Laptop for Med School
Started by shibby1111
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The retina MacBooks are pretty sweet but I can't really see being able to justify the epic price. I'll probably get an Air.
Any gamers have any thoughts on cheap ACER or ASUS computers? Seems like I can get a pretty solid laptop for 500-600 bucks that will be more than good enough for school related activities and will also be able to run recently released games pretty nicely
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Yup, I go back and forth between those too... I also wonder if they will be updated before Aug. 1.
Apprently they are suppose to launch a new line of macbook pros where all of them will have retina display. Comes out in July I think.
Hopefully if this is true ill snag up a MBP and maybe apple will be running a deal to get something extra.
I like it. In fact the Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D - A01US is on my preliminary list of potential laptops. Although I only did a quick glance over it, so I'm not sure if it'll make the first cut.
I essentially have this http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Midnig...essor-and-Windows-8-Operating-System/21634592 but I paid around $350 for it. I'm a junior in college, but I'll use it for medical school as well.
I don't know why we would need top of the line computers for word processing and internet browsing.
I don't know why we would need top of the line computers for word processing and internet browsing.
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The requirements are probably Windows 2000 or newer with at least 2GB of RAM, lol. I'll cross that bridge when/if I get to it.
Or when the school tells you to buy a different one and you have no choice. May not be Lol'ing if that happens. Some software is just picky regardless of whether you can run Crysis 3 at full graphics. Compatibility and performance are not the same thing and the schools IT dept may not want to deal with your computer being different.
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deleted303591
The majority, if not the vast majority, of the reviews online say that the surfaces (RT and pros) have poor battery life.
I use an iPad to take notes, but I have a case with a huge bezel, so I can rest my palm, without it hitting the screen. With any choice, it is a matter of configuration.
The answer for the question "what laptop for med school?" really depends on what kind of devices you already have that you are currently using, what devices you plan on using in the future, what programs you need to use, the ability to purchase appropriate accessories, and the willingness to navigate solutions.
I use an iPhone, iPad, and Macbook Pro (mid-2010) to study. I have everything set up (uploaded) on the cloud, so that I can study whatever, whenever. I use my iPhone to study on the fly.
However, I cannot do homework on digital paper, because it takes too much time to erase. So, I just do my homework on notebook paper, and before I turn it in, I scan it to PDF on to a flash drive (my scanner puts in in PDF). I upload it to the cloud then.
I use multiple cloud services, btw.
You are going to have to stick to Windows/Apple/Android platforms, unless you are nerdy and have a lot of free time on your hands. I would try to keep all of your devices in one platform, if possible. An exception to this would probably be a mobile phone, particularly Android.
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deleted303591
I would recommend sticking to a school's recommendations, too.
However, if you are nerdy enough, you probably won't encounter serious problems, as long as your hardware specs meet or exceed the specified requirements.
The problem is, ain't nobody got time for that-sometimes-not even the nerds.
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deleted303591
Not true.
Surface Pro battery life: 3:46
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/05/microsoft-surface-pro-review/
I used to work in IT/computer and electronics repair. I had to quit because of my health.
I know what I am talking about.
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good point on the flash memory
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deleted303591
Whatever, arrogant douchebag.
Cool, it would suck if it happens after August since I am supposed to get one before then 😛
This june apple is expected to update the processors in all the MacBook computers to haswell chips. This line of chips will add 10-15% processing power. But the real difference is these chips are meant to have a significantly better battery management system.
Anyone thinking about a mac now should wait. The new chips will allow for much better battery life which we all know is very important! These updated computers are expected to hit stores july/august
Anyone thinking about a mac now should wait. The new chips will allow for much better battery life which we all know is very important! These updated computers are expected to hit stores july/august
You're the arrogant douchebag if anything. "I used to work in IT/computer and electronics repair..." "...I know what I am talking about." These lines scream arrogance. That's besides the point though. I can confirm my brothers surface pro gets about two hours...
@The guy asking about a gaming laptop. No. Don't by a gaming computer. You won't have time and shouldn't be spending time gaming.
