Best Laptop in 2017 for medical school?

[Shovo]

Surface Pro 5 should be coming out within the next couple months, and it's gonna be a beauty - keep an eye out for it.

Taking notes with the surface pen in onenote is just incredible with all the capabilities. Once you use it for lecture note taking, there's no going back. I have the surface pro 4 and highly recommend it or the pro 5 when available.

What do you guys think about the surface book? Im contemplating getting the surface book 1 after the surface book 2 reportedly drops in April


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[ScottTenorman54]

What do you guys think about the surface book? Im contemplating getting the surface book 1 after the surface book 2 reportedly drops in April


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The people I know who have it, love it. Personally I think it's a bit overpriced but if you've got the budget, why not?

 

[dr.d00m]

What do you guys think about the surface book? Im contemplating getting the surface book 1 after the surface book 2 reportedly drops in April


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It's a big step up from the Pro series in terms of graphical performance, so if you need that then it's a good option..otherwise everything else is about the same as the Pro so I would just save my money and get the Pro 5 when it comes out because the Book 2 is probably going to have a significant price premium

 

[Gurby]

I then installed windows 10 onto the chromebook and it performs all the tasks I need, even plays video games ( overwatch etc)

 

[Astra]

Haters gonna hate

 

[cactusman]

Don't buy a Mac unless you need it for a specific reason (apparently they are better for some coding languages, and photo/video processing?). They're overpriced, and the OS is generally much more likely to not be compatible with something (although I've heard they're good for protein modeling). Macs actually tend to have weaker hardware, and thus will actually outdate faster than the windows counterpart.

Are you saying their specs are worse for the price you pay, and thus become obsolete quicker, or that their hardware is less durable? Because generally Mac hardware is considered longer-lasting, especially considering that most of their laptops now use SSDs with no moving parts.

 

[libertyyne]

Are you saying their specs are worse for the price you pay, and thus become obsolete quicker, or that their hardware is less durable? Because generally Mac hardware is considered longer-lasting, especially considering that most of their laptops now use SSDs with no moving parts.

Mac's have older hardware, over the past few years they have been slower to transition to newer install chips. They also have tended to optimize for battery life so have removed dedicated graphics cards . The air line has terrible resolution for their screens. The MacBooks have the energy efficient chips. Similarly priced machines from Mac or another manufacturer Mac will have lower specs.


All of the above doesn't matter because Os's are different and handle resources differently. That being said, they are lower ram sizes then their counterparts and even slower ram ddr3 vs 4. Their harddrives are super fast though even comparing to other SSds .


The perception of longevity is just that , consumer perception. I would love to see actual data on the question. Another thing to consider is you could but a Windows machine for 500 and then literally throw it out and re buy it in two years with advanced specs and still come out cheaper compared to a MacBook pro which costs greater than 1200.

Apples and oranges but true that they have more anemic specs when objectively compared at the same price point.

 

[Runner500]

Slap a SSD in any modern laptop >$300 and you'll be more than happy with the speed.

 

[Shovo]

So I'm strongly leaning towards getting the surface book?

Any one who thinks there is a better alternative please offer suggestions.


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[Spoderman]

So I'm strongly leaning towards getting the surface book?

Any one who thinks there is a better alternative please offer suggestions.


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I'm thinking of the surface book as well. New one should be coming out this summer, with a hopefully much-improved stylus and new generation intel processors. I think they're a much better deal than macbooks and have a great design.

 

[Vitani]

Surface pro gets my vote. I have a sp4 and I love every minute of it.
I'm one of the rare people that doesn't really like that my med school provides students with an iPad and a laptop because I already love taking notes on my sp4 and have very little use for an iPad. And the iPad and laptop provided aren't compatible since it's an apple product and a Microsoft product...
I will probably end up carrying the iPad and sp4 with me and leaving the laptop as an at home computer whenever I can.

 

[dr.d00m]

So I'm strongly leaning towards getting the surface book?

Any one who thinks there is a better alternative please offer suggestions.


