Netbook for med school?

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Why pay $399 for a netbook when you can pay $499 for a full sized notebook?

I already have a full sized notebook.

 

[TMP-SMX]

My fiancée has a normal 15.4" HP notebook that is a bit on the heavy side but good enough power wise, an Acer Aspire One that she brings to school, an iPod touch, and a Samsung Rant with 3G. I think it's a bit overkill.

Personally right now I just have my Macbook and will add an iPhone to the mix in June for rotations.

 

[witness23]

My fiancée has a normal 15.4" HP notebook that is a bit on the heavy side but good enough power wise, an Acer Aspire One that she brings to school, an iPod touch, and a Samsung Rant with 3G. I think it's a bit overkill.

Personally right now I just have my Macbook and will add an iPhone to the mix in June for rotations.

congrats on the upcoming wedding

 

[TMP-SMX]

Thanks. It's been upcoming for a while but we finally picked a date for next year.

 

[Alex0128]

Thanks. It's been upcoming for a while but we finally picked a date for next year.

Another thing to consider, the next generation of netbooks scheduled to come out in Q2 (so this month or June) or Q3. These will probably have the Nvidia Ion chipset, which will greatly improve netbooks in terms of HD viewing, speed, and such. I will wait for one of these... even if its a month or two into school before they hit the market.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Another thing to consider, the next generation of netbooks scheduled to come out in Q2 (so this month or June) or Q3. These will probably have the Nvidia Ion chipset, which will greatly improve netbooks in terms of HD viewing, speed, and such. I will wait for one of these... even if its a month or two into school before they hit the market.

That's good to know. Thanks for the tip

 

[FML]

Personally, I LOVE my Samsung NC10! I quite a bit of research, and at the time I bought mine, this was the best 10in out there.

I got it in January of this year and have been using it as my primary comp since then. IMHO, if you are not a gamer or a movie/photo efficianado, then a netbook if perfect for you. It's fast, light, portable, perfect!

And the external CD drive is not that big of a deal... I bought one (something cheap off amazon) just in case I would ever need it and have only ever used it once (for a Kaplan CD to study for MCAT of all things lol). I don;t think that that should be a big consideration unless you watch DVDs all the time, in which case you shouldn't be using a netbook anyway.

Also, I think 10nch-12inch is the perfect size, I wouldn't go any smaller bc it would hurt the eyes I feel but my Samsung has 93% full keyboard, which is basically full size. I have fairly large hands and I didn't have to adjust anything in my typing.

So I would say yes, get a netbook. They're amazing!

 

[SDN2013]

I've got a new laptop, but it's heavier and bulkier than I thought it would be. I think I would probably get too lazy to lug it around to school. Actually I used to have a sweet little Fujitsu tablet PC that was so light, but it broke, and I don't want to spend a fortune to get another one... netbooks are pretty cheap nowadays. Would it be worthwhile to get a netbook to take notes in class/study from in coffeeshops, etc.?

I use a fujitsu T2010 tablet pc

It has a 12 inch screen and very light, not much heavier than netbooks. Plus it has a battery that lasts me 6 hours.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

I use a fujitsu T2010 tablet pc

It has a 12 inch screen and very light, not much heavier than netbooks. Plus it has a battery that lasts me 6 hours.

does it cost $400 or less?

 

[SDN2013]

does it cost $400 or less?

nope. but what difference does it make when you spend way more than $1500 just to do amcas primary/secondary? if you are going to use something for at least 2 years might as well get a good one

 

[Siverhideo1985]

nope. but what difference does it make when you spend way more than $1500 just to do amcas primary/secondary? if you are going to use something for at least 2 years might as well get a good one

Wow...rich kids and their ideas..."oh, I've already spent thousands on applications, might as well spend another $1500 on a laptop!"

Sorry kiddo, not everyone on these forums is swimming in money.

 

[SDN2013]

Wow...rich kids and their ideas..."oh, I've already spent thousands on applications, might as well spend another $1500 on a laptop!"

Sorry kiddo, not everyone on these forums is swimming in money.

OR, you could actually earn a fellowship, or a technology scholarship. Even without the free money, I still would have dished out for something I liked. I'm not gonna skimp out on a laptop for med school to save $1000. I'd work the summer before med school for a month if I had to.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

OR, you could actually earn a fellowship, or a technology scholarship. Even without the free money, I still would have dished out for something I liked. I'm not gonna skimp out on a laptop for med school to save $1000. I'd work the summer before med school for a month if I had to.

