New Computer for Vet School?

[wheelin2vetmed]

Trying to decide on which new tablet and laptop to get before vet school starts.

For tablet options I'm stuck between a surface pro and an iPad Pro (w/ apple pen)

For laptops, the MacBook Air 13.3" and a 2017 model thinkpad

For high school and undergrad I used my MacBook (the original 2009 model) and my 2nd gen iPad (2011) but they're pretty outdated and lag too often. I've sent my mac in to have apple reboot it before and it worked extremely well after that but I think it's on its last leg now and it wouldn't be worth another $300 for a temporary fix.

The only reason I'm thinking of sticking with apple products is the battery life (I could stay in the library for 8-12 hours during finals and not need to charge either device) and sync capabilities, but if there are comparable products for slightly cheaper that would be great.



My iPad mainly used for handwriting notes on power points and recording lectures with the notability and adonit jot stylus. It worked amazingly. I've heard really great things about the surface pros plus they come with a stylus and keyboard.

My computer is mostly for leisure use, summarizing textbooks, and perfecting notes. I'm sure any computer would do just fine but I do worry about viruses. I've never had to use virus protection with my mac and I've heard horror stories! The thinkpads seem to be highly recommended for students somewhat cheaper.

I'm recommending this to many people recently: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1

Dell's regular XPS 13 is a beautiful machine, and they just released this one that offers some more versatility. It's running a lower power CPU, but it will be ABSOLUTELY FINE for vet school. You do not need a Core i5/i7 for OneNote and normal school use.

I always like having a regular laptop form factor over a removable keyboard cover + kickstand.

Any machine using active digitizer technology from Wacom or N-trig will work great. Stay clear of Synaptics.

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[ziggyandjazzy]

My 2014 macbook pro almost met an untimely end as it got a small amount of water on it and wouldn't restart. After a few days drying, my partner who is a comp sci major opened it up and we didn't see any obvious damage to any parts so we started it up, and it worked!

Anyways, does everyone at vet school have a tablet or 2-1 computer? Does everyone get a new comp if theirs made it through undegrad? The only schools I have located that have specific computers you have to buy are purdue, auburn, Kansas, and iowa. Any others?

 

[supershorty]

I got a new device for vet school although my undergrad one is alive and kicking, mostly due to the fact that my undergrad laptop has been with me since 2009 and while it still works, it's not going to be as fast or as good at some of the things I need to do in school as a newer machine. There are programs I use for my research that I don't think it could run. I have a tablet that I use for school (surface pro 3) and I'm glad I went that direction instead of getting a laptop, especially when it comes to imaging (I like to circle things to look at on our rads, etc.).

 

[WizardOfPaws]

My 2014 macbook pro almost met an untimely end as it got a small amount of water on it and wouldn't restart. After a few days drying, my partner who is a comp sci major opened it up and we didn't see any obvious damage to any parts so we started it up, and it worked!

Anyways, does everyone at vet school have a tablet or 2-1 computer? Does everyone get a new comp if theirs made it through undegrad? The only schools I have located that have specific computers you have to buy are purdue, auburn, Kansas, and iowa. Any others?

I don't know if most people know this but apple will fix an out of warrenty macbook for $280 (+\- tax).

You take it in to the Apple Store and they ship it out. They took my first edition white unibody macbook for 2 weeks and replaced the hard drive, screen, keyboard/touchpad, and battery!!!

I've had the one macbook through high school, undergrad, and a gap year and it far surpassed most of my friends dell and hp computers when it came to simple task. Plus I never need to take my charger anywhere.

8.5 years later and I can easily last 6+ hours on one charge.

 

[TrashPanda]

I don't know if most people know this but apple will fix an out of warrenty macbook for $280 (+\- tax).

You take it in to the Apple Store and they ship it out. They took my first edition white unibody macbook for 2 weeks and replaced the hard drive, screen, keyboard/touchpad, and battery!!!

I've had the one macbook through high school, undergrad, and a gap year and it far surpassed most of my friends dell and hp computers when it came to simple task. Plus I never need to take my charger anywhere.

8.5 years later and I can easily last 6+ hours on one charge.

Woah, thanks for sharing this, I had no idea! I have a 2010 MBP that's in good shape except it is sloooow. My school requires a new computer anyway, but it would be awesome to still make use of this one!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

I don't know if most people know this but apple will fix an out of warrenty macbook for $280 (+\- tax).

