Ask Engadget: Subnote or full-sized laptop for university use?
By Darren Murph 
posted May 15th 2008 6:30PM
posted May 15th 2008 6:30PM
We know, the vast majority of you either graduated or got past one more wave of exams this past week, but there's no better time to buy a lappie for school than when you actually have time to enjoy it, right? "I'm looking to buy a laptop before I head off to college in a few months. I know there's too many choices out there in each category to ask for specific recommendations, but I'm wondering how current students feel about their machines. Is a subnote potent enough for university use? Is an ultraportable a better alternative? Or should I get a full-blown 15- to 17-incher as an all-purpose rig? My future GPA is hinging on your responses."
Let's hear it, bookworms. Is that CloudBook / Eee / 2133 Mini-Note treating you alright? Or would this poor freshman-to-be be better off with something larger? Toss out your opinions below -- friends don't let friends buy the wrong computer. If you'd like our readers to study a question of yours, send us an inquiry at ask at engadget dawt com, capiche?
Assuming it's going to be your only machine...
1) 17" is too big to move anywhere
2) 15" is small enough to move around, but not to take with you to lectures every day
3) 11" and below are nice to carry around, but too small for long typing sessions
As a MacBook owner, I'd have to recommend it. It's not my primary machine most of the time (yes, I predominantly use PCs with XP, Vista, Fedora and Ubuntu, all pretty much every day) but when it has been for a few weeks in a row I've found it perfectly adequate for every day use. Plus, it's small enough for me to chuck in my bag and take with me. No, it's not that light, but it's not exactly heavy.
Yes, people will recommend the Dell 1330 instead and, while it is a decent machine, there's no way I could stand that touchpad full-time. My flatmate has one (again as a second machine) and the touchpad is literally less than half the size of my MacBook's. Doesn't sound like much, but when you're using it day-in, day-out, you notice.
Oh, and if you're in the UK, for God's sake don't go to Currys/PC World and end up buying some Advent (or worse, unbranded) POS. I do technical support on the side and the build quality on the things is just awful - to the extent that I'm yet to come across anyone who owns one and doesn't have problems. They're THAT bad.
A mid-sized laptop. You just can't afford to take the performance hit, particularly if you're in any engineering program.
Ginormous lappy + PDA phone For The Win!
I have a 17" Alienware that I tote around, and really, its not that bad to tote around a laptop as big as mine, yeah, its not as convenient to carry, but I can do virtually anything with it. I got it to replace my aging desktop and act as a laptop and it works great for that. If you have a good desktop and just want something to take notes on, get something small with good battery life like a little Sony VIAO.
i have my eeepc and a mac book, the eee good for notes in class and the mac book for writng papaers. also i dont have to worry too much about loseing or breaking the eee.
As a Student:
FULL LAPTOP 12-14'
GOOD keyboard
CLEAR non-glossy screen.
Some 15' are ok. But start to get heavy.
Battery life.
Ability to swap optical drive for extra battery, if possible - is life saver.
DOCK-ability or good expansion port for HOME.
[Especially, if you will NOT have a desktop at home.]
My laptop history:
15.4' DELL Insipron with desktop P4HT - Mammonth.
[This is analogous to people carrying 17' laptops around, today]
Gateway 14' Tablet with an amazing glass screen great for hand writing.. amazing keyboard; tad heavy, 2yo model. donated to sister. she loves it.
HP tx1000 Tablet, small same screen res. in 12' as I had in the 14',
good keyboard, tablet features suck. so get it for it's size. 1yo model.
I like it. Wish it had a faster, INTEL chip, not AMD mobile.
Next, prolly:
HP 2311 strictly for email and school work. and light emergency web development. and upgrade home base machine for remote work.
Or a 14-15' D Latitude as a primary machine
Get a Sony Vaio TZ. VERY ultra-portable, great screen, nice keyboard, and runs Vista surprisingly well.
I also suggest you install OneNote 2007 - absolutely best note-taking program ever.
The MacBook is ok, but I think the lovers posting that on here never really tried anything they didn't see in an ad. I've use MacBooks before, and I'm pretty unimpressed compared to my Vaio TZ.
