[Closed] What laptop for university?

Any particular requirements for the course or is it just a word processor you're after?

You might find some engineering software isn't available for Macs and vise versa for creative subjects

Thanks it's a Nursing degree so I expect no unusual requirements

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HP-ProBook-450-15-6-Laptop-Silver/dp/B08MBB9CFP

I got one of these for uni a couple of years back it's been ace. Engineering degree, used for general stuff and some fairly hefty design and process simulation packages too.

IANAIT though.

Was going to say it may be subject specific - eldestbwent Macbook for A levels as needed it for music and video editing.

I'm not a big Apple fanboy (I have an android phone), but I've still never seen PC laptops that were as nice as Macbooks. Never mind all the residual value/reliability stats.

Mine went with a recycled business Lenovo and docking station, monitor and wireless mouse and keyboard. Absolute rocket ship. Now I’d probably go for a recycled MacBook pro or air. I’m running a mid-2012 MBP that I had to buy when said son needed unix for some software he was required to use for geophysics.

To be honest, weight, battery life and screen size matter more than anything else at the moment. I’d look on the Apple site for a 2020 (new keyboard) MBA or hunt down a 2015 MBP (peak MacBook) and add a monitor and keyboard for desk use.

Dell do recon laptops and student discounts...

Like nobeer I got one for an engineering degree and it's more than powerful enough for some intensive stuff and it was 350 you won't need for a nursing degree. A more basic one would be fine.

Personally I would go small plus a screen and keyboard for at home because a big one is heavy to carry and still an ergonomic nightmare.

My other half has a wee hp for her OT degree and it's been great.

They also do recons I think.

I'd swerve apple on cost and Chromebook on prejudice assumption that it just won't deal with office files so well.

Basically it's all going to be word and PDF and the internet/blackboard/teams so anything will work but all the uni stuff will be windows based.

Personally I would go small plus a screen and keyboard for at home because a big one is heavy to carry and still an ergonomic nightmare.

Very true, I use 2 screens for work, and just can't work on a wee laptop now! Agree re recon too, I only got that one up there as work were paying.

[edit] got distracted by deliveries and everyone else got there first. I'd still disagree with Josh though and get one with a big useable screen. Even a 19" laptop fits in a rucksack/satchel. And as the tab, menu and task bars are generally all the same size regardless of screen size even a small increase in screen size is doubling the space available for actual work.

I guess it’s down to Macbook, Chromebook, Surface or trad Windows laptop

Whatever they're familiar with. Life's too short to save a few quid buying a Chromebook and then spend 5 years regretting it every time some software won't run.

Whatever windows laptop you fancy, 8gb of RAM (because chrome tabs eat up RAM and you'll be thankful when it comes to dissertation writing).

Unless you're going to also get a docking station and 2nd monitor I'd go for the biggest screen size/resolution above all else. 17" is probably the minimum for doing any actual productive work on.

I think the usual STW recommendation is whatever refurbished Lenovo, Dell, HP, business laptops are available. They're built to be used as laptops, with metal chassis etc rather than the horribly flexible plastic framed ones you would get new for the same price in PC world.

My lad has just done 3 years with a Dell Inspiron 2-in-1. i5, 8Gb.
Key thing is light for lugging around campus all day so 13" screen, hooks it up to a 24" second monitor when back in his room. Good battery life so rarely runs out of juice in the day.
Well made and reliable (the Asus he had at 6th form was a fragile nightmare)
Dell often keen to do deals online as well in my experience.
Get an Office onedrive subscription so that their work is backed up online as well as on the laptop.

I’d still disagree with Josh though and get one with a big useable screen. Even a 19″ laptop fits in a rucksack/satchel.

Fair enough but my 17inch laptop doesn't fit in my laptop bag very well. I mean it goes in but it's right.

I also don't docking station it I just plug it into the hdmi. I would agree of no second screen bigger is better and I would also agree that a tiny screen is a nightmare.

15inch screen and a 27inch monitor is my work laptop set up and it's waaaaaay better.

Get an Office onedrive subscription so that their work is backed up online as well as on the laptop.

Don't buy any software getting it free from uni!

As per comment above, I would personally reccomend getting a (potentially newer or higher spec?) smaller laptop, and then a cheap monitor for when using it at home/in digs.

Much, much better.

Fair enough but my 17inch laptop doesn’t fit in my laptop bag very well. I mean it goes in but it’s right.

Depends on the model, bezels have gotten smaller over the years so a 17" business laptop (with a metal chassis to stop the screen flexing) is barely any bigger than an older/cheaper 15" plastic one.

Don’t buy any software getting it free from uni!

For sure - does Uni also provide onedrive access tho? Always worth thinking about a backup solution like onedrive that requires no user input so that if the laptop dies the dissertation draft is accessible elsewhere.