You take it in to the Apple Store and they ship it out. They took my first edition white unibody macbook for 2 weeks and replaced the hard drive, screen, keyboard/touchpad, and battery!!!

I've had the one macbook through high school, undergrad, and a gap year and it far surpassed most of my friends dell and hp computers when it came to simple task. Plus I never need to take my charger anywhere.

8.5 years later and I can easily last 6+ hours on one charge.

That is absolutely not true lol. I called Apple as soon as this happened and the woman on the phone told me to go to the nearest store and that they would to a "full diagnostic check". After driving an hour, all the Genius did was go in the back, opened up the back of computer and come back out. He said he couldn't see any damage but the logic board was likely shot and that they have a flat fee of $755 dollars to fix it, regardless of what the issue was. He couldn't tell me any more what was wrong with the computer at all and basically made me feel like the computer was done for.

So I dried it more and enlisted my comp sci partner to disassemble and reassemble the computer. We found no damage after fully examining most of the computer's components, including the logic board so attempted to charge, it lit up. Connected it back up and the computer started up no problem.

Long story short this whole ordeal has made me extremely distrustful of Apple's customer service on a number of different levels... I am not sure how I would proceed in the future. Surf the web, their repair services are ridiculously priced to the point that most people just buy new machines. Good for them, bad for the environment and consumers.

 

[WizardOfPaws]

That is absolutely not true lol. I called Apple as soon as this happened and the woman on the phone told me to go to the nearest store and that they would to a "full diagnostic check". After driving an hour, all the Genius did was go in the back, opened up the back of computer and come back out. He said he couldn't see any damage but the logic board was likely shot and that they have a flat fee of $755 dollars to fix it, regardless of what the issue was. He couldn't tell me any more what was wrong with the computer at all and basically made me feel like the computer was done for.

So I dried it more and enlisted my comp sci partner to disassemble and reassemble the computer. We found no damage after fully examining most of the computer's components, including the logic board so attempted to charge, it lit up. Connected it back up and the computer started up no problem.

Long story short this whole ordeal has made me extremely distrustful of Apple's customer service on a number of different levels... I am not sure how I would proceed in the future. Surf the web, their repair services are ridiculously priced to the point that most people just buy new machines. Good for them, bad for the environment and consumers.

That sucks. Maybe they don't offer that service anymore. I had apple repair my unibody in 2012 and for sure it was the $280 fee...I wouldn't be surprised if they upped the price after realizing that the fee was extremely affordable. Why get the new mac for a few thousand when you can fix your old one for a fraction of the cost.

I was expecting them to just replace the screen which had a small crack in the corner and was constantly fading to a white screen but they ended up replacing everything I said at no additional charge.

That being said, mine wasn't water damage so I'm not sure if that made a difference either

I tend to get the first edition apple products and stick with it until it falls apart. Still have the first iPod touch and iPad. Both still function though most of the apps can't be updated.

 

[TrashPanda]

That sucks. Maybe they don't offer that service anymore. I had apple repair my unibody in 2012 and for sure it was the $280 fee...I wouldn't be surprised if they upped the price after realizing that the fee was extremely affordable. Why get the new mac for a few thousand when you can fix your old one for a fraction of the cost.

I was expecting them to just replace the screen which had a small crack in the corner and was constantly fading to a white screen but they ended up replacing everything I said at no additional charge.

That being said, mine wasn't water damage so I'm not sure if that made a difference either

I tend to get the first edition apple products and stick with it until it falls apart. Still have the first iPod touch and iPad. Both still function though most of the apps can't be updated.

Yeah, the water damage might be the difference, and a logic board is a lot more expensive than what you mentioned. I also wouldn't surprised if they changed policies in the past five years.

I probably won't go through Apple since my computer is working okay; it's just old and slow. After doing a little research, I think I'll upgrade it myself (possibly with some help!). I can get an SSD data doubler kit (new 240 GB SSD + kit so I can use the current HD as an external HD + tools) for <$150. MacSales.com lets you put in your model info to see what upgrades are available, and has reviews and video instructions for everything. A lot of reviewers say upgrading their 2010-2012 MBPs made them faster than new, and I'm hoping that'll be true for mine (2010)!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

That sucks. Maybe they don't offer that service anymore. I had apple repair my unibody in 2012 and for sure it was the $280 fee...I wouldn't be surprised if they upped the price after realizing that the fee was extremely affordable. Why get the new mac for a few thousand when you can fix your old one for a fraction of the cost.

