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 Is my computer good enough for university?
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Goombario




PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:10 pm   Post subject: Is my computer good enough for university?

Hi! I am going to university in the fall for computer science, and I bought a laptop for university. This is it: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/lenovo-lenovo-ideapad-u510-15-6-laptop-grey-intel-core-i5-3337u-24gb-ssd-1tb-hdd-8gb-ram-windows-8-u510/10238491.aspx?path=5bbfcd1ea292af861572e2c3d77a12c1en02

It has nice ram, a good i5 processor and a very nice battery life. I just have two concerns:
1. The resolution is only 1336x768. Will that be large enough, or do I need a larger resolution?
2. The graphics card is rather weak. It is an intel HD 4000, integrated. I do not plan on playing many games on it, but will it hold up to everyday assignments and homework?

I really do enjoy the laptop; it has some cool features like a button that goes straight to the BIOS screen. Please let me know what you think! BTW, I will be going to either Carleton computer science (software engineering) or Waterloo Compsci. Thanks! Very Happy
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DemonWasp




PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:17 pm   Post subject: RE:Is my computer good enough for university?

You could finish a degree in computer science with a Pentium I. Technically, you shouldn't even need a computer: true computer science is mostly math and can be done with paper and a pencil.

Plus, the university will supply several massive labs full of computers, and if your assignments require anything specific (such as dedicated network gear or specific peripheral cards) then they'll have a lab set up for you.

Realistically, your computer's weak point (for programming) is the tiny screen. More screen space = more productivity. You don't need more, but I find my laptop's 1680x1050 screen is a little small. My desktop has 1920x1200 and I'm hoping to upgrade that within a year.

You can learn to work around having a small screen: use a minimalistic interface and clear fonts that are optimized for your LCD (google for an appropriate how-to for your operating system of choice).
Clayton




PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:40 am   Post subject: RE:Is my computer good enough for university?

To add on to what DemonWasp above me has said, I'd suggest skipping on the laptop, personally. None of your classes will require you to have a computer with you, and those that do will supply you with one (in general. UOIT, I'm looking at you). I would honestly suggest getting yourself a nice, solid desktop with a decent monitor for your homework needs. As DemonWasp said, more screen real estate leads to much better proficiency.

Personally, I just recently built myself an AMD machine for gaming (so it's much more computer than you'd ever need for your homework), and it only cost me about $750 in parts. My point here, is that desktops are relatively dirt cheap, and give you much more performance for your money. While it lacks the convenience of a laptop, I'll always be an advocate of a desktop for schoolwork before a laptop.
Dreadnought




PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:57 am   Post subject: Re: Is my computer good enough for university?

Personally, I've been quite happy with my 1366x768 screen, with the size of a laptop screen (mine's 15"), higher pixel density isn't really needed.
Goombario




PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:41 pm   Post subject: RE:Is my computer good enough for university?

Thanks everyone for your opinions! As I actually have another monitor 1080p that I could use if I am in my room programming, I don't feel it is a humongous issue for me. If I see a laptop on sale with a better resolution, I may pick it up. Thanks again for the help!
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