<p>And if they do, where do they use it? Only in the dorm room or also in the library, starbucks, classes etc.</p>
<p>Tell me whether this is a worthwhile investment or not.</p>
<p>Also, keyed or combo?
Combo seems better, no key to carry/lose but the reviews on the combo ones are very poor.</p>
<p>yes (in the dorms) - did not leave the laptop unattended at other places.
I think it was the keyed lock for all 3 kids.
two laptops died of neglect (dropped/water spilled), but none were stolen or lost.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids use a lock (even the careful one). It is a huge inconvenience and most likely will not get used if purchased. I would recommend that your child and his/her roommate have a discussion about keeping the door to their room locked when no one is there. This includes trips to the bathroom. I would recommend buying dorm room insurance which would cover the computer and any valuables. Good luck!</p>
<p>We bought one for older son, he never used it. too inconvenient.</p>
<p>I think when laptops were more rare/expensive, they were more vulnerable to be stolen. now, every kid has one.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids EVER used a laptop lock or ever owned such a thing. They believe that invisible is the best insurance policy & kept their valuables out of sight. It has served them well, as it has served us.</p>
<p>We also bought one. I don’t think DS used it. </p>
<p>Outside the dorm room, the laptop was never out of his sight. He felt that was risky even if locked. In the dorm room it was always protected by the autolocked door. </p>
<p>They are not very expensive, so it’s not a bad idea to buy one if you think there would be a use for it.</p>
<p>Bought one for each kid to use in the dorm. Neither were ever used. “Too inconvenient.” So far, no computers stolen.</p>
<p>S and his roommate both kept the room door locked no matter how briefly they left the room. I did research the laptop locks briefly before he left for school but came across some comments from kids who had problems with the locks opening - and then their computers were stuck to their desks and they had to damage the lock hole to remove the locks.</p>
<p>I did purchase the dorm room insurance that covered the laptop since S had a very expensive one for his program at school.</p>
<p>^^ D’s puter is covered by our homeowner’s insurance, even when it’s halfway across the country, so that is something to check out.</p>
<p>Agree that the laptop lock is a waste of money, simply because it will be used once or twice, and then shoved in a drawer.</p>
<p>While D did not use it in the dorms, she used it at the library if she studied alone and needed to use the bathroom.</p>
<p>Daughter got one freshman year, now rising senior. Has used hers (combo lock) in the dorm all the time, it just became a habit. The good thing is she also now uses it automatically when travelling and staying in hotels. She just carries the cable with her as if it were another cord. She usually wraps the cable around the base of the TV that is basically theft proof. Of course it is wise to have insurance, but the 10 seconds it takes to lock/unlock is worth it.</p>
<p>Got one for older D when she went off to college–she never used it. Didn’t bother to get one for the younger D.</p>
<p>We had an adult CC member who had her computer stolen out of her hotel room while on a business trip. I know that H doesn’t use a computer lock when he’s in a hotel on business. Maybe it’s genetic in our family…</p>
<p>For those mentioning dorm insurance, do you get that through your own insurance company or does the college offer it? Also, do students use a lockbox for valuables? Although I guess you’d have to lock the box to something so it can be carried off.</p>
<p>My D, a rising senior, has used hers all 3 years. It is a combination lock.She doesn’t carry her laptop with her though so it just stays on her desk locked. </p>
<p>Ask your homeowner’s carrier about a personal articles policy. If you already have one for jewelry, you just add the laptop and other valuables to that. Typically covers everything that can happen to a laptop and no deductible.</p>