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I tried out the Surface Book and I loved it hands down one of the best laptops, and being able to use it as a tablet is just the icing on top. I'm waiting for the new model before I buy one, hopefully it improves on the few shortcomings of last year's model

 

[Chelsea FC]

Anyone else bringing their personal PC ?? After putting so much money in my gaming PC feels like a waste leaving it for 4 years even if I dont game with it anymore

 

[Beezlebub]

IBM supercomputer. can't beat that.

 

[Spoderman]

Anyone else bringing their personal PC ?? After putting so much money in my gaming PC feels like a waste leaving it for 4 years even if I dont game with it anymore

Oh, I'm definitely bringing mine. I'm a big home studier so I'll be using it a good amount I think. Just gonna need something for class/mobile work.

 

[hiddencurriculum]

Applying for matriculation in 2018, but my set up in undergrad was 15' MBP + iPad Pro. OneNote on the Mac and Notability on iPad. Considering switching for a Surfacebook though, they look really nice.

 

[alcoholdehydrogenase69]

Apparently there is a new version of the Surface Book coming out in April, I am guessing they will be working out the kinks from the first gen. Would love to have that for note taking and the tablet flexibility.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Don't!! I've almost thrown my acer through the wall about 20+ times.

lol

Acer does make good gaming monitors though!

 

[alcoholdehydrogenase69]

Yeah I'm never buying an Asus again. I updated the OS to Windows 10 and turned it into a paper weight


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[Doggo]

What about Surface Pro vs Surface Book?

 

[dr.d00m]

What about Surface Pro vs Surface Book?

Book >> Pro

The Book is also more expensive and might be overkill for just school stuff. But the battery life alone makes it worth it for me. Just wait for the new models to come out in a couple months before buying either

 

[Doggo]

Book >> Pro

The Book is also more expensive and might be overkill for just school stuff. But the battery life alone makes it worth it for me. Just wait for the new models to come out in a couple months before buying either

I'd say for me the 3 most important things are
1)Can I use it like a tablet
2)Battery Life
3) Hardiness

 

[dr.d00m]

I'd say for me the 3 most important things are
1)Can I use it like a tablet
2)Battery Life
3) Hardiness

1) Yes. Although there are rumors that the new Book is getting rid of the 2-in-1 and just being a Macbook clone (still with a touch screen though)...hope that's not true
2) Around 10-11 hours moderate use. It has a decent graphics card in it so you can do things like play games and stuff if you want, but obviously that kills the battery faster
3) Made from Magnesium alloy so I'd say it's pretty darn sturdy

 

[freak7]

Yeah I'm never buying an Asus again. I updated the OS to Windows 10 and turned it into a paper weight


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I'm a big fan of their mobos, but not full-builds.

 

[dr.d00m]

I'm a big fan of their mobos, but not full-builds.

Can confirm, their motherboards are great. Currently my custom rig is running one

 

[RenegadeOkapi]

Whatever works for you! I use an old thinkpad that I got for 100 bucks and then replaced the SSD and RAM for less than 300 bucks. Runs faster than my other computers. Unless you're going to be doing research with a lot of data processing, it shouldn't matter too much. Also, since it is so cheap and durable, I don't mind throwing it around, holding it in awkward positions, etc.

 

[NeuResurgens]

As a magpie who likes simplicity and sleek and shiny, I'm a sucker for the apples and am willing to pay extra for them. If you want to stick to that budget though, the surface is a great machine as well. Everyone I know that has one loves it

 

[Mednight]

Can you download external apps for this device? or just microsoft apps?

Taking notes with the surface pen in onenote is just incredible with all the capabilities. Once you use it for lecture note taking, there's no going back. I have the surface pro 4 and highly recommend it or the pro 5 when available.

 

[freak7]

Whatever works for you! I use an old thinkpad that I got for 100 bucks and then replaced the SSD and RAM for less than 300 bucks. Runs faster than my other computers. Unless you're going to be doing research with a lot of data processing, it shouldn't matter too much. Also, since it is so cheap and durable, I don't mind throwing it around, holding it in awkward positions, etc.

