<p>I'll be doing bioengineering this upcoming fall. However, I'm not sure what size laptop I should get. </p>
<p>I'm debating between the 13.3" and 15.4" </p>
<p>If any current (bio)engineering students could help me out with this question, that would be awesome. Basically, do most engineering students carry laptops to class or the library, or leave them on the desk in their dorm rooms?
I'd imagine 15.4" would definitely be the better choice if most people keep their laptops in their rooms all the time, but the 13.3" would be the better choice if most people use it for most classes and often at the library.</p>
<p>i have never needed my laptop in class for a technical class. in your math, science, and engineering first-year classes, a computer in class will not be helpful, though they will definitely be utilized outside of the classroom, most notably for hw.</p>
<p>i think this decision is all based on personal preference. i personally would pick the 13.3 inch because i enjoy the freedom in having a more portable laptop - one which i can carry around to the library to study if so desired.</p>
<p>Im not speaking from a engineer's perspective, but I believe that 13.3 is an easy choice over a 15.4 for size and weight as long as cost is not a factor. And in the worst case don't get larger than a 14.1. However, if it is somewhat hard to use laptops in technical classes, mostly cause you have to draw stuff and write equations that are difficult to do with a keyboard. If you really want to take notes in the technical classes though you should probably invest in a tablet.</p>
<p>Castel, are you an engineering student as well? I was really thinking about getting a 14.1" but my two favorite models only come in 15.4" and 13.3" (Thinkpad T61p and XPS 1530/1330) :(</p>
<p>on this topic... i am very used to using a desktop (19" monitor) and also watch a lot of movies, and am only planning on bringing a laptop and am having this debate as well (deciding between 12 widescreen x61 and 14 widescreen t61). for in the dorm desk work, does 12" become annoyingly small for someone who multitasks and doesn't have an additional monitor? also, for dorms do they have common rooms on each floor (and do they have VGA or svideo?)</p>
<p>glock i just went through the same "dilemma" as you and ended up deciding on an XPS M1530 :) it's pretty compact for a 15"er.. well, not compact but definitely a reasonable compromise between size and portability. just make sure you upgrade the LCD to at least a 1440x900 resolution; 1280x800 really isn't very much for a 15"wide. :)</p>
<p>I strongly recommend a small, light computer and external monitor in your dorm. Don't forget how hilly the Berkeley campus can be, especially with pounds and pounds of books and laptop on your back.</p>
<p>@glock: I have a T60, which is 15.4''. I also thought the T61 came in 14.1''. I'm heading to EECS, so that makes me an aspiring engineering student. O_O</p>
<p>I currently have a 15.4" laptop and it's perfectly natural to carry around, as long as you treat it like a large book and put it in your backpack. Yes, it's a bit rough, but if you get something sturdy enough, it'll easily survive lots of abuse, as long as you have lots of other stuff in there too and a bit of extra padding at the top and bottom.</p>
<p>I plan to get a 15.4" - it's just much easier to work with for long periods of time. You might need it away from the dorms, and if you're taking it out while working with friends, you do not want fatigue. In any case, get a large external monitor in your dorm.</p>
<p>you should also keep in mind that not all bags can easily fit a 15.4. I believe that a 13.3 is truly the best compromise between size and weight. Besides, you'll get use to a small screen size, but on those long days back form class you will not like to be lugging around 7 pounds when you could lug 4.</p>
<p>Hm, another question. I've heard that Dell has EPP discounts for college students. Supposedly, a student needs to type in their college email to access this account. Could someone please point me to the page to enter our college email address - I've searched far and wide but just can't seem to find it.</p>
<p>kyledavid80, I also really like 14.1" notebooks. I was considering the 14.1" T61 but the screen was aligned right, instead of being centered. That bothered me. I also do like the XPS aesthetics much more than the Thinkpads' - unfortunately, the XPS doesn't have a 14.1" option :(
Are there any other popular 14.1" laptops out there?</p>
<p>You could wait until summer and see if any new laptops come out that fit your needs.
For example, I'm interested in the upcoming Dell E6400, which is 14.1".</p>
<p>I think imma jump on this. I love touchscreen on my Palm Treo, and I'm sure that it will be really useful if i want to use it to take notes in class. The portability of this laptop is also great.</p>