The Student Room Group

Laptops

Hey everyone,

I was thinking of getting a laptop for uni but im not sure which one to get, i dont want to go for anything expensive but just something that can connect to the internet, has a good memory etc. Im not really savvy in that area. But yea any reccomondations welcome.

And also just wanna know if people feel that a laptop is an essential item, what are the computing facilites at portsmouth like.

Responses appreciated :smile:

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ladylikechic
Hey everyone,

I was thinking of getting a laptop for uni but im not sure which one to get, i dont want to go for anything expensive but just something that can connect to the internet, has a good memory etc. Im not really savvy in that area. But yea any reccomondations welcome.

And also just wanna know if people feel that a laptop is an essential item, what are the computing facilites at portsmouth like.

Responses appreciated :smile:


Try posting here, you'll get a much better and varied response; http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=37

I'm really glad I got a laptop though. It's as powerful as a desktop PC and only cost me £750. :cool:

The computing facilities at Portsmouth are good, but they are always in high demand. Especially around deadline days, it can be a nightmare if you want to do research or print stuff off. I'd strongly advise you to get a laptop and printer, it makes things a lot easier.
Reply 2
ok, thanks for that Jeffers. Gotta say i love your name!
Reply 3
jeffers
Try posting here, you'll get a much better and varied response; http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=37

I'm really glad I got a laptop though. It's as powerful as a desktop PC and only cost me £750. :cool:

The computing facilities at Portsmouth are good, but they are always in high demand. Especially around deadline days, it can be a nightmare if you want to do research or print stuff off. I'd strongly advise you to get a laptop and printer, it makes things a lot easier.


what make laptop is that etc?

I was always told to take a desktop if i have one (which I do) and its not worth buying a laptop unless i dont already have a computer
Reply 4
well it depends if you can be arsed with all the leads and stuff of a desktop computer, or whether you can spend a few hundred shmackers....

:smile:
Reply 5
Laptops have their place... i am using one right now which i will be selling as soon as i can get a buyer (because i havent used it as much as i thought i would)

Laptops

Pros:
Portable.. you can take them home if you go for the weekend
Take up less space in a car and less space on your desk

Cons:
NOT COVERED by halls insurance (desktops are)
insurance for second year in a house will be more expensive (i.e. me and amy's insurance was 41 each for the year.. our housemate with a laptops was 103 because she had to cover the laptop separatly


if you have a desktop dont bother buying a laptop (it will stay on your desk unless you are going home and want to take it with you anyway)

if you want to buy a laptop i happen to have a 10.5" Sony Vaio sub notebook laptop in perfect condition for sale for £600 if anyone is interested.
Reply 6
It also depends on your course. Over half the people in your lectures will have laptops to take notes (hahah)/ play quake (more likely) if you're doing something computery.
Like me, who had two computers and a laptop
<-- greedy
if u want a laptop trying lookin on dells website
skribla
what make laptop is that etc?

I was always told to take a desktop if i have one (which I do) and its not worth buying a laptop unless i dont already have a computer


My laptop is Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Series... if that means anything. :biggrin:

It's 3.2GHz Pentium 4 / 1GB RAM, DVD-RW, 15.1" screen, ATI Radeon 9200 DDR, 80GB hard drive... and a load of other stuff.

I've had it for over a year and nothing has gone wrong. It's really useful because I have to make a lot of presentations on my course. It's much easier to have your own laptop than have to rely on borrowing the university's equipment.
drunkensailor
if u want a laptop trying lookin on dells website


Dell is a nightmare. They might have good deals, but their aftersales service is appalling. If anything goes wrong, you are pretty much screwed. :cool:
ive had a dell desktop for the 3 yrs at uni and now have a laptop and have had zero problems with them, havnt had to use their after care as havnt had problems so dont know wot they are like.
Reply 11
I can recommend Acer. I got the top of the range laptop a year ago and its still pretty quick, and with a small screen it weighs nothing. Survived being lugged around in my backpack for a year so that's pretty good!
Reply 12
U guys are so amazing :biggrin: !, this is why i :suith: this place so many answers to my question!!

