Computer for Pharmacy School

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ParPharmNC

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Would like to know what laptop you are taking to pharmacy school. UNC has minimal requirements (pentium 4 chip and Word) and I would appreciate any input from incoming pharmacy students. My PC is about to die after four years of undergrad and I will be purchasing a new laptop. Suggestions please...
PS--This topic has not been addressed since 2006 so it seems timely. I am looking at a Mac--anybody else taking a Mac???
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i will be taking my Dell Vostro 1500 If I get into pharmacy school. The starting price for the Vostro is about $500. Fairly good price for me....
 
Get a Dell Laptop, I have one and I can say with full confidence that they are well built and reliable. The keys are soft and not too hard when you're typing. The graphics are Nvidia, so they're very sharp. As far as performance, it is very nice. All of this is for the XPS M1710. I'm sure that other models are just as nice. :)
 
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I'll +1 the Dell XPS system recommendation. I have an XPS M1530 and they're great computers for the price. Make sure you find some coupons to bring down the price!
 
Dell schmell. I purchased a brand new flamingo pink Dell Inspiron last August. After just 2 months, the laptop didn't recognize that it was plugged into an electrical outlet and was running on its battery. Three power cords, two technician calls, and one trip back to the factory later, Dell finally had to send me a new laptop...in black :mad:. They said they were not making the pink one anymore. So how do you think I feel right now when I see them advertising guess what??? A PINK LAPTOP!!! Furthermore, my new (and ugly) black laptop konked out in the same way last month. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, a new power cord actually worked this time. If one more thing goes wrong with this ugly black laptop, I will demand my money back.

Thank God the pharmacy school is giving us all new laptops the first day of school, and I can retire this P.O.S. to the kid's room.
 
monsterbrain said:
Dell schmell. I purchased a brand new flamingo pink Dell Inspiron last August. After just 2 months, the laptop didn't recognize that it was plugged into an electrical outlet and was running on its battery. Three power cords, two technician calls, and one trip back to the factory later, Dell finally had to send me a new laptop...in black :mad:. They said they were not making the pink one anymore. So how do you think I feel right now when I see them advertising guess what??? A PINK LAPTOP!!! Furthermore, my new (and ugly) black laptop konked out in the same way last month. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, a new power cord actually worked this time. If one more thing goes wrong with this ugly black laptop, I will demand my money back.

Thank God the pharmacy school is giving us all new laptops the first day of school, and I can retire this P.O.S. to the kid's room.
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Yeah I wouldn't go with the Inspiron Line...the ones mentioned so far were either the business class Vostro or higher XPS line.
 
Seems like Toshiba is more reliable than Dell... I think outside the XPS, Dell isn't worth getting.

I like windows, but I prefer an apple macbook pro for notebooks.
 
YiYaoYue said:
Seems like Toshiba is more reliable than Dell... I think outside the XPS, Dell isn't worth getting.

I like windows, but I prefer an apple macbook pro for notebooks.
Click to expand...

I had a toshiba and their customer service is disappointing. If anything every breaks, they will blame user error. I had the sensor come loose that senses if the notebook is closed or open. Sent it to toshiba, and they blamed it on me, and told me it was not repairable. I told them to keep it.

I've had problems with Dell and the battery pack but i personally didn't have a problem with their customer service.
 
Yes, I agree with the Battery thing, I guess they just suck at that part.
Don't get a Toshiba, I've had 3 before and all of them end up breaking down. Like if you move it around a lot, the ac connector in the back gets loose and the G*y thing is that it's connected to the motherboard. Dell is the better way imo.
 
I'm using a Toshiba Portege M400. It's a pretty low-cost tablet. I am 100% paperless. I don't even have to cart around my Dipiro as it came with an electronic version that reads fairly well onscreen in tablet mode (too bad I had to buy the monster to get the eco-friendly version). I also have the Washington Manual of Therapeutics and the Handbook of NonPrescription Drugs in electronic format. I have current guidelines for the disease states we've covered so far in a special folder. I have all notes from my P2 year on it and expect to have all notes from P3 on it as well. Plus I have access to electronic books from my school's library.

If I lost it, I'd be screwed. So I back it up every week and guard it with my life. Please don't steal my notebook.
 