I was expecting them to just replace the screen which had a small crack in the corner and was constantly fading to a white screen but they ended up replacing everything I said at no additional charge.

That being said, mine wasn't water damage so I'm not sure if that made a difference either

I tend to get the first edition apple products and stick with it until it falls apart. Still have the first iPod touch and iPad. Both still function though most of the apps can't be updated.

They have indicators on the inside of the computer. He quoted the non-water damage price somewhere in the $450 area. But he said it didn't matter whether it was the logic board or a much smaller and cheap part, they just do it all at a base price which I found a bit ridiculous. For instance, if you spill a small amount of water on your computer and it just broke the fan vs flooded the computer and destroyed basically everything, it would be the same price. Perhaps good for the latter person but not at all accessible to someone who would need a small repair. And I think you're absolutely correct, they aren't offering cheaper repairs because they want you to buy a new computer. Super disappointed in them.

 

[TrashPanda]

They have indicators on the inside of the computer. He quoted the non-water damage price somewhere in the $450 area. But he said it didn't matter whether it was the logic board or a much smaller and cheap part, they just do it all at a base price which I found a bit ridiculous. For instance, if you spill a small amount of water on your computer and it just broke the fan vs flooded the computer and destroyed basically everything, it would be the same price. Perhaps good for the latter person but not at all accessible to someone who would need a small repair. And I think you're absolutely correct, they aren't offering cheaper repairs because they want you to buy a new computer. Super disappointed in them.

Water damage repairs are pretty expensive through most computer companies, and considering MacBooks are pricey, that doesn't seem outrageous to me. Third-party repair companies are a lot cheaper.

Glad you were able to avoid needing a repair- I've found that can be the case if you leave the computer off and turned the right way for a while to dry out. That's saved me more than once!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Water damage repairs are pretty expensive through most computer companies, and considering MacBooks are pricey, that doesn't seem outrageous to me. Third-party repair companies are a lot cheaper.

Glad you were able to avoid needing a repair- I've found that can be the case if you leave the computer off and turned the right way for a while to dry out. That's saved me more than once!

But regardless of what is damaged, they would charge you for the "water damage" at $755. You could have one cheap component wrong with your computer from a drop of water and pay $755 or you could have a whole lot more wrong and pay a lot less. That seems unfair to me personally.

I also contacted a number of third party companies around my area (that being relative, all like 1.5 hours away) and most either said there was nothing they could do or the repair would be around 700. The Genius gave that to me as an option but said the repairs could end up costing a lot more than $755 depending on what was wrong and you wouldn't know until you got in there.

Regardless, the Apple people made me feel as if my computer was doomed and as far as I can tell, it is not at all.

I'm not sure what I will be doing in the future for a vet school device and I still have a year (cross my fingers) to figure it out.

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

 

[johnsmith123]

But regardless of what is damaged, they would charge you for the "water damage" at $755. You could have one cheap component wrong with your computer from a drop of water and pay $755 or you could have a whole lot more wrong and pay a lot less. That seems unfair to me personally.

I also contacted a number of third party companies around my area (that being relative, all like 1.5 hours away) and most either said there was nothing they could do or the repair would be around 700. The Genius gave that to me as an option but said the repairs could end up costing a lot more than $755 depending on what was wrong and you wouldn't know until you got in there.

Regardless, the Apple people made me feel as if my computer was doomed and as far as I can tell, it is not at all.

I'm not sure what I will be doing in the future for a vet school device and I still have a year (cross my fingers) to figure it out.

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

How about a lixit? Clear Mouse Water Bottle - Lixit Animal Care Products

 

[Teepster87]

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over?

I've got a few cups from All | The First Years that my kids aren't able to spill from and I think that they work pretty well. And they come in alot of different colors and styles!

 

[TrashPanda]

But regardless of what is damaged, they would charge you for the "water damage" at $755. You could have one cheap component wrong with your computer from a drop of water and pay $755 or you could have a whole lot more wrong and pay a lot less. That seems unfair to me personally.

I also contacted a number of third party companies around my area (that being relative, all like 1.5 hours away) and most either said there was nothing they could do or the repair would be around 700. The Genius gave that to me as an option but said the repairs could end up costing a lot more than $755 depending on what was wrong and you wouldn't know until you got in there.

Regardless, the Apple people made me feel as if my computer was doomed and as far as I can tell, it is not at all.

I'm not sure what I will be doing in the future for a vet school device and I still have a year (cross my fingers) to figure it out.