See the reason i asked was because i had an argument with my dad over this, he was like laptops are expensive use the university facilites blah blah. And i was like yea but im not the only one thats gonna be using the uni facilities so yea. Im trying to make my case lol But yea i was online and saw tht if u buy a mac u get £100 off an ipod so im like ooo then i looked at the prices and i was like :frown: .

(Dell are soo annoying wen our home computer got ruined they told us to ring some call centre in india....expensive!!! but yea good computers tho)

So yea if anyone can give me some really good points to gurantee i win this argument and get a new laptop. Much appreciated.
Reply 13
ladylikechic
U guys are so amazing :biggrin: !, this is why i :suith: this place so many answers to my question!!

See the reason i asked was because i had an argument with my dad over this, he was like laptops are expensive use the university facilites blah blah. And i was like yea but im not the only one thats gonna be using the uni facilities so yea. Im trying to make my case lol But yea i was online and saw tht if u buy a mac u get £100 off an ipod so im like ooo then i looked at the prices and i was like :frown: .

(Dell are soo annoying wen our home computer got ruined they told us to ring some call centre in india....expensive!!! but yea good computers tho)

So yea if anyone can give me some really good points to gurantee i win this argument and get a new laptop. Much appreciated.


Dont bother with an Ipod, they are not worth it (ex ipod owner here)

if moving in and out is not going to be a problem for you go with a desktop for sure.
Reply 14
Jetpac
Dont bother with an Ipod, they are not worth it (ex ipod owner here)

if moving in and out is not going to be a problem for you go with a desktop for sure.


But arent they more expensive?
Reply 15
nope desktops are by far and away cheaper than most laptops.
(if you want a decent computer)

i mean you can get cheap laptops however they tend to be really bad.

it all depends what do you intend to use a computer for, if its just internet broswing, word prosessing instant messaging you can easilly get away with something that costs £2-300 ish whilst still being pretty quick. (if you know someone who can build computers and knows where to source components you can get them a hell of alot cheaper)
Reply 16
Stefan remember this is hardly a hardcore overclocker. As much as it goes against what I'd do, I'd suggest just getting a cheapy toshiba laptop. My boss got a couple for daughters of staff members that are just going to uni and they're over the moon.
Or perhaps this alternative: http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Acer_Student_Bundle_2_BUN-ACER-UCAS2/version.asp

Double the memory in that (£25) and that'll suit any (excuse the sexism here, i'm generalising) girl that just wants to use MSN, www, email and a bit of word processing etc. And it's small/light enough and comes with a bag so you can lug it backwards and forwards for presentations/notes or whatever.
I personally would have both a desktop and a laptop, but for you, I think a laptop like that would probably do you just fine, and it's not really fantastically expensive.
Reply 17
I've only heard nothing but badness from people I know who own acers.

IBM thinkpad all the way <3

Dell and fujitsu siemens also make some nice kit too.
Reply 18
That's funny, because mine is over a year old and I've had not a single problem, and it's on 24/7.. Meh.

IBM ThinkPads on the other hand.. WTF? Yeah if you happen to have a couple of grand lying around you might be able to afford the same spec as one I got for a grand, but I bloody hate the things. Built well, but the software is ****, they're slow as anything and extremely overpriced.

I think I'll stick with my Acer!
Reply 19
lozzd
Stefan remember this is hardly a hardcore overclocker. As much as it goes against what I'd do, I'd suggest just getting a cheapy toshiba laptop. My boss got a couple for daughters of staff members that are just going to uni and they're over the moon.
Or perhaps this alternative: http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Acer_Student_Bundle_2_BUN-ACER-UCAS2/version.asp

Double the memory in that (£25) and that'll suit any (excuse the sexism here, i'm generalising) girl that just wants to use MSN, www, email and a bit of word processing etc. And it's small/light enough and comes with a bag so you can lug it backwards and forwards for presentations/notes or whatever.
I personally would have both a desktop and a laptop, but for you, I think a laptop like that would probably do you just fine, and it's not really fantastically expensive.


spacker here forgot that laptop ram got cheap :P (even though he was looking at some for his grandfather only a few days previous!)