If I get in, in fall 2009, I would bring my Sony Vaio VGN-SZ240P. I got it off ebay for $695 (including shipping and tax). :)
 
i'm taking a macbook

it's fast, reliable, simple to use, stylish
apple has become really popular now, meaning MOST (if not all) the essential programs you need will probably be compatible with Mac OS X
 
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I got a macbook air for school- since at my school we are required to bring it everyday
 
twester said:
I'm using a Toshiba Portege M400. It's a pretty low-cost tablet. I am 100% paperless. I don't even have to cart around my Dipiro as it came with an electronic version that reads fairly well onscreen in tablet mode (too bad I had to buy the monster to get the eco-friendly version). I also have the Washington Manual of Therapeutics and the Handbook of NonPrescription Drugs in electronic format. I have current guidelines for the disease states we've covered so far in a special folder. I have all notes from my P2 year on it and expect to have all notes from P3 on it as well. Plus I have access to electronic books from my school's library.

If I lost it, I'd be screwed. So I back it up every week and guard it with my life. Please don't steal my notebook.
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I am so jealous! I would LOVE to have a tablet but am sure we won't be getting that kind of laptop at school. Every semester I try to find a way to bet better organized--sounds like that tablet does it for you.
 
Go for any HP laptop from the dv- series. They're one of the top selling notebooks for good reason; reliability, reasonable price for the specifications, HP support, and design. It's even highly compatible with Linux (though that's really my kinda thing :p).
 
I can run it perfectly...even Crysis without a single glitch.
I wish they made Gran Turismo for PC, that'd be sick
:D
 
I have a MacBook and it's perfect. You can buy Microsoft Office for Macs if you really need those types of apps. Go for a MAC! I've been using them for the past 6yrs or so. You'll never have to worry about viruses and such.... :D
 
Introducing the new Studio 15 from Dell... Starting prices at around $799, it features Intel Core 2 Duo, Windows Vista Premium Edition, lit keyboard, fingerprint scanner for security and ease of access, webcam, and built-in mobile WiFi technology. :D It's wonderful. I can even be online in the car the majority of time. You can get it in seven or eight different colors. I chose ruby red. Studio came out in mid-June. I paid a total of $1,143 for it, including a dell bag. Great computer.
 
pharmmommy said:
I have a MacBook and it's perfect. You can buy Microsoft Office for Macs if you really need those types of apps. Go for a MAC! I've been using them for the past 6yrs or so. You'll never have to worry about viruses and such.... :D
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i've had a PC since i first got my computer..i've had this mac for almost 2 months and i can safely say that i will NEVER switch back to PC or any other OS for that matter :love:
 
nerv12345 said:
i've had a PC since i first got my computer..i've had this mac for almost 2 months and i can safely say that i will NEVER switch back to PC or any other OS for that matter :love:
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I have a 15 inch Macbook Pro. I love it...absolutely fantastic computer. :D If Mac isn't your thing than I would suggest a Viao.
 
I have a Dell Inspirion too and the power port went out recently, of course the warranty was up, and I had to spend 200.00 to get it fixed. I'm a computer technician and I can honestly say that Dell does make an OK computer but since I purchased a Mac there's no turning back LOL and if you must have Windows, you can always add a virtual machine, which I did and I have had no problems so far.

HTH
 
PS--This topic has not been addressed since 2006 so it seems timely. I am looking at a Mac--anybody else taking a Mac???[/QUOTE said:
I must agree with everyone else that owns a mac. I have had mine for bout 6 months and LOVES IT...

It is built well, light, and user friendly...

Once you go mac you'll never go back...
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Go to fatwallet to get cashback and use student discount. Apple rarely has any deals, but if you find one jump on it quick.
 
Bought a Sony Vaio CR series for $899 =D
 
Nerv, spoken like a true convert!!

I've been a Mac user for the past 10 years and I currently have a MacBook Pro that I purchased two years ago. I absolutely love the laptop and I never have to worry about viruses. I wouldn't trade it in for a PC ANY day of the week! If you have a problem with your computer, there are forums on the apple website that have experts answering questions and it's a very nice community.
 
Pshhh, Macs are just a fad. I'm pretty stubborn about using them, my wife just got a Macbook Pro and shes likes it quite a bit but I think its more of a "cool" computer than a great functional computer. For your basic pharm school stuff I would stick with basic windows op laptop, personally I like the HPs.
 
well i would never get a mac desktop since I can make a computer from parts and nothing mac makes can match in design, speed, functionality, etc from what I can build and in terms of price/performance nothing beats building one yourself.

but i just have so many bad experiences from companies putting cheap parts together for laptops and I just find macs to be well built albeit a bit overpriced. I guess I'm just not a fan of places like alienware, because I see how they cut corners with desktops and are also overpriced.
 
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