and AppleScript.

**Watching Videos: ** youtube, QuickTime X, Hulu Desktop, and VLC are godsends. I watch most of my TV as well as movies using my 24" monitor, through HDMI and a miniDP adaptor.
**Playing Games: ** light gaming, I’m not a huge gamer - but runs Orange Box perfectly, which makes me about as happy as i can be.
**Webcam / Mic: ** - iSight webcam built-in, useful for iChat, Skype, gChat, and facebook.

**Misc: **

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? downloading / playing media, and talking to friends.

Additional Information:

i’m more than happy with this laptop. it does everything i need, and about my entire life is on it. so please don’t steal it ;]

what.cd · December 4, 2009, 3:51am

General Information
Major: Math
Operating System: Red Hat Linux/Windows 7
Laptop Manufacturer, Model: HP Dv2
Price: $500 but I upgraded it and such, so it’s probably more like 800-900

How often do you use it (hrs/day)? Depends. Some days as little as 1-2 but some days I spend 5-6 hours. Usually, that’s when I’m programming, though.
How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? The reason I bought such a portable laptop is because I can go anywhere with it.

Laptop Specs
Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): AMD Athelon Neo Dual Core, 1.6 Ghz
Memory (GB): 4 GB
Hard Drive (GB, rpm): 2.5 TB, 5400 RPM (including external)

Screen Size: 12.1 in.
Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410, 1 GB dedicated vRAM

Weight: ~4 lbs.
Battery (cells): 6-cell

Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): external CD/DVD drive, 3 USB ports, HDMI port, audio in/out, etc.

Misc:

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
Text Editing: What?
Presentations: No, actually.
Photo & Video Editing: Yes, I use Photoshop CS3, Sony Vegas 9.0 and have had no trouble with my computer being unable to handle it.
Programming (languages): Very much so. Python, C, C++, C#, Java, Pearl etc.

Watching Videos: Why use my laptop for watching videos when I can watch them on my PS3? Plus, 12.1 inches isn’t big enough for video. However, for stuff like streaming, it’s fine. If I really cared, I could hook up my monitor to it and I would be fine. (I have a desktop in addition to my laptop)
Playing Games: Yes, I am an addict. I play everything and anything I can get my hands on. Lately, however, I’ve been playing on the consoles that my roommates have brought.
Webcam / Mic: Yes, every now and then. Only because I haven’t really needed to.

Misc: I do a lot with my computer very often. For example, I change my operating systems often. I like messing around with things. So, I switch my linux partition every once in a while to a different distro.

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for?
Music. I have a ton of music related software. I guess audio related software, but I use it for music.

Additional Information:

smilodon · January 8, 2010, 11:54am

General Information
**Major: ** Electrical Engineering
**Operating System: ** Vista
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: ** Acer Aspire some combination of numbers
**Price: ** $600(exc. tax)

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? ** Anywhere between 6 and 19 depending on how much class I have that day.
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** Leave it in my locker, I have a different laptop at home If I want to use it there.

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): ** Intel Dual core 2.17 GHz
**Memory (GB): ** 3GB
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** 250GB

**Screen Size: ** 15.4in
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ** Integrated can use upto 1GB of RAM

**Weight: ** Moderately heavy
**Battery (cells): ** 3 Hrs.

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** DVD R/W Drive unsure of speed 4 USB 1 Ethernet 1 VGA port 1 Laptop Card Port and a flash Card reader.

**Misc: ** Built in Wireless card, Shock sensor, number pad

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** Yes
**Presentations: ** Yes
**Photo & Video Editing: ** No
**Programming (languages): ** C, C++, PHP, MATLAB

**Watching Videos: ** Yes
**Playing Games: ** Yes
**Webcam / Mic: ** Yes, but I don’t use them

**Misc: ** Nothing else really

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? Writing
MATLAB simulations and writing reports

Yukichin · January 16, 2010, 4:13am

General Information
**Major: ** Film and Media Studies
**Operating System: ** Windows XP
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: ** Dell Inspiron 1501
**Price: ** I believe it was around $800.