I bought a 15 inch desktop replacement Dell going into college...and wouldn't do it again. I ran an ibook for my last 3 years in college...and while I thought it would be too small...it was near perfect. I ended up using an external keyboard (ergonomic) for my longer papers. For my last year, I got a used G4 powermac ($400) to run bit-torrent applications and general in room media server. I'd say the best bet is a Macbook and a used desktop when the money allows. I sound like a Mac fanboy, and that's because I am after the college network would quickly gel up my Windows machine even with full anti-virus protection.
My first laptop for uni was a Dell Inspiron 8200, this was a 15" brick. It was a very good laptop but it's weight really did start to bother me after a while.
For my next laptop I went with the Sony SZ series. At the time the XPS1330 didn't exist and this was the only light-weight notebook with a decent video card (as I still liked my games). One of the cool features I've only seen in this series is the ability to switch between the Nvidia card and the integrated intel graphics depending on 3d performance or battery life being your preference.
I would strongly suggest something lightweight and with a long battery life. As for the Ultraportable/Subnote question, it depends if this will be your main machine or not. For me, my notebook is all I have, so the Ultraportable makes more sense. If you plan to use a desktop then I think a nice Eee would be the way to go :)
buy a full sized laptop, but avoid getting a tablet. The functionality is really not worth the money, and you can get a similarly spec'd machine and a desktop for about the same price. Using your laptop as your primary PC in your room as well leads to an annoying amount of time spent hooking up power, ethernet, sound, and USB appliances (e.g., mouse & keyboard, but blender and so on if you have them as well).
Personally when I was in classes I would use my t-mobile wing (wish I could get a tile) and one note and then copy the files over to my sony ar in my room to type papers and game. It's a good system
Im in the same situation that ure in man. Finally finishing high school and heading off to UMich next year!
What im hoping to do is get a 15 inch MB Pro when (and if) it gets redesigned at Apple's WWDC in June. Ive been waiting for the updates for months. I personally like to have all my stuff in one place, on one computer. A big 220 pound guy like me doesnt mind carrying a 5 pound notebook around campus. Also subnotebooks were completely out of the question for me from the start for two reasons: 1) Theyre generally cramped keyboard (besdies for the macbook Air)
2) Generally small HD ( I need a lot of space for my movie and music files)
My friend though is going the Asus Eee 900 route. He's gonna take that around with him on campus, but in his dorm he'll have an external HD, keyboard, mouse, and screen that he'll hook up to the Eee pc each time he comes back to his dorm.
Its really all about your own personal comfort
apple macbook
i just completed my freshman year of college, and i used a 14.1 inch Gateway MT3422 weighing in at 5.3 pounds or so the entire year. I bought it for about $500 at best buy last august, and it's been pretty good to me so far.
personally, i used mine to take notes in some classes and to do homework in the library, along with for entertainment purposes. so i wanted something that was light enough that i wouldn't break my back
i wouldn't go any bigger than a 14 inch, and probably wouldnt go smaller than a 13 inch...just my personal opinion
Subnote book for sure. The weight factor is huge in college, the lighter the better. I would have loved the EEE or the Wind when I was in college. Especially when they are so relatively so cheap, but yet so functional!
Also you look really dorky pulling out huge laptop, that embarrassingly too expensive and has too many bells and whistles that will not help you any more than a laptop created 5 years ago.
Honestly in college 90% of the time, you should be using you laptop to:
1.Take notes
2.work on assignments
3.check email
4.Surf the internet.
Not to play World of War craft, which the number of hours you log in is directly inversely related to your GPA
If you are trying to write a super long paper, hunker down at the library anyways and work on it with a large monitor. Our library had macs that I loved using during long papers or during finals. Especially since on your regular laptop, you have tons of distractions loaded on them.
A change in computers with less distractions equals more productivity and a better GPA
I graduated in 07' and I used a HP TC4200 Tablet. I loved it, 4 pounds and can take my all hand written note on it, and it wasn't heavy or embarrassing to carry around. really functional. If you can find one still, they should go for about 500 bucks and they are amazing machines. I still use my casually these days.
good luck!
