Notebook or Desktop on Campus

<p>Notebook. The only advantage of a desktop is that it won't get ripped off, but your kid might likely be the only one they know in school without a portable. Three years ago this was more of a question; these days it seems the preference has gone totally over one way.</p>

<p>About warranty--from what we've experienced, it was a better choice to have the laptop insured as a "personal item" with our insurance company. They also carry our home and cars insurances, so they "appreciate our business"... When our daughter dropped her laptop from the top bunk, they just replaced it with a new one--no questions asked. They didn't even ask to look at the old one. On the other hand, she has several friends who had extended warranty on their laptops (Dell, I think), and they got a "refurbished" laptop as a replacement, sometimes after several weeks of waiting, had to mail the old one in, and the "new" ones sometimes started having problems very quickly...</p>

<p>S had Dell with their covers everything service, - completecare I think it is called. When hard drive went new one was there next day with all the software on it. So that was Ok. Not sure if you have to have the whole thing replaced,though. So if there is a covers everything warranty I would get that. Kids are pretty rough on the notebooks. But that is definitely what he needed/wanted. He never even used the keyboard, monitor etc set up I got him. The older 2 had desktops and are still on desktops. He is the younger and has always been on notebook. The older ones like the power of a desktop , younger likes the mobility of a notebook.</p>

<p>Laptop
1. Space typically is at a premium in dorm rooms
2. Portability
3. Ease of setup/take down
4. Integration into classroom presentations</p>

<p>
[quote]
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

[/quote]
Generally, laptop computers will either shut down, hibernate, or go into standby as soon as the lid is put down, so unless the student overrides default settings, this is going to happen automatically when the computer is closed to be placed in the bag.</p>

<p>
[quote]
The older ones like the power of a desktop , younger likes the mobility of a notebook.

[/quote]
Today's laptops are much more powerful than desktops from a few years ago. When my son opted for a laptop in 2001, there probably was a real difference in power -- but current laptops are pretty amazing in what they can do.</p>

<p>I think the real difference now is graphics display: for graphic design, a laptop screen is too small, and a bigger monitor is really nice. But I do web design and I've opted for the convenience of the laptop for the past couple of years, even though it leaves me without a lot of screen real estate for design. It's just nicer to be able to take my work wherever I go.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I do have one question regarding laptops on beds - don't they tend to overheat snuggled down in all that soft comfy bedding?

[/quote]
I bought this for my daughter when she started college: <a href="http://www.lapinator.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lapinator.com/&lt;/a> -- she's really good about using it and I have one myself. It's just a simple little insulated platform that keeps the laptop separate from the bedding, or the person's legs. Works really well for us.</p>

<p>My son doesn't think one monitor is enough - he has two. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Laptop.</p>

<ul>
<li>Can be transported home on breaks</li>
<li>Can be used while sitting on bed in dorm</li>
<li>Can be used anywhere on campus</li>
<li>Can be used in classroom (but many don't)</li>
<li>Laptops now are powerful and have large enough drives to be reasonable</li>
<li>Not a huge price hit</li>
</ul>

<p>For a college student consider getting a laptop or desktop, I suggest getting the 4 year warranty and accident insurance since it's a hazardous environment. Dell has them.</p>

<p>Thank you all for validating my opinion. WashDadJr wants to build his own desktop for college. I think we'll get him a notebook and he can build a computer with his own money.</p>

<p>Some other random comments for you. I've been using portable personal computers since I bought a Compaq in 1983. I can't even count the number of notebooks I've used: Toshibas, Microns, Compaqs, and Dells. The older Toshibas were bullet proof. Generally speaking, though, notebooks rarely last more than a couple of years before something terrible happens that makes you think "it's pretty old, maybe it's time to get a new one." I think the maximum useful life for a notebook is about three years. I don't think I would pay for four years of coverage.</p>

<p>Since Jr's college recommends Dells, and sells them through the bookstore, and I can buy them through my employer for Big Discounts, it sounds like Jr is getting a new E1505 for graduation and his birthday (one week apart).</p>

<p>I wish I got a new computer, but I have 20 months until my employer gets me a new one. :(</p>

<p>I bought a Dell 1505 for my D last year. It's working fine for her. My other D has a Dell D600 that I bought around 4 years ago. It's doing fine as well. I told this D that her next laptop will likely come from her employer or she's on her own.</p>

<p>If you get the insurance for 4 years, the laptop will likely get used for 4 years and should be adequate. If not and if it breaks, you (or your S) will be inclined to get another laptop then - $$$.</p>

<p>Yeah, I bought WashMom an E1505 last year, and my work computer is a D610. The 610 is a workhorse, but it doesn't have the multimedia options a college kid would want -- including the TV tuner so that he doesn't have to also have a television. (I know, I could just get a PC Card tuner...)</p>

<p>but it doesn't have the multimedia options a college kid would want -- including the TV tuner so that he doesn't have to also have a television.</p>

<p>Does</a> he have a phone?
;)</p>

<p>
[quote]
phone

[/quote]
</p>

<p>He might be able to make a cell phone, but he doesn't even know how to change his voice mail greeting.</p>

<p>I consider a notebook necessary for college, but personally I will be bringing both a notebook and a desktop.</p>

<p>If your school has special software and you can order through the school with it already on the computer I really recommend that. Then the insurance is great. S's hard drive replacement had all the schools special software on it when Dell sent the it and it came the next day ready to go. Of course, everything else on the hard drive was toast, but fortunately he did not have anything that could not be recovered from somewhere else. Reminder with notebooks - good back up habits are a must.</p>

<p>There is no doubt in my mind that a laptop is the system most kids will use most of the time.....unless they are computer science or gaming fanatics. In that case, you can supplement the laptop with a better display they can plug in when they want.....or have 1 of each system. Depending on numbers of friends and family that might get your son a graduation gift, you could steer everyone to the idea of a gift card to Staples....rack up a few $50 gift cards and pretty soon he would have enough to build the desktop or get his printer, etc. They also sell a platform that a laptop can plug into that has fans to cool a laptop.....you can get flashdrives or wireless routers or extra speakers, with gift cards....for any graduate, but especially males, electronics rule.....one of my son's roommates is a computer science major and the kids watch all sorts of television shows thru some UK links so a great monitor could be a nice follow-on gift say for XMAS once they have settled in at their new school.</p>

<p>Laptops do go into standby when you close the lid. However, there is still a little time when injury to the hard drive can occur. Say the student is taking notes on the laptop in a class and, at the end of the class, she shuts the lid, stuffs it into a backpack and walks out. If this is done without waiting 15 seconds or so before picking it up, problems can occur. It is not much time to wait, but if students don't know they should do it, they won't (and some may not wait even if told to do so).</p>

<p>The computer store on my campus gives out a dvd to laptop buyers that was issued by Lenovo/Think Pad advising students to make sure the computer is shut down or in stand by before moving. It shows the example of the student shoving the computer in a back pack as something to avoid. And the computer store staff told me that an educational program done with these dvds reduced the number of problems suffered by laptops -- mostly issues with keyboards and hard drives.</p>

<p>I think laptops are great. One poster made the point that they are good for classroom presentations and, in my experience, that is an increasingly significant use. But they are more vulnerable than desktops (and of course, all computers need virus and spyware protection) to certain hazards.</p>