A laptop for college?

[Meg541]

My son is going to colege next fall, and he's been researching laptops. He says he decided his favorite is a toshiba qosmio, but I have a couple of worries about it. Do you think a 17 inch laptop is too big or heavy for college? And how important is battery life for a college student? If you've got kids in college, what laptops do they have, and would you reccomend them instead?

[sunflowers12]

My oldest dd bought the one you are talking about she has had two different types of the same brand both work well and she sold her first one to her bro so he has one already for college ... I think it's just personal preference really but they will need a laptop know doubt about that😉

[specialwingz]

I would totally recommend a laptop for him.  I have twin boys in college.  They take theirs to class for note taking and studying in between classes.  We have 6 Toshiba laptops in our household.  Wouldn't own any other brand.  And, the 17" ones work great for them.  They seem to have no complaints.

[MJP76]

We are a Mac Family.

[sabrtooth1]

3 Toshiba laptops in this family.

[drfink]

My 28 y.o. switched to Toshiba when he bought his own shortly after graduating from college.It is showing it's age but it still works as a back up.He bought a Toshiba again.I needed a new lap so I followed his advice and got a Toshiba also.Going great.

He needs a laptop for college.

[DarlaHood]

Most college students go smaller.  More like 13".  My advice is buy a Mac.  PC's are notoriously difficult for college students who tend to share and download stuff that has spyware and viruses.  I bought my oldest a Toshiba, and she ended up with it dying after barely 2 years.  The Mac replacement was passed down on the 7th year to a younger family member still working as well as the day we bought it.  My younger one is a freshman at college now, and we just bought the Mac.  I will not buy anymore windows machines.

[DarlaHood]

And when you factor the cost difference, remember that you don't need any antivirus software, no spyware.  Nothing but a copy of Microsoft Office for Mac, which is around $100 just as the PC version is.  It is pretty necessary in college to have word and powerpoint, and it doesn't come standard on the Windows version either. 

Battery life on all laptops sucks.  Starts out pretty good, maybe 5 hours, but usually after about a year, it starts to decrease steadily.  If you do buy a mac, if you get the macbook pro HD instead of the retina display, you get more memory, faster processor, and you can replace the battery yourself.  If you get the retina, you have to take it in for replacement at Apple, and you will get a little less computer for your money.

[atlmom2]

17 inch is too big. My dd got a Mac.

[Carmel63]

I am also going to agree that the 17 inch may be too big.  My kids get a lap top for high school, and the size was one of the complaints my daughter  had about her computer.  She has a 17 inch screen, but now wants something smaller.  I have heard that Toshibas are pretty durable.  We have not made a decision on the Mac vs. PC..

[suesues]

mine has an apple light weight portable no sure about batterry but you can plug in someplace I am worried mine is going to dorm next year heard they have locks for computer ???