This is going to bug me if I don't ask: why would you replace the SSD?

 

[sullen-burger]

This is going to bug me if I don't ask: why would you replace the SSD?

Chicks man. The chicks.

 

[freak7]

Chicks man. The chicks.

Wat

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

This is going to bug me if I don't ask: why would you replace the SSD?

I bet he meant that he replaced the HDD with a SSD.

 

[freak7]

I bet he meant that he replaced the HDD with a SSD.

That's kind of what I figured, but I didn't want to assume.

 

[dr.d00m]

That's kind of what I figured, but I didn't want to assume.

Or he could be replacing an old SSD with a faster, newer SSD. The ones from like 3-4 years are sloth-like compared to the ones from this year

 

[Sardinia]

I would love to see actual data on the question.

No. You would not. It would be analogous to a patient designated HCAHP score when the patient is incredibly satisfied with how they feel their care is and then they are dead an hour later. Uneducated people do godforsaken things to their computer and the variance in education when it comes to computers does go a long way in affecting the longevity of a system. There is already too much useless data.

 

[Sardinia]

Curious why people are lulled into a false dichotomy when they bring up cost efficiency as a value criterion to invalidate Macbooks when the Surface is just as guilty for being an overpriced system. If someone is being pragmatic, then any personal computer can be argued to be a personal extravagance when computers have become ubiquitous and available to the public on virtually a 24/7 basis.

If we are arguing about system features such as hard drive space, then how do we place a fixed price valuation when cloud storage services are offered for free by multiple suppliers? How about the price of investment for the operating system, when Ubuntu is open source? If the cheapest alternatives to many of the fixed features provided by either system can be equated to fee alternatives, then how do you properly assign a price to a given system? Is there equanimity in comparing desktop part equivalents on newegg to an already assembled laptop rig?

 

[aalamruad]

Curious why people are lulled into a false dichotomy when they bring up cost efficiency as a value criterion to invalidate Macbooks when the Surface is just as guilty for being an overpriced system. If someone is being pragmatic, then any personal computer can be argued to be a personal extravagance when computers have become ubiquitous and available to the public on virtually a 24/7 basis.

Yeah and that's not to mention that the price difference between a MacBook and Surface is like $1-2 per 100 hours of use at the very most, which seems pretty negligible

 

[RenegadeOkapi]

This is going to bug me if I don't ask: why would you replace the SSD?

Yea, I meant when I bought it used, it had a six-year-old HDD in it. I replaced it *with* an SSD.

But yea man, chicks are all about that read-write speed...

 

[RenegadeOkapi]

Curious why people are lulled into a false dichotomy when they bring up cost efficiency as a value criterion to invalidate Macbooks when the Surface is just as guilty for being an overpriced system. If someone is being pragmatic, then any personal computer can be argued to be a personal extravagance when computers have become ubiquitous and available to the public on virtually a 24/7 basis.

If we are arguing about system features such as hard drive space, then how do we place a fixed price valuation when cloud storage services are offered for free by multiple suppliers? How about the price of investment for the operating system, when Ubuntu is open source? If the cheapest alternatives to many of the fixed features provided by either system can be equated to fee alternatives, then how do you properly assign a price to a given system? Is there equanimity in comparing desktop part equivalents on newegg to an already assembled laptop rig?

you speek vry goodly. your flesch-kincaid score is off the charts.

 

[libertyyne]

As a magpie who likes simplicity and sleek and shiny, I'm a sucker for the apples and am willing to pay extra for them. If you want to stick to that budget though, the surface is a great machine as well. Everyone I know that has one loves it

Lol. Surface pros/books are just as expensive as apple stuff. Surface book starts at 1200 like the MacBook pro, and surface pro starts at 700-ish like the Mac book air.

 

[libertyyne]

No. You would not. It would be analogous to a patient designated HCAHP score when the patient is incredibly satisfied with how they feel their care is and then they are dead an hour later. Uneducated people do godforsaken things to their computer and the variance in education when it comes to computers does go a long way in affecting the longevity of a system. There is already too much useless data.

