<p>I swear this was on the parent's forum in the last six months, but a search didn't return it. If it was in another forum, I don't read them any more.</p>
<p>So, notebook or desktop? Not "IBM" vs. "Dell." Not "Windows" vs. "Mac."</p>
<p>Just notebook or desktop, and why?</p>
<p>After all, this is the season of graduation presents.</p>
<p>I vote for notebook. It is portable, occupies little space, getting cheaper and is more powerful than most of desktops years ago.</p>
<p>laptop. S carts it to various places--including his bed where, apparently, a lot of work gets done. Desktops take too much space. Besides, the desk functions as a surface upon which all sort of things, both edible and inedible, get deposited.</p>
<p>no question...........laptop. Kids bring their computers home on breaks to do homework and keep in touch with each other by facebook.</p>
<p>laptop.
Eventually, may get monitor and keyboard for room.</p>
<p>Laptop. </p>
<p>Students will want to go on the computer in bed, especially for non-work activity after sitting and writing a paper for hours. It's useful to take to the library, common room, study room, or class. Even for students who don't type notes during class, some readings are PDF files, so it's really useful to be able to take a computer to class. Students will definitely want their computers at home during breaks. Many students will have work or papers during break, so it's very useful to take the computer along. It takes up less desk space, which is important since desks often become all-around storage areas. It's easy to shift the laptop forward or back whether actively typing, watching a movie, or taking notes. A laptop is easier to pack up at the end of the year or take to get fixed if something goes wrong.</p>
<p>laptop for all of the above reasons and the school requires us to buy it through them if the student wants acces to their network.</p>
<p>Laptop.</p>
<p>A student who owns a desktop is chained to his room for study purposes, which may not be a good idea if the dorm is noisy or the roommate wishes to socialize. A student who owns a laptop can study elsewhere.</p>
<p>Lap to the top.
Note to the book.</p>
<p>Laptop--and we're buying it through the university. DD is a night owl; her intended roommate is not so much. We think DD will be doing many a paper or homework assignment long after roomie has gone to bed. This way, DD can take the laptop anywhere to do her work (and I've heard nobody studies in the library anymore...it used to be such a social event!)</p>
<p>You didn't ask but we gave S a laptop, flashdrive and 3-in-1 scanner/printer/copier.</p>
<p>Both of my kids started out with desktops, and switched to laptops after a year. Laptop is much more convenient in many ways. Just make sure to insure it (including accidental damage).</p>
<p>A laptop is great, but keep in mind that many manufacturers recommend that it be shut down or put into stand-by mode when moved. If a student is using it to take notes in a class, he or she should do one of those things before putting it into a bag to walk to the next class. Shutting down or putting into stand by will engage a locking mechanism for the hard drive. </p>
<p>Unless the laptop has a shock guard system (and even sometimes if it does), the hard drive can be injured. This will destroy data and lead to an expensive repair or the need to replace the laptop.</p>
<p>I think laptop, but if your son is a heavy computer user like mine he might want both. My kid is convinced he needs all the extra space and power his desktop has. But he probably also wants the convenience of the laptop. I'm not 100% convinced since it looked like there were computer rooms with computers with every operating system available including Linux.</p>
<p>laptop
I beleive that the current laptops do have something to protect the drive so data isn't lost
mine does and it is two years old
[quote]
he Sudden Motion Sensor senses change in axis position and accelerated movement. In the event of a drop or fall, the Sudden Motion Sensor instantly parks the hard drive heads so they won’t scratch the disks on impact, lessening the risk of damage and improving chances of retrieving valuable data. When the Sudden Motion Sensor senses the iBook G4 is once again level, it unlocks the hard drive heads automatically, providing additional security against the vagaries of student use.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I see you're quoting something about an iBook. I have a ThinkPad and it also has a motion sensor/shock guard system. But not all laptops have them, or at least that's what the fellow at my university's computer store told me, so be sure to check on it when you are shopping for a laptop.</p>
<p>Laptop. But this is one case where it pays to buy the extended warrantee, and make sure that there is a place near the school where repairs can be done under the warrantee. </p>
<p>We went back and forth last year with this issue, and daughter finally opted for the laptop. We did buy the extended warrantee, and it was good we did because she had trouble with her keyboard keys halfway through second semester. Luckily, there was a place not to far from campus where repairs were covered under the extended warrantee and the repairs were done easily and quickly.</p>
<p>oh totally extended warranty
with the smaller electronics- particulary complicated ones- ( not cell phones)
get the warranty
those monitors are expensive</p>
<p>D hopes to be surprised with a Powerbook for graduation, for all of the above reasons. I do have one question regarding laptops on beds - don't they tend to overheat snuggled down in all that soft comfy bedding? Or make your legs hot if you're holding it? I see a whole new product catagory for Bed, Bath and Beyond - airflow pillow/lap cushions for your laptop....</p>
<p>And now for a contrasting point of view...not...a laptop is what my S had for college. Easy to tote home as he was always working on a paper while riding on Amtrak. It lasted from the beginning of freshman year until just about a month ago, which is 2 months before graduation. We got a new one to him within about a week and he lived to tell about it. Most schools have communual computers, printers, etc.</p>