What do you guys think is the best college set-up?

[mac4drew]

15 inch powerbook with a G5 tower and (if you've got the cash after that) 23" apple display.

And throw in a 30GB iPod although I don't know if this is the best time to buy one considering they hardly updated the line this time, I think it's indicative that a redesigned iPod is in the works. I used to have the 30 GB iPod before someone stole mine and it's the perfect size.

Also: Despite what others have said, I think it's a good idea to have a separate desktop computer. It's nice to have two computers. For example, if you're downloading a big file and you have to take your laptop to class, you're kind of screwed. Or, if one of your computers goes down, you can just use the other rather than having to go to the library or borrow someone else's.

And if you need to make anything cheap, get a cheap screen. Flat screens aren't really that much better from a name brand, so I suggest getting an X brand someone you know has and is happy with. I love my 17" Princeton from Costco. Apple screens are nice if you have the cash though.

 

[Jovian9]

I'd go with a 12" PowerBook (the iBooks are nice but I've had many iBooks and a couple of PB's.....and I felt the PB's were a lot better). I'd also go with a 17" iMac G5. Get an Aiport Base Station and you'll be good to go with these 2 machines. Try to get at least 1GB RAM in each.

 

[MacHarne]

I simply do not understand all of these recommendations for a laptop & a desktop in tandem for a college student. It is a serious inconvenience to constantly sync computers like that so you have necessary files on both. The portability, size, weight, power, and value of my 15" PB has shown itself irreplaceable.

Should I start over again, not that I've gone quite far just yet with school, I would once again choose a 15" PB. Also, I would not have purchased that external LCD which now gathers dust. Expose provides me the wonderful flexibility of not needing to plug in to an external monitor; applications are accessible instantly, I love that feature.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

I simply do not understand all of these recommendations for a laptop & a desktop in tandem for a college student.

Ever had your only machine go down in the middle of the end-of-semester crunch?

It is a serious inconvenience to constantly sync computers like that so you have necessary files on both.

A simple AppleScript or shell script that synchronizes home directories would suffice. A 100Mb ethernet connection (or FW Target mode) would make this fast and painless on a regular basis.

The portability, size, weight, power, and value of my 15" PB has shown itself irreplaceable.

I don't think anyone is arguing that -- but what if that irreplaceable Powerbook b0rks itself on you when you need it most? Having a backup (even if it's a bare-bones Mac mini) would be a lifesaver (and, possibly, a GPA saver).

Should I start over again, not that I've gone quite far just yet with school, I would once again choose a 15" PB. Also, I would not have purchased that external LCD which now gathers dust.

Since I've purchased my 2005FPW, the internal LCD gets a rest while I'm at my desk. Not having to power that LCD (or its backlight) also keeps the internal temp on the Powerbook much cooler (between 120 and 130 degrees farenheit).

Like I've said, though, I'm a firm believer of redundancy and of regular backups. I've had enough machines go down at the most inopportune times to make such a preparation worthwhile. Having an extra machine is worth the extra cost to me, as is a nice large external drive for regular backups.

The combination of a Mac mini and an iBook or Powerbook, an external display, external mouse, external keyboard, and a decent KVM makes the entire setup relatively painless. It also makes the second machine readily available for long tasks (such as downloading, rendering, etc) and keeps your workspace, from one machine to the next, relatively consistent.

 

[morreale]

iBook

I am a Political Science student at the Univsersity of Ottawa.
Go for the iBook, it has the longer battery life (I can get 6 hours with screen dim and little AirPort use)
Get at least 512RAM as it helps with the battery life and makes it nicer to use.

I also have an old AMD system that runs debian headless acting as a file server and web server. Makes for nice backup of my homefolder and a great place to store MP3's. Simply use rsync to keep them the same.

 

[elevenpower]

Depends on your funds.

If you could afford it, I would say get a desktop and a laptop. However, most college kids i know can't afford it (like me. i'm saving for a desktop now). So I would say get a laptop. I got at 15in PB and it's been holding up pretty well with my classes. I'm a Journalism major and I use it, pretty much for all my classes, some of which are, video editing (a lot of editing in FCP), and GFX design (photoshop). While I don't always take advantage of the portability of the PB, it's nice to be able to carry all my info with me if need be. And it saves me a hell of a lot of space in my small dorm room.