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? ** It’s almost always on; I check it throughout the day.
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** Not often, myself. Sometimes I take it to class, but I much prefer taking notes on paper.

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): ** AMD Turion 64 Mobile 1.99 GHz
**Memory (GB): ** 896 MB
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** 60 GB.

**Screen Size: ** 15 inches, I believe.
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ** Integrated, if I remember correctly.

**Weight: ** Unsure.
**Battery (cells): ** Unsure.

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** Two USB drives on the side, microphone and headphone jacks, CD/DVD-R. Stuff in the back for LCDs and ethernet cables, with more USB drives.

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** Yes; essays and personal writing.
**Presentations: ** Occasionally; not often.
**Photo & Video Editing: ** Yes; as a hobby.
**Programming (languages): ** No.

**Watching Videos: ** A lot, especially on YouTube or downloaded videos.
**Playing Games: ** Not often, but sometimes I play MMO games.
**Webcam / Mic: ** No webcam; sometimes a peripheral mic.

**Misc: ** It’s just an allpurpose laptop. I use it most to chat with friends, check my e-mail, and surf the web.

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? Probably writing, whether it be essays or personal fiction.

Additional Information: It’s getting old, honestly; I need a new video card and the like, but it’s a dependable laptop. Probably 2-4 years old now.

ab2013 · January 18, 2010, 1:27pm

From start of school year until January 30, 2010

General Information
**Major: ** Computer Science
**Operating System: ** Windows XP Media Center 2005 32bit + Ubuntu 9.10 Koala Karmic
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: ** HP Pavilion dv6000t, delivered on 25 Dec 2006
**Price: ** $600 in December 2006 + $150 in upgrades in August 2009

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? ** Too often … probably 5-6 hours in one day … it’s on whenever i’m near it
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** never to class or studying whether in the library or group studying but always to lab/research

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): ** Intel Core Solo T1350 (1.86 GHz, 2MB L2, 533 MHz FSB)
**Memory (GB): ** 3GB (1x2+1x1) 533 MHz DDR2
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** 320GB 5400RPM SATA from Western Digital

**Screen Size: ** 15.4" WXGA antiglare
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ** Intel Integrated GMA 950

**Weight: ** about 7 pounds
**Battery (cells): ** 12 cells, 95 WHr lithium ion

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** I have an iPod and two flash drives (to transfer between school/home computers and the laptop)

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** Y
**Presentations: ** Y - Powerpoint 2007
**Photo & Video Editing: ** N - are you kidding? I don’t have that kind of time
**Programming (languages): ** C++, Java, C in Linux - computer cannot handle Visual Studio in XP because Linux manages my limited system resources better than Windows

**Watching Videos: ** Occasional Youtube, but cannot play high quality or HD videos
**Playing Games: ** Never on the Intel
**Webcam / Mic: ** Nope

**Misc: **

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? LISTENING TO MUSIC!!!

Additional Information: It’s about time for it to retire, which I’m saddened by because I absolutely loved the dv6000t, ever since it came out. But it’s starting to be slow for today’s standards and it’s heavy on my back when I carry it around in my backpack. Who knows what that will do to my back in the long run … I might become THE living hunchback. :D

ab2013 · January 18, 2010, 1:33pm

Beginning on January 30, 2010

General Information
**Major: ** Computer Science
**Operating System: ** Windows 7 Pro 64bit + Ubuntu 9.10 Koala Karmic
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: ** HP Pavilion dm3t
**Price: ** $775 ($1515, before $150 in discounts, $350 in coupons, and $240 in trade-in rebates)

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? **
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** never to class or studying whether in the library or group studying but always to lab/research

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): ** Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 (2.26 GHz, 6MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)
**Memory (GB): ** 4GB (2x2) 1066MHz DDR3
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** Intel 160 GB SSD … schweet + 320GB portable

**Screen Size: ** 13.3" LED glossy WXGA
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): ** 512MB nVidia GeForce G105M

**Weight: ** 4.17 lbs
**Battery (cells): ** 6 cells, 57 WHr lithium polymer

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** I have an iPod and two flash drives (to transfer between school/home computers and the laptop). I will also get an external DVD burner for this computer. Costs $50 at Newegg.