I got a macbook pro 15" last summer before my freshman year and I would advise against that. It's a great machine and I love boot camp but it was a gift so price didn't phase me. If I were to do it again I'd get a nice desktop and a subnote like the eee or that new msi one because frankly I don't like to take my 15 inch on campus with me just cause of the size. Also the desktop gives you room to expand and upgrade while the subnotes are cheap enough you can get a new one later down the line.
Personally I don't mind carrying my Mac book pro (15") around. I am a fan of OS X and have found it much easier for me to use. But I was worried about carrying it around all the time. Ive found if you carry it properly it shouldnt be a problem, 5 lbs isn't all that much if it is distributed properly. My point, get a good bag to carry it in. Preferably something that will hold it so its not sloshing all over. I know when I have my computer in a bag designed to carry a laptop it feels lighter than when I just put it in a backpack.
I am a current college student and have both an ASUS A8JS(14" screen laptop) as well as an eeePC, I love having the eeePC to take to classes, its great for taking notes , browsing the web, or playing low demanding games while the prof lectures on, however for writing papers and movie watching, etc. I really prefer my full sized laptop. So unless you plan on using two seperate machines I'd go with a regular laptop, probably with a screen no larger than an 15.4", so its still decently portable.
SO I RECOMMEND a full blown laptop, they will cost more but you will get more for your buck, and trust me writing an essay on an eee is not any fun. You will be glad for the extra processing power, the extra space and the full size keyboard and screen.
As a college freshman, the way to go is something sturdy, powerful, light, and small. Importance in that order. I Have one of hp's dv6000 series notebooks and i am happy with it as far as computing goes, however, Being that it is a completely plastic construction that doesn't exactly clamshell like a mac, i am afraid of carrying it with me to class. In addition i went with a 15.4 inch, i believe that a 13.3 inch or 14.1 is a far superior option. When on the go with my laptop i want it to be large enough to be functional, with the possibility of minor cramping for additional portability. I believe that something like a macbook or dell's XPS M1330 are the proper attire for a college bound freshman. in addition. if you are a nerd, perhaps the best advice i have is for you is to wait until one month before you leave for school to order your laptop, this way you will have adequite time to load up on pirated music and applications and still have the newest hardware that will last until you graduate... Hopefully
I'm going back to grad school this fall and all through my undergrad I had a nice desktop in my dorm room. It did the job decent enough as my classes weren't too intensive with note taking or such so whenever I needed it I just had a flash drive.
However this is 2008, and everyone wants something with them at all times. Since I'm going to a "real" school for my 2nd masters, I picked up a Dell XPS M1330 from the Dell Outlet. Can't complain when I got a second portable 13.3" incher for class that isn't too heavy and a nice gaming PC for home whenever I need to relax. The full keyboard and the decent screen help, and the M1330 isn't too underpowered if you want it to be your only computer.
So my vote = M1330 or other decent 13.3"/14.1" laptop + Desktop for home if needed
Apples Just Work!!
I have a 17" PowerBook G4 and it's certainly been a trusty machine. If you ask any of my friends, they'll tell you that I take it pretty much everywhere that I go. Size really isn't an issue for me though, BUT: if I was going to do it all over again, I probably would go for a smaller laptop. Most certainly NOT a mini-laptop with like a 7-10" screen, but something like a 13" MacBook, or 15" MacBook Pro.
I've had NO problems with using my Mac on my college's cisco & Windows network. I always get asked that, but seriously. Apple just works!! They are easy to use, and VERY powerful to do the tasks that I need it to do. I'm a Business major, but I do a considerable amount of programming, so I know my machine inside & out. Depending on your major, a big screen might be REALLY useful to you (programming, any kind of design,
There's a Microsoft Office for Mac, so you don't have to worry about that, and for the applications that Mac doesn't have (such as Access & Publisher), Remote Desktop (free from Microsoft) for Mac easily connects over to a college computer running Windows. You just have make sure you can find a computer that doesn't get used very much.
Make sure you get a laptop with a wireless card in it!! It's so handy to have wireless in class to look up whatever, or going to the coffee shop to get some work done. If you have it, it will be one of the most useful tools to you, PROMISE. Bluetooth is handy too, but not really relevant to college.
