<p>My laptop is too heavy to lug around. I bring my iPad and it serves all my needs great. I have a small bluetooth keyboard with it for taking notes.</p>
<p>My girlfriend let me borrow a pretty heavy laptop that had to be fixed at some point. Most of the time, no. I didn’t lug around a laptop until I got my first job as a programmer.</p>
<p>Oh wow this thread got a lot of posts
I brought my desktop anyways </p>
<p>Of course</p>
<p>Not to derail this thread, but since the OP has taken action already…</p>
<p>Regarding laptops, desktops and iPads… Is the norm changing on this for college students? My feeling is that iPads are fast taking over the functionality of laptops, especially for students. I also feel that a good desktop remains essential… The hub for both in depth project work and also storage (particularly for us Orwellian’s who refuse to buy into “the cloud”.)</p>
<p>My question, as a fairly non-tech oriented guy in relation to the average 2014 college student, is whether my assumptions above are accurate… or at least workable for a student today? My son uses an iPad and has an aging laptop, which he has outgrown. My question is whether or not I’m right to purchase a new desktop for him… With an eye on finishing up HS and on to college… Or, is purchasing a more up to date laptop the better idea?</p>
<p>Many thanks. (I’m a true neophyte here at CC; if there is a more appropriate place to post this, I would appreciate that direction.)</p>
<p>@SoylentGreen </p>
<p>Well this would be a good discussion for a new thread, which you can post if you’d like, but ill answer here.</p>
<p>iPad’s, while they can be good for many activities, are not going to replace laptops for a while. They simply don’t operate the same and create limitations not found on a laptop. Also, an external keyboard is essential with a tablet and for many a stylus is as well. But still, for serious work, I would want a laptop all the way.</p>
<p>My school actually implemented iPads in the classroom, and they were used more for gaming than work. Tablets tend to be a method of media consumption rather than a work tool, though that could change over a decade or two if not less. Overall I would have much rather had us all go to laptops.</p>
<p>Personally, I haven’t had a desktop in ages. I run off a laptop and a second monitor and make sure I have a top notch laptop. Most of the people I know do the same. Custom towers are usually found with the gamers more than the general population.</p>
<p>Basically, high quality laptops with extended home setups serve a wide range of uses while you would need both a tablet and a computer to get the same functionality, and still even then have limitations.</p>
<p>I would recommend getting the high quality laptop and get a dual monitor setup at whatever is homebase for you. Then you have portability that you can plug in at home for the full experience. It really does depend. Is he a gamer? That really does play a big role in desktop vs laptop.</p>
<p>For point of reference, my tech background: College freshman, CS major, coder, non gamer.</p>
<p>Many thx PengsPhils. I also found the computer section of CC and posted there as well. Appreciate your helpful response.</p>