Laptop vs. Desktop

[heyitscyndi]

Hey there all you dental students! I'm saving up so I can buy myself a fancy new computer for when I start dental school. I'm wondering what you all use, laptop or desktop? I'm wondering if it is really more convenient to take a laptop to class with you or if taking good old fashioned notes on paper would work better. I know that if I got a laptop I would also have to buy a mouse because I hate using those little pad things. Maybe I should just stick to a desktop because thats all I've ever used. Any advice either way? Thanx a bunch!

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[45540]

I love having a laptop, I got one before I started school here and I enjoy taking notes on it, or using it to ignore horrible lectures

 

[DDS2BE]

Some schools have laptop included as a part of tuition.

I used to be a desktop PC fan, but switched to laptop due to its space. In fact, I find it a lot more convenient than a regular PC. For example, imagine yourself drinking a cup of coffee in the morning and reading SDN at the same time at your kitchen table

My dental school begins on August 1 this year, but during one of my interviews, our group had a chance to watch, quietly,a first year dental students in auditorium during some class. And believe it or not, I didn’t see a single dental student typing notes into a laptop. What I did see was an active Yahoo Messenger discussion, PACMAN, Solitaire, eBay bid placement… you got the idea, right?!

For privacy reasons, don’t ask which dental school that was

 

[xc1999]

Well, I actually prefer the old fashioned paper and note taking, in case you want to make diagrams or charts. Tends to take a little longer when you're doing that on the computer. Plus, sometimes you will be given a packet or something for that class, so it's usually easier to just write everything on the packet as you take notes.

On the other hand, I have found having a laptop (I have both a laptop and desktop) does have some of its advantages. Like for histo, if you wanted to label, it's pretty neat for that. also if it's late at night and you're at school, but not computer is around b/c the library's closed, it's nice to have a laptop in case you need to use the internet or do something on a CD that was given to you in the class.

you can definitely survive w/o a laptop, but in any case, you should at least have one of them. Not too sure how I could ever survive w/o owning a computer

 

[overseas]

Dear Xc1999, CJWolf, DDS2BE & heyitscyndi ,
thankyou all for starting this topic reg Laptops/ Desktops..
i have several doubts reg specfications for a" laptop, desktop " for a dental student..Could you all be kind enough to explain that..??
1. Win --98 or Xp or Linux.... Apple----- which is the best..??
2. Processor--Intel[ P 4 or P 3.? ] ---AMD, any other -----Which among are the best.?
3. RAM--- 256 or 512 or more than that.....??
4. Hard Disc Drive---20 Gb or 40 Gb or 80 Gb or more than that...??
5. CDROM Drive---- which is the best
6. Dvd Writer-- which is the best...??
7..Any other specila softwares....???
for Dental students / .......????????

Help me out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks & regards......

 

[xc1999]

1. Win --98 or Xp or Linux.... Apple----- which is the best..??
For Windowns, 98 is NO longer available. ALL desktops and LAPTOPS now come with Windows XP. Windows XP Home Edition should suffice. You usually have Windows XP Professional as an option, but it is more expensive, and you really don't need it.
2. Processor--Intel[ P 4 or P 3.? ] ---AMD, any other -----Which among are the best.?
Well, the thing with processors and laptops is that the higher the processor speed, the thicker the laptop (and most likely the heavier the laptop). You said that you wanted a "laptop, desktop", does that mean you want one of those laptops they sell, but are so thick and heavy, that they might as well be desktops? If that's the case, then I guess you won't have to worry about processor speed too much (if you don't plan on carrying it around all the time).

