<p>Remember you are also getting an incredible warranty with the RPI laptop. A friend of my son’s mom spilled a drink in his laptop and it was covered.</p>
<p>As my S (currently a freshman) already had a laptop as good as the one that RPI was offering, once he found out that he did not have to buy the laptop to get all the software that it comes with, he decided to forego the advantages the warranty offers and just stick with what he had.</p>
<p>(The fact that his Dad did not want to fork up the $2,000 for a new laptop that was about the same as the one he already had might have had something to do with the decision.)</p>
<p>Our son that is left at home has a laptop, and we have a couple of desktops. Another reason for him to get the RPI laptop is so my wife an I can appropriate his laptop. We don’t travel too much, but it’s nice to have a laptop to stay connected if we do.</p>
<p>If i buy laptop that is not from RPI,
does it have to have what RPI’s laptop has?
even unnecessary ones?
such as</p>
<p>Fingerprint reader
Bluetooth</p>
<p>No. Technically, it should be able to run all the software required for your classes (which will probably be a combination of lightweight software [such as GCC, etc.] and some subset of the packages listed on [DotCIO</a> - Available Software](<a href=“http://www.rpi.edu/dept/arc/web/software/sw_available.html]DotCIO”>http://www.rpi.edu/dept/arc/web/software/sw_available.html) ), have WiFi, and hopefully be able to last a couple of hours on batteries (in case a professor requires use in class).</p>
<p>Other than those three requirements, all laptops are fine.</p>