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** Y
**Presentations: ** Y - Powerpoint 2007
**Photo & Video Editing: ** N - are you kidding? I don’t have that kind of time
**Programming (languages): ** C++, Java, C in Linux - computer cannot handle Visual Studio in XP because Linux manages my limited system resources better than Windows

**Watching Videos: ** It WILL play HD videos on Youtube thanks to the C2D CPU chip and nVidia GPU
**Playing Games: ** Still won’t play on it. I like to do it on the big screen with my Wii
**Webcam / Mic: ** Nope

**Misc: **

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? LISTENING TO MUSIC!!!

Additional Information: HP’s delivering it to me by the end of the month. It will be my 3rd HP since 2004. I used to have a Dell before that, but they started to suck.

DelfinoM · January 20, 2010, 10:57pm

General Information
**Major: ** Electrical Engineering
**Operating System: ** Windows 7 x64(upgraded from Vista)
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: **Lenovo, Thinkpad T500
**Price: ** $1324

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? ** 5
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? ** never to class

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): ** intel duo core 2 3.0ghz 35watts
**Memory (GB): ** 3gig
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): ** 160gb

**Screen Size: **15.4in
Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): BOTH. Intel Integrated and ATI Radeon 4350, quick button press allows switching video chipsets without ever turning the computer off

**Weight: ** 7lbs
**Battery (cells): ** 9

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): ** cd/dvd combo drive, vga, display port, 3usb, express card port, ethernet, 3 antenna wifi, mic & speaker ports, firewire

**Misc: ** shock/acceleration sensor protects harddrive, owl fan blades which are very quiet at max speed

Used For? (Y/N, Explain) In addition to the basic stuff.
**Text Editing: ** Y
**Presentations: ** Y
**Photo & Video Editing: **
**Programming (languages): ** Y(pretty much any language I need to toss up on it, from ASM to C,PHP,etc)

**Watching Videos: ** Y
**Playing Games: ** Y
**Webcam / Mic: ** Y

**Misc: **

Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for? Programming, electrical design/simulation

Additional Information: Thinkpads are milspec rated meaning they passed military testing for use in combat zones and you can bludgeon a person to death without breaking one.
Very elegant looking in my opinion, none of the flashy ******** other laptops do.

r31ncarnat3d · February 5, 2010, 11:02pm

General Information
**Major: **Molecular and Cellular Biology
**Operating System: **Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
**Laptop Manufacturer, Model: **Asus
**Price: **$650

**How often do you use it (hrs/day)? **5
**How often do you take it around with you (dorm, class, everywhere, etc.)? **To class every day

Laptop Specs
**Processor (Manufacturer, GHz): **Intel Core 2 Duo t6400
**Memory (GB): **4GB DDR2-800
**Hard Drive (GB, rpm): **5200RPM 320GB

**Screen Size: **14.1"
**Graphics (Integrated or Dedicated): **Dedicated Intel 4500 GMA

**Weight: **4.5 lb
**Battery (cells): **6

**Peripherals (CD, DVD, USB, etc.): **DVD Drive

**Misc: **

Used For? (Y/N, Explain)
**Text Editing: **Yes, type up essays/reports
**Presentations: **No
**Photo & Video Editing: **No
**Programming (languages): **No

**Watching Videos: **Yes
**Playing Games: **No
**Webcam / Mic: **No

**Misc: **

**Besides surfing the web, what do you use your laptop most for?**Note taking in class and surfing the web during downtime

Additional Information: My laptop is just something I take to class. I actually have my desktop back at my apartment with two 24" monitors, and I find that helps much more with productivity.

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