<p>I'm planning on being a CS major, and was wondering if I should get a higher-end computer because of it. I know some programs can be thousands of lines long and lots of RAM (6 GB +) would probably be a good idea. </p>
<p>Any opinions?</p>
<p>A program thousands of lines long if not going to eat up much memory. For a CS class I had to write a program that needed to sort 1 million 100character strings. At 1 byte per character that was 100MB, which was easily handled by a Vista laptop with 3GB of RAM. In CS things that affect program execution time have more to do with algorithmic complexity, if you are interested look up Big-Oh notation. </p>
<p>You really only need to break the bank on a computer if you are interested in doing graphics intensive programs. Most of what a CS major normally does is done through a command line interface, which does not place a high demand on the processor or RAM.</p>
<p>if you ever need a powerful computer for a school project, the school will provide you with one in a lab.</p>
<p>all you need is just a basic laptop. a netbook will suffice.</p>
<p>The latest and greatest will cost a lot more, but technology will overtake it in months. So I wouldn’t splurge on a high end computer. I am however biased against netbooks. Disclosure: S is sophomore in CS.</p>
<p>I agree with the others; you probably won’t need a very fast computer. However, if you are interested in the fastest reasonable computer, those with the Intel i7-720QM quad-core processor are the best; the other i7 procs with higher clock speeds are too expensive and use too much power, while anything under the 720 is dual core and too slow. Look at the HP DV6T, which can be found for under $1,000 and also has discreet graphics.</p>
<p>I’d recommend one with a dedicated video card, or at least the discreet graphics (mine has it, it’s nice, and is equivalent to a 256 mb card). However, for the CS major itself, your programs won’t, at least for the first year or two, be that intensive, unless you did them wrong. As you’ll learn, a simple algorithmn-change in your program can make its execution quicker than decades of processor speed development.</p>
<p>I recommend getting something with good battery life, and that isn’t too large: if you’re using a laptop, it’s nice to have something small enough to take everywhere, and that you don’t have to worry about dying before you can get enough work done.</p>
<p>I recommend either getting a mac (it has built-in shell capability, and has a unix design. I know many CS majors with one, and it’s a good quality computer) or getting a PC and dual-booting some version of Linux with Windows 7 (dual-booting on the mac might be nice too). Learning to build from source inside a shell will be an invaluable skill you likely won’t adequately learn in class.</p>
<p>Nothing you write will need to suck up that much memory or CPU or disk, but if you’re a CS major you’ll probably be using your computer more than average (both schoolwork and personal interest) so it’s worth getting something you’ll like using.</p>
<p>Having a lot of memory (4 GB should be more than plenty for a laptop) is probably the thing that helps ease of use the most.</p>
<p>If you’re going to get only a netbook, please save yourself now and buy yourself an external LCD monitor, keyboard, and mouse to go with it. With those, netbooks aren’t half bad (though you might want an external hard disk to go with that also)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Forget windows. Install a distribution of linux and force yourself to use the shell (command line). Getting good at that will improve your productivity while programming. An added bonus to that is that you don’t need the fastest computer when you are doing everything from the command line.</p>
<p>Don’t forget Windows. You will probably run into a class that has some requirement to run a Windows-only or Windows-favorable program. Dual-boot or VM should do the trick. You may be able to get a free Windows license from your department too.</p>
<p>You might consider something with moderate power if you’re interested in building open source applications. Some of them run into the millions of lines of code area and a decent processor with a good disk can keep build times down.</p>
<p>The stuff you do for your major most likely won’t use much power at all! In fact, a lot of it is about making heavy-duty stuff easier. Computers today are many orders of magnitude better than what we had even a decade ago, but the material is mostly the same, save for a few recent advancements. In fact, it’s to such a level that I find that as a CS major, my laptop requirements are much less than those in the humanities, because:</p>
<ul>
<li>I don’t need to make any fancy videos.</li>
<li>Mostly everything is done with very simple software that makes the likes of Word or Publisher look impossibly complicated.</li>
<li>I have access to so many lab resources that I don’t need to spend money on half-assed expensive versions of the same stuff for a laptop.</li>
</ul>
<p>However, there are a few things that will be important:</p>
<p>1.) Durable and portable (light, good battery life, handles a few falls). You will be carrying and using it much more often than the other majors. For me, it’s almost like a cell phone. I need it to do most my lab assignments, to discuss concepts with friends, and to study. It’s as important for a CS major as a camera is to a photographer or a journal is to a writer/musician.</p>
<p>2.) Good keyboard / trackpad and screen. You’ll be using it often, and you’ll be doing a lot with it – it better be a pleasure to use.</p>
<p>3.) Reliable hardware. Note the keyword – reliable, not cutting edge. Try to shop around for laptops with high-quality components to avoid the frustration of things failing. If your program crashes randomly because of bad RAM or overheating CPU, you’ll be ripping your hair out. Similarly, if you need to install another operating system, it’d be nice if the hardware is compatible.</p>
<p>Personally, I got a Thinkpad T500 last year, and I’m very satisfied with it. It’s handled multiple drops and everything still works. The 6hr battery life with the 9-cell battery is worth every ounce and cent. The trackpoint is good for egronomics, and the Centrino 2 platform is reliable and very widely supported by alternative operating systems, like Linux.</p>
<p>If I were to get a new laptop today, though, I’d get a Dell Latitude E-series. They have just as good of a battery life, look nicer, and are on the same level of durability. The difference is that Lenovo is no longer a company you can trust after their business practices and contactibliity issues of the previous year.</p>
<p>Other than that, Intel MHD4500 integrated graphics, 2GB RAM, and 100GB HD space has been working along excellently for me.</p>
<p>I ll suggest you Dell Studio Laptops will be suitable for your requirement</p>
<p>Normally I like Dell laptops but they’ve had a lot of problems in the last few months with their new models.</p>
<p>Get a ThinkPad, they’re the best, hands down. There’s the R series (more affordable), the T series (more performance), the W series (even more performance), and the X series (more portable). Take your pick.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yeah, this is the more responsible choice, but if you only install a unix-like operating system and no GUI on your home computer, you’ll be forced to learn how to use the command line and utilities. </p>
<p>You can always install Windows later on the computer or a virtual machine if you need it for a class.</p>
<p>I don’t write programs for a living and have never used an IDE, so maybe I’m overstating the efficiency boost that you get when you know how to use the shell, grep, etc . . . as opposed to an IDE.</p>
<p>The Windows IDE is actually very good for college-sized programs. It can be far more efficient in writing programs with visual tools. My opinion is that it breaks down for large projects.</p>
<p>Custom-Asus or Sager laptop :)</p>
<p>The Thinkpad T-series and R-series are actually equivalent in performance. It’s the construction that’s different.</p>
<p>T-series are lighter and more-durable due to the internal roll-cage, whereas the R-series is just lots of heavy-duty plastic. As a result, the R-series is heavier, but cheaper.</p>
<p>I’m already getting tired of carrying around my 6lb T500, so go figure!</p>