I think laptops use the intel centrino technology. Mine is a Pentium 725 1.6 ghz processor speed. It's slower than my desktop, but still does it's job. I only like it cause it's thin. If you don't mind a thicker laptop, you can get a processor speed that's higher; in fact it may even be cheaper (i've noticed the thinner the laptops, the more expensive they are, even though processor speeds for thicker laptops are higher).
3. RAM--- 256 or 512 or more than that.....??
I would just go for the lowest one that they give you and buy it separately yourself. It's much more inexpensive that way. If you're gonna buy ram separately, I would go for a Kingston.
4. Hard Disc Drive---20 Gb or 40 Gb or 80 Gb or more than that...??
My lappy is a 40 gig, and so is my desktop. Iw ould probably see if you can find a computer that includes a 40 gig hard drive. If you want more memory, you can buy it separately as well. Western Digital and Maxtor are good brands if you're going to buy more hard drive separately.
5. CDROM Drive---- which is the best
I would go for a DVDrom drive instead. Don't think brand name matters too much for this....though I could be wrong.
6. Dvd Writer-- which is the best...??
Not too sure about this, but I don't think a DVD writer is needed for dental school. HOWEVER, if you do get a dvd-rw drive, you DO NOT need an extra CD ROM. A DVD-rw drive does it ALL for you: it can write/read dvd's, write/read cd's. So it's basically a CD-ROM, CD writer, DVD-rom, dvd-writer all in one. Not sure about brand names though.
7..Any other specila softwares....???
Make sure your laptop comes with Microsoft Office. Anything 2000 or later should be good. Microsoft Office Small Business Edition probably has everything you need: powerpoint, microsoft word, microsoft excel, and some other stuff I can't quite remember (but those three are the main things you probably want. Microsoft Office Basic Edition is their cheaper package, but unfortunately, it does not include powerpoint. If you know someone that perhaps has powerpoint, perhaps you can borrow it from them and get the office basic edition.
You also want to make sure you have Adobe acrobat, but that of course can be downloaded for free from their website if the laptop or desktop doesn't come w/ it already.

ADDED:

Just to let you know, if you can see if an internal wireless network card comes with the laptop. If not, you can go and buy an external one separately, but I've been told an internal wireless PCI network card gets better signal because it actually uses the lcd monitor of the laptop as an antenna, where as the external PCI card is just this small card sticking out beneath the keyboard of your laptop. Um....this is if your school has a wireless network. Might want to check on that.

Hope this helps!

 

[DrTacoElf]

Dear Xc1999, CJWolf, DDS2BE & heyitscyndi ,
thankyou all for starting this topic reg Laptops/ Desktops..
i have several doubts reg specfications for a" laptop, desktop " for a dental student..Could you all be kind enough to explain that..??
1. Win --98 or Xp or Linux.... Apple----- which is the best..??
2. Processor--Intel[ P 4 or P 3.? ] ---AMD, any other -----Which among are the best.?
3. RAM--- 256 or 512 or more than that.....??
4. Hard Disc Drive---20 Gb or 40 Gb or 80 Gb or more than that...??
5. CDROM Drive---- which is the best
6. Dvd Writer-- which is the best...??
7..Any other specila softwares....???
for Dental students / .......????????

Help me out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks & regards......

Laptop

1) Windows XP Pro
2) AMD will be cheaper bang for the buck but mobile pentium IV is nice (centrino)
3) 512MB
4) Depends on you personally I have 20GB of music alone, 40GB+ is what I would get for a laptop
5) Liteon CDRWs are nice and very cheap
6) Liteon is awesome again
7) Office XP is nice to have, as is adobe photoshop

Desktop (cheaper by the way)

1) Windows XP Pro
2) AMD tbreds will be cheaper bang for the buck than any intel cpu
3) 512MB to 1GB
4) Depends on you personally I have 20GB of music alone, 120GB+ is what I would get for a desktop ($100 or less)
5) Liteon CDRWs are nice and very cheap (about $40 for a 52X)
6) Liteon is awesome again (Dual format 8X about $70)
7) Office XP is nice to have, as is adobe photoshop

 

[45540]

Dear Xc1999, CJWolf, DDS2BE & heyitscyndi ,
thankyou all for starting this topic reg Laptops/ Desktops..
i have several doubts reg specfications for a" laptop, desktop " for a dental student..Could you all be kind enough to explain that..??
1. Win --98 or Xp or Linux.... Apple----- which is the best..??
2. Processor--Intel[ P 4 or P 3.? ] ---AMD, any other -----Which among are the best.?
3. RAM--- 256 or 512 or more than that.....??
4. Hard Disc Drive---20 Gb or 40 Gb or 80 Gb or more than that...??
5. CDROM Drive---- which is the best
6. Dvd Writer-- which is the best...??
7..Any other specila softwares....???
for Dental students / .......????????

Help me out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks & regards......

1. Windows XP
2. Intel Centrino ... 1.6 - 1.7
3. 256 mb ram
4. 60 gig or higher
5. dvd reader and cd writer built in
6. go for an external dvd writer like a sony one to leave at home.