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

That sounds similar to what would probably happen with any other computer company, but I can see why that might put you off Apple. (Or maybe I've just had particularly bad experiences with Dell and Toshiba!)

I keep one of these at my desk (I got it at Target) and I don't know that I've ever really bumped it, but it's very sturdy and I've never knocked it over. If you did, I think you'd be able to pick it up before much spilled. I think something with a sturdy base and a small opening (like something with a straw or the type of bottle you squeeze or that has an opening you flip to drink from) would work well.

 

[SkiOtter]

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

Something like a camelbak water bottle with a bite stick maybe? I haven't spilled from mine because you have to bite the rubber bit and then it has a straw

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Something like a camelbak water bottle with a bite stick maybe? I haven't spilled from mine because you have to bite the rubber bit and then it has a straw

I was laughing at the idea of a sippy cup but then considered something like that, but that you squeeze to get water out of like this:
CamelBak Podium Chill 21 oz.

 

[love2hunt]

Yeah, the water damage might be the difference, and a logic board is a lot more expensive than what you mentioned. I also wouldn't surprised if they changed policies in the past five years.

I probably won't go through Apple since my computer is working okay; it's just old and slow. After doing a little research, I think I'll upgrade it myself (possibly with some help!). I can get an SSD data doubler kit (new 240 GB SSD + kit so I can use the current HD as an external HD + tools) for <$150. MacSales.com lets you put in your model info to see what upgrades are available, and has reviews and video instructions for everything. A lot of reviewers say upgrading their 2010-2012 MBPs made them faster than new, and I'm hoping that'll be true for mine (2010)!

I just did a DIY replacement of the HD and RAM on my mid-2012 MBP and it worked wonders. It had a 512GB HD and 4GB of RAM; it now has a 500GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. The RAM replacement was super easy, the SSD only slightly more complex. I ordered parts from Crucial, but I'm sure anything would be an upgrade on a 7 year old computer! I was skeptical, but I'm now very glad I did it.

 

[TrashPanda]

I just did a DIY replacement of the HD and RAM on my mid-2012 MBP and it worked wonders. It had a 512GB HD and 4GB of RAM; it now has a 500GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. The RAM replacement was super easy, the SSD only slightly more complex. I ordered parts from Crucial, but I'm sure anything would be an upgrade on a 7 year old computer! I was skeptical, but I'm now very glad I did it.

That's awesome! I'm happy your computer is doing better now, and that makes me hopeful for mine

 

[love2hunt]

That's awesome! I'm happy your computer is doing better now, and that makes me hopeful for mine

Yeah, definitely be hopeful! It really is doable. Good luck with yours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Skimble]

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

I love my contigo! You have to push a button while drinking, and it keeps my water icy cold for a really long time, just the way I like it!

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

PS anyone know of something I can drink water from easily by my computer that wouldn't spill if tipped over? I had/have the bad habit of leaving the cap of my water bottle unscrewed which led me to this debacle in the first place.

Unspillable mug: Amazon.com | Mighty Mug Ice the Mug that Won't Fall Over Double Wall Tumbler Hot/Cold, 20 oz, Blue: Tumblers

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Bringing this thread back because looks like my macbook might actually be forever toast. There's about a 95% this baby isn't working. I have a few questions.

1. Does anyone know whether Oregon State, WSU, NC state, or Mizzou require students to buy a specific computer? Should I contact the schools to see?
2. Should I buy/use a cheap computer to get me through my senior year and look at getting a computer next summer for vet school or look into getting a new one now? My partner is a CS major and he is having his old laptop sent. It's a decent computer (like a samsung from 2012) and he thinks it would serve my purposes for a year.
3. For new computers, what do you recommend? I see a few listed above. I am mostly drawn to the lenovo yoga 910 but noticed they are releasing the 920 next month. I've used mac basically forever and am a bit nervous about switching over since I am not particularly good with computers lol. The surface book also looks nice but to get the same processor as the 910, it would be a lot more expensive. I've also seen the dell xps or the hp x360 recommended. Do most vet students have a 2-1 or a computer with touch capability? At my college, most people take notes with pen and paper. I would also for organic chem classes but for classes where the notes are basically all words, I would take notes on my macbook. Most of the time I would be the only one in class taking notes on a computer (although I do go to a small school).
4. I'm from Oregon where there is no sales tax but go to school in the mid-west where there is. If I was to buy a computer, anyone know how to go about getting no sales tax? Could someone in Oregon buy it for me then have it shipped to me for free or something?
5. Besides like right now, when are the best times of year to buy a computer? Is black friday/the holidays a good time?
Thanks!

