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My daughter's school is requiring laptops for all 2005 freshman but they'll be offering special deals this summer. (They're currently deciding between Dell and IBM). Reduced cost plus 24 hour servicing and pre-configured for the college. Obviously, sounds like the best plan to buy it from the school. But you know the old saying: if it sounds too good to be true...

Anyone bought the school computer and regretted it? Maybe not enough memory, etc? And you wished you had just bought your own so you could get exactly what you wanted and dealt with how it interfaced with the college's programs, etc.

My daughter is strong with computers but no big guru and pre-configured sounds easy but maybe I'm putting too much emphasis on that.

Thoughts?

By Gabushida (Gabushida) on Sunday, April 25, 2004 - 05:45 pm: Edit

I'm of the opinion that a regular, deskbased computer is still the best, hands down. I have put in countless hours into both regular machines as well as laptops, and I just always have a better experience with a PC. In my opinion, its much more flexible, as well as MUCH more expandable. If your daughter is proficient with computers, I'd say go on your own. Find out what they require (which is probably not that much), and find a good deal that is a much stronger machine. Next year, Im bringing my PC that I built, and I'm contemplating bringing my laptop as well (because if I dont, I think my family will mess it to the point beyond repair without a reformatting :b).

By Drusba (Drusba) on Sunday, April 25, 2004 - 10:56 pm: Edit

If your intent is to buy a computer for college then I would not buy one this summer if college does not begin until 2005 but wait until next summer. The reason: by summer of 2005, your higher end laptops today will be your lower end and there will be higher end laptops with more of everything in them (ram, video card, processing speed, disk space and anything new added over the next year). That is the nature of the computer market. In other words, unless that special deal this summer is to sell a system to you for half price or better off the normal consumer price, it won't be worth the deal if what you want is a computer for college beginning 2005. I am betting that special deal this summer is really for incoming 2004 freshmen and there will be another one in 2005 and you can wait to see what is offered then.

By Fredo (Fredo) on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 07:59 pm: Edit

I guess I should have made clear that she is starting college this coming fall. The school had decided that 2005 freshmen would be required to have laptops but she'll be there a year earlier and the school will be offering their "special" deal a year earlier than required.

By Drusba (Drusba) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 02:45 pm: Edit

In that case, you should wait to see what the deal is and then compare. Dell does these deals with schools and then sells the same thing that a consumer can buy on-line for a somewhat lower price and it will also install the schools local area network software (needed to go on-line).

Other than price, the main issue is what is going to be in the computers. A problem that schools can face when buying in group is that they have two main factors that can result in getting a workable but inferior computer; (a) they are trying to keep the price way down so most can afford it and thus order workable but low cost computers that can do a lot of things but are not for those who are serious computer geeks who want to play games, do high end graphics, or use them with complex mathematical or engineering software, and may be seriously outdated and limited come three years from now; (b) they have idiots doing the ordering who don't know RAM from hard disk space (or, more likely, actually have someone intelligent come up with options but then some narrow-minded college bureaucrat in control of the final decision, who knows nothing about computers, starts eliminating any item on the list for the computer that is designated in the recommendation as "desirable" but not absolutely necessary).

If I were looking at some of the basics to know whether I should even consider the deal, I would quickly look at: hard disk space (is what is being offered at least 40 g's and preferably at least 60); RAM (under 512 mg is not enough, 512 at least, preferably 1 g, if school offer is 286 mg or less that will tell you they have decided to go cheap and that may not be enough come 3 years from now); graphics card (32 mg is too low for the future, 64 minimum needed and 128 preferred if you want high end grahics and games); Windows XP (should have Professional not just Home edition); needs Windows Office suite(word, powerpoint, database); wireless card (should have 802.11b/g -- if it says just g you have b also -- and not just 802.11b which is fine now but g will become widespread in a few years); disk bay (at least CD RW/ DVD so you can download on and over on a CD and play DVD, preferably also DVD RW so you can download onto DVD disks; ports: need USB (at least two), IEEE (one; not absolutely necessary but needed for digital video, not still, cameras), ethernet (10/100 minimum), telephone, and video (for an extra screen); processor chip (for laptops the Intel Centrino is better for battery life and get as high as possible, currently 1.7 ghz and consider 1.4 too low; can go with Pentium 4 if at least 2.6 and preferably 3.0 or better but battery life is shorter as a result; if they have the "celeron" chip go look elsewhere); video screen (XGA is basic, SXGA is much clearer, UXGA is best).

By Fredo (Fredo) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 12:32 pm: Edit

Thanks so much! I never thought of point a) (although I don't think she'll be using her computer for any of those things) but this is definitely food for thought. Your specs in the 2nd paragraph are REALLY helpful for this computer novice - kind of a crash course. Wish I had know about them before I bought my own computer!

By 1tcm (1tcm) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 12:42 pm: Edit

We bought son a new laptop through the university. After shopping around, during which time son decided he wanted a dell, it came down to buying directly through dell or the university. We saved approximately 400.00 buying through the school, and move-in day they came to his dorm, set everything up, showed him how to access everything including the wireless network (which he'd never used before) and were very helpful, including setting up the extra's which he took on his own. (i.e. printer, scanner, etc.) The school guaranteed us that his computer would be more than adequate during his 4 year tenure and if they changed anything that would require an upgrade....it would be free of charge. Tech support and warranty work is done on site as well. For us, it was a great deal. JMHO

By Parentofteen (Parentofteen) on Saturday, May 08, 2004 - 10:12 am: Edit

The major advantage to purchasing from the university seems to be (at least according to what they do at Duke) is that if your computer needs servicing, they promise it back within two days and will provide a loaner until it is repaired. They also work on computers purchased elsewhere; however, they are not top priority and cannot be replaced with loaners if needed.

By Grosnez (Grosnez) on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 - 08:23 am: Edit

At RPI, laptops are mandatory. For $2500, 2003-2004 Freshman received:

Laptop Specs Fall 2003 - IBM ThinkPad T40
For Fall 2003, the selected laptop computer is the IBM Thinkpad T40 with the following specifications:

Hardware:

Intel Mobile Pentium M Processor at 1.6 GHz
512MB RAM
80GB internal hard drive
14.1" SXGA+ (1400x1050) TFT display
32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 video chipset
10/100/1000 on-board Ethernet and 56K modem
80211.a/b integrated wireless
CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive
Full complement of ports (including: 2 USB 2.0, parallel, S-Video out, headphone, microphone)
UltraNav (touchpad/TrackPoint) pointing device
Bluetooth
Lithium-ion battery (one-year warranty)
Three-year manufacturer's warranty
Three-year ThinkPad Protection (accidental damage)
Weighs less than 5pounds

Pre-Installed Software*

Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Office XP Professional
Microsoft Visual C++ , Basic, C#
Maplesoft Maple (symbolic algebra program)
Mathworks Matlab
SolidWorks (a CAD package)
National Instruments LabView
Bentley Systems MicroStation
SecureCRT
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Symantec anti-virus software
and more

* The software is pre-installed on the laptop computer. Right-to-use licenses are included but installation media, such as CDs, and manuals are not.

Also included:

Laptop security cable with lock
Ethernet cable
Kelty laptop carrying case (padded backpack shown above)

I'm sure the 2004-05 selection will be even better. Notice the pre-installed software, that in itself is worth $2500 alone....

Bottom line, in this situation, go with the schools offering.....