Laptop requirements for freshmen?

Parents Forum
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<p>My son was given a list of requirements for the laptop he's expected to bring to school this fall. I'm pretty surprised at how expensive it is. We have to order it since the local stores don't carry anything equipped with 500 GB HD, 8GB of RAM and i7 processor and Windows 7 Professional. (Northwestern, Medill- journ major)</p>

<p>The computer that has a discount through the school is a Dell Latitude E6510. Is anyone familiar with this laptop?</p>

<p>Boy is this year going to be expensive! Do your kids have computer requirements for their schools?</p>

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<p>[Recommended</a> PC Laptop Hardware](<a href=“Northwestern IT Page Not Found: Information Technology - Northwestern University”>Northwestern IT Page Not Found: Information Technology - Northwestern University)</p>

<p>Are you sure about those requirements? Look at the requirements in the link.</p>

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<p>What you’re describing is a very high-end laptop and not something a journalism major would ‘need’. Even an engineering major wouldn’t ‘need’ a laptop that powerful. Are you sure he didn’t come up with these ‘requirements’ himself? ;)</p>

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<p>Before ordering the laptop have him e-mail his department chair or departmental advisor and ask if this is REALLY the only computer that will work. Too often these requirements are written by some guy in the tech department who really has no idea how the machines will really be used.</p>

<p>Case in point, when my oldest son was looking to buy a new computer he checked his departmental requirements. The web site said unequivocally that only a certain PC would fit the requirements. Having been born and raised a MAC user he really wanted a Mac. He stopped in and talked to his department chairman about it. The chairman’s response was “Well its odd that our web site says to buy a PC. We ALL use Mac’s. Buy a Mac.”</p>

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<p>[Medill</a> - IT - Technical Specifications](<a href=“http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/it/display.aspx?id=70701]Medill”>http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/it/display.aspx?id=70701)</p>

<p>Maybe they want students to get a computer that can still run powerful software in 4 years?</p>

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<p>They are nuts. There are no architectural reasons to put a Core i7 in a notebook. I have a few Core i7 systems, a few Core i5 systems, a Penryn system, a bunch of Meroms, etc. And I keep up with the architectural features of processors. That recommended configuration will probably run hot and not provide great battery life without switchable graphics. I would get a mid-range system with expansion capability.</p>

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<p>That computer is too much. Not needed at all</p>

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<p>Huh? Why those requirements? What are they going to do if he doesn’t get it?
Are those recommendations? I’d go for 1/4 of those specs.</p>