I hope this helps, and good luck in college :)
get a small laptop, most classrooms dont have huge desks for you to spread out, 12-13inches would be max, dont get a 15.4 like i did. Regret it every day. Don't get ultrapowerful either unless your an advertising or RTF major. Simpler the better man, good luck.
University of Texas at Austin
I just completed my freshman year of college with a 15" MacBook Pro and I have to say that it is the #1 reason why I have a 4.0 GPA. It really helped my organization skills with how the files are organized and easily accessible compared to PCs. I would have individual folders for each course on the right side of the dock. Organization of your files is crucial and can really help your progress! Using the calendar on iCal is a big must when keeping track of appointments, meetings, and assignments!! The reliability of this computer also adds to it, I have never once lost a single file because this computer just does not crash! When I was in HS, I used PCs and I have lost several files so I have to say I will never again rely on a PC! Dude, trust me on this one and get yourself a MacBook Pro!! It's funny, at my school more than 75% of the freshmen with a 4.0 GPA have Mac laptops!
Get a ThinkPad. T61 is great, and so is the tablet. I have a Toshiba M400 and if you want a tablet and _need_ a CD drive, I'd suggest it. Otherwise, I'd have to suggest the ThinkPad.
I have had no major problems with my M400 and it came with a 3 year warranty, standard. I got a preconfigured model from Newegg. I saved on both the shipping and the fact that Newegg doesn't tax in my state. I like it, but it's still a little chunky for my liking (it's ~4.5lbs).
Don't get a desktop-replacement type. I love my laptop because it has an excellent build. It's not the type you see at a big box store... it was made for business people. If you need the power of a desktop, get one.
If you're just gonna be buying one, I'd go with full-size. 13-15" aren't THAT cumbersome (and hey, if anything, you might add a little muscle lugging it around). I know a couple people with Eee PCs and they have a lot of trouble getting along. I have a 17" laptop (wasn't my choice, DHL lost my 15" in shipment and Dell replaced it with the 17"), and it's just too big to lug around. I bought a 14" Toshiba tablet and LOVE it for school. Tablets with OneNote are GREAT for taking notes, sketching diagrams, etc., but if you need real laptop functionality it also does a good job. I also dual-boot it with Linux so I can do all of the CS-intensive stuff. Subnotes are just a little too small, especially if you spend a lot of time on it. If you have the choice, get a tablet (although I wouldn't recommend the lower-price HP ones; they don't have very good digitizers). My Toshiba is a little tank and fits nicely in my backpack. Battery life is also an important consideration; not all rooms have accessible power outlets. You need at least two hours of battery life; the more the better. Bottom-line, as far as I'm concerned, a 12-14" tablet will make you the envy of all your pals.
My props go out to those running with the Tablet PC. THose are the best for college I feel. YOu can write on them and type notes on when ever you feel like it. I have been useing the HP TC4400 for the past two years, one in college and one in highschool, and the old slate compaq 1100 series tablets as well so I have gotten used to them. THe 4400 by hp is as big as a 5-subject notebook and has a full sized keyboard. Deffinatly props to hp for this. They have a newer model out with vista, and I havn't heard much about it, but wouldn't be too bad to look into. I've always gotten many remarks on the size of the computer and how small it is, it deffinatly helps when you have to carry it around all day.
If you plan to take it to class with you I'd recommend getting the smallest, lightest laptop that has the power and features you need. In school I had two different laptops. One was a 6-7 pounder. The other was a 2.75 pounder with a 10" screen (a Sony SRX99 which still works pretty well, except the battery died after 4-5 years). Guess which one I actually took to school regularly. It always gave me a small thrill when I was walking across campus between classes and I had to take my backpack off for a minute to make sure my computer was still in there. I took my smaller computer every day, whether I knew I needed it or not. And often I did need it or end up using it. With my heavier one I only took it when I knew I absolutely needed it, which meant I didn't end up using it for hardly any class work.
