Laptop for uni

[MnB]

Hi guys,

I'm starting uni next year and I was wondering which laptops people would recommend. I quite like the idea of a hybrid laptop such as the HP Envy x2 or ASUS Transformer, so if anybody has specific advice/experiences regarding hybrid tablets/computers that would be specifically appreciated.

Thanks

[Fyrefly]

Sorry, hybrid drive or... like... "laptop-and-tablet-in-one" hybrid?

[MnB]

Laptop and tablet in one hybrid. I like the ones where the tablet comes out and can be used as a standalone device, but can also be used as a computer.

[~T]

After a couple of bad experiences, I avoid HP like the plague. I would recommend that you also follow this advice. I don't really have much other advice though, sorry

[abcdqdxD]

Maybe the Surface?

[Fyrefly]

Speaking from personal experience, I'd also specifically recommend against HP.

Do your internet research first just to get an idea of what's out there.
Figure out your price range, and google product reviews for any laptop model that takes your fancy.

Figure out what features you definitely want, and whiçh you don't need.

For me, I personally wanted a laptop with a hybrid drive (SSD and HDD), at least an i5 processor, decent specs, and three USB ports. On the other hand, I didn't care about weight or battery life because I'll use it at home 95% of the time, and I didn't care whether it had a touch screen or a DVD drive. Sometimes it can help you keep within your budget by deciding early on what sort of features you're not willing to pay extra for.

Once you get an idea for the sort of features you want and the sort of price you can expect to pay for those sort of features and you decide on a couple of laptop models you're interested in, head off in-store to check them out. I'm not saying you have to buy them in-store coz you might be able to buy it online cheaper, but you should definitely look at it in-person before you buy it. The first thing I did when I went in-store was touch the laptop to see if it was hot. My old HP laptop had overheating issues, so I wanted to check whether a laptop idling in a store for a couple hours felt cool to touch. My advice specific to a hybrid is to check how sturdy the screen feels connected to the keyboard or whether it shakes, check the weight of the screen alone to see if it will be comfortable to hold, and check to see how the screen connects to the keyboard and if this means of connection seems exposed or otherwise highly prone to being damaged.

Some brands sell direct to the public online, while others only sell through dealers and will probably be a little more expensive because of this. I know Dell sells direct to public online, but I can't remember about others.

[Aaron]

Maybe the Surface?

I second this. I have a Surface 2 Pro and it hasn't let me down to date. Touch capabilities, good processor and lightweight which I think is important. Also has a USB port, sd reader and display port.

I had the idea before I started uni last year that a laptop would be good but it proved to be just as difficult due to it's weight.

So yeah, would recommend the Surface!

[alchemy]

Surface is really good for productivity. From memory, it ranked higher than the iPad in those terms.
And don't go for HP. They've got a decent minimalistic design, which is what most look for in a laptop, but their cooling and ventilation is simply horrible! Just look at the positioning of vents and you'll see for yourself what I mean. Apparently, their customer support base is also bad. Haven't confirmed that yet, from experience, though.

[Russ]

My opinion on the transformer ones like the ASUS is that they're bad tablets and bad laptops, but you get the versatility of being able to use them as both. So unless you really need both, I'd consider just getting one or the other. I'm not sold on the Surface. I like the ASUS ultrabooks but they're pricey.

[vashappenin]

How do you rate macbook airs guys? I'm thinking of getting one, and my parents offered to get it for me as a gift for finishing year 12 (they told me throughout the year that if I got a good ATAR, I could get a MacBook lol). But I don't want it to be a waste of $1000+ if there are other brand laptops that are cheaper but as good/better

[BigAl]

Stay away from windows. Go with mac if you can afford

[Russ]

It's a perfectly fine machine that has a premium associated with being an Apple product. If you already own/use iOS and prefer it then it's not like it's a bad deal or anything

[alchemy]

How do you rate macbook airs guys? I'm thinking of getting one, and my parents offered to get it for me as a gift for finishing year 12 (they told me throughout the year that if I got a good ATAR, I could get a MacBook lol). But I don't want it to be a waste of $1000+ if there are other brand laptops that are cheaper but as good/better

Yeah, get it. It's a good reason to conform to uni culture. Most UNI students I see have macs, not sure if it's still a trend or something more...

[appianway]

I don't know what you guys want to study, but if you plan on doing something that is programming intensive, go for the Mac. I've used PCs all of my life, but I've found that I haven't been able to do the work that I need to do on a PC without fiddling around with things a lot.

[Only Cheating Yourself]

How do you rate macbook airs guys? I'm thinking of getting one, and my parents offered to get it for me as a gift for finishing year 12 (they told me throughout the year that if I got a good ATAR, I could get a MacBook lol). But I don't want it to be a waste of $1000+ if there are other brand laptops that are cheaper but as good/better

Do you want consistent issues with your laptop?  If not the MAC is the way to go, I've had mine (pro 13) and it's good as.  If its for educational purposes and to watch a flick live stream games etc then its good but if you want to play games on it i strongly advise against getting it, the mac is slick so if your a person who wants smooth mouse and settings etc then the MAC is the way to go.