<p>Hello all, I will be going to UMD in the Spring as a freshman. I am debating whether to build a desktop pc or buy a laptop. I would like a desktop for its speed, large screen, and to play games and such on. I am a Computer Science student and do a lot of performance intensive programming/modeling/graphic design. I'd like a laptop because I can bring it to class (which I have never done, nor am I doing now in community college but it seems it would be helpful). I'll need a desktop after/during college anyways, so the question is really whether I should bring it to my dorm or buy a laptop and possibly waste money. I also see you can rent a laptop for 4 hours at a time.</p>
<p>How common is it to bring a desktop to a dorm at College Park? I wouldn't mind it taking the majority of my personal space- but I don't want to bother my roommates. Also if I don't like my roommates, I could take a laptop and leave the room whereas with a desktop I'm stuck there while doing work. I'm not worried about theft for either option. So you can see I am weighing my options and if anyone has any tips, please share! thanks!</p>
<p>You’re not doing anything for school that requires a gaming rig, don’t even try to make that argument. A lightweight laptop is going to be your best option, however, you have a couple options each with their own pros and cons.</p>
<p>Option 1: Build a gaming rig and buy a lightweight laptop. This option gives you everything you want, but it’s also the most expensive way to go.</p>
<p>Option 2: Forgo graphics intensive gaming, just buy a lightweight laptop. Cheapest option w/laptop and most convenient option, and best option for your gpa.</p>
<p>Option 3: No desktop, but get a gaming laptop (I.e. alienware). Less expensive than option 1, more expensive than option 2, but lugging around 10+ lbs of hardware around campus is going to suck.</p>
<p>Option 4: No laptop, just gaming rig. I have found it near impossible to not get tempted to game while doing hw on my desktop, but to each his own. Conversely, I am most efficient in a quiet cubby hole in the library, using my laptop.</p>
<p>Best option is probably a light laptop with good specs. Even a Macbook air can be had with 8GB RAM and an i7 processor.</p>
<p>If you really want the desktop, you could get a cheap netbook or tablet to bring to class.</p>
<p>Thanks for the words guys.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience renting out laptops? I checked earlier and there were 12 dell laptops available and I just checked now and there are 0 available. This tells me its a good program. It also means I can’t depend on getting a laptop when I want it. I’m more worried about the hassle of checking in/out than availability as I am a bit of an early bird.</p>