You don't necessarily need to go for the 10" or less. I just got a 13" XPS m1330 and I think it would have been pretty good for school. But my 6 lbs. 15" widescreen? I never would have taken that to school.
Another commenter suggested getting two computers, one with more power and another with more portability. That's another option. But from my personal experience, if I don't have something that's pretty portable I'm not going to take it with me. My 6 lbs computer was movable rather than portable.
Convertible tablets all the way. I go to CSUN, and bought a Toshiba Portégé off of eBay for $388 including shipping. I use OneNote, and its 3-array microphone combined with this powerful software (And Vista Ultimate) have completely replaced my regular paper notebook. However, I do keep a small 70-sheet book for those stubborn professors who insist on having things hand-written, although with the prominence of networked printers on campus and more constantly being added, that may change as well. It's pretty amazing stuff, and I can basically replay the lectures thanks to OneNote.
I would prefer 14' for everything. Eee and other small pcs make it impossible to work in comfort, especially for coding, because of screen size. Small keyboard is hard to work with. They are not as good as bigger notebooks in performance. And the ones that do perform good are overpriced.
I really can't stand carrying a heavy bag from home to school, so I never think about a notebook with a bigger screen than 15'. 13' is also small. 14 is just the right amount, quite balanced in every way.
(Double major: Electrical Eng + Comp Sci) 2nd year in;
Pen and Paper; Nothing beats cheap paper and a nice writing untensil.
If you aren't ambitious and have a basic cellphone, then equivalently you won't go to crazy about a laptop (basic office applications will satiate). Professors mainly narrate text books, ask questions, answer questions, and show you doodling techniques. I rather not slap a laptop on the desk during recitation or lecture. No one (other than Comp Sci students) , I seen had ever used a laptop during class.
Just as phones are everywhere, so are computers. Need an outlet + keyboard + bigger monitor? Sit at a computer workstation in the comp lab and plug in.
Well all of this really depends on what OS you want to use, what your budget is, and what you'll be doing on your laptop. If you already have a desktop you could go for a smaller, cheaper notebook like the Cloudbook or the EePC just for taking notes and general web browsing. If the notebook will be your main machine and cost is an issue, the MacBook is a great notebook for most college students in terms of cost, durability, and portability. On the Windows front the Dell XPS M1330 is great machine and in the same caliber as the MacBook. If cost is less of an issue, my personal machine, a 15.4 inch MacBook Pro is easily one of the best notebooks around. It's fairly portable, comes with plenty of power and has a 250 GB HDD, which should be plenty of space unless you're going to be editing HD video or have an insanely large music library, as for a PC in the same category you have a ton of options, the XPS M1530, the Gateway M-151XL, the Alienware Area-51 m15x. Your options in this category only narrows to your budget. Quite a few Windows la have specs similar to the Macbook Pro and are much cheaper. However, note that cheaper notebooks tend to have more bloatware and questionable build quality. I wouldn't recommend a 17 inch notebook only because they are insanely large and heavy. You might think that a couple of pounds won't make a difference, but it really does. Hauling a 17 inch laptop across campus in addition to a charger, books, and whatever else you may need becomes quite a chore. Really, it all boils down to your needs.
I have had a 15 inch ASUS laptop since freshman year which is more like a portable desktop because it is heavy but powerful. I am a junior now and I have learned that it is really convenient to have an old desktop (380mhz pentium II running xp) waiting for me when I come back from class so that I can check email. I also have a eee pc which I take to class. I have a lot of professors who frown upon laptops in class and tell students to put them away but I have never been told to do so with the eee, perhaps because it is so small. All of these computers have proven useful at one point or another
My vote is for a sub-notebook and a desktop. It has been the perfect combination for me the past four years. The sub-notebook for notes and internet and the desktop for intense work, movies, music, and gaming. I think I'm going to have this setup for a long time to come.
I've got a MBP and had a 15" Dell laptop before that... that combination carried me through my undergrad. At times I'd like to have something lighter, but I've been able to do anything I need with what I have now (and can't bring myself to sacrifice any of it for form factor).
I should note that I'm an engineering major, for context.
