<p>We received a mailing from the GT Barnes and Noble concerning computers which has got me wondering. My son will an incoming freshman this fall. He has been thinking of building his own desktop. The mailer indicated that the computer policy is going to change next year(2008) to require incoming freshman to have a laptop. Should I encourage him to drop his idea of building a desktop and buy a laptop? </p>
<p>I would like to hear from both current and incoming students.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Since the school is pushing for a laptop REQUIREMENT, then you really don't have much of an option. </p>
<p>If at all possible, I would recommend both desktop and laptop. There is no need to spend a lot of money on one. You can get a good laptop and good desktop for about $1,000 each. </p>
<p>I do not feel laptops are going to be very useful for in-class purposes. They are a distraction and not really conducive to engineering classes anyways. However, they are very useful for studying at the library and in groups. </p>
<p>I went four years at Tech with only a desktop, and found that to be perfectly sufficient. It was not until my 5th year in undergrad that I got a laptop. It still wasn't terribly useful, but there were times when it was certainly a nice option to have. In my 2nd year of grad school at Tech, I would say that the situation hasn't changed much. The laptop isn't very useful for classes, but is great for meetings and working in groups. However, for long periods of studying/doing work, a desktop is much better. </p>
<p>If you can afford it, get both. However, since Tech has made the decision for you, then you must get the laptop as they require. </p>
<p>...
-Many years at Tech with both a laptop and desktop.</p>
<p>I will be a freshman in the fall also and I'm bringing my four-year-old iBook with me, but I'm also building a desktop over the summer.</p>
<p>In 2008 Tech will require incoming freshmen to own a laptop computer. That doesn't mean that your son (or I, for that matter) will be required to own a laptop at the beginning of the fall 2008 semester. I have heard from my friends at Tech that a desktop is far more useful, and I would recommend that he go ahead with his plan to build one.</p>
<p>Let him build a (semi-)powerful desktop. Especially since he may be doing graphics intensive work like CAD or something (depending on major). I've found the desktop to be a better (and faster) option; also, he won't have the social habits of a hermitcrab from taking his computer EVERYWHERE and not socializing. Not to mention when I see most people in class on their laptops, they generally aren't doing word-processing or looking at class-related notes...</p>