Question: what laptop should I get for a computer science degree? Macbook Pro or PC? If PC, what model would you recommend?
Or should I just pool my money into building a kickass desktop gaming computer and use a tablet for taking notes?
>pic unrelated
>>54814809
fuck off
>>54814809
There are many people suggesting to build a powerful desktop and get a cheap but portable laptop, as you hardly ever need a lot of computing power on the go.
Anyway, personally I didn't do that. I bought a reasonably performant rMBP and just plug it to a monitor both in my office at university and at home. It's nice not having to think about synching separate devices.
If you go with the first possibility, I wouldn't go with Apple though, just not worth it at all.
>>54814818
no u
>>54814861
So what laptop would you suggest? I was interested in the Dell XPS, but it seems a bit like overkill. It's more powerful than my desktop.
>>54814809
Comp sci? Then you want a ThinkPad with a Debian distro on it.
You're not thinking of programming in Windows, are you?
>>54814882
I don't know man, just look for something in your price range. I haven't personally tested every single laptop out there, but if you know how to use Google, you'll find someone who did test whatever specific device you are looking at.
Unless your degree is "BSc Unreal Engine 4k Graphics" any laptop with a semi-decent CPU and 4-8GB RAM will do.
>>54814809
Option 2
Now fuck off.
>>54814975
Adding to this, because your degree will only be a minor decision on what you choose, get something based on budget & personal preference.
Now fuck off.
>>54814937
This. You can get thinkpads extremely cheap, and they'll last you all through college, and then some.
>>54814809
>Macbook Pro or PC? If PC, what model would you recommend?
>Macbook Pro
Prepare for /g/ sperging out about it…
But if you can live with the fact that they are insanly hard to upgrade or repair yourself, they might be interesting for the fact that fucking apple is the only manufacturer that makes laptops with screens meant for work.
>PC
>>>/tpg/
>building a kickass desktop gaming computer and use a tablet for taking notes?
>kickass gaming desktop
Unless you want to fail/dropout/become a manchild, forget building gaming desktops! If you want to occasionally game, every normal laptop ought to be good enough.
>tablet for taking notes
Problem is:
The only ones worth getting are the surface pro and the ipad pro, and they are fucking expensive and glued shut.
>>54815021
><70% aRGB macshit screens
>meant for work
Pick one
http://www.notebookcheck.net/The-Best-Notebook-Displays-As-Reviewed-By-Notebookcheck.120541.0.html
>>54815014
Indeed. Everybody screams bloody meme when they get mentioned in threads like this, but it's true. My T410 cost £75, stuck Debian on it and it's perfect. Battery life is a bit shit but that can be solved.
>>54815045
>><70% aRGB macshit screens
>>meant for work
>Pick one
As long as black text on white and color coded editors still work, I couldnt care less.
3:2 > 4:3 >16:10 > printing out everything you wanna read > 16:9
Seriously, fuck 16:9. In order to get any vertical space, I have to lug around a fuckhuge 14" ultrabook.
>>54814809
if you can easily afford it, get a macbook pro. if you can't, get a used thinkpad. OS is entirely a question of personal preference (my uni uses linux exclusively on the machines they provide, which obviously introduces a bias, but i myself also use OS X every now and then and i have a fair amount of uni friends who use Windows machines and we all get through life just fine).
if you can afford a macbook pro, you might also consider a thinkpad x1 carbon (which has a better keyboard) or a dell xps (which can be ordered with linux natively, thus has good driver support). if you play the occasional game, get a laptop with a GPU, if you don't, get one without. if you go for a used thinkpad, i can much recommend the x230 for uni, but feel free to head over to the thinkpad general, read the info in the sticky and the attached links and then proceed to ask there, they are mostly friendly and helpful (which is also, if to a lesser extent, true for the friendly linux thread).
i would recommend against a desktop plus tablet setup for the simple reason that you don't need it. i have friends who have a surface and a desktop and they rarely ever use the surface at all because for a CS degree, all you'll ever need the surface does just fine.
>>54815160
i agree with this.
Looks like an IBM R40.
