[SpicyStrawberry]

Take the desktop computer, laptops are handy for carrying around to the library/lectures, but by no means are they compulsory.

[CXDK]

I think you guys are forgetting that quad core in a tablet is not the same as quad core in a desktop. There's A LOT more to it that just number of cores. The ram is severely underclocked/under-voltaged. Not to mention the fact a tablet will not help me in my games development course one bit. There is a huge power difference between my Quad core @ 4.5ghz, 12gb 1600mhz ram, ASUS motherboard & Superclocked 2gb gtx460 (golden sample) and a cheap tablet. Look at my previous post to see other reasons

[James82]

(Original post by CXDK)
I think you guys are forgetting that quad core in a tablet is not the same as quad core in a desktop. There's A LOT more to it that just number of cores. The ram is severely underclocked/under-voltaged. Not to mention the fact a tablet will not help me in my games development course one bit. There is a huge power difference between my Quad core @ 4.5ghz, 12gb 1600mhz ram, ASUS motherboard & Superclocked 2gb gtx460 (golden sample) and a cheap tablet. Look at my previous post to see other reasons

Really? I'd have thought the future for many developers would be in creating apps for mobile devices.

[Jono404]

Most people take laptops, I took a tiny desktop with a 24" monitor for watching films on, hate working on small screens. As has been said though only bellends take laptops to lectures, they've been banned from a few of mine as the lecturers know people just waste time on them.

[CXDK]

(Original post by James82)
Really? I'd have thought the future for many developers would be in creating apps for mobile devices.

Not sure if sarcastic or not...

We are talking about hardware here.. Unless you can develop decent 3d modelling software, Photoshop and a tablet as powerful as my computer, I don't think that will happen by the time I go to uni.

[evantej]

(Original post by CXDK)
So I was wondering is it worth buying a laptop to have in my student accommodation? I wont be going till September 2013 but I'm curious, is it possible just to take a desktop pc with me?

I have a gaming computer with 23" 1920x1080 screen and this is the set up I'm used to and used to the speed, so is it really worth forking out £500 for a laptop not nearly as powerful?

I did a year of computer games technology at MMU before having a change of heart and switching to English.

I originally took an old Sony Vaio with me. Come January I used some of my bursary money to buy a desktop. The travel issue is important so I compromised and went the mATX route. This meant I could fit everything in a suitcase and could get away with one trip.

Having a desktop can be problematic, in terms of wasting too much time. I spent far too much time actually playing games than doing work. You have to remember that if you are moving away from home you will have no one to tell you to get up, go to lectures etc., etc.. It got so serious that I decided to leave my desktop at home when I went back and got myself a netbook. At this point I was an English student and went cold turkey on games altogether. My grades skyrocketed.

In my final year I splurged a little and got myself a new Sony Vaio with enough graphics capability to play my old games and CoD4. I had no trouble controlling my gaming time now so it was not an issue!

Be warned!

[James82]

(Original post by CXDK)
Not sure if sarcastic or not...

We are talking about hardware here.. Unless you can develop decent 3d modelling software, Photoshop and a tablet as powerful as my computer, I don't think that will happen by the time I go to uni.

It wasn't sarcastic, I understand all the development side will be done using a desktop or laptop, but if the software you develop is going to be for mobile devices then you'd obviously need to test it during development and to actually use the finished software. Obviously, I don't know the content of your specific course, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't partly based on developing software for mobile platforms as this is by far the largest growth area for games development. That's why I was surprised when you said a mobile device wouldn't be helpful for your course.

[CXDK]

(Original post by James82)
It wasn't sarcastic, I understand all the development side will be done using a desktop or laptop, but if the software you develop is going to be for mobile devices then you'd obviously need to test it during development and to actually use the finished software. Obviously, I don't know the content of your specific course, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't partly based on developing software for mobile platforms as this is by far the largest growth area for games development. That's why I was surprised when you said a mobile device wouldn't be helpful for your course.

It's not worth the money and the other people were saying instead of a desktop, I wouldn't mind having a tablet as well but don't have money to splash out.

[metro2610]

(Original post by CXDK)
...

There's no harm in taking a desktop but from experience, when deadlines for your assignments are coming around, then there's next to no chance of finding a seat in the library.
I also find it very difficult to do work when I'm in halls so for all these reasons, I usually end up in the union library or a coffee shop, in which case, having a laptop comes in really handy.

Don't underestimate how hard it is to study while your in your halls, OP. Well, its either that or I'm just a really bad student...

[tdkr]

(Original post by cambo211)
Everyone i've ever seen actually using a laptop in lectures looks like a berk.

About 5 people out of 100+ use a laptop and everyone else is on pen and paper, you certainly don't need it in the lectureitself.

why not ? it's faster to type down rather than standard writing down notes

[poony]

Take your desktop as emergency. I felt ashamed of the amount of accidents my laptop suffered during my uni. time. Yes, uni, liberary have computer etc but would they be available near exam. time ?

[cambo211]

(Original post by tdkr)
why not ? it's faster to type down rather than standard writing down notes

Because the tap tap tapping of keys is the bane of mine and many others time in lectures.

And you can say it's faster, but the second a graph becomes involved try keeping up with anyone on pen and paper.