I'm going into electrical engineering starting in August and I'm going to be buying a laptop or Microsoft Surface with $2000 as my budget. I'm not expecting to actually spend $2000, but that's my upper limit.
Does anyone have experience with Surfaces in college settings? Do they work? Are traditional laptops just going to be a better experience?
My uni recommends things like an i7, 256 GB SSD, USB 3.x or C, etc. Are those even available via a Surface?
Surface book will screw up your table with it's hinge.
Ian Reyes
Why? I got an infographic saying I'd need to install Windows on it anyway - for reasons I don't know yet, I'm assuming EE is gonna be using programs that don't run on Mac OS.
Jayden Lopez
Memery aside, is stuff like Step 7, Multisim and Altium supported on OSX?
Jose Rogers
Screw up my table? Are you talking about actually leaving marks on my table or just being difficult to use on a table? I don't care much for what happens to my desks.
I somewhat addressed that - I think my uni knows that they aren't so they said we'd need to install Windows.
Camden Russell
Get Parallels and run your Windows applications in a VM.
Samuel Young
I'm still not sure why, though. I've never liked using Macs. I understand they're popular in college settings but even for EE?
Caleb Campbell
>electrical engineering >My uni recommends things like an i7, 256 GB SSD, USB 3.x or C7 >Are those even available via a Surface? Go get a MacBook you retard, you are too stupid to use google.
William Ortiz
Lots of engineers these days are full-time Mac users.
Tyler Myers
Something seems to be making you upset that isn't me.
Kayden Murphy
Dont buy a shitbook pro. The only bad thing about the surface is that it has issues displaying to multiple screens through its dock. If your not looking at multiple hi-res monitors then its not an issue for you. Yes, surface books have all those options you listed, also your engineering department is retarded.
Eli Thomas
That wouldn't be an issue, I don't have any plans to have any setup like that in my dorm.
Thanks for the answers.
Grayson White
The Macbook Pro is good but I wouldn't really recommend it for an engineering student. Just get something small and cheap you won't mind losing/breaking/having stolen too much. You'll do most of your work in the lab anyways.
Thomas Hughes
No problem. Do keep in mind that the surface book is overpriced for what it is. If you aren't going to use it as a separate tablet, I would look into other models that will give you more bang for your buck.
Austin Barnes
The fact that you are a retard and the fact that you are an ignorant shit. Do you even know what step7 and multisim are, have you bothered to google them at least? How do you plan to connect PLC's and other peripherals to your surface?
>inb4 I'm going to use step 7 as a simulator only , I don't plan to use real stuff.
The only thing that makes me mad is having to share my career with uneducated shits like you.
Brandon Jenkins
2in1 are a shitty meme. buy a real laptop. i own a surface and i would have spent my money in a different way.
Juan Baker
It'll leave marks. Other than that it's just a tablet on life support.
Jordan Collins
Quality engineering.
Brayden Clark
Go try out a Surface Pro 4 and a MBP.
My ONLY qualm with the Pro 4 is that even though it's better than 1-3, it's still not usable on the lap.
If you don't give a shit about that then I'd go with the SP4.
MBP is a humongous waste of money anyway when you can get a SP4 for like 300 bucks less
Logan Murphy
That's not really where the headphone jack is.. is it?
Mason Adams
Too stupid to google?
Blake Evans
That's the problem, I'm not sure how much I'd use it as a separate tablet. I've never owned one so I wouldn't know if I'd like it that much, though when I've used touchscreen laptops I've enjoyed that functionality.
I would not know what those are, as I'm only going to begin my first year starting August. I'm not expected to know what those are yet.
Gross.
I wouldn't be planning to use it on the lap, though I will remember what you said.
Benjamin Young
>I'm not expected to know what those are yet. >Is okay to be retarded guys and not taking 5 minutes to google shit!111!
Ayden Jenkins
Sure, there were some facts that could've been googled regarding what was available on a Surface vs. laptop vs. Macbook but I also value people's opinions.
Thanks for the input. :^)
Isaac Baker
>I was only pretending to be retarded guys xDDD :^)
Landon Myers
But that's not at all what I was implying, I was only admitting there were things that could have been googled but also explaining that I wanted to hear people's opinions.
Brandon Taylor
Buy pic related, thank me later
Daniel Brown
>this lenovo product is no longer available
Wyatt Foster
Don't get a Macbook, OP. Most of the software is gonna be Windows only and you might as well just cut the middle man and get an XPS >>Uneducated shits like you >OP hasn't even started EE >I share this world with absolute dumbasses like this guy
Connor Jenkins
Whatever you say , please drop out college after you fuck your first Arduino, I don't need more useless kids like you begging for a job here. :^)
Says the neet without a worthy opinion. If you don't know basic EE before rolling it you are automatically shit.
Tell me, do you even know what kind of shit people have to use on EE and what kind of hardware do you need? Obviously no, that's why you opinion is worthless chen-poster :^)
Landon Gonzalez
Is there an appeal to XPS models other than performance and "bang for buck"?
And by cutting out the middle man I'm assuming you mean avoiding the use of VMs or installing Windows.
Angel Foster
It sounds like you knew basic EE before enrolling in it and now think it's the only way to do it. Considering I was accepted into the program, I believe they have some level of faith in me to learn the material. Thanks for worrying about me, though.
Levi Sanchez
But can it play Maple Story?
Jonathan Campbell
>Considering I was accepted into the program, I believe they have some level of faith in me to learn the material. Not really, you are just another seat with a dollar sign for them. Why do you even accept if you don't have no idea what EE its about?
