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Best dorm mac?

Well, I head off to college next semester. Right now, I already have a Macbook, and plan on keeping that for mobility. Hopefully in the next several months, likely when the free iPod deal is back, I'll have enough money to buy a stock MP. Then, after a few years, if I feel I need more power in my portable, I'll upgrade the laptop.

Right now I have my Macbook almost always hooked up to an external kb/mouse/monitor setup on my desk. I just prefer a nice desktop space. However, I'm sure in college, portability will be a requirement.
 
I would vote laptop as well. My first year at collage I used a laptop and then a year later I built my own desktop. After that I did find my self using my desktop a lot more than my laptop because general desktops computer are easier to work on if one is in there dorm room. It has more power, more hard drive space and always there. No messing with cables and cords which I had to with my laptop all the time.

Now I still did use my laptop quite a bit. Mostly I used it when I needed a computer at different location and to take notes in class. I found that my notes on my laptop where quite a bit more helpful in studying and for using them since they where all in one location and easy to read. Plus I could use the find function in the word documents to find exactly what I was looking for. I also printed off my note and stored them in the binder for that class.
The other thing I used my laptop for was when I had to write a paper. I would go to a quite location that I liked and got to work. It was helpful because it got me out of my room and where my distractions where and my laptop lacked games.

If I could only have one it was would be a laptop. The Gains out way the draw backs.
Also I would say get an external monitor keyboard and mouse because then you reduce you draw backs even more. The biggest lost is just the smaller internal hard drive and little weaker computer. Yes an external hard drive can help out with the loss of hard drive space but it is no replacement for large internal hard drives.
 
I would vote for laptop definitely. I guess it depends on which college he is heading off to but more and more colleges are equipping their campuses with wireless access points, and also if he is living in a dorm, sometimes he will find it a little loud to study or do major projects or assignments in the dorm room in the crunch (sometimes) and so I think it would be extremely useful if he can just up and take his laptop over to the library or the student union or places like that in order to do his homework. It's either that or getting a usb drive, and seeing if there is a place that has a computer open to do homework, or have the required software. My school has actually implemented a campus wide wireless access as well as quite a few (including my own) departments instituting a mandatory laptop requirement for students, so some classes require laptops every so often. While I think a desktop is nice, I think also it would be easier to travel with a laptop. Also if he is going to school fairly close and occasionally makes trips to home or stuff, he can just bring is laptop home and do his homework with everything he has on his laptop.
 
I would definitely get a laptop. I'm a graduate student, and I would never want to go back to only having a desktop. I enjoy being able to go anywhere and still work. I write most of my papers in the library, and have even worked outside at a picnic table when it's nice out.

I write all of my class notes on my computer, and I've never had a problem including everything in the lecture. Even if your son is studying something very graphics intensive, like organic chemistry, it's not hard to keep a graphic program open for jotting down diagrams, or having a small pad of paper next to the keyboard.

If you're concerned about him becoming distracted while taking class notes or writing a paper, it's very easy to set up a second "school" account with access restricted to school-use programs and blocking certain websites. That's what I do, and it works marvellously. When I'm in class or writing a paper I use my school account, and don't even feel the temptation anymore.
 
i used both

when i got to college (I'm a sophomore at MIT) i took my tehn one and a half year old 12" powerbook G4 (1.33, 1.25 GB, 80GB, combo), and bought a dual 2.0 GHz G5 Powermac (1.5 GB, 2x160 GB, 17" LCD) as a desktop. I ended up during the summer after my freshman year selling the G5 and buyin a mac pro 2.66. also i got a 20" apple monitor. now im going to upgrade the powerbook to a macbook pro 15" 2.16 ghz core 2 duo. i would recommend a 15" core 2 duo macbook pro (cheapest one) and then when he needs more power, he can add a desktop. by that time he'll have been able to earn some money working, so it shouldnt be a problem anymore.
 
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