Also, for notes in class, like Gerry above, I'm exclusively pencil-and-paper, with the exception of an AI class this past semester that was taught with a lot of coding (and code changes) on the fly, where it was much easier to type and copy and paste than make a mess out of my handwritten notes.
Simple really, if you're looking for something to take notes on during lectures, an Eee PC or similar or a 13" full blown machine makes the most sense, but the 13" makes more sense (based on Vaio or Samsung models) as they actually have the battery power to take you through a day of lectures, unlike an Eee.
Of course if you plan on it being your main PC, a 13" or above (15" would be the max I'd say) is essential, no way a sub should be used as a primary machine.
Grab a decent £600 PC and then pop a subnote or Samsung Q45/R20 on it, spend max £1000 and you've covered eventualities well.
This reccommendation is based on use by a Computer Science student, so naturally my use is different to a psychology or similar student.
Full sized, unless you are really poor and not looking to use your laptop for anything but typing and even then a cheap big laptop will be better.
If you're going to use it for notes I would definitely suggest a thinkpad x series tablet. Otherwise the t series is great and will definitely last you at least the four years of college.
I bought myself a Dell XPS M1330 after about 7 months of contemplating. It is a 13" Notebook, which is perfect for me as a University student for two reasons; it is super light, and it is small enough to fit in my RBK backpack. Look at backpacks nowadays, some have a seperate compartment for a Laptop. I also think a 13" is perfect because you sit up close to the LCD on a Notebook, so you don't need a bigger screen.
Budget permitting, you can't go wrong with an entry level MacBookPro and an XP/Vista Install Disc.
The MBP is a desktop replacement class machine, but it is much lighter and smaller than many of notebooks the same size. 15 Inches is adequate for most tasks (More often than not, laptop size is like a penis, after a certain size it's just girth that gets in the way)
17 inches is overkill for most people since the only things that warrant a large screen are games (Comp. games are in the minority, most people prefer Console gaming and there are WAAAYYYY more quality console games than quality PC games), and Graphics/Video (Tons of pallets and viewers all at once)
Since you are asking what kind of Computer you want, I'll suggest an Apple computer: either a Mini(Cheapest) MacBook(Great Specs for a consumer level laptop) MBP(Better Specs than the MB) MBAir (Ultra portable, and reasonable power backing it up). An iMac or MacPro is far beyond overkill for campus needs (imho)
I Believe you'll find that day-to-day use is actually enjoyable since the computer failures are kept to a minimum, and the software is very well thought out (unlike most PCs). And even if you need windows, just grab a Windows install disc and use it knowing you have a stable backup OS incase the Windows world comes crashing down.
Don't let the Die hard PC users browbeat you out of a Mac. Some ppl like em, others don't. I, however, find that after a week or two with the big glowing apple most people wonder why they didn't jump ship sooner.
I've had a 15.4 inch notebook for four years of college now and I couldn't be happier. It's a little heavily and annoying to carry around with me but it's very doable in a backpack for when I do need to bring it somewhere. Most of the time I found that since there is always an abundance of Windows computers in the labs it's very easy and very fast to just use Remote Desktop and connect to my personal computer in the dorm or at off-campus housing.
I don't have to worry about not having files or and I don't have to carry everything with me!
ok so here's my deal. i was in your shoes last year. my brother had a good experience with an hp so i got the dv6500 custom online. BAD IDEA. i've had so many problems with it that i sent it in 4 times to california (from MA) to get repaired before giving up - half my problems were vista based the others are likely HP hardware incompatibilities or something. anyways, the service sucked too, my case manager hung up the phone on me and my dad once...that was bad. i'd recommend Dell XPS line or thinkpad if you have the cash for it. another good alternative is a mac dualbooting with xp, because we all know XP is simply great. as for my laptop, i'm now dualbooting vista and ubuntu (great!) and it's working out for me. it's a 15"er and it's pretty big, i'd have bought a 14" if i could change my decision, because i'm moving around campus a lot and 15.4 is a pretty big laptop...
as for specs, if you're getting vista, get at least 1.8 ghz and 2 gigs ram. the last bit's important because vista's a memory hog. enjoy and good luck!
ps umpcs and the like are good if you have something bigger in your room to do the majority of your work on for processing speed and screen considerations. small screens will give you a headache and be much slower. if it's linux run, you might run into compatibility issues with programs required for class or what not.