Joshua Hall
Buy an used thinkpad. I'm in EE and using an X220.
Julian Mitchell
Because it's the field where my interests are invested into.
You sound cynical. I'm sorry life has dealt you that hand.
Cameron Lopez
Not him, but I like the screens.
Here's the deal when shopping for laptops that will make this whole headache far easier. They are all exactly the freaking same. Same motherboard manufactuers, same memory manufactuers, same CPUs, the only difference is that they slap their own logo on it.
For typical office work, I recommend 8GB of ram and at least a 256gb ssd. For cpu you'll either go with the i5-6300U (lightweight) or a i7-6700MQ (More power). Judging by the requirements your engineering programs won't need any crazy system requirements, but you will need 16GB if you even decide to run a virtual machine with linux or whatever.
James Richardson
I never have shopped for laptops so therefore never thought about it that way, so thanks for that point.
AFAIK I won't be running any virtual machines, and nobody mentioned anything about Linux at my orientation.
I found the XPS 15 with a i7-6700HQ - it's expensive though it is within my price range and has the specs I need.
Oliver Taylor
Let me guess, you saw evangelion and now you think you are going to create them on real life.
>I'm sorry life has dealt you that hand. The only think hard on my side was the fact that a lost of friends dropped out. You get used to it and only the people that are worth a shit finish.
Got my first 10k job offer before graduating and now I'm getting ready to move to Festo headquarters on Germany. Not sure why are you sorry, my life is already more successful that anything you can achieve with yours :^)
But hey, you can get a job fixing phones for a couple of dollars if you try hard enough.
Christopher Miller
Virginia Tech?
Levi Torres
You appear to have made yourself feel better, I'll leave you at that and stop responding now.
No, actually. I'm in Texas.
Lincoln Long
Don't worry, we will recommend your phone repair shop to our janitors. :^)
Hunter Lewis
its just a fucking laptop. get a thinkpad for lke 300 and spend the rest on hookers.
No one needs a 1500 laptop for university
Jacob Russell
I like the sound of $1700 on hookers.
I'd be interested in doing that, though I won't be bringing my desktop and will be somewhat interested in playing games while I'm away.
Andrew Nguyen
Dude why are you so fucking salty, I'm not even OP and I can taste it over here. No one even believes your bullshit because you're so salty.
Just go enjoy your sad little life away from us trying to be somewhat-okay human beings.
Kevin Powell
Sure OP :^) You should get a job in your local church instead.
Joshua Bailey
>gaming >laptop with u-series CPU
I hope you weren't planning on playing anything made in this decade.
Asher Sanders
He's a retard.
Brandon Green
Not anything too serious.
Levi Green
I want to play GTA V while I'm bored on class.
Ryan Nguyen
It all depends on the software your courses will use. I work in IT for an engineering college and the students that buy Macbook Pros use Windows 95% of the time because most of the software they use isn't compatible with OS X. If you're going to buy a Macbook Pro, buy a refurbished one without the dedicated GPU as they're worthless. That's what I purchased just so I could gain OS X experience and I saved about $500 off retail. If you want to get a good PC, look at the MSI WS60 series. Check with your University to see if they have purchase program that gives you discounts. We have deals with Dell, Apple, and Microsoft.
Jayden Robinson
Are the MBP compatibles with my XbobxOne controller?
Colton Sanchez
I'll check out the series you mentioned, and also see if my uni does have those discounts you mentioned. They didn't say anything during orientation but I may be able to contact someone and ask specifically.
Christian Powell
If you run Windows 10, yes. I haven't tested with anything else as I sold my Xbox One before the price drop. I know the new controllers they announce have Bluetooth so those might work with other OSs.
Grayson Robinson
Nice, how many FPS can I get on GTA V?
Nathan Scott
Usually you can go to the Universities website and in the search type "purchase program" to see if they have any deals with tech companies. It's usually only enough of a discount to cover the tax but it's better than nothing.
Isaac Davis
For sure. Thanks for the info.
Tyler Cruz
Nothing really playable to be honest. The Intel integrated graphics are lacking as they haven't updated the MBP line in over a year, The dedicated graphics model will barely improve that as they're just an old AMD GPU they slapped in it.
Jonathan Gray
Not a problem. If you're wanting the ideal setup, build a desktop for gaming, and buy a laptop for homework. I use my MBP for just general browsing, coding, programming, and testing. I built a desktop for gaming and such.
James Campbell
I've got the desktop I'm posting from right now that I'm happy with for gaming, I just think it'd be a little too annoying to transport everything to my dorm.
I'm betting I'll be able to use whatever laptop I get for casual 2D games at the minimum, then save the more demanding games for when I'm home.
Jaxson Watson
I'd have to know what size monitor and such you're using to tell you if it's worth it. I worked for FedEx and UPS prior to working in IT and I've always recommended to hold onto your computer towers box along with the monitors because if you don't feel like carrying them, you could ship them to your university for about $75 depending on the size and how far it's going. If you're home is someplace you'd be going back to each weekend, I'd just leave it at home.
It won't be somewhere I'm going back to each weekend, it'll be four hours away.
Hudson Watson
Windows user here, if you want a hassle free experience in your studies, get a Mac. Surface books are memes at best, I don't know anyone who uses them. Also Windows 10 is a fucking bitch. Since Office, Photoshop and other applications run on OSX natively now, there is no need for Windows or Surface.
I would be rolling on a Macbook Pro if I wasn't poor.
Aiden Howard
>Are traditional laptops just going to be a better experience? DESU SENPAI i would just get a 15 inch Dell XPS