Anyhauser- I built a custom quad-core desktop rig for about $450 with top of the line internals. That sits at home and is used for any hardcore tasks. (Data crunching, video editing, etc.) On the go I use a tablet and though I am not in med-school yet I can vouch that it's really all you need. If you're working on projects and heavy stuff you're likely at home not to mention you'd be more productive sitting up at a Desktop.
If you're in a lecture hall convenient note taking is all you need. I love my father's iPad but my own personal tablet is an Asus Transformer mainly for the fact that it has like 10 hours+ of battery easily and it has an amazing keyboard = super-convenient note taking. I recommend for iPad or an Android tablet you get an extended battery keyboard attachment. It's a must IMO.
As for note-taking applications Google Docs works wonders. I have folders and notebooks pre-setup in there for me to just throw in my notes. At home I just jump on Google Docs on my desktop- or hell if I'm at my folks and have neither of my computers just jump on Google Docs and bayum... all my lecture notes.
One downfall to tablets and Google Docs is if your lecture halls do not have internet... Then you have to save it and file-transfer through the ol' USB to your comp, or email it later which is an added step I don't need.
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deleted303591
OMG
Give me a break. You call me arrogant and then go on to post some ridiculously long post based on your personal experience.
He was just as arrogant, and as far as I am concerned-so are you.
I mean, it's a bunch of hearsay the crap you guys post. A bunch of you guys are completely clueless.
I mean, just search on google or ask some nerdy friends. Seriously.
This?
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Everyone is different, but I don't think a tablet is good for taking notes in med school. There's just too much volume to be trying to scribble down all over a power point slide, and a soft keyboard isn't going to be of much help either.
Now tablets would be great for reviewing info, but otherwise I'd opt for a full laptop. And also OneNote. OneNote is awesome.
Now tablets would be great for reviewing info, but otherwise I'd opt for a full laptop. And also OneNote. OneNote is awesome.
No way in hell you built something with top of the line internals for $450. A top processor and GPU send you well past $450 in a hurry. Then a mobo, RAM, and PSU to power the ridiculous GPU add several hundred more. Even with great deals between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you're well over $1k to build a PC with top-end parts. You can definitely build a PC that could play every game easily, have impressive processor capability, and run almost all software easily for ~$700ish (ignoring a monitor) but "top of the line" for $450 isn't happening without stealing parts.
OMG
Give me a break. You call me arrogant and then go on to post some ridiculously long post based on your personal experience.
He was just as arrogant, and as far as I am concerned-so are you.
I mean, it's a bunch of hearsay the crap you guys post. A bunch of you guys are completely clueless.
I mean, just search on google or ask some nerdy friends. Seriously.
You are misinterpreting arrogance. Arrogance is saying "Trust me I know what I'm talking about but you don't." Nothing I said was arrogance. Arrogance is also posting links with no personal experience. and acting like you know it all.
FYI, I was a Comp Sci major for a while, currently working IT @ my uni, and have been working on and building computers since I was a sprite. Please don't assume I post crap and know nothing about tech... I don't assume that about you since that is a complete "douchebag" arrogant move.
Mhm, "top of the line" was a bit vague. Top of the line for me, and maybe for everyone else top of the line five years ago xD. I salvaged a case, SSD, and power supply from my old build. (And a few odds.) I mainly had to buy a new processor, GPU, mobo, and ram. Mobo combo + cpu was around 200, same for the GPU. Ram 8 gigs is dirt cheap in DDR3 these days. Newegg sales are great.
Either way 3.6ghz quad with a solid 200 dollar nvidia card and plenty o' ram can handle basically anything I throw at it... (Not like I need a "Watson" super computer to calculate stuff or play BF3 on high lol.) I'd consider that top of the line for anything I'd ever need to do, specially as a Pre-Med student with Med-school in mind.
(Since I probably don't need that super graphics card so I can distract myself playing League, benchmakring, and spending all my food money on steam lol.)
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I agree with this. As someone earlier mentioned you should wait till you know more about your school. They might require software which -without pulling hairs and using backwards methods- your device might not support.
