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Looking for a laptop that suits my needs as i start it for college
Sintpinty:
Hi! Im starting College for an IT co op program in a couple of weeks and am looking to have a laptop that suits my needs.
Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:
2000 CAD .
Are you open to refurbs/used?
No, it should be brand new ideally
How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?
Form factor is the least priority, so long as it doesn't have a burden on my back. My previous laptop though, a dell g5 5587 was very heavy on my back and it kinda hurt a bit. Performance is the highest thing i need as i need it to handle Virtualbox, SQL, Windows Server Administration tools, programming languages like Rust, Java and Scala, etc.
How important is weight and thinness to you?
Ideally i don't want something thats a bit too heavy on my back, but it's a bit important.
Do you have a preferred screen size? If indifferent, put N/A.
N/A I don't really care.
Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.
i need it to handle Virtualbox, SQL, Windows Server Administration tools, programming languages like Rust, Java and Scala, etc. Maybe some Roblox studio if i want to learn development over the course of college, and Blender too.
If you're gaming, do you have certain games you want to play? At what settings and FPS do you want?
Really just Roblox and light gaming, as this is mainly going to be laptop for professional and other educational work.
Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?
N/A
Leave any finishing thoughts here that you may feel are necessary and beneficial to the discussion.
I just have one minor question. My father really wants me to go with an apple branded laptop as he says "macs don't fail", however i made a good argument at dinner tonight that the majority of stuff in IT requires windows or performs best on Windows as that is what the majority of the corporate world uses. Should i go with Windows or Mac for this one?
tp4tissue:
You're going to want more than 1 machine.
A light one <3lbs for your notes and classes, then in between you can either use the computer lab with desktops, or go back to the dorm and do your heavy lifting there on a bigger machine. Nothing powerful is under 5-6 pounds, it's not worth the hassle to lug around. <when unplugged> these machines really arn't much faster than the ultra light <3lb laptops.
Honestly can't recommend buying new for thin and light, they're really not worth it (price to performance wise). Used lenovos are the best, lots of cheap parts.
If you buy 1x LG gram, it's like $1200, you can get 6x used lenovo t460s, this is college, you're moving around, things break.
If you have a need to blend in with the mean_girls at any point (for your social life), Apple is your only option.
_Seeing as how you're going into IT, if you're around a bunch of dudes, that prolly won't matter.
Finally, _IT_ certainly has better job prospects, it's perilous for women though, because of Neckbeard culture, poorly socialized man-childs, this includes the professors, make sure you're prepared for this, have a chat with your mother about dealing with people of this type..
fohat.digs:
Personal computers did not exist when I graduated from college, but I am also inclined to recommend a desktop and a laptop, in spite of the duplication, redundancy, etc, conundrums because I see a desktop as something that is cheap, powerful, and reliable while I think of a laptop as fragile and temporary and subject to all manner of assaults.
Whatever you do, get at least 2 external hard drives and back up religiously.
Leslieann:
I'm with them.
Get a used lightweight Lenovo for carrying around and either a more gaming oriented laptop or if you have space a desktop. Your back will thank you and the first time you drop that Lenovo, so will your wallet.
Avoid Ideapads and anything touchscreen (bad hinges). I'd recommend T450 or T460 with an I5 (5300u/6300u or better, respectively), the 1080p or 1600x900 screen (no more, no less), SSD (512Gb should be enough), and 16gigs of ram.
The T440, T450, T460 and T470 all share a ton of parts, however you should avoid the T440 as it only has a single ram slot (8gigs max). The T470 is good, but only marginally better for a much higher price. Regardless, it means there's plenty of parts when you need replacements. Some people have managed to get 32gigs working in a T450/60/70 but depending on model you may need the right ram so research first. $200-$250 USD should get you a decent example, leaving you plenty for the gaming machine.
tp4tissue:
32gb ddr3 laptop ram is prohibitively expensive. it's not worth it.
If you're going t460 get the 460 (S), the S is unlocked to 25watt. with t460 vanilla you need to trick it. it's easier with the S.
The i5 6300 version is plenty, there's no reason to get the i7. but if the price difference is small enough, you could if you want to.
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