I'd go for the Dell 700m. You want a smaller laptop. You can get desktop replacements but those weight 8 lbs or so. I love my laptop because it weighs 2.8 lbs and i can take it anywhere and it's just like a paper notebook.

LIGHTER = BETTER

I'd shoot for a laptop that weighs 4 lbs or so so you can actually take it with you and not have something to lug around. The centrino ones are lighter but they're slower obviously (1.6 - 1.7 ghz) as opposed to the desktop replacements (3.0 - 3.6 ghz).

It's all about what you prefer, but laptops are supposed to be light.

 

[DrTacoElf]

LIGHTER = BETTER

Agreed, but personally I would get the dell X300

 

[heyitscyndi]

Thanks everyone, that is all great information. Here's another question for you. I plan on starting dental school in a year and a half. Should I go ahead and purchase a laptop now or hold off as long as I can? I know technology changes all the time, would it change that much in that year and a half?

 

[DrTacoElf]

Thanks everyone, that is all great information. Here's another question for you. I plan on starting dental school in a year and a half. Should I go ahead and purchase a laptop now or hold off as long as I can? I know technology changes all the time, would it change that much in that year and a half?

It will change a ton by then (capability and prices). If you don't need the computer now, wait.

 

[edkNARF]

If you want a good solid notebook, consider the Apple PowerBook. I used PCs all my life, but I switched to a Mac when my PC ate my homework for the umpteenth time. I absolutely love my Mac, and hate using PCs now. Macs are definitely the better way to go if you ask me.

 

[quickfix]

i haven't posted in awhile and i thought i might chirp in on this laptop v. desktop b/c i recently purchased a comptuer and i debated which platform was better for me. i ended up buying a dell dimesnion 8400 desktop b/c it had amazing specs and it was a lot cheaper than a laptop with the same bells and whistles. since computers are being outdated all the time i figured i was buying more time with a faster processor and more memory. and for now, i can enjoy not waiting any time for it to calcualte.

how i check my mail:
dell dimension 8400
3.4 gighz pent 4 hyptertreading proc. .. yes 3.4 not a typo, btw this hypertreading thing is amazing b/c if it is processing something like moving files or anytime a wait bar comes up, i can work in other applications at top speed. i am in love with that.
1 gig ram .. are we kidding?
250 gb hd .. too much
8 usb ports ... too many
16x cd/dvd burner i don't even own any dvds
17" flatscreen monitor
128 mb memory key
128mb video card
audio card
speaker
some nice ethernet card
windows xp home

total cost $1175.00 b/c i had a coupon 25 percent off for the christmas dell giveaway thingy they were doing. i think it would have been $1500 otherwise. no way todays' laptop could approach that. in 5 years i am thinking that those specs will be below average.


it came with a free flat screen monitor which ended up being a lot more screen than i need. although i don't have to spin my neck to view the screen b/c it now fits behind my keyboard, it does take away what used to be my writing space. this is due to my actual desk space and i think for most people a flat screen monitor is better than a laptop if u are not going to take your comptuer off your desk.

if u are going to take it to class, you will be on aim and the internet while u take notes. it just seems to happen. since i have never tried a laptop in class, i can't really comment on it's positives or negatives. i think i am satisifed with my pen and paper.

obviously i went with the desktop b/c i think it is better. but i admit there are many positives with the laptop. namley wireless internet, playing around on it during class, looking like u know how to use technology in front of other people, and that's all the positives i can think of. if u are from really good money i would say buy both. otherwise, good luck with your choice.

 

[J2AZ]

One school put out this info regarding what you will need if you plan on using the same computer for the 4 years.

1) 1.6 Ghz
2) 512 RAM
3) 80 gig HD
4) 15" screen
5) WI-FI
6) CD/DVD
7) 3yr on site wrnty

I priced a few laptops with these specs and the prices are high. IBM is up around 3K. Does anybody have good experience with a particular brand?

 

[The Musketeer]

For your undisclosed school, we usually have a lot of diagrams to draw out and having your laptop occupying the tiny desktop is no help at the time when you need traditional pen and paper to draw. Also, many lecturers provide lecture notes so there is not much we need to write, probably one of two sentences on the margin is suffice...

But I would suggest that if your school support wireless do get a wireless network card as you can research on the net when you are studying in the library or in the clinic.

Some schools have laptop included as a part of tuition.