By "actual data" I mean failure rates or repair rates for for apple and windows alternative. Everyone knows surveys are are terrible way to get information from clueless users.

 

[libertyyne]

Or he could be replacing an old SSD with a faster, newer SSD. The ones from like 3-4 years are sloth-like compared to the ones from this year

Really ? What are the read write speeds like? I already have an m.2 interface drive that is about a year plus some months old. Should I be upgrading?

 

[Doggo]

Curious why people are lulled into a false dichotomy when they bring up cost efficiency as a value criterion to invalidate Macbooks when the Surface is just as guilty for being an overpriced system. If someone is being pragmatic, then any personal computer can be argued to be a personal extravagance when computers have become ubiquitous and available to the public on virtually a 24/7 basis.

If we are arguing about system features such as hard drive space, then how do we place a fixed price valuation when cloud storage services are offered for free by multiple suppliers? How about the price of investment for the operating system, when Ubuntu is open source? If the cheapest alternatives to many of the fixed features provided by either system can be equated to fee alternatives, then how do you properly assign a price to a given system? Is there equanimity in comparing desktop part equivalents on newegg to an already assembled laptop rig?

Actually I basically only used school CPUs for most of college but then I had a class that required having a laptop to do in-class tests and stuff.

Also I just realized that I have no idea how tests/assignments/quizzes in med school work. Do you absolutely need a personal laptop for class or are all the tests pen and paper?

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

Really ? What are the read write speeds like? I already have an m.2 interface drive that is about a year plus some months old. Should I be upgrading?

Depends on if you have a M.2 SATA drive or an M.2 PCIe drive. The SATA drives read/write at about 4.5 Gb/s and the PCIe are about 3.5 GB/s. You more than likely have a SATA drive since PCIe SSDs are more recent, but they are pretty expensive. Unless you are transferring massive data files, I would not upgrade. The difference in speed with loading the OS and different programs is marginal at best.

 

[freak7]

Depends on if you have a M.2 SATA drive or an M.2 PCIe drive. The SATA drives read/write at about 4.5 Gb/s and the PCIe are about 3.5 GB/s. You more than likely have a SATA drive since PCIe SSDs are more recent, but they are pretty expensive. Unless you are transferring massive data files, I would not upgrade. The difference in speed with loading the OS and different programs is marginal at best.

Call me old-fashioned but the day I hook up a drive to a PCI Express port over a SATA port is the day the terrorists win.

 

[dr.d00m]

Really ? What are the read write speeds like? I already have an m.2 interface drive that is about a year plus some months old. Should I be upgrading?

Check out the new Samsung 960 Evo m.2 PCIe SSD. Read/Write speeds of 3,200/1,900 MB/s and is reasonably priced too

 

[libertyyne]

Check out the new Samsung 960 Evo m.2 PCIe SSD. Read/Write speeds of 3,200/1,900 MB/s and is reasonably priced too

I have a samsung m.2 I dont think its the 960 series. It came with the XP 15 9550,

 

[libertyyne]

Call me old-fashioned but the day I hook up a drive to a PCI Express port over a SATA port is the day the terrorists win.

You must be new. Remember these?

 

[dr.d00m]

I have a samsung m.2 I dont think its the 960 series. It came with the XP 15 9550,

Yeah that one is still PCIe..pretty sure it's the pm951 which is a straight-to-manufacturer model. Relatively fast read speeds, but pretty poor write speeds. I probably wouldn't upgrade so soon though, the difference would be marginal at best for day-to-day tasks

 

[libertyyne]

Actually I basically only used school CPUs for most of college but then I had a class that required having a laptop to do in-class tests and stuff.

Also I just realized that I have no idea how tests/assignments/quizzes in med school work. Do you absolutely need a personal laptop for class or are all the tests pen and paper?

Depends on the school. But most require laptops for testing purposes and you have to be able to run a certain exam suite software. Or you could be this guy.