<p>Do engineering students typically take laptops to class? I'm thinking about getting the MacBook pro 13" for portability but idk if people in that sort of program even take it to class. Should I just build a nice desktop instead?</p>
<p>Usually no. If you are sitting in a classroom, most instructors I know do not approve using laptops (exception: computer science classes that require programming…)</p>
<p>If you are dorming you would want a big screen; at least 15" for a laptop. 13" is just too small, especially if you are in frustration. Otherwise, bring a desktop and a big screen. </p>
<p>If you are commuting, 13" is suffice. It’s all up to you.</p>
<p>Well Im not sure what to do…I’m an EE/Comp Eng major and I didn’t know if I would be bringing it to class a lot…I’m pretty sure the profs allow it and I wanted to get something reliable but if I went windows (can’t afford 1800$ for 15" MVP) idk what I would get</p>
<p>What’s your maximum price range? I can recommend some good PC comps. And what screen size? Are you looking for 15" or around 13"?</p>
<p>I would like to stick around 1000$ but I could go upwards a bit if necessary. I’ve been mainly interested in the 13" mbp due to build quality, portability, and I’ve always wanted to try Mac. I kind of like the dell xps 15 but I’ve just heard negative things about dell and their support. I would rather have a 15" screen size and I would prefer a backlit keyboard.</p>
<p>You forgot to answer whether you are dorming or not. If you are dorming, either you spend a good amount of money on your favorite laptop, or bring in a home desktop if you are going to be away for six months each semester. </p>
<p>Windows is just as good as Mac OSX. You don’t need to be the “cool” kids having Mac. Only idiots would try to impress other with their Macbook Pro, because OS is merely an interface. </p>
<p>There are many good brands out there. HP, Dell, Lenovo, all good. $500 - $700 will be enough. But if you are dorming you definitely want something 15" because I know from experience I get upset with my 14" when I am tired. </p>
<p>If you want a laptop that last for several years, any brand will do. Warranty is important too. Take that into consideration,. Battery life - always carry the charger with you. I will not invest my money for better battery life. 2GB, 4GB, whatever is the default, take the default. i3 is suffice.</p>
<p>If you play games you need a good graphic card, which most laptops don’t have. </p>
<p>Go for something nice. 13" maybe okay. Go to bestbuy or local apple store, and try the 13". You can get a cheap one for now, and when you get more scholarships (apply when you are in school!!!), you may use those money to reward your hardwork.
That’s the deal.</p>
<p>If you like something, go for it, because you will not be happy with the cheap laptop.
Go to Apple Store and try 13".</p>
<p>PS: I think Apple is still doing the summer student discount. I don’t know. Check it out.</p>
<p>Being able to run both windows and Mac was another big plus about the mbp</p>
<p>I have an apartment on campus but my parents only live an hour away. I was mainly thinking I would need a laptop for group projects and what not. I wasn’t thinking about getting a MacBook just to be cool, its just everyone I know who has made a switch has said they doubt they will ever go back to windows. I think I might look further into the dell xps 15 though</p>
<p>Running windows on MAC is a battery eater. It’s simple, if you want Mac OSX get a mac. If you will use Windows more (even on the mac) get a PC. Also take software compatibility into account… I don’t know what programs you’ll be using in engineering, but it may be worthwhile to check, because windows has a lot of applications that Mac doesn’t. (However, Mac should have most of the important ones, like the CAD apps). If you’re only getting a Mac for the name brand and the looks, I’d advise against it.</p>
<p>As for PC reliability, I’d recommend Lenovo. They’re built like tanks, literally. The thinkpad series is highly regarded and the build quality is the same, if not better than the MBP. HP is a cheaper option but the build quality is a bit lower than lenovo, apple, and even dell.</p>
<p>These are great options…: </p>
<p>ThinkPad T520
([Lenovo</a> - Laptop computers - ThinkPad T520](<a href=“Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Data Center | Lenovo US”>Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Data Center | Lenovo US))</p>
<p>IdeaPad Y Series
[Lenovo</a> - Laptop computers - IdeaPad Y Series: Y460, Y550, Y560, Y560d](<a href=“Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Data Center | Lenovo US”>Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Data Center | Lenovo US)</p>
<p>Also make sure to check for the screen size, on some models they don’t have 15.6" screens.</p>
<p>The Dell XPS 15 is also a good option… Look over it and see what you like the best.
