Laptops

<p>Hi, I am going to college this fall to major in computer engineering and plan on getting my list on what to bring out of the way.</p>

<p>First off, I have a desktop computer which runs pretty well but have heard that laptops are useful for college because of portability. What is your opinion on having laptops in college? Do you consider having one a necessity or just extra weight not worth purchasing for college? What are the main advantages of bringing a laptop to school?</p>

<p>Also what are your opinions on Macbooks. Do you consider them more helpful than Windows based computers?</p>

<p>I may plan on purchasing one according to your opinions so any help is apprecieated. Thanks.</p>

<p>this thread will help: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=294061&highlight=laptops+macbooks%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=294061&highlight=laptops+macbooks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks, but the thread still hasn't made up my decision. What would you recommend for a computer engineering major? Windows or Mac?</p>

<p>And is a laptop even worth purchasing? I already have a decent desktop computer but obviously I won't be able to use it elsewhere than my dorm.</p>

<p>Well, for computer engineering, a PC will probably make more sense, especially when it comes to using specific programs for your classes. As for if laptops are needed or not, I think having one is very, very convenient but it's not a life-or-death situation. Having just a desktop is fine since I know a good number of people in that situation. If you come across a great deal on a laptop though, then maybe I would think about getting it...if not, don't stress about it.</p>

<p>Laptops are really convenient- it's not an absolute MUST but having one does make life easier (and more fun in really boring classes, lol)
If you are a going to be a computer engineering major, I do not recommend the macbook. My friend is in engineering, and he was considering getting a macbook but found that a PC suited him better for his programming stuff he had to do for classes and etc.
I'm a macbook user, and I really really love it =) But for computer/electrical engineers, nah. (I haven't seen an engineer with a mac yet. At least at my school.)</p>

<p>May as well get a laptop now. Your desktop probably doesnt have a dual core processor or vista on it. Get on newegg and get yourself as nice lappy (pc, not mac) that has all the latest stuff.</p>

<p>Huhh, I used to be a computer engineering (before I switched) but I did most of the computer engineering core classes...and let me say I soooo wish I had my macbook back when I was doing them. </p>

<p>Basically, most comp sci and comp eng courses use the sun workstations that run unix. And Macs run Mac OS X which is essentially Apple's version of Unix. They tie in very well together.</p>

<p>sorry, i mean most CE and CS courses here. Of course it varies wherever you would go.</p>

<p>I don't know about you but I'm not willing to put together and pull apart 20 different cables every 2.5 months. So um if you're staying at a dorm I say go with a laptop. You'll thank yourself for getting a laptop when you have to completely vacate your room 3 times a year.</p>

<p>Well NYU Student he is becoming a Computer Engineer, so I would assume he has the intelligence to unplug the 10 cables out of the back of his desktop.</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>Totally get a laptop. You'll have a lot more space. A lot more convenience. I'm not in college yet, but when my mom got a laptop, the world changed. It's great.</p>

<p>Just save up 500 dollars and get something decent. :)</p>

<p>I'm getting a macbook, too and I am majoring computer science.</p>

<p>Don't worry, dude. People keep saying we shouldn't get Macs, but I think it's BS.</p>

<p>One day I'll be smart enough for a linux.</p>

<p>Lots of people have laptops, but they almost always just sit on the desk. Some people do bring them to class, but often to surf or game during a lecture.</p>

<p>I would recommend saving money by using your current computer or buying a cheap one.</p>

<p>So far it looks like a 50/50 vote. I have heard many good things about Macs and wanted to really get some more information on its significance in college before turning it down or purchasing one.</p>

<p>I've played with my friend's Mac and I've took a liking to it. I plan on using it as a personal organizer and it seems to offers programs which will help me do so that Windows does not. But I want to get some more information from experienced computer engineer majors and laptops.</p>

<p>Do many programs given to you work with Macs? Were there ever certain tasks you were given that you just needed Windows to perform or does it not matter at all? I've just been questioning myself lately to convert to Mac or just go with Windows.</p>

<p>You need to change your title! :x</p>

<p>macs will run windows now, if you want to go with that option. i don't have a mac, so i don't quite know if windows comes standard with the mac's OS... so i'll stop talking about macs that i know nothing about ;)
in any case, i've got a dell laptop. leaving dell out of the equation (grrrrr) i'm another one of those people who just locks my laptop to my desk and never takes it anywhere.
however, right now i'm typing in our floor's lounge. because my roomie and her friend wanted to watch the game on TV, and i needed to watch my lectures online to study for a final. so there may be situations where you'll really want the portability, even if you don't foresee them.
also, there actually ARE people who take notes in lectures with laptops. for some people, this works. me, i prefer paper. you know your own preferences best.
and if i go on weekend trips (say, if i lived closer to campus and went home once in a while) i'd want a laptop, not a desktop. true i've got my parents' desktop at home. but it doesn't have my files and homework and i don't feel like dealing with flashdrives or whatever. or what if i want to visit friends, and play our favorite online RPG? the more laptops, the merrier! xD
it all comes down to your personal needs and preferences. whatever anyone else decided was affected by their situation. what will your college situation be? i encourage you to list several factors that may influence your choice (note-taking style, importance of portability, cost factor, etc) and perhaps this will help you to decide. :)</p>

<p>for computer engineering, which to my knowledge is nothing but a combination of computer science and electrical engineering classes, i think a macbook would be awesome. that's what i'm planning on doing because im going to be a computer engineering major this coming fall at cal poly. os x is a great operating system and i know for sure that i'll be taking notes with a laptop, because i type a hundred times faster than i write and i might just have some paper around for charts or whatnot. if you really need windows, there are two ways of having it on a mac...you can run it natively using bootcamp or you can virtualize it using parallels. both options work well, the only difference being that to switch os's in bootcamp, you have to reboot and in parallels you're basically running both os's at the same time, thus splitting your system resources like RAM. The choice is yours, but if you can afford a macbook or even a macbook pro for that matter, i'd go with that.</p>

<p>good luck</p>

<p>
[quote]
so I would assume he has the intelligence to unplug the 10 cables out of the back of his desktop.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It's not about intelligence. It's about the fact that if you do that 4 times a year it's a pain in the ass.</p>

<p>Thanks simplenation. I've been reading more on Parallels and it seems like the obvious choice to purchase a Mac. Basically you'll be getting the best of both worlds. By the way, I too am going to Cal Poly this fall to major in computer engineering so I'll see you there.</p>

<p>NYU- I understand where you're coming from. I will most likely end up leaving my computer here to avoid having some extra weight.</p>

<p>my friend goes to cal poly for CE...
and he's got a laptop.
for him, it's a definite portability issue.
maybe not for class so much as gaming, however :rolleyes:</p>

<p>oh that's awesome news brent, a fellow mustang!</p>