<p>Is your college bound child taking both a laptop and desktop computer to school with them?</p>
<p>Not sure why you’d need a desktop if you’ve got a good laptop, but if you just like the convenience of a bigger screen and full-size keyboard it’s possible to get a laptop with docking station. I’m writing at one right now.</p>
<p>My S doesn’t use a desktop anymore. That way he can float through the house always connected. He will do the same in college. His laptop display (MacBook Pro) is large, so that’s not an issue. A portable laptop pad is a good idea, because the computer heats up.</p>
<p>Some students like desktops for the computing power (no quad-core laptops yet) and the heat issue. Laptop cooling pads don’t do a great job with high-wattage CPUs, GPUs and disks because the power input (USB) isn’t that strong. I’ve been thinking of building a custom cooling pad for laptops using 8-inch fans to keep the noise to a minimum.</p>
<p>Most students nowadays use laptops. They’re generally powerful enough in terms of CPU speed, memory, hard disk space, decent display, etc., and not as expensive as they used to be. The big benefit is portability - being able to use it in class, the library, while sitting on your bed, bringing it home on breaks, etc. If the heat is bothersome, get a well ventilated laptop like a Dell Vostro or just put something between the laptop and the lap. I used a backgammon game (really just a briefcase-like box) for a long time but now use a ‘lap desk’ that’s basically a board on top of a pillow. None of the heat comes through and the laptop can still ventilate.</p>
<p>Sometimes heavy gamers still want a desktop but outside of that there’s little need for both.</p>
<p>Laptop only for my D. I use both but am really using the desktop less and less these days. I just got a new Dell Vostro and I have noticed less heat than my old Toshiba. D’s new Mac gets pretty hot but she hasn’t complained.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter what most kids use, get what works best for you. Son still uses desktop after 2 years of college. UW still gives no favorite, and rightfully so. I prefer the desktop- screen visibility, sitting and use separate mouse for laptop- can still see the tv if I want and much more comfortable. No need to be elsewhere to use computer.</p>
<p>I was asking because my S is really into gaming and wants to take both. He doesn’t want to use his laptop for games and wants to continue to use his desktop for that. I was curious if he’ll be the oddball for having both.</p>
<p>S1 did /does, mostly for Age of Empires. S2 will also, but he’s a computer science major.</p>
<p>bbkitty:</p>
<p>If he’s into gaming, wants to take a desktop, and has room for it in the dorm, then he should probably just go ahead and take it. He won’t be the only one there with a desktop or even a desktop plus laptop. If he plans on having a desktop he doesn’t necessarily need a laptop. A lot of students don’t take a laptop to class. But if he already has the laptop he may as well take it too if he wants.</p>
<p>My two kids both for different reasons prefered desktops, and neither felt they were at a loss for not carrying a laptop–I find that less and less is that really considered a necessity in class.</p>
<p>I had a desktop and a laptop at college, and hardly ever used a laptop. When I wanted to do work outside of my room, I easily preferred the plentiful computer labs around campus, especially the one maintained by my department where computers were set up in individual cubicles with full desks and bookshelves instead of on long rows of tables like most computer labs. I don’t know anyone that took notes in my engineering classes with their laptop, though I have met a few in physics that did.</p>
<p>I have both a desktop and laptop. I really like not having to set up my laptop every time I come back from class. I see that having both (if space permits) helps with games and such, so you can get a significantly cheaper laptop and just run basic word processing and using the desktop for everything else. It’s possible to set up the laptop as a docking station (I basically used a USB hub to accomplish that) but it does suck that it gets quite annoying if you take your laptop to class everyday.</p>
<p>I would worry more about a kid that wants to game so much while in college. My d says some kids, that’s all they do. and its not the computer that makes them weird, to be honest. </p>
<p>If my child were into gaming so much that they needed to bring this extra equipment, I would ahve the equipment stay at home for at least a while.</p>
<p>One of my kids chose a laptop, and the other selected a desktop. </p>
<p>The laptop kid admitted that he didn’t take it out of his room much after the thrill of having his own computer wore off. It was a pain to carry around and worry about. At the end of YR 2 the screen blew out for the 2nd time, and he ended up hooking up a monitor to it…so it’s essentially a crummy desktop now. (He’s a gamer, so the laptop has a lot of mileage on it). I finally felt pity for his jury-rigged system and got him a cheap desktop too. Despite all this, the laptop kid is going to buy a new laptop when he graduates this year - he likes the convenience of knowing he can take it with him if he wants.</p>
<p>The desktop kid is a science major, and opined that laptops are less conducive to taking notes in math and science classes. He didn’t want to carry one around with him, and his campus has lots of computers and computer labs if he wants to check email or the internet anywhere on campus. He also thought his older sibling’s laptop didn’t hold up that well, and is sure that he can do the upgrades or fixes on the desktop so it won’t need to be replaced (hopefully) during college. </p>
<p>This kid did get a little irritated this year since so many kids would come into his room and use his desktop since it was always set up, had a decent size monitor and other kids liked using a regular sized keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc.. He finally put a password on it. </p>
<p>Next kid will be going off to college in another 2 years and her siblings are already trying to convince her that their choice is best…she’s leaning towards a laptop right now, since her desk is always so messy she isn’t sure she’ll have room for a desktop.</p>
<p>I am taking a good desktop and a cheap laptop… then again the desktop is mostly for games and the laptop for notes. You only really need a decent laptop for most things. </p>
<p>The other plus of a cheap laptop is that its not as bad if its get stolen. It’s a bit harder to lug a desktop away too, especially if you use common sense (lock your door).</p>
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<p>Ugh, I hated people that did this, even when I was hanging out in other peoples’ rooms and I’d see other people doing it. I don’t understand what makes people think they can just use someone’s personal property like that without even asking. I put a password lock on my computer within about three days of arriving at college.</p>
<p>For anyone else that really dislikes this, if you put a password on your Windows profile, you can hit “Windows key + L” to go to the switch users dialogue on WinXP (keeps all of your stuff open and running) or to the Lock Computer in Win2k. I’m sure it has a similar functionality in Vista. Also be sure to set your screensaver to have a password in case you forget to lock your computer, as if people catch a computer that’s normally locked unlocked, there becomes a huge temptation to screw around with it.</p>
<p>I think a laptop with a docking station is the best solution. No problem to hook it up to a full screen and keyboard and then take it when you need it.<br>
If I had to do it over again, I’d get a smaller laptop so it would be easier to carry.</p>
<p>Others gave the details in favor of a desktop I didn’t, happy to see others did as son has done. Son set his password long before he left home to avoid parental/friends’ scrutiny. Messiness is no reason to not have a desktop or son couldn’t have used one for two years- in fact, I think it would be a lot easier to lose a laptop under a pile of junk than miss the location of a desktop (funny how at home the floor can be lost to stuff, the bed… but the computer is fully accessible). BTW, printers are not necessary as there are easy, cheaper ways to do printing on campuses (a flashdrive, however, is).</p>
<p>D can’t live without her laptop. She got her first one in 9th grade and literally wore it out. She’s on her third one now as a college Sr. Each one has been smaller and lighter than the previous. She loves the little 12" Thinkpad she got this summer. A laptop under 4 pounds is my recommendation. D would not be without hers during breaks. With wireless internet in most dorms and homes these days, there is no setup, just open it and you’re online.</p>