<p>Hi, I could use some advice regarding a laptop for my son. I want to get him one for HS graduation that will serve him well at MIT. I would like to hear your thoughts on Size, weight, entertainment value. Is a large screen worth the trade off in extra weight? How often will this realistically be carried to and from classes.</p>
<p>the last depends on your son. i carry my laptop pretty much anywhere i go, and so do many people i know who tend to multitask a lot. if it's the only computer he's got, a larger screen will make his eyes happier; i'd veto it for cost, not weight. also, if you gave us an idea of how your son tends to use computers (is he a hardcore programmer? does he just use it for typing papers? does he watch a lot of dvds, play music, play video games? etc.) it'd be helpful.</p>
<p>also, of course, MIT sends out minimum recommended specs for computers, including packages with discounts. you may want to look at that.</p>
<p>I came to MIT with a heavy laptop, which I have never carried around and has been used mainly as a subpar desktop. I am currently lusting after one of the small light laptops out now... </p>
<p>Overall, I would suggest a nice light laptop, but if we're talking about someone who multitasks, it might be better to go for processor speed over minimal weight.</p>
<p>Like goddess said, it's highly dependent on the kind of computer user someone is.</p>
<p>I hear MIT is also fairly windows-unfriendly</p>
<p>-especially important if your s is looking to major in 6</p>
<p>get a 12 inch apple powerbook with superdrive</p>
<p>its a little dynamo!</p>
<p>I dunno, I have plenty of course 6 friends who run Windows. Get an OS you like, everything else will fall into place.</p>
<p>agreed, you can always dual-boot if you have windows and find it to be unhappy. also, remember, athena is thy goddess, thou shalt not neglect her.</p>
<p>Yea seriously iBook or Powerbook 12in. I've been the most happy with my iBook, which is going to be the only computer I'm taking to MIT this fall (bringing a 18in LCD too for the laptop in the dorm). </p>
<p>Advantages? Apple laptop overall is going to be a lot better than PC laptop because the integration factor is so key in laptop. You NEED it to work. Take it from a kid who's used linux for the past year and obviously powertweaked windows the rest of my life. I've been most satisified with my iBook.</p>
<p>Also, 12in definitely. You will shoot yourself for having to lug around a large laptop. Just have an external monitor for the dorm so you don't go blind at home.</p>
<p>I agree with naventus on the monitor issue -- get a swanky monitor to keep in the dorm room for watching dvds, but get a laptop with a smaller screen so that it's easier to lug around. Large heavy laptops usually end up never going anywhere, making you wonder why you didn't just get a desktop computer instead.</p>