Best Laptop in 2017 for medical school?

BU Medical Sciences
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Dr.hunk said:
New egg has the 1500$ surface book on sale for 999 right now for two days if anyone is interested! Microsoft Surface Book SV7-00001 Ultrabook Intel Core i5 6300U (2.40 GHz) 8 GB Memory 128 GB SSD Intel HD Graphics 520 13.5" 3000 x 2000 Touchscreen 5 MP Front / 8 MP Rear Camera Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit Bundle with Pen – NeweggFlash.com
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Oh man........ I don't NEED a new laptop until hopefully next year but this is so tempting!
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oznefu said:
Tempting...not sure whether to pull the trigger on this or wait on the surface book 2.


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Click to expand...
Going through the same dilemma but the sb2 most likely won't be out till October or so, and I desperately need a laptop before school starts!
 
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americanm00se said:
Can I ask what you use to monitor for laptop deals like this? Do you manually check some websites every so often?
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You can subscribe to newegg's newsletters. They have 4(?) Shell Shocker deals a day.
 
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Dr.hunk said:
Going through the same dilemma but the sb2 most likely won't be out till October or so, and I desperately need a laptop before school starts!
Click to expand...

I hope this is not the case. I'll get major FOMO if I get the original and the new one comes out a few months later. I guess I'll just use my MacBook Pro for now and hope some more news comes out in the coming weeks/months.


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I'll preface this by saying I'm currently nearing the end of my M2 year (yeah, Step 1 looms large, in just under two months, in fact), so I'm only speaking from personal experience.

What computer you get and what you need for medical school can be very different things, and will depend on personal preference. During my M1 year I used my 9 year-old Dell Inspiron 1545 (which I'd upgraded, first by adding more RAM, then replacing a dead HDD, and finally by changing its processor from a T4200 to a T9800; the machine originally cost me $500, but the subsequent alterations in total cost roughly $350, with the RAM being the lion's share of this expenditure - it originally started with Windows Vista, but Dell provided a free Windows 7 upgrade). The end result is something that actually still rivals some of the cheaper machines on the market today but runs the vastly superior Windows 7 OS (I'm looking at you, Core i3 computers). The major reasons I put it in storage at the start of this school year was because I had largely reached the limits of efforts to future-proof the machine.

In medical school, all you really need to do on a computer is: 1) view lecture slides, 2) type up notes/assignments (at my school we start practice-writing HPIs in M1 year, and H&Ps/SOAP notes in M2 year), 3) operate an Internet browser (preferably something not as malware-prone as IE or resource-hoggy as Firefox), 4) view course-related video, and 5) operate (usually browser-based) practice test software. Very basic stuff, and most newer machines built in the past few years will be able to do these things without any problems. In addition, the more rudimentary machines (tablets included) may tend to be smaller and more portable than machines with superior specifications.

However, if you're looking for something more than minimal, perhaps moderately future-proofed, and yet still want to get some bang for your buck, I would recommend looking at places other than traditional retail, by which I mean consider having your machine custom-built. I did some research into laptop components (because I build my own computers), and I found that if I could settle for some components that weren't top-of-the-line while having just those components that were truly essential for future-proofing, it would be cheaper for me to have a laptop custom-built than to try to piece a good build together from individual components.

While I went with XOTIC PC, I did look at other custom building sites while I was shopping around my optimal build. My end result is as follows, and cost me just over $1100 some time in the middle of August 2016:

Base: Sager NP7256 with all branding removed
Processor: Core i7 6700-HQ Skylake
RAM: 16 (2x8) GB dual-channel DDR4 @ 2133 MHz
HDD: 1 TB, 7200 RPM (no, not SSD, but I back up all of the important stuff on a 3-TB external drive)
GPU: NVidia GeForce GTX 960M
M.2: SanDisk X400 256 GB SSD
OS: Windows 7 Professional x64 (most other sites I looked at only had Win10 and did not have this option, and that was a major dealbreaker for me - I had also considered getting a Linux shell, but the known issues it has with some of my games and legacy software relegated it to a backup option; at least with Win7 I have no issues running SimCity 2000 on a WinXP virtual machine, which basically made my entire summer)

Other perks: free shipping

I just looked, and there's a Dell 15 that is basically this computer with less RAM, no M.2 components, and an inferior OS (yes, I called Win10 inferior to Win7), but IMO even that is still not as good a deal at $750 because of Win10 and the lack of M.2 for futureproofing: Inspiron 15 Gaming Series

I also use a wired USB gaming mouse with DPI adjustment that cost me about $20 shipped from eBay.
 
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ecthelion said:
I'll preface this by saying I'm currently nearing the end of my M2 year (yeah, Step 1 looms large, in just under two months, in fact). What computer you get and what you need for medical school can be very different things, and will depend on personal preference. During my M1 year I used my 9 year-old Dell Inspiron 1545 (which I'd upgraded, first by adding more RAM, then replacing a dead HDD, and finally by changing its processor from a T4200 to a T9800; the machine originally cost me $500, but the subsequent alterations in total cost roughly $350, with the RAM being the lion's share of this expenditure - it originally started with Windows Vista, but Dell provided a free Windows 7 upgrade). The end result is something that actually still rivals some of the cheaper machines on the market today (I'm looking at you, Core i3 computers). The only reason I replaced it at the start of this school year was because I had largely reached the limits of efforts to future-proof the machine, since that would require a motherboard replacement.

