<p>Okay, so I realize space and portability is an issue in dorms. </p>
<p>I'm going to get a laptop for my son. He says he's going to take it to classes with him. He's going to NYU so he is looking at alot of walking. Is he fooling himself? Are people really dragging their laptops to lectures and around campuses (esp NYC).</p>
<p>And also, I'm worried about theft. Even if it never leaves the door room, shouldn't I insist he use a laptop lock and maybe even lojack for laptops? I if am going to pay $800+ for a laptop, I want him to own it for all 4 years. I don't think I'm being unreasonable??</p>
<p>I think far fewer kids carry the laptop around than might originally plan to. Just doesn't turn out to be all that helpful in most classes and is a hassle. YMMV.</p>
<p>I think you are wise to talk to him about laptop lock or whatever. I will say that my S (who has been to 3 colleges courtesy of Katrina) has never had a problem with theft of his laptop and he does not have a lock. He does not carry it around, but leaves it in his room, which is always locked (I believe).</p>
<p>I think the most important thing would be to have the proper insurance, which can likely be on your homeowner's policy - check what they offer as well as offerings through the school or when you purchase the laptop. Insurance should also address issues such as spilling beverage on keyboard, dropping computer/backpack, etc.</p>
<p>BTW, most kids don't end up using the nice padded laptop cases either, so if you spend $$ on one of those, it could be a waste. They seem to just stick them in their backpacks. You can try for the padded envelope, padded backpack etc. But will it get used? Who knows?</p>
<p>I can't speak directly about NYU, but I know that most kids where I teach don't carry their laptops with them. Occasionally, a student will bring a laptop when we meet in my office for extra help. That's the only time I see them. Likewise, my D rarely carries her laptop to class, although she does take it to her favorite study/work areas on campus.</p>
<p>When you pack up your car to take your son to college, you will appreciate the smaller size of the laptop. Imagine all the space that a desk top CPU plus a monitor will take. </p>
<p>In NYC, he'll probably need to take some sort of precautions, although I'm not familiar with the options. Probably the best thing you can do is make sure that computer is insured for theft or loss.</p>
<p>My homeowner's policy has a $1000 deductible. Useless for theft of a laptop. They do have a product called lojack for laptops $99 for 3 years. they claim a 90% recovery rate. When the laptop is stolen and then hooked back up to the internet, the 'address' can be found (thru the company that sells the software. I might go that route. HP has a new compact desktop. You get so much more power for the money in a desktop vs laptop.</p>
<p>I would say that it really depends on the school, the major, and the particular class. In a small seminar I would rarely take my laptop to class, however this semester I have two classes that use powerpoints very heavily. I find it easier to bring my computer and take notes onto the powerpoints than to try and write everything down. A large percentage of students in both classes also bring their computers for this reason. Also, when I took a spanish class I found that I can type much faster than I can write, and so it was much easier for me to type out my notes because otherwise I had a hard time listening and taking notes. </p>
<p>Depending on the amount of use and travel it gets, the laptop may/may not last all four years. Most of my friends who bought new laptops when we started school are now having to make major repairs to their laptops or to get new ones (3 years later). Extended warranties usually last about 3 years (I know that applecare does), so after three years, it may be not much more expensive to by a new computer than to try and fix the old one. </p>
<p>You could get a laptop lock, depending on his living situation. If he's in a single, he should just leave the door locked when he's gone. In class no one would use a laptop lock as you are there with your computer.</p>
<p>
[quote]
HP has a new compact desktop. You get so much more power for the money in a desktop vs laptop.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's what's so frustrating. A desktop really is a better computer, but the portability of a laptop means that a student can work just as easily in the lounge down the hall as in his room, where his roommate is socializing with friends.</p>
<p>At my school everyone carries their laptop around. But our campus is small, and we're frequently required to have them with us, so it's a little different. It isn't like laptops are that heavy, though.</p>
<p>and then there is the issue of the laptop battery. In order to get 6-8 hours of power, you have to have the 12 cell. Bumping the price up another $50 (I'm planning to do a 'configure your own' HP and that's what they want to put a 12 cell into a new laptop. I totally understand the appeal and advantages of the laptop, the cost is the 'yikes' factor. And HP wants $332 for 3 years of total warranty coverage including 'whoops I dropped my laptop on the floor'. Or 4 years for $312 but doesn't include accidental coverage "whoops my water fell onto the keyboard"</p>
<p>Virtually all the students I saw at my Ds campus had laptops.</p>
<p>I don't think they generally brought them to class ( although she did bring hers to the labs) but they brought them to the library, to the lawn, to the student lounge , with them on the plane or train going back and forth from home to school, to the coffee shop and to the cafeteria.</p>
<p>I haven't had a desktop computer since Apple had clones ( 10 years ago?)</p>
<p>I do buy the warranty, I think it was acouple hundred dollars.
