Is it just me or is my dad being unreasonable?

[Erin's Dad]

IMO Cobrat inadvertently hit on it:

ASUS is a well-respected brand known for its reliability and speed within the gamer/IT community

From the ASUS site:

Stylish slice of ultra-portable entertainment

Gorgeous full HD IPS display and artistic backlit keyboard light up your fun
High speed SSD cuts down loading times and annoying waits
Powered by up to 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors with Ivy Bridge tech
Harmonic balance of professional and recreational living with superior efficiency and great multimedia enjoyment

[cobrat]

And, I did not get the impression folks here were pushing the cheapest low end product.

$600-700 would get you a mid-high end consumer-line notebook or the lowest-end corporate-line notebook without any frills.....neither of which I'd recommend to anyone who wants a solid reliable notebook to last 4+ years of undergrad or beyond. Especially if they are majoring in CS.

Especially considering the general build/hardware quality of most PCs/notebooks has gone down over the last decade as the relentless emphasis on price above all else has driven almost every manufacturer to cut corners to preserve slivers of profit margins...especially on the consumer-line/budget-line models. Worse...this race to the bottom has even crept up to the corporate lines of some companies.....*cough* Dell *cough* or worse...Compaq/HP.

It also brought in brands like eMachines* and their really low-end budget ilk.

That's not to say that high prices == quality, either. I've also recommended that clients/friends avoid SONY notebooks/desktops because their build quality is questionable AND they're overpriced.

* Things are really bad when a brand becomes notorious for using desktop power supplies which actually smoke/explode.

[kayf]

I think that people who like me use Dells from work may forget that we have IT desks that can and frequently do fix/upate them, so we may not really know what their life is in the hands of someone without that resource.

[LBowie]

Just out of sheer curiosity, under what operating system do computer science/engineering majors usually write code? Unix/Linux? Do they usually load Linux onto their laptops? Dual boot? Is there an advantage to the Apple OS?

[ucbalumnus]

Originally Posted by cobrat

I think I will also disagree with most who say buy the most inexpensive/cheapest laptop. That's a good way to set yourself up for the possibility of getting a laptop that will waste the OP's time with warranty returns, hardware problems, and finding the laptop won't last the full 4+ years.

Plenty of "business" laptops (with greater emphasis on reliability) cost considerably less than $1,500. There are even some ruggedized laptops under that price. There are also lots of Asus Zenbook laptops under that price.

[ucbalumnus]

Originally Posted by LBowie

Just out of sheer curiosity, under what operating system do computer science/engineering majors usually write code? Unix/Linux? Do they usually load Linux onto their laptops?

It is pretty common for shared instructional computers to run Unix/Linux, since these OSes handle shared use much more manageably than Microsoft OSes.

It is not obvious from Howard's web sites what CS courses use (the information may be in the course syllabi which are behind a student login). There is a general description here, but not enough specifics (and the photos look old, due to the CRT-type monitors): http://www.scs.howard.edu/resources

Having a laptop that can run the same or similar OS as the instructional computers can allow the student to do programming assignments without being connected to the instructional computers until almost done (the student can upload them to the instructional computers when finished, do some final testing, and turn them in).

It would be a good idea to contact the CS department to find out what they advise and what the instructional computers run.

[HImom]

As an added bonus, Howard may have a deal with one or more companies OR have deals at its bookstore where the student can get the recommended laptop at a great student price. It's definitely worth asking the U about. Moaning & groaning about what you WANT vs. what is NEEDED for you to work on for your U are entirely different things. Our kids like computers that are good for their video games but that's not one of our priorities when we make purchases. When they can use their own funds to purchase their computers, they can purchase what they can afford.

[jym626]

There are so many incredible deals that can be found, its not uncommon to get a computer that lists for $1000 for 30% off. At least. So spending $700 can still mean one can get quite a nice system.

[romanigypsyeyes]

It's really dumb to get a $1500 laptop, ESPECIALLY as a first laptop. My boyfriend just got a Lenovo for $700. He is a hardcore gamer and it's working out wonderfully.

Ask your parents what they'll pay and get a job to make up the rest. You do not "deserve" a $1500. End of story.

[annasdad]

Three years ago, my D started at her residential high school, which requires students to have a laptop, and they strongly advised buying an "industrial grade" machine through their purchasing program.

Her "industrial grade" Toshiba was in the shop six times over the three years - admittedly, two of those times were because of dumb things she did to it. On the other hand, I just retired a lowest-end Dell laptop I bought in 2006 and used extensively, that never burped once. The power brick finally failed, and since the computer (with its 40 GB drive) was out of gas anyway, I decided not to buy a new brick. I bought a $400 Acer to replace it.

[lake42ks]

"Is it just me or is my dad being unreasonable?"

Dad of course. Once a kid said that her classmate's parents sold their house to pay for his tuition and asked why her parents couldn't. Seriously, won't you do most your programing in computer labs?

[turbo93]

FWIW, my DD got a Lenovo T420 despite putting up a similar argument towards a MacBook Pro. It worked perfectly for her freshman year and is powerful enough for architecture work. Likewise, her mom, a high flying computer consultant also has the exact same laptop (from work).

One needs to separate wants from needs. An ultrabook may look great for some humanities major (ok, just kidding) but a real comp sci guy or gal would not be caught dead writing code on an ultrabook.

My suggestion is a good, cheap, and upgradeable DIY desktop for serious coding and a cheap, small laptop or tablet for class work if so required (doubt it). For a cool single purchase solution a Lenovo X220 type convertible would work the best. Good laptops that would last four years would also work (T420 for example). To me, as a parent, the ultrabook is all flash and glitter.

(and yes, I'm a 27 year software developer who also would not be caught dead writing code in an ultrabook - maybe I could impress a marketing chick or two with it but how would it run Ubuntu under VMware compared to my dual quad Xeon server class desktop I have at work?)

[lmkh70]

I think they should buy it for you. I offered to buy my children a car if they graduate after having paid for school themselves (scholarships). You are not being unreasonable at all. There is an EFC and chances are, he is not spending any of it.

[lookingforward]

^ that's it- they buy him the laptop afer he graduates debt free.
But, he's not paying attention to any of us.

[cobrat]

Her "industrial grade" Toshiba was in the shop six times over the three years - admittedly, two of those times were because of dumb things she did to it.

Out of curiosity, was it a Satellite or a Tecra?

two of those times were because of dumb things she did to it.

Can't fault a laptop manufacturer for that. Especially if it is of the "spilling liquids on laptop" or "drop 2 pound STEM textbook on laptop screen" variety.

I just retired a lowest-end Dell laptop I bought in 2006 and used extensively, that never burped once. The power brick finally failed, and since the computer (with its 40 GB drive) was out of gas anyway, I decided not to buy a new brick. I bought a $400 Acer to replace it.

What model was that dell laptop?