 

[Teepster87]

Bringing this thread back because looks like my macbook might actually be forever toast. There's about a 95% this baby isn't working. I have a few questions.

1. Does anyone know whether Oregon State, WSU, NC state, or Mizzou require students to buy a specific computer? Should I contact the schools to see?
2. Should I buy/use a cheap computer to get me through my senior year and look at getting a computer next summer for vet school or look into getting a new one now? My partner is a CS major and he is having his old laptop sent. It's a decent computer (like a samsung from 2012) and he thinks it would serve my purposes for a year.
3. For new computers, what do you recommend? I see a few listed above. I am mostly drawn to the lenovo yoga 910 but noticed they are releasing the 920 next month. I've used mac basically forever and am a bit nervous about switching over since I am not particularly good with computers lol. The surface book also looks nice but to get the same processor as the 910, it would be a lot more expensive. I've also seen the dell xps or the hp x360 recommended. Do most vet students have a 2-1 or a computer with touch capability? At my college, most people take notes with pen and paper. I would also for organic chem classes but for classes where the notes are basically all words, I would take notes on my macbook. Most of the time I would be the only one in class taking notes on a computer (although I do go to a small school).
4. I'm from Oregon where there is no sales tax but go to school in the mid-west where there is. If I was to buy a computer, anyone know how to go about getting no sales tax? Could someone in Oregon buy it for me then have it shipped to me for free or something?
5. Besides like right now, when are the best times of year to buy a computer? Is black friday/the holidays a good time?
Thanks!

1. Not totally sure.
2. I'd go for the cheap option of using your partners old laptop for the time being.
3. Ive got a surface book that I really like. That being said, it probably is more expensive than it needs to be. Most of my classmates have either Macs, surfaces, or some kinds of touch screen laptops. Most of the time I have to type notes in order to keep up with lectures, but it's really nice to have a stylus/pen that you can write/draw/highlight/etc while taking notes.
4. I came from California to Michigan for school, and I ordered my laptop online with a Michigan address while I was moving to save myself a little bit on tax (paid 6% instead of 8.75 or 9). You could easily save yourself $100 or more depending on how expensive your next laptop is.
5. Not sure here either. Black Friday or back to school times seem like it would be a good bet.

 

[DaDappette]

Bringing this thread back because looks like my macbook might actually be forever toast. There's about a 95% this baby isn't working. I have a few questions.

1. Does anyone know whether Oregon State, WSU, NC state, or Mizzou require students to buy a specific computer? Should I contact the schools to see?
2. Should I buy/use a cheap computer to get me through my senior year and look at getting a computer next summer for vet school or look into getting a new one now? My partner is a CS major and he is having his old laptop sent. It's a decent computer (like a samsung from 2012) and he thinks it would serve my purposes for a year.
3. For new computers, what do you recommend? I see a few listed above. I am mostly drawn to the lenovo yoga 910 but noticed they are releasing the 920 next month. I've used mac basically forever and am a bit nervous about switching over since I am not particularly good with computers lol. The surface book also looks nice but to get the same processor as the 910, it would be a lot more expensive. I've also seen the dell xps or the hp x360 recommended. Do most vet students have a 2-1 or a computer with touch capability? At my college, most people take notes with pen and paper. I would also for organic chem classes but for classes where the notes are basically all words, I would take notes on my macbook. Most of the time I would be the only one in class taking notes on a computer (although I do go to a small school).
4. I'm from Oregon where there is no sales tax but go to school in the mid-west where there is. If I was to buy a computer, anyone know how to go about getting no sales tax? Could someone in Oregon buy it for me then have it shipped to me for free or something?
5. Besides like right now, when are the best times of year to buy a computer? Is black friday/the holidays a good time?
Thanks!

1. I don't know, they probably have it listed on their websites?

2. I wouldn't waste money right now and would use the one you had available to you. But that's just me

3. I have never tried a Lenovo, but I purchased a surface book for school this year to replace my Mac. I take written notes right on it, and I love to annotate the PowerPoint/PDF slides. I don't normally type. Im the only one who uses a laptop in tabet mode in class. The rest either type or hand write on paper.

4. I do know a good place to look for tax free. bhphotovideo is a site based out of NJ and I order a lot through them. They're usually "cheaper" than some sites, no sales tax, and quick shipping.

5. I don't normally pay attention to when laptops are best to purchase, but I did get a really good student deal during "back to school sales."!

