Hello I am wondering what would be more suitable for an engineering student: a desktop or a laptop?

Do engineers even bring a laptop to class? For autocad or w/e or to take notes?

Thanks

As a student period I would take a laptop, as you can take it with you when you need to work on assignments if you have breaks inbetween classes, or are doing group work somewhere.

Most people in my first-year classes didn't bring a laptop to class for notes. I would recommend one over a desktop just so you can bring your computer with you anywhere. You should have some sort of computer regardless for your programming and graphics courses, and to access WebCT, which is the site where most of your course pages will be and you'll have to do things like online quizzes and CAPA (the glorious physics homework system).

In general, laptop is the way to go. As an engineer, the software that you need to access is available in the labs at McMaster (on desktop computers) so if you need the software you can go to the labs to work on your projects. Note-wise, if you are good at typing fast on a computer, then a laptop will come in handy for lectures where the profs do not provide electronic copies of their overheads, etc.

I have both a laptop and a desktop, but I only got my laptop in the middle of first year. I found it only helpful for one course. A lot of people on my floor were engineers so we would all work on programming together in the common room. I've found it helpful to have my laptop in my upper years for studying lecture notes while on campus since I don't study well in my room. It's convenient to have, but I definately love having my desktop. It's reliable.
As for notes in class, I've found a laptop in class is useless unless there are online notes to follow. It's pretty much impossible to take notes during class on your laptop w/out a tablet to write directly on. Too many numbers and symbols.
But, overall I'd say you might prefer to have a laptop just because it is convenient to have...

Thanks for the responses.

So it looks like a laptop is good convenience wise and for group work.

Originally Posted by Lauren

I have both a laptop and a desktop, but I only got my laptop in the middle of first year. I found it only helpful for one course. A lot of people on my floor were engineers so we would all work on programming together in the common room. I've found it helpful to have my laptop in my upper years for studying lecture notes while on campus since I don't study well in my room. It's convenient to have, but I definately love having my desktop. It's reliable.
As for notes in class, I've found a laptop in class is useless unless there are online notes to follow. It's pretty much impossible to take notes during class on your laptop w/out a tablet to write directly on. Too many numbers and symbols.
But, overall I'd say you might prefer to have a laptop just because it is convenient to have...

I have a question. I thinking of just bringing a laptop next year to my classes so I no longer have to carry around paper/pens and write. My writing is messy and I am a speedy typer. I won't have a tablet PC, but for symbols or diagrams, couldn't you just open up a program like Paint, draw your diagram/symbol, then put it in the word doc? I know it isn't the same as drawing it by hand, but it is an alternative to a Tablet PC and writing it by hand.

A better way to go would be to get Microsoft OneNote....you can switch between text and drawing with a single click....its really a great note-taking program.

Doing the drawings and writing on two different programs would be difficult and time consuming and you'd likely miss alot of your note while your doing so.

Originally Posted by J-Met

A better way to go would be to get Microsoft OneNote....you can switch between text and drawing with a single click....its really a great note-taking program.

Doing the drawings and writing on two different programs would be difficult and time consuming and you'd likely miss alot of your note while your doing so.

Wow really? That sounds really interesting I will have to check it out. If this is true then I am definately using that instead of pen/paper! haha

Originally Posted by J-Met

A better way to go would be to get Microsoft OneNote....you can switch between text and drawing with a single click....its really a great note-taking program.

Doing the drawings and writing on two different programs would be difficult and time consuming and you'd likely miss alot of your note while your doing so.

i know this program is exsist for non tablet pcs but can i still draw in that program like how i would draw paint ?

Yup, exactly the same way as you can draw in paint.

Btw, if any of you are looking for a good tablet PC, and are still looking to buy a laptop for university that can be used to take notes in engineering classes, take a look at this one at futureshop.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...n=&lang id=EN

I have a similar one and it works great. Its probably the cheapest your gonna see for a decent tablet.

Originally Posted by J-Met

Yup, exactly the same way as you can draw in paint.

Btw, if any of you are looking for a good tablet PC, and are still looking to buy a laptop for university that can be used to take notes in engineering classes, take a look at this one at futureshop.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...n=&lang id=EN

I have a similar one and it works great. Its probably the cheapest your gonna see for a decent tablet.

can i convert my writting into text ? does the mode work well ? cause i got the one note on my pc, the convert hand writting to text it isn't working =S, iam thinking of just buying a standard laptop and buying a pen mouse tool for like 50$ will the program work in the same way it would work on a tablet ?

I dont think Onenote actually comes with a handwriting converter. Its usually an application that cames with the tablet PC itself, but it works with onenote.

I personally can type faster than i write so I just use the pen for drawing and type all the text. The handwriting to text converter works decently, but there are some annoying things...it cant really tell the difference between S and 5 and O, o, and 0...etc.

When Im taking handwritten notes, ill just write directly onto the screen and read my handwriting rather than convert it to text.

I dont have any personal experience in using a graphics tablet (the $50 thing) with a regular laptop. I did look into it when i was shopping for a tablet PC, and the general consensus is that it is very difficult to write something down when you cant see what your writing.

To get a decent laptop and graphics tablet, it will probably run you $700-800. I personally would rather pay the extra $200-300 and get a tablet PC thats alot easier to use.

Originally Posted by J-Met

I dont think Onenote actually comes with a handwriting converter. Its usually an application that cames with the tablet PC itself, but it works with onenote.

I personally can type faster than i write so I just use the pen for drawing and type all the text. The handwriting to text converter works decently, but there are some annoying things...it cant really tell the difference between S and 5 and O, o, and 0...etc.

When Im taking handwritten notes, ill just write directly onto the screen and read my handwriting rather than convert it to text.

I dont have any personal experience in using a graphics tablet (the $50 thing) with a regular laptop. I did look into it when i was shopping for a tablet PC, and the general consensus is that it is very difficult to write something down when you cant see what your writing.

To get a decent laptop and graphics tablet, it will probably run you $700-800. I personally would rather pay the extra $200-300 and get a tablet PC thats alot easier to use.

thanks for your input ^_^

To be honest, I don't think that using a drawing program is going to be any easier. it's time consuming to try and draw all the math. I think it would be a lot easier to write your notes in class and then, if you find them messy, go home and do them on the computer then. or perhaps do the stuff that'd definitions and such by computer and then do the rest by hand. I know all my friends have computer, but I don't see anyone bring them to class unless they have a tablet, even when I was in a couple of first year classes. Wonder if that helps at all...