In medical school, all you really need to do on a laptop is: 1) view lecture slides, 2) type up notes/assignments (at my school we start practicing HPIs in M1 year, and H&Ps/SOAP notes in M2 year), 3) operate an Internet browser, 4) view course-related video, and 5) operate (usually browser-based) practice test software. Very basic stuff, and most newer machines built in the past few years will be able to do these things without any problems. In addition, the more rudimentary machines may tend to be smaller and more portable.

If you're looking for something more than minimal yet still want to get some bang for your buck, I would recommend looking at places other than traditional retail, by which I mean consider having your machine custom-built. I did some research into laptop components (because I build my own computers), and I found that if I could settle for some components that weren't top-of-the-line while having just those components that were truly essential for future-proofing, it would be cheaper for me to have a laptop custom-built than to try to piece a good build together from individual components.

While I went with XOTIC PC, I did look at other custom building sites while I was shopping around my optimal build. My end result is as follows, and cost me just over $1100 some time in the middle of August 2016:

Base: Sager NP7256 with all branding removed
Processor: Core i7 6700-HQ Skylake
RAM: 16 (2x8) GB dual-channel DDR4 @ 2133 MHz
HDD: 1 TB, 7200 RPM (no, not SSD, but I back up all of the important stuff on a 3-TB external drive)
GPU: NVidia GeForce GTX 960M
M.2: SanDisk X400 256 GB SSD
OS: Windows 7 Professional x64 (this was an extra expense since Windows 10 was default; most other sites I looked at did not have this option, and that was a major dealbreaker for me)

Other perks: free shipping

I just looked, and there's a Dell 15 that is basically this computer with less RAM, no M.2 components, and an inferior OS (yes, I called Win10 inferior to Win7), but IMO even that is still not as good a deal at $750 because of Win10 and the lack of M.2 for futureproofing: Inspiron 15 Gaming Series

I also use a wired USB gaming mouse with DPI adjustment that cost me about $20 shipped from eBay.
Click to expand...
Stop procrastinating. Go study. :laugh:
 
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walloobi said:
Just found a barely used mid-2014 15" MBP 16GB RAM for $900, seems like a great deal, should I pull the trigger?
Click to expand...

This is one of the few times that "not enough information to answer" is my actual response :p - my first question is what do you mean by "barely used"? Secondly, would you be this machine's second or third owner (or more)? Especially with regards to Macs I'd lean towards "no" because of the lack of options regarding upgrades/modifications/futureproofing; if "barely used" means something like "turned on fewer than 60 times, or an elapsed on time of less than 168 hours (1 week) over the past 3 years" then I'd say consider it for less than $800. Lastly, now that I type this, I find myself wondering "why is this machine barely used?"
 
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Does anyone have any advice on buying laptops from the medical school? I was thinking about buying one from the school I'm going to, but I'm not sure if it would be more expensive to do so.
 
Lord Kek said:
Does anyone have any advice on buying laptops from the medical school? I was thinking about buying one from the school I'm going to, but I'm not sure if it would be more expensive to do so.
Click to expand...

I'm sure it differs between med schools, but buying one from my school is significantly more expensive than just ordering somewhere else
 
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Decided to wait till school (orientation) starts to see what current students have and what other classmates are getting.

I'm 50/50 split between a surface book and MacBook pro.
 
all things possible said:
Decided to wait till school (orientation) starts to see what current students have and what other classmates are getting.

I'm 50/50 split between a surface book and MacBook pro.
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if you dont mind the price I would absolutely get the surface book. This comes from someone used to both windows and mac. I think the ability to annotate powerpoint slides is going to be a game changer
 
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watermelon master said:
watch youtube reviews of the computers. either you want a computer with a pen for annotating or you don't. That's why you would get the surface vs. the macbook. if you don't care about annotating then get the macbook pro.
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Sheesh. I was just inquiring...I'll just wait like I intended to do.

Thanks anyway.
 
all things possible said:
Sheesh. I was just inquiring...I'll just wait like I intended to do.

Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...
And I answered you. Why did you take offense to my post?

That's literally the most important difference between the two computers. Either you want to annotate on the screen using a pen, or you don't.
 
Real talk: how viable is a touch screen to take notes on for a lefty? I have to snail my way across the paper when I write and so I'd imagine that writing on the Surface or something would be difficult due to it receiving multiple inputs.
 
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Debating between traditional laptop vs Surface Pro 4 (or the like) vs Surface Book (or the like).

I prefer pen and paper but have never taken notes with a stylus. My school will give out iPad Air 2s. Off the top of my head, I imagine having online note access (vs scanning pages?) and lecture file annotations will be the largest benefits. Other benefits I'm not thinking of?