I would recommend one of 2 configurations (guessing 1.4k or avrage price of a lappy)
1, A eeepc (or simmular) ~ 400 and a 1k desktop for gameing and number crunshing
2, a tablet pc
option one is what i have, i take all notes in class on the eeepc, and game, serf the web, type some papers on my desktop (the papers are about 50/50 desktop vs eeepc)
option two i see a few people with, it translates all notes into electronical forms so you never loose em.
bothe options have there advantages, but just a plain laptop will be a waste, i see so many people who have one laptop, and they would love to take it places but it is just too bulky and heavy for every day use at school, and if it is just going to be a desktop, you loose the power that you could have for spending the money on a desktop
ps sorry for the spelling
This post should have had a poll attached to it! Too bad! :-(
Don't go small. You'll be just as pleased with the larger laptop especially for more power. In the end, it doesn't really matter how small it is. These tiny computers look really cool but you still are carrying a computer around.
So I am a little mixed in this question. I go to Georgia Tech and we get to use and see a lot of technology on campus. I would definitely say that I would go with a Mac all the way, however, much of the software required by our classes runs on Windows only machines. And yes, you can run boot camp and take care of most of the problems. However, there tends to be problems with programs that emulate or create environments in which to do testing and other sorts of stuff. For example, in my CS class we learned C programming via Game Boy Advance programming, however, Mac users were basically screwed and were forced to use the programs at the library.
I recommend a regular laptop. depending on ur major, there is some software you may need to be able to run, some of it can get resource hungry, and university computer labs arent always open for that...
As nice as a subnotebook is, its not worth it, not for complete college use, if u have a desktop already and lookin for a laptop to use while in library or whatnot, then that is the only way i can justify it.
However, as a college student, you are guaranteed to be doing more than jus hittin books, this includes playing music/multimedia, gaming (as expected), among other things, a mini laptop will not cut it for all this stuff.
Ok so finishing my second year of college now I'll pass some knowledge. I have a 15.4" laptop which is perfect for me... sometimes. It fits on most lecture desks but doesn't give me room for anything else. I can sometimes whip out my mouse if I get a classroom desk but that is rare. Also it will usually only last 1 1/2 classes before needing a charge "2 hours" Thats on power save with nothing but the lowest backlight setting and power saver mode. Also it weighs as much as 1 or 2 textbooks. Most of what I mentioned is going to apply to any 15.4" laptop.
You can find some 14.1" laptops with just as much power as there 15.4" brothren either the same price or about $50 more. The 14.1" will give you almost an extra hour of battery, reduce at least 1-2 pounds and give you enough room for your steaming coffee during lecture.
Now owning the EeePC I can say I've never brought it to class. But know this, any PC that small is going to be hard to type on. You will get good battery life and a nice small and light computer, but at a price. Also if you are unfamiliar with linux I'd recommend running XP, but you can lose performance doing so. But if all you are doing is typing notes and surfing the net this may be the best bet, just make sure you are ok with the keyboard.
Now if this was me two years ago, I'd buy a 14.1" just because it would have saved me in a lot of situations I had. Plus I've seen that Asus has some great 14.1" that are good for gaming as well.
Hope this helps someone.
Lenovo X60 - Best of all worlds. Small enough to be ultra portable,big enough to use and tablet convertable for casual use on the go. Even has internal hsdpa and mine cost less than the mini note with Windows.
I'm a first-year university student, and I must say, the standard 15.4" is just about perfect. Not too big to carry around to class when you need or go home on the train/plane, but still big enough to enjoy movies/games/internet TV. I'd even go down to the 13.3" size, but smaller than that is not really comfortable to use for longer paper-writing. And above 15-inch and you'll practically never take it anywhere (like one of my two roommates), plus battery time is bad and they get LOUD. Plus 15-inch laptops are cheap to acquire, and you can spend the rest of the money on peripherals (like an external hard drive or some nice noise-canceling headphone (SO HANDY).