Going back to Post Secondary, Tablet or Laptop?

[zechs]

Its been a hot minute since I've had to contemplate the problems of university life, but times change and apparently my field of work did