Anybody feel like pen/paper is exhausting to organize later? Anybody regret investing that much in a 2-in-1?
 
freak7 said:
Real talk: how viable is a touch screen to take notes on for a lefty? I have to snail my way across the paper when I write and so I'd imagine that writing on the Surface or something would be difficult due to it receiving multiple inputs.
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Why don't you go to a Best Buy or a Microsoft store and try it for yourself
 
xp13s can be had for sub 700 dollars right now in the refurb section.
 
How does the pen work? Have you tried using it with one note?
 
Go4Doc said:
How does the pen work? Have you tried using it with one note?
Click to expand...

On the Thinkpad? It's a Wacom AES pen so it's pretty darn accurate. Works pretty well on OneNote, but I prefer the Surface Pen a bit more since Microsoft optimizes it for use on OneNote
 
Sorry if this has already been asked but for the schools where everyone gets an iPad mini, how easy are they to take notes on? Alternatively, if you have a surface pro to take notes on, are there compatibility issues between using iPad mini for some things and Microsoft surface for others? I'd like a tablet to take notes on but also need a new laptop. Ideally I'd get the surface pro which serves as both a tablet and laptop, but am worried about compatibility with the iPad mini my school gives out. I could get a MacBook and then take notes on the iPad mini, but I hear the minis aren't compatible with the Apple Pencil, which only works with the iPad pros.

I should add that I'm very much a mac person and would prefer to stay with a mac because that's what I know, but if I would switch to surface if it overwhelmingly made sense in this case

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tarheelpenner said:
" tad bit" :rofl:holy crap. Anyone have any opinions on hp elite x360 vs. Lenovo flex 5?
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The worst part is that people will scoff at the price tag and yet still go out and buy a mac.
 
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Surface Pro and the Surface dock at home with an extra monitor, full keyboard and mouse for writing lab reports.
 
gms11235 said:
Sorry if this has already been asked but for the schools where everyone gets an iPad mini, how easy are they to take notes on? Alternatively, if you have a surface pro to take notes on, are there compatibility issues between using iPad mini for some things and Microsoft surface for others? I'd like a tablet to take notes on but also need a new laptop. Ideally I'd get the surface pro which serves as both a tablet and laptop, but am worried about compatibility with the iPad mini my school gives out. I could get a MacBook and then take notes on the iPad mini, but I hear the minis aren't compatible with the Apple Pencil, which only works with the iPad pros.

I should add that I'm very much a mac person and would prefer to stay with a mac because that's what I know, but if I would switch to surface if it overwhelmingly made sense in this case

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Click to expand...
ipad mini is too small to take notes on. the best thing for you to do is go to an apple store and try these things out yourself. we can tell you everything about these tablets/computers on this forum but it won't mean anything until you try it out yourself.
 
tarheelpenner said:
" tad bit" :rofl:holy crap. Anyone have any opinions on hp elite x360 vs. Lenovo flex 5?
Click to expand...

My recommendation is always "not HP". They have a reputation for pretty machines, but garbage quality control and frustrating support. My experience with Lenovos has been a lot better.
 
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ScottTenorman54 said:
My recommendation is always "not HP". They have a reputation for pretty machines, but garbage quality control and frustrating support. My experience with Lenovos has been a lot better.
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I've had good luck with ASUS components but have never owned an ASUS machine. I had a friend in school who owned an ASUS laptop and she swore by it. I might go that route for my new lappy.
 
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freak7 said:
I've had good luck with ASUS components but have never owned an ASUS machine. I had a friend in school who owned an ASUS laptop and she swore by it. I might go that route for my new lappy.
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Build quality depends on the Asus model. Their cheaper stuff is ok, expensive stuff is in line with best in class stuff, but at those prices you can get a surface machine.
 
ScottTenorman54 said:
My recommendation is always "not HP". They have a reputation for pretty machines, but garbage quality control and frustrating support. My experience with Lenovos has been a lot better.
Click to expand...
Went with the flex 5, thanks for the info :)
 
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I bought a 2016 15' MacBook Pro (I had a gap year so I been working) then I get off the WL at my #1 school and apparently they changed some policies.. we need to buy pre-configured Dell laptops from them. FML
 
If you go on amazon you can get macbook pros that are a few years older but still brand new. I got my macbook pro a few years after my friend who bought his for retail (like $1400) and I got the same model and everything as he did but I bought mine for about $300.
 
XPS 13 son, edgeless display, portable as heck

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Settled on a Surface Book (i7/16GB/512GB SSD) for $1700 final price on eBay today! Should be new with full warranty.

First high-end laptop for me and largest purchase so far after starting my job, so very excited to try it out! I'm always apprehensive about big eBay purchases, but supposedly a reputable seller so we'll see.
 
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Shirafune said:
Settled on a Surface Book (i7/16GB/512GB SSD) for $1700 final price on eBay today! Should be new with full warranty.

First high-end laptop for me and largest purchase so far after starting my job, so very excited to try it out! I'm always apprehensive about big eBay purchases, but supposedly a reputable seller so we'll see.
Click to expand...
That is a baller computer. Did you get the normal base or the performance base?
 
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