I drop my computer more often than I would like, but the hard drive automatically disengages to not lose any data. I have had to have the keyboard replaced when some keys wore out- free.
Haven't had to use the warranty for anything else.
( when you spill a little liquid just turn it off- unplug and take out battery and let it drain out- don't start it back up until dry)</p>
<p>Check with your child's college IT dept to see if they offer onsite repair and if so on what company's computers. Some schools will service 2 or 3 different manufacturers.</p>
<p>My D, also going to NYU, is bringing her laptop but she's not intending to take it to class. More like, she likes to lie in bed with her laptop. Also, she doesn't intend to write papers and such in her dorm room -- that's what cafes and libraries are for, so a laptop is good for writing papers.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My homeowner's policy has a $1000 deductible.
[/quote]
As with valuable art, jewelry...., homeowner's policies often have special electronics riders. You list out each item and they have better coverage (no deductible, spilled beverage...) than your base policy. You pay extra for such a rider, but usually not much relative to what you get.</p>
<p>With my daughter entering her last week of her senior year, I offer an experienced view.</p>
<p>Her grandparents bought her a mid-range Dell laptop as a high school graduation present. She and that computer are finishing college together. There have been a couple of $75-100 repairs over the years, but the Dell was a workhorse.</p>
<p>My daughter hardly ever took it class, but she did almost always take it to the library where she took notes on her reading. She also always brought it home on school breaks. The laptop fit nicely in crampted dorm rooms -- all of her various roommates had laptops, no desktops.</p>
<p>As for secruity, she kept it in her locked dorm room with no special precautions.</p>
<p>Four years ago I pondered the desktop vs. laptop question. Now I wonder why I even considered a desktop.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My homeowner's policy has a $1000 deductible. Useless for theft of a laptop.
[/quote]
That's why it makes sense to buy a dorm insurance policy -- for about $100-$150 for the year, you can get a policy with a deductible of $0-$50, which will definitely protect against theft and possibly against breakage or damage, depending on the cause of the damage.
[quote]
You get so much more power for the money in a desktop vs laptop.
[/quote]
Depends on how you describe "power". A computer with all the RAM in the world can be useless if it is tied to a desk where you can't access or use it for whatever reason.
[quote]
In order to get 6-8 hours of power, you have to have the 12 cell. Bumping the price up another $50
[/quote]
I'm not sure that students commonly are disconnected from power that long -- keep in mind that many classrooms and public places, like libraries, also have power strips available. One of the advantages of portability of the laptop is not to take it to class, but simply that it can be moved from the shared dorm room to an alternate study area if needed -- either because the roommate's activities interfere with studying, or the converse - the roommate wants to sleep and the laptop owner needs to move to an alternate area to keep working.</p>
<p>Sue, my D just graduated from NYU. No one she knew had a desktop and also, no one she knew ever had their laptop stolen. I had to chuckle at the above statement someone made about that being a concern because your S will be in NYC. There are risks for theft in dorms all over the country, not just in NYC. ;) To get into a dorm at NYU, you have to show your I.D. proving that you live there and any visitors must be signed in and leave their I.D. with the guard in the lobby. If theft is occuring, it's probably someone who lives on your floor, but as I said, my D didn't know anyone who had this happen.</p>
<p>Anyway, laptops are definitely the way to go. Not everyone takes them to class but it's convenient to be able to take them, for instance, to the park, the the library, to a friend's room when you're sexiled, etc. Also, on breaks, your kid will need to take it home and obviously you can't do that with a desktop. </p>
<p>Calmom is correct. Get a dorm policy for it and for your S's other belongings, if you're concerned.</p>
<p>Get a laptop. Moving makes so much the difference. Two people who started with desktops ended up getting laptops by junior year.
Get a lock. Then your son can go take a pee or hunt for another book he needs in the library and not worry about his computer while doing so. It's cheap insurance really. $50 is worth it.
I have had two laptops. My HP laptop lost 1/3 the processor speed on battery, and I never took it anywhere. Well not never. I tried taking places a a novelty. That ended fast.<br>
My slightly lighter Macbook holds the processor speed. I've also found the touchpad and the ability to tap it to click (there have to be Windows laptops that do this) makes it tolerable to use in odd places. I'm typing this on my laptop not in my room.
Look for as much portability as you can get. If not, it's not a tragedy. Colleges are a wealth of public computers.</p>