And if the graphics card isn’t a huge seller, than</p>
<p>T, Edge, Y series are all good.</p>
<p>No. I mean other people. Not you. Ha. I have seen ignorant people laughing at Windows users because they are not cool. I am sure you are not one of them. Peer pressure is sometime evil. I actually wanted to get MBP when I was a freshman. Anything that makes you happy - go for it.</p>
<p>I personally own a Lenovo 14" Edge</p>
<p>S took a laptop to college with him. He then got a large (22") flat screen monitor and a regular size keyboard to connect it to. It gave him the best of both worlds…the portability of the laptop and the feel of a desktop. Also, he was able to configure things so he could use both the laptop screen and monitor simultaneously. It was very beneficial when doing projects…he could research on one screen and write on the other…or…do homework on one and social network on the other without having to open and close multiple windows.</p>
<p>If you want to waste money for a name brand, get the Mac. I got a Toshiba Satellite 15.7" with 6 GB RAM and 500 GB Hard Drive with the i5 processor for around 900 bucks. It would’ve cost around twice that to get those same specs on a Macbook.</p>
<p>The most important things about a laptop are not the microprocessor, memory, etc. They are the screen and keyboard. Pick a laptop with a screen and keyboard that you like.</p>
<p>My personal opinion regarding screen size is that smaller is better. 15" and larger laptops are difficult to fit into normal-sized backpacks.</p>
<p>It isn’t too important whether you choose Mac or Windows. The important differences that I can think of are: Macs are POSIX-compliant, so you can run a lot of free software that’s useful for developing programs and you get a fully-featured shell. Some CAD software doesn’t run on Mac, I think, but electrical engineering and/or computer engineering students don’t use CAD programs that much. MATLAB is a lot slower on Macs.</p>
<p>If he lives away from home, then his laptop will become his primary and thus a larger screen is almost a must. 14" is still too small for me, especially for programming.
I enjoy programming more on my 23" desktop :D</p>
<p>Well I have several options that I could choose from here but I am having a hard time deciding…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Buy a base model Macbook Pro 13" like I originally planned. Upgrade the ram to 8GB and buy a copy of windows to run with bootcamp for any windows applications I might run across. I also have a 23" monitor I bought for my desktop at home that I could take to use as an external monitor for when I’m at my apartment.</p></li>
<li><p>Buy a 15" Dell XPS. I really like the backlit keyboard and 1 GB or upgradeable to a 2 GB video card. The only thing holding me back from making this decision is the fact that everyone seems to say that Dells are junk and I will have to get a different laptop a few years or so. I would like for this laptop to last me 4 years.</p></li>
<li><p>Take my desktop that I built in the summer of '09 down to my apartment and do all of my work on it. I could also use the money I would’ve put towards a laptop to upgrade it a bit but it already has pretty nice specs. I realize that I won’t be able to take notes on a laptop it seems like considering that my classes will all be engineering/physics/calculus since I already completely my general requirement. The only problem is I’m worried that when doing group projects, my group would expect me to bring a laptop to meet up with them or what not.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It’s a tough decision and I would like to know what you guys would do if you were in my shoes. I know that if I’m getting a laptop I will get it this summer so I can either take advantage of the Apple back to school promo or the free xbox 360.</p>
<p>Why do you need to upgrade to 8GB? What is the need for 8GB? Unless you are running Facebook server on your Mac. Upgrade your RAM from the vendor is very expensive. If I am not wrong, that’s another $200. </p>
<p>Instead get a better warranty. Getting any kind of upgrade from your laptop vendor is almost a ripoff (well, there are exceptions). In fact, if you need a better overall performance, you need a better HDD (minimally, 7200RPM). But it isn’t necessary IMO. So don’t even bother.</p>
<p>
Apple products are also junk. Now what?
It is all about luck. Some people can survive with their cheap laptops for eight, nine years (yeah, that’s me right here), and some can’t. Apple products are good, but the only problem I have with them is that their laptops burn me. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Maybe. You can be the note taker or simply be the one doing the brain work. When I do group project my group always end up going home or doing their own stuff. We get things done online. </p>
<p>======
Do you have old laptop at home? If you have one, bring it in along with your desktop and the monitor. I used my old laptop in my freshman year and I got the Lenovo laptop last summer (now a rising junior). My old laptop was terrible, but okay. I had to get a cooler base to cool it down though. </p>
<p>If you don’t have a spare laptop, get MacBook Pro 13" (if that’s what you really want), and bring in your 23" monitor with you. But forget about the upgrade $200. Get a better warranty, please. </p>
<p>=========</p>
<p>
And yes, I was going to ask you about your fall and spring schedules. If you don’t have any CS class in the Fall, you can wait until Spring to get your MacBook Pro. There will be promotion during Christmas and New Year. You probably won’t get that free iPod, which is a bonus because you can sell it !!
It is really up to you. </p>
<p>If I were you, I’d think about the two options I give. Choose the laptop that you absolutely like.</p>
<p>I would never pay the vendor to upgrade the RAM or HDD for me. I can upgrade the RAM to 8gb for around 90$ and the reason I was gonna do this is so I could run Windows more efficiently in Parallels or VMware.</p>
<p>Also my fall schedule consists of Intro to Electrical Engineering, Intro to Computer Engineering, Intro to Computer Science, and Calculus II.</p>