I used to be a desktop PC fan, but switched to laptop due to its space. In fact, I find it a lot more convenient than a regular PC. For example, imagine yourself drinking a cup of coffee in the morning and reading SDN at the same time at your kitchen table

My dental school begins on August 1 this year, but during one of my interviews, our group had a chance to watch, quietly,a first year dental students in auditorium during some class. And believe it or not, I didn’t see a single dental student typing notes into a laptop. What I did see was an active Yahoo Messenger discussion, PACMAN, Solitaire, eBay bid placement… you got the idea, right?!

For privacy reasons, don’t ask which dental school that was

 

[DrTacoElf]

One school put out this info regarding what you will need if you plan on using the same computer for the 4 years.

1) 1.6 Ghz
2) 512 RAM
3) 80 gig HD
4) 15" screen
5) WI-FI
6) CD/DVD
7) 3yr on site wrnty

I priced a few laptops with these specs and the prices are high. IBM is up around 3K. Does anybody have good experience with a particular brand?

get a dell latitude. Wait on a good price -- check slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com for coupon codes.

 

[45540]

Agreed, but personally I would get the dell X300

I've got the X200 ... it's lighter than any other laptops, but it's not that good on performance. It'll do anything I want it to do, but I built a desktop so i can play games if i feel the need.

 

[zidanereal2003]

I've got the X200 ... it's lighter than any other laptops, but it's not that good on performance. It'll do anything I want it to do, but I built a desktop so i can play games if i feel the need.

Get Dell Inspiron 8600 it is great!

 

[dentite001]

You may also consider getting your laptop used. Just make sure to not hold it on your lap, the heat may make you impotent.

 

[DDS2BE]

You may also consider getting your laptop used. Just make sure to not hold it on your lap, the heat may make you impotent.

i second that

 

[DDS2BE]

For your undisclosed school, we usually have a lot of diagrams to draw out and having your laptop occupying the tiny desktop is no help at the time when you need traditional pen and paper to draw. Also, many lecturers provide lecture notes so there is not much we need to write, probably one of two sentences on the margin is suffice...

But I would suggest that if your school support wireless do get a wireless network card as you can research on the net when you are studying in the library or in the clinic.

Fine, that was NYU but keep it secret

 

[snwman]

For those of you leaning towards a laptop but still want to be able to pen and paper it once in a while, consider a convertable table. I have an Acer Travel Mate C302 that I love. Basicaly you can use it as a regular lap top to type papers or anything long that is just text. if you want to take notes on it, the screen spins around and locks down to become a table that you can write on with the included pen. you can combine text and drawings. it is really like writing on a pad of paper! plus it will recognize your handwriting (and I have some god-aweful handwriting)! you can search all your notes for a word or phrase even. The one I have is a pretty good set up and wasnt all that expensive. check Acer out!

 

[xc1999]

I personally like my dell inspiron 600m :-D

 

[heyitscyndi]

For those of you leaning towards a laptop but still want to be able to pen and paper it once in a while, consider a convertable table. I have an Acer Travel Mate C302 that I love. Basicaly you can use it as a regular lap top to type papers or anything long that is just text. if you want to take notes on it, the screen spins around and locks down to become a table that you can write on with the included pen. you can combine text and drawings. it is really like writing on a pad of paper! plus it will recognize your handwriting (and I have some god-aweful handwriting)! you can search all your notes for a word or phrase even. The one I have is a pretty good set up and wasnt all that expensive. check Acer out!

that sounds like a pretty cool thing. Is it able to surf the net and stuff like that? how much do those usually run? I think that I am still leaning towards a laptop just because I won't have any kind of personal computer when I move out, but that Acer is a clever idea imo.

 

[DrTacoElf]

that sounds like a pretty cool thing. Is it able to surf the net and stuff like that? how much do those usually run? I think that I am still leaning towards a laptop just because I won't have any kind of personal computer when I move out, but that Acer is a clever idea imo.

They are called tablet PCs

 

[snwman]

I got mine for 1500 ish (shop around online) and its a 1.6 ghz, 512 ram, 60 gb hd, built in wireless. Tablets really are nice. The advantage of Acer's are that their screens are the bigest out there for tablets. The only thing I dont like about it is that the thing can be a little big if you want to hold it in one arm and write at the same time. They only have one big known technical problem (much better than most computers!) with the digitizer but it is all covered by the warenty if you get a bad one.

Overall the tablet technology is incredible. If only stores carried them so you could try it out without paying!