Laptop recommendation

[TaralMSW2018]

I'll be starting this fall and will need to buy a laptop for note-taking, writing papers, research etc. I have an old desktop computer at home but note-taking during classes would be a lot easier for me with a keyboard than a paper notebook. I also expect I'll be spending time in the library writing papers at least some of the time as where I live can get loud and rowdy. I'm not interested in a touch screen laptop (I'm worried about the screen durability), and I'll need something with good battery life. Anyone have a suggestion? Thank you!

[CharlieR]

If you will not use it for anything else than reading and writing I would get a tablet with a keyboard. I have had that for most of my notetaking in undergrad and it was great. Its super light, has a good battery life (and can be charged with a battery pack if needed) and its overall cheaper (mine was around $250 4 years ago). The only thing is some tablets are hard to work with when you want to have a lot of windows opened at once.

Otherwise I would advise a middle range Asus, I've had one of them for a while and never had an issue with it 

[AllieKat]

For note-taking (not so great for writing papers, since you don't have the full version of word), I've loved my chromebook. I got a lenovo for about $160 two years ago, and it's holding up fine. The battery life is about 7-8 hours. 

[Dark Chocolate Mocha]

On 6/11/2018 at 4:52 PM, AllieKat said:

For note-taking (not so great for writing papers, since you don't have the full version of word), I've loved my chromebook. I got a lenovo for about $160 two years ago, and it's holding up fine. The battery life is about 7-8 hours. 

160 dollars? Was it new or used? It sounds affordable, actually. Computers or other electronic appliances that are imported from other countries are very expensive in my country due to the taxes

[E-P]

I'm taking the opposite approach.  I've been a Mac for a long time, and I find that Macs retain their functionality for years longer than PCs.  For example, my husband - on average - goes through a PC once every 3 years before it's obsolete.  My current average is closer to 7 years.  So I'm buying a new Mac and spending as much money as I can to get the most computer I can, with the idea that I won't have to buy another one until after my program is over.

That said, not everyone can afford that approach.

[AllieKat]

On 7/12/2018 at 9:43 AM, Dark Chocolate Mocha said:

160 dollars? Was it new or used? It sounds affordable, actually. Computers or other electronic appliances that are imported from other countries are very expensive in my country due to the taxes

It was new! Mine is a Lenovo 100S. I've had some problems handling multiple windows open this last month, but a factory reset helped.

[dr. t]

On 7/12/2018 at 5:45 PM, E-P said:

For example, my husband - on average - goes through a PC once every 3 years before it's obsolete. 

I don't want to out your husband, but he's gaming you ? I'm only now beginning to think about replacing my 2013 Lenovo X1 Carbon. 

[E-P]

40 minutes ago, telkanuru said:

I don't want to out your husband, but he's gaming you

Haha.  Well, technically, the reason for the most recent purchase is that our cats knocked his laptop off the table and now the power cord is wonky.  He hasn't bought another machine yet, at least in part because I keep encouraging him to go to the computer repair shop and have them take a look at it.  Either way, he spent around $300-400 on it, so I don't even begrudge the more frequent purchases.

 

Cats are dicks.

[juilletmercredi]

When people say that Macs last longer than PCs, I have found in the past that it's because they are comparing Macs (which are almost all premium machines) with lower-end PCs that cost a lot less and are made with inferior materials.

The cheapest MacBook Pro is $1300. It's a premium machine with top-quality materials that is engineered to last. A $300-400 PC is not in the same league, and is not designed to last. A comparable build is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon; this is my work computer, and I've had it for nearly 3 years and it runs pretty much the same as the day I got it. I also had a previous ThinkPad that lasted 5-6 years before its specs simply couldn't handle newer operating systems and programs. You can get a new one around $1350 with better specs than the MBP (i7 instead of i5; 16GB of RAM vs. 8GB; 256GB SSD vs. 128), or if you only need one with similar specs to a MacBook Pro, you can get one for slightly cheaper than the MBP.

You can also get a Microsoft Surface Laptop with the same specs as the entry-level MBP, including the premium materials and design, for about $1,000 (and they're also running a special where you can double the SSD to 256GB for the same price) A Dell XPS 13 with the same specs and a 256GB SSD is around $1250, and a comparable HP Spectre x360 is around $1150. I have an HP Spectre x360 as my personal computer; it's also almost 3 years old and runs perfectly and I have not treated it very well.

I'm saying this not to convince you to buy a PC (I've had Macs, and I like them; they're great machines) but to let you know that if you prefer PCs/the Windows operating system, you absolutely can get a machine that's going to last you 5-6 years if you want. You just have to go into the same price range as a comparable Mac (actually, perhaps a bit cheaper).

A touch screen is not necessarily any less durable than a non-touch screen; the overlay that you actually interact with is made of the same materials as a non-touch screen.

*

If you really are only going to use it for note-taking and occasionally writing papers in the library, then I'd recommend a Surface Pro with a Type Cover. Right now, a Surface Pro with the same specs as the MBP (Core i5, 128GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM) is $800. The Type cover will cost you $160, so the whole package will be $960. If you want the Surface Pen to take handwritten notes or make drawings, that's an extra $100, so total $1,060, which is less than most premium-level PCs. The pros are that it's super lightweight, so super portable, and runs full Windows 10, so you can get things like Microsoft Office and stuff to write papers and do other work. If you anticipate using it on your actual lap, though, it's not the most lap-able setup ever. There are other 2-in-1s with more solid/structured keyboards that would be better for that (like the Lenovo Yoga, 

A Chromebook could also be a good choice if you are connected to the Internet nearly 100% of the time. You can use Microsoft Office mobile apps on Chromebooks that have access to the Google Play store. I use them on my iPad and they're pretty good, especially for basic writing tasks.

(This is the part where I have to disclose that I work for Microsoft. I work in Gaming/Xbox, though, not hardware or office.)

[Sigaba]

25 minutes ago, juilletmercredi said:

Lenovo ThinkPad 

You can also get a Microsoft Surface Laptop with the same specs as the entry-level MBP, including the premium materials and design, for about $1,000 (and they're also running a special where you can double the SSD to 256GB for the same price) A Dell XPS 13 with the same specs and a 256GB SSD is around $1250, and a comparable HP Spectre x360 is around $1150. I have an HP Spectre x360 as my personal computer; it's also almost 3 years old and runs perfectly and I have not treated it very well.

then I'd recommend a Surface Pro with a Type Cover. Right now, a Surface Pro with the same specs as the MBP (Core i5, 128GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM) is $800. The Type cover will cost you $160, so the whole package will be $960. If you want the Surface Pen to take handwritten notes or make drawings, that's an extra $100, so total $1,060, which is less than most premium-level PCs. The pros are that it's super lightweight, so super portable, and runs full Windows 10, so you can get things like Microsoft Office and stuff to write papers and do other work. If you anticipate using it on your actual lap, though, it's not the most lap-able setup ever.

(This is the part where I have to disclose that I work for Microsoft. I work in Gaming/Xbox, though, not hardware or office.)

After some incredible growing pains, Lenovo's outlet on-line store has worked out most of the integration issues with Klarna. If you're diligent, fast, and more than a little lucky, you can get a refurbished Thinkpad at a considerable discount.

FWIW, at my job we've found Surface Pros to be a source of frustration and disappointment. We're at the point where we're moving back to using Dell Latitude Ultrabooks. 

[Monochrome Spring]

I recently purchased a Dell Latitude 5490 and absolutely love it for work purposes. I can get 15+ hours of battery life if I'm reading papers, writing, and other basic tasks. The keyboard is very comfortable and it is durable enough to take anywhere without worry.