Laptop or Desktop PC for College

SW98

I am hoping to go to college next year and study computer science. The thing is that I have been wanting to build a custom desktop for the last few years but I have never had the budget for it. However I could build one over the summer for college as I think I could do with an upgrade from my budget laptop. The only thing is that is it worth getting a desktop for college? I also have a high-end Android tablet that is useful for doing up word documents etc., I was thinking I could carry that around and do whatever I need to on the go. Also, I can build a much higher spec. PC for the same price as a mid-range laptop as well as the fact I would prefer a desktop. I don't have the money for a gaming laptop or Mac either. So, is it a good idea or a bad one to build a desktop for college? Thanks for any replies.

mach1982

I'd get a refurbish laptop,


It might be a year or two old but most enterprise PC stay in the docking station so it like brand new. I got an i5 8GB RAM 500GB hard drive about a year ago fro 400 euro fro GreenIT in Newbridge best PC I ever had.

SW98

Yeah its the dedicated graphics that is generally the problem. Id still like to build my own PC. I will have at look at the refurbs anyway.

mach1982 wrote: »

I'd get a refurbish laptop,


It might be a year or two old but most enterprise PC stay in the docking station so it like brand new. I got an i5 8GB RAM 500GB hard drive about a year ago fro 400 euro fro GreenIT in Newbridge best PC I ever had.

biko

Building your own is a good idea but of course you won't be able to bring it with you to classes.
Check with your college if this is something they expect you to do, or if they provide PCs there.

Pelvis

It wouldn't be much of a CS course if it doesn't have computer labs.

Currently doing a similar degree myself, and have never needed to bring a laptop to college. I don't really see the point in lugging one about, just to take notes on it when a pen and paper will do.

donspeekinglesh

You could remote desktop into your PC from the tablet if required, so it might be possible just have a desktop for at home.

I'd go with building your own for now. If money is tight you'll be able to get all kinds of components second hand or possibly even for free.

cruizer101

Some colleges have a bring your own laptop policy and more and more so on computer science courses, maybe try talk to someone in the college.
In general I would be more a fan of Desktop, you get far more bang for you buck, but the flexibility of a laptop cannot be ignored for college, especially a computer science course.

If you on a budget far better get a high end second hand that new budget laptop.
I recently got a thinkpad for a third of what it would have been new, not very old still very capable and battery life is great, but even that you can pick up new battery on ebay cheap enough. Have a look on adverts there is a few sellers who regularly have thinkpads, hp elitebooks and the likes.

SW98

Thanks for the replies. I will continue to consider this anyway.

TerrorFirmer

What sort of budget do you have? €500 would build you a very solid general use/gaming PC with a Skylake processor, DDR4 ram and an SSD.

That sort of money would also buy you a very decent brand new i3 or i5 laptop either, though obviously gaming would be out of the question on a laptop in that price range.

Some of the AMD models around the 450-500 price range are OK even for some light gaming as their integrated graphics are superior to Intel.