Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 12:32 pm Post subject: RE:Computer Science Laptop
I know a few engineers who have Surface Pros and they don't seem to mind them. If you wait long enough they'll probably drop even further in price. Honestly I'd just buy a Macbook Air and digitize my notes with Evernote.
Sponsor Sponsor
FreshFactor
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject: Re: Computer Science Laptop
For anyone interested, a good but long video showing the capabilities of the Surface Pro and OneNote.
mirhagk
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Computer Science Laptop
I know some people who use the Surface Pro, and they like it so far. If you really like the touch interface, and the crazy amounts of portability, then go with the Surface Pro. I have a regular Surface and I can attest to the very premium build quality (it's made out of magnesium). and the nice feel of the keyboard (go with Type cover though, it's easier to type). Touch is nice for certain things (browsing the web, mail etc), and no other tablet is even remotely usable as a full-scale computer (most keyboards suck, don't run most "real" programs, very little storage space, you'll basically scavenge together a programming set up). I can agree with people's decision to go with it simply for the convenience of touch, and having a single portable device. I'd still recommend a home power-house computer, but I recommend that no matter what laptop you get (unless you spend $1500+ on a windows computer, or $2500+ on a mac).
If you don't really care about the touch however I'd really recommend a Lenovo laptop. They aren't the sexiest looking laptops, but they are durable, reliable and awesome performance:price ratio. They keyboards are fantastic, most other laptops don't even come close, they are very friendly to upgrades (they usually have little icons on the bottom showing where the various components are so you can swap them out), and they let you do pretty good customization at sale point (especially considering the price point). It's the laptop/computer you'll see in the majority of workplaces. If you want something that'll last, you definitely want a Lenovo. Most laptops last about 3 years or so before they get to be burdens for their owners, I've seen many Lenovos that are 6 years old or more, and still function fine. It's the only machine that I'd even consider buying if it's more than 3 years old.