 

[WizardOfPaws]

I don't know if most people know this but apple will fix an out of warrenty macbook for $280 (+\- tax).

You take it in to the Apple Store and they ship it out. They took my first edition white unibody macbook for 2 weeks and replaced the hard drive, screen, keyboard/touchpad, and battery!!!

I've had the one macbook through high school, undergrad, and a gap year and it far surpassed most of my friends dell and hp computers when it came to simple task. Plus I never need to take my charger anywhere.

8.5 years later and I can easily last 6+ hours on one charge.

So I watched a little YouTube video and learned how to change the RAM in my macbook

Exchanged the standard 2GBs with 8Gbs and it's like a whole new computer. Best $70 I've ever spent. In the future I might replace the SSD and battery but as of right now my little white unibody is going strong and runs faster than my friends MacBook pros.

If your computer is slow it's most likely because there isn't enough RAM. MacBooks are capped at 4GBs but most can go much higher. Mine could actually run 16GBs but I didn't want to spend extra money when it was running okay-ish at 2

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

@Teepster87 and @DaDappette Do professors put their pdfs/slides up before class to facilitate drawing on them in class? Or do you do that after class?

 

[Teepster87]

@Teepster87 and @DaDappette Do professors put their pdfs/slides up before class to facilitate drawing on them in class? Or do you do that after class?

Most of our professors have stuff up the night before, either PDFs or PowerPoints. Occasionally, someone will upload their presentation like 5 minutes before class.

 

[DaDappette]

@Teepster87 and @DaDappette Do professors put their pdfs/slides up before class to facilitate drawing on them in class? Or do you do that after class?

All of my professors provide a physical copy of the notes, or condensed notes, as well as post PDF and PowerPoint of their expanded notes. Some of my professors post multiple weeks at once, some the day of or week of. It honestly varies

 

[TheGildedCat]

1. I can only speak for Oregon State - they do not have specific computer requirements as far as brand goes, but they do usually recommend something new, with a minimum 1 year service agreement since life happens. Minimum 4 GIG RAM but prefer 6. They support Mac or PC, your choice.

I went with a Surface Pro 3. In general, I like the low weight, portability, tablet features, pen, integration with OneNote, etc.
I HATE that it's annoying AF to work with on your lap as a laptop. I also hate that the version (pro 3) I bought ended up with battery issues. My computer is only 2.5 years old now but the system does not really have a replaceable battery and it could use it, sadly. To upgrade the battery, the quote was about $500 USD since the screen is glued in place, and they have to remove it to change out the battery! The pen also runs out of batteries way more frequently than I would expect it should.
The Pro 3 also only has 1 USB drive. I bought a USB hub, which solves that, but it's just one more gadget to have to bring with me. I think the newer models might have one more?

If I had it to do over, I would probably go with a more traditional laptop, while I do appreciate many of the surface features, I think the battery issue is what clinches it for me.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

1. I can only speak for Oregon State - they do not have specific computer requirements as far as brand goes, but they do usually recommend something new, with a minimum 1 year service agreement since life happens. Minimum 4 GIG RAM but prefer 6. They support Mac or PC, your choice.

I went with a Surface Pro 3. In general, I like the low weight, portability, tablet features, pen, integration with OneNote, etc.
I HATE that it's annoying AF to work with on your lap as a laptop. I also hate that the version (pro 3) I bought ended up with battery issues. My computer is only 2.5 years old now but the system does not really have a replaceable battery and it could use it, sadly. To upgrade the battery, the quote was about $500 USD since the screen is glued in place, and they have to remove it to change out the battery! The pen also runs out of batteries way more frequently than I would expect it should.
The Pro 3 also only has 1 USB drive. I bought a USB hub, which solves that, but it's just one more gadget to have to bring with me. I think the newer models might have one more?

If I had it to do over, I would probably go with a more traditional laptop, while I do appreciate many of the surface features, I think the battery issue is what clinches it for me.

Do you go to Oregon state?

Somehow, I am typing on my macbook again. My partner opened it up and cleaned it with pure ethanol as there was a bit of corrosion on the motherboard. Not sure how long it will hold and I still think a new computer (one that is dependable) will be needed for vet school.

 

[TheGildedCat]

Do you go to Oregon state?

.... I still think a new computer (one that is dependable) will be needed for vet school.