For your sake I hope that one day you'll have the experience of actually worrying about money...worrying about whether you'll be able to make rent and still feed yourself. Maybe that day you'll realize that your fun little fellowship, technology scholarship, or 'summer job' might be better spent to buy food for a few months rather than some high-powered-tablet-laptop.

 

[SDN2013]

For your sake I hope that one day you'll have the experience of actually worrying about money...worrying about whether you'll be able to make rent and still feed yourself. Maybe that day you'll realize that your fun little fellowship, technology scholarship, or 'summer job' might be better spent to buy food for a few months rather than some high-powered-tablet-laptop.

if only technology scholarship could be spent on edible things or rent

I do worry about money. I never had an allowance growing up. I saved lunch money during middle school. You don't need to lecture me. However, there are some things I consider worth splashing on.

 

[Alex0128]

Wow...rich kids and their ideas..."oh, I've already spent thousands on applications, might as well spend another $1500 on a laptop!"

Sorry kiddo, not everyone on these forums is swimming in money.

For your sake I hope that one day you'll have the experience of actually worrying about money...worrying about whether you'll be able to make rent and still feed yourself. Maybe that day you'll realize that your fun little fellowship, technology scholarship, or 'summer job' might be better spent to buy food for a few months rather than some high-powered-tablet-laptop.

SDN2013 never said that he or she didn't work for the money she spent on the computer. For all you know he or she might work their ass off and use "fun little fellowship, technology scholarships" to supplement her income in order to pay for what he or she deems as necessary (expensive or not) for his or her education. I'm not saying that you're wrong, or that SDN2013 doesn't have tons of extra cash laying around, but at least consider the flip-side of the coin before you make such assumptions...

Anyway, some people have it really easy and they're born into money. Some don't. Such is life.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

SDN2013 never said that he or she didn't work for the money she spent on the computer. For all you know he or she might work their ass off and use "fun little fellowship, technology scholarships" to supplement her income in order to pay for what he or she deems as necessary (expensive or not) for his or her education. I'm not saying that you're wrong, or that SDN2013 doesn't have tons of extra cash laying around, but at least consider the flip-side of the coin before you make such assumptions...

Anyway, some people have it really easy and they're born into money. Some don't. Such is life.

What's your point? You don't think it's ridiculous when someone says "you already spent thousands of dollars on applications, might as well spent 1.5 more and get a nice laptop" It's like saying I spent 5000 on rent per year, might as well spent 2500 on a vacation...there is a total disconnect with reality in that statement that can only come from someone who's never had to seriously consider money issues.

 

[ButImLETired]

What's your point? You don't think it's ridiculous when someone says "you already spent thousands of dollars on applications, might as well spent 1.5 more and get a nice laptop" It's like saying I spent 5000 on rent per year, might as well spent 2500 on a vacation...there is a total disconnect with reality in that statement that can only come from someone who's never had to seriously consider money issues.

That's a ridiculous analogy. For a lot of people, high-quality electronics are much more than a "vacation". People who watch a lot of movies or store a lot of pictures or play videogames or carry their laptop everywhere need their computer to get the job done and find it to be as worthwhile an investment as a good winter coat when you move to Alaska. Sure, you could spend 50 bucks on a crappy one, but after the third episode of frostbite, you're going to have to buy the 400 dollar one anyway and you therefore threw 50 bucks down the drain. A good computer that does what you need to do lasts years and is an entirely worthwhile splurge for some people. I'm pretty intensely broke, and save on MANY things, but I'm a big believer in saving up for quality electronics because I use them constantly. I know some people splurge on, say, furnishing for their bedroom because it makes them happy, but meanwhile have a teeny little netbook that does the most basic tasks imaginable. I rock the used Ikea furniture, walk to work instead of using a car, and buy generic bath products, but I have a really nice electronics setup that will serve me well through 4 years of carrying my laptop to class and trying to memorize countless histo slides on my very nice monitor. To each his own.

 

[witness23]

siverhideo, i feel you. for us that are working, paying bills, answering to our employers and loved ones while struggling with expectations/reality, it sucks to hear people spend dough like that. whats worse for me is that i look back at my undergrad days and just recall burning through so much of my hard earned money that I wished I had now so I could buy a nicer gift for mother's day or for my brother's bday. I'm just having a hard time even keeping up with my college friends - even stopped rinking - because we just don't have the money, resources, or the time to, so i'm on SDN 🙂 alllll my money goes towards college loans, rent and food and the application season. I am hoping to have a little saved up for the first couple of months of rent before my loans kick in. It sucks but I kinda enjoyed the challenged and feel a bit more mature and stuff.

