<p>What do most students use to take notes in class? Is it a good idea to buy one of those really small laptops that you can carry around easily? The laptop I have right now is really heavy, and I definitely wouldn't want to lug it around... But I also don't think that taking notes by hand is efficient either.</p>
<p>i’ve taken a few of those month-long college-level summer hs courses w/ the lecture halls and everything. i find that the laptop honestly is more of a distraction than an aid in the classroom. even though i had my laptop i would take notes on paper. an open laptop is just an invitation to get distracted. </p>
<p>of course, a laptop can be super useful when you’re busy cranking out a term paper or just for surfing the net for leisure. me, i bought a samsung x460 (google it). macbooks are good too but they’re a bit pricey.</p>
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<p>No idea what’s common at Columbia these days, but what most students do doesn’t really matter for your purposes. If you type much faster than you write, consider using the laptop. But then again, you’re not supposed to write everything down when you take notes.</p>
<p>if you are in one of those classes where the prof is standing in the front of the room talking then a laptop can come in very handy for taking notes quickly. in classes where the prof is writing on the board or showing powerpoints (all math and science classes, econ, all engineering classes) a laptop will actually hold you back.</p>
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<p>this is generally very true no matter which of the above scenarios you’re in</p>
<p>I type much faster than I write, and all 4 years I kinda wished I had a laptop.</p>
<p>I believe Columbia offers you discounts on HP laptops but I could be wrong. They certainly have some sort of discount program. But you’ll want to shop around online looking for a killer deal (and pay for a 2-year warranty at least - those things take a beating).</p>
<p>Also be sure to take advantage of a student copy of MS Office.</p>
<p>I’d suggest keeping an eye on Lenovo. The ThinkPad T400 has insane battery life, top specs, and a weight of just under 5 pounds with the 6-cell battery. They occasionally have 48-hour online sales that give you 20% off. Not bad.</p>
<p>i’ve been very clear in the past that when it comes to laptops my heart lies with macbooks …i think denzera and i discussed the “which laptop to buy” dilemma at length last year</p>
<p>hmm macbooks or macbook pros?</p>
<p>“I’d suggest keeping an eye on Lenovo. The ThinkPad T400 has insane battery life, top specs, and a weight of just under 5 pounds with the 6-cell battery”</p>
<p>^^My firm just gave me one! She’s gorgeous. Really.</p>
<p>i am thinking about getting a new macbook (i have a 3 year old black one now). I like the 13 inch size. I just don’t know if I need the 15 inches. or the TWO graphics cards</p>
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<p>if you’re only reasons for getting a macbook pro are that “it’s pretty” and “the screen is bigger” then you don’t need one…go for the macbook</p>
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<p>I know, eh? Who would have ever thought that a plastic notebook with a black matte finish could be pretty?</p>
<p>Reasons to choose the ThinkPad T400 </p>
<ul>
<li>best battery life in its class (and better than MacBook)</li>
<li>Lenovo productivity software</li>
<li>UltraNav TrackPoint > touch pad</li>
<li>no-nonsense look</li>
<li>Microsoft OneNote (nothing quite compares to it on the Mac)</li>
<li>beautiful plastic casing with grainy, black matte finish</li>
<li>you can drop it and it won’t dent</li>
<li>14.1" is not too small, not too big</li>
<li>it’s made by a Chinese company, so you know it’s good quality, and you know that when you call tech support you won’t get someone who talks like Russell Peters</li>
</ul>
<p>The last bullet point may or may not be an instance of sarcasm.</p>