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View Full Version : Question on laptops versus desktops

riggins44
12-18-09, 12:27 PM
Next fall my son will be going away to college. Know in next few months will need to buy him a computer. I was wondering if should look at laptops or a desktop? What about these new mini-laptops?
Lanky Livingston
12-18-09, 02:23 PM
The mini-laptops, if what you are referring to are "Netbooks," are basically big blackberries. Can't really do much on them except surf, and maybe some word-processing. They have trouble with beefier spreadsheets and powerpoints. I would go with a laptop with lots of RAM, just because of the portability and usefulness, unless your son plays a lot of video games, in which case I'd go with a desktop. Of course the point of the computer won't be to play games, so maybe forgo that route? :)
servumtuum
12-18-09, 02:32 PM
I hang out sometimes on the campus of North Carolina State University since it's not far from where I live here in Raleigh and virtually all the students have laptops-I go there because the main library, among other things, has multiple high speed WiFi networks-I see almost no netbooks in use, no doubt for the reasons Lanky gave-insufficient power. I'd recommend a laptop myself.
Neophyte
12-18-09, 03:10 PM
I too would recommend a laptop and I would go a step further and suggest a Thinkpad from Lenovo. My company just issued them to all the field staff and I am impressed. These are some solid machines and mine runs like a top so far.
Alaskan
12-19-09, 02:31 AM
I too would recommend a laptop and I would go a step further and suggest a Thinkpad from Lenovo. My company just issued them to all the field staff and I am impressed. These are some solid machines and mine runs like a top so far.

I agree. Mine is a couple years old but it is a great machine. I use mine to run high powered business aps and it is great.

Also their tech support is out of Atlanta, I only needed them once but it sure was nice to talk to an American.
MikeSr619
12-19-09, 10:33 AM
no matter what you get make sure it allows you to upgrade. memory, HD, software, etc. too many of these companies try to lock down their machines to handcuff you in to relying on them for help.

also, if he is a college student a laptop will probably be better so he can take it to class to use and carry it with him to the library, etc.