With that said, there's no real point in calling other people rich or spoiled here. Like I said, I get annoyed too. I tell my friends all the time that they should stop celebrating their birthdays after 14, because its getting ridic.

Its really their money though and what is really important for all of us is to find comfort for the next four years. If that means a more expensive laptop, then why not? I'd rather not hear a classmate b*tch and moan about an extra thing, or borrow my laptop to watch porn because they can't install divx on their computer. At least no one will really bring up their loans as a conversation for the next four years. Without a question, they will deal with it during residency and, if they have their own family, it will be tough to balance prior debt, family expectations, and private goals.

but relax man, we are almost there. once med school starts, there is a bit more freedom (like taking naps) than the real world, and hopefully we can just all forget about the money thing for a while.

 

[Alex0128]

What's your point? You don't think it's ridiculous when someone says "you already spent thousands of dollars on applications, might as well spent 1.5 more and get a nice laptop" It's like saying I spent 5000 on rent per year, might as well spent 2500 on a vacation...there is a total disconnect with reality in that statement that can only come from someone who's never had to seriously consider money issues.

I thought my point was clear. Don't make rude, condescending comments to people you don't know based on assumptions.

As far as the actual comment that SDN2013 made... I think I agree with it. To put things in perspective, you most likely spent a good amount of money on applying to medical school, and you're about to take some huge loans out of the bank to pay for medical school. To post up a $1500 laptop (and I'll add that there are many laptops out there that are much more expensive) for the next four years of your medical education doesn't sound outrageous to me. If he or she said, "Sure get that $2000 plasma television, you already spent that on applications," then, yeah, that would be ridiculous.

And, for the record, it really pisses me off too when extremely wealthy people who have done nothing to really earn their money act completely ignorant about real money issues in the world; however, I can't really say that's what we're observing here.

 

[SDN2013]

What's your point? You don't think it's ridiculous when someone says "you already spent thousands of dollars on applications, might as well spent 1.5 more and get a nice laptop" It's like saying I spent 5000 on rent per year, might as well spent 2500 on a vacation...there is a total disconnect with reality in that statement that can only come from someone who's never had to seriously consider money issues.

fyi I've never been on a vacation. I work. I also cook my own food most of the time, eating out once or twice a week, and I only drink water. If you want to take a $2500 vacation, go ahead. I'd rather spend it on a pair of 30" monitors if I had that much money.

the rest LET already covered.

 

[MilkmanAl]

You don't think it's ridiculous when someone says "you already spent thousands of dollars on applications, might as well spent 1.5 more and get a nice laptop"

I don't think it's ridiculous at all, no. You're pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into this education either way, so an extra thousand to have a dependable, high-quality computer that will do everything you could possibly want it to do is nothing at all. You get what you pay for, and you definitely do not want your most important tool screwing up on you at the wrong time.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

On a side note: there should be a online-forum-gang-rape emoticon under the smilies.

I maintain my opinion that a) SDN2013 needs some real world exposure b) you can get a dependable laptop for way less than 1700 c) spending lots of money on your education does not automatically justify spending lots of money elsewhere.

Call me crazy...

 

[SDN2013]

On a side note: there should be a online-forum-gang-rape emoticon under the smilies.

I maintain my opinion that a) SDN2013 needs some real world exposure b) you can get a dependable laptop for way less than 1700 c) spending lots of money on your education does not automatically justify spending lots of money elsewhere.

a) I have plenty for my age, thank you.

b) Sure, there are plenty. But not many have the combination of features that I wanted. Portability, quiet fans that do not distract classmates, cool enough to be used on lap without burning genital organs, LED IPS screen with excellent color reproduction and viewing angles, 6 hours of battery life at 100% brightness, ability to see screen under sunlight, active digitizer tablet, comfortable keyboard, fingerprint reader. Also, where did you get the 1700 from? How much is way less for you? $1000 less?

c) Most people spend $1500 on primary/secondaries and perhaps another $1500 on interviews. I take the possibility of studying at med school as a valuable opportunity. In my mind it's worth having a $1399 tablet with the features that I wanted, so that I can be more efficient in my studying. If you feel that a much cheaper notebook works fine for your needs, great.

Call me crazy...

Unlike you, I'm mature enough to not call you out. You may not be crazy, but there are some other adjectives I can think of.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

I'm mature

without burning genital organs

You may not be crazy, but there are some other adjectives I can think of.

Yea, ok kiddo.

LED IPS screen with excellent color reproduction and viewing angles,

Ok, I think this thread has outlived its usefulness, haha.