I do, I'm a third year. at Oregon. I would agree - if it's only passable now, you don't want it to conk out at some critical point with all of your notes, it's just not worth the additional stress on top of the normal school stressors.
Our IT person just came out with another recommendation email - this is an excerpt from it:


++++++++++
"The headline is more than a little shocking. I’ve embedded a link to the article behind the headline, for those of that don’t like trusting links, here it is in plain text. Microsoft Surface Laptops and Tablets Not Recommended by Consumer Reports

What the article boils down to is that even though CR really likes a couple of the models for functionality and such, there is a HUGE over riding problem. Reliability - they are projecting that within 2 years of purchase 25% of those owned will run into problems.

From our brief experiences with them over the last 2 years (helping students\staff\faculty, etc. the numbers pretty much bear out. I’ve seen and played with a couple that have caught my eye, but if it’s a 1 in 4 chance of failure within 2 years… that’s a risk I’m willing to take with that much money involved. There are a lot of you out there that are looking to replace older hardware before classes start in a couple of quick months.

A couple of other things to keep in mind as you are shopping prior to school. The sales are fantastic, but don’t just impulse buy, shop around and make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into. We have found that tablets just don’t have the oomph to get through the first 3 years of classes. There is just too much reading, typing, Power Pointing, etc. for those small formatted equipment to survive. They also typically don’t support network sharing, file printing, etc. They are great for reading books, watching movies, playing some games, but they just aren’t stockum enough to get the job done. This includes I-Pads, Droids, Chrome books, etc., all of them have issues. Some can be tweaked one way or another or some new wonder app will let you run it, if you stand with your 3rd toe on the right foot pointed west it you want to print to the 2nd lounge printer, etc. Bottom line, Please when you are shopping look for a computer with a true/full blown OS … Win 10, I-OS, Linux, etc. Now once you reach 4th year, then life can take on a different story. For many of them a tablet has been a God send, for others their phone is the blessing (both along with their regular laptops for real paperwork and their senior papers)."
++++++++++++++++

Hope that helps!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

My macbook pro is acting up again, this time the cursor/trackpad. I am trying to decide between getting a new macbook pro or an ipad pro. I think the price difference between the two would be negligible because I would want the larger ipad and the accessories are spendy. Do people have big preferences between having a traditional laptop or a tablet?

 

[JaynaAli]

My macbook pro is acting up again, this time the cursor/trackpad. I am trying to decide between getting a new macbook pro or an ipad pro. I think the price difference between the two would be negligible because I would want the larger ipad and the accessories are spendy. Do people have big preferences between having a traditional laptop or a tablet?

Not what you asked, but I cracked the trackpad on my MacBook Pro during first year and it was only like $90 to replace at the apple store. So if the computer is otherwise good you might consider that too.

 

[SkiOtter]

My macbook pro is acting up again, this time the cursor/trackpad. I am trying to decide between getting a new macbook pro or an ipad pro. I think the price difference between the two would be negligible because I would want the larger ipad and the accessories are spendy. Do people have big preferences between having a traditional laptop or a tablet?

I just got an iPad Pro because I’m undergrad I would print PowerPoints and write on them and I know I’m going to want to do that in vet school, so I’m reserving my MacBook for tests and if I actually have to type something up. Typing notes isn’t my thing so I knew using just my MacBook probably wouldn’t work well for me.

 

[SkiOtter]

My macbook pro is acting up again, this time the cursor/trackpad. I am trying to decide between getting a new macbook pro or an ipad pro. I think the price difference between the two would be negligible because I would want the larger ipad and the accessories are spendy. Do people have big preferences between having a traditional laptop or a tablet?

ALSO, make sure you go through the education store online or tell them in store that you’re a college student. You’ll save $20 off an iPad, $10 off the pencil, and idk if it still is, but it used to be I think $200 off a macbook (may have changed since I got mine in 2012)

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

@JaynaAli I haven't been able to figure out whether it is a hardware or software issue. My partner has attempted a number of fixes (go computer science majors lol), none of which have worked. I have a genius appointment in an hour but I am not hopeful they will be able to help.

@SkiOtter The mac education discount used to be a lot better. I think it's only $50 off a macbook now. Still better than nothing though.

 

[SkiOtter]

@SkiOtter The mac education discount used to be a lot better. I think it's only $50 off a macbook now. Still better than nothing though.

Booooooo

 

[jaboo]

My macbook pro is acting up again, this time the cursor/trackpad. I am trying to decide between getting a new macbook pro or an ipad pro. I think the price difference between the two would be negligible because I would want the larger ipad and the accessories are spendy. Do people have big preferences between having a traditional laptop or a tablet?