Please refrain from attacking each other and keep the discussion civil. Also keep in mind another great tool at your disposal is the ignore feature. I highly recommend it for users that bother you. Just click on the user's name beside any of their posts and click "Ignore User". If you need any help or have questions feel free to contact me.
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Why some people who buy laptops that cost over $700 dollars when they only use it for browsing, watching videos, and MS office is beyond me. Regardless how expensive the laptop, the processor is going to be outdated within 3-4 years. So you basically have an expensive laptop that is slow. I have bought laptops within the $300-400 range and they have lasted for at least 3 years w/o any problems; you just have to buy brands that are reliable (asus, lenovo, etc.). After the 3-4 year lifespan, I can update it buy purchasing a new one.
Any gamers have any thoughts on cheap ACER or ASUS computers? Seems like I can get a pretty solid laptop for 500-600 bucks that will be more than good enough for school related activities and will also be able to run recently released games pretty nicely
I would stay away from ACER. They have reliability issues. ASUS, on the other hand, are very reliable and are known to have good gaming laptops.
I've never had a problem with my 5 year old MacBook. You can expect getting a reliable, durable computer with the higher end laptops (both PC and Mac). While you can find cheaper laptops that are durable, I just have not found a reason to buy cheaper and I enjoy the Apple ecosystem experience.
Plus the Retina display on the MacBook Pro is awesome.
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I'd agree that $1k laptops are pointless however my school is making me get one so I will. Also, I'd agree on ASUS. From what I remember a year ago, ASUS, Lenovo, and Toshiba had the most reliable laptops although I believe Toshiba took a hit right around the time I read that report. Reliability when buying a laptop is definitely the most important (aside from doing what a school tells you to do) because many have heat issues. None are powerhouses because if you wanted that, you'd go with a desktop. As far as "top of the line" goes, I'm glad you cleared that up. PC components go way beyond what the common person buys. They aren't cost effective but ridiculous components exist. I'd even say common high-end nerd products even push you close to $1500 for a full PC w/ out monitor. I'd say a $200 GPU is even excessive for common folk. An old HD5770 still holds up for most games. We hit a GPU wall a few years ago because the human eye is only so good. I'm guessing my HD6850 will last forever. You'll only need to upgrade because of DirectX and other little features like that that increase processing loads (increasingly interactive environments). Graphics will only continue to exceed the human eye which is pretty pointless. GPU's will also become more common in sharing computing power in non-graphics situations instead of a powerhouse just sitting there doing nothing. It already occurs in a few instances and has been looked into for over a decade. OS's and programs just have to keep up with technology.
I use an RT, the battery life is terrific. No complaints, can easily use it for 6 hours or more without a break. I'd imagine the pro is less desirable due to its shorter battery life.
Now is the worst time to buy a laptop, wait as late as you can, near the end of summer newer models come out giving you more bang for your buck. OS upgrades, usually in June, have major bug fixes out by July, and new hardware his year can be pretty sexy.
Thinking about the surface pro so I can use one note (which I love) to link the audio recording of the lecture to my handwriting on the ppt for later playback.
Good idea or not?
I dislike the price point and battery life of the pro and iOS has Epic as an app but I cannot seem to find a note taking app that can touch this feature in one note.
Can anyone comment on how it is to take notes on the pro and if this idea would work with the avalanche of info about to be hurled my way. I would still get a keyboard with the pro.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
I can't comment on the pro, but I love my RT. It has been working extremely well for the exact functions you were talking about. If you're thinking of using one for med school though, most medical schools have lecture recordings anyway. Either way, one note is phenomenal and great for class notes. I stopped using any notebooks the day I got my RT haha.
I made a comparison spreadsheet that some of you may find useful. There may be more and better and cheaper laptops out there, but this is just what I came up with with a few searches. I might add more later, but I've got to buy one within a week, so maybe not.
http://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmnnapOhLM7EdDRwS29jMnZ1YVQ0bnA4ZkdyUDd3QWc&usp=sharing
http://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmnnapOhLM7EdDRwS29jMnZ1YVQ0bnA4ZkdyUDd3QWc&usp=sharing
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