I've been doing my own research because a lot of people on here have recommended the iPad Pro for note taking. I heard that if you get the larger screen version, you can do split screen with powerpoint info on one side and notes on the other. Similarly, I think you could be doing word on one side and safari on the other side for researching and whatnot. Don't quote me on that though. The big complaint I hear is that the iPad Pro can't quite be substituted fully for a computer. I hear it's more burdensome for researching papers and using it for downtime.

 

[Caiter92]

If you wait till June they usually have some sort of special discount, too. My air was $200 off last year (plus I want to say there was another $100 student discount too?) when I bought it.

 

[SkiOtter]

If you wait till June they usually have some sort of special discount, too. My air was $200 off last year (plus I want to say there was another $100 student discount too?) when I bought it.

June is also when price drops would happen on older models if a new one is announced at WWDC

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

The guy at Apple said after they announce a new model, the older model will be available for $200 cheaper usually. I may wait for that or the back to school discounts. I am not in any hurry to get a computer.

He also asked, can you do everything on your phone that you would want to do for school? And if the answer is no, don't get an ipad. I thought that was interesting. I'm now leaning towards a macbook pro.

 

[SkiOtter]

The guy at Apple said after they announce a new model, the older model will be available for $200 cheaper usually. I may wait for that or the back to school discounts. I am not in any hurry to get a computer.

He also asked, can you do everything on your phone that you would want to do for school? And if the answer is no, don't get an ipad. I thought that was interesting. I'm now leaning towards a macbook pro.

Check your schools computer requirements. An iPad may or may not meet them if you’re having concerns

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Check your schools computer requirements. An iPad may or may not meet them if you’re having concerns

They haven't sent us an email yet. But they said they would be shortly

 

[Lupin21]

The guy at Apple said after they announce a new model, the older model will be available for $200 cheaper usually. I may wait for that or the back to school discounts. I am not in any hurry to get a computer.

He also asked, can you do everything on your phone that you would want to do for school? And if the answer is no, don't get an ipad. I thought that was interesting. I'm now leaning towards a macbook pro.

I prefer my lap top 1000% over tablet for class stuff. I needed it to listen to lectures and have ease of having multiple pdfs open at the same time etc. I like my tablet more for on the go in the clinic, but still once I sit stationary again, back to my laptop.

 

[Vombatidae]

Yeah, I'm getting a surface laptop. I am not at all an Apple fan but also want more stability than a normal tablet or 360 laptop tablet combo. There are some really awesome things out there but I find the surface laptop to be the best of everything for the cost. Then again, I'm a major Google enthusiast so that's probably why.

Sent from my SM-G920T using SDN mobile

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Not what you asked, but I cracked the trackpad on my MacBook Pro during first year and it was only like $90 to replace at the apple store. So if the computer is otherwise good you might consider that too.

I was quoted $425 by Apple to fix the trackpad as they would have to replace the entire bottom case. Maybe I am just unlucky lol. He thought the trackpad was to blame, although we couldn’t find any hard evidence of this using the tests he ran. However, miraculously the computer hasn’t had issues since going in. I’m not holding my breath though. Regardless, I need a new computer before classes in September (as evidenced by my numerous posts in this thread with various issues). I would get the Lenovo 920 yoga in a heartbeat if it ran Mac OS. But alas, I’m probably just going to get another MacBook Pro lol.

 

[Lupin21]

I was quoted $425 by Apple to fix the trackpad as they would have to replace the entire bottom case. Maybe I am just unlucky lol. He thought the trackpad was to blame, although we couldn’t find any hard evidence of this using the tests he ran. However, miraculously the computer hasn’t had issues since going in. I’m not holding my breath though. Regardless, I need a new computer before classes in September (as evidenced by my numerous posts in this thread with various issues). I would get the Lenovo 920 yoga in a heartbeat if it ran Mac OS. But alas, I’m probably just going to get another MacBook Pro lol.

I love mine as much as my animals, which means it is very rarely not by my side. Haha

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

I love mine as much as my animals, which means it is very rarely not by my side. Haha

MacBook Pro or Lenovo?

 

[Lupin21]

MacBook Pro or Lenovo?

mac

 

[Nalra095]

any ideas of how strong the laptop needs to be in terms of cpu and gpu?
Like for example the 12" macbook is ideal since it is small, really light and has pretty good battery life, but at the same time they use M fan-less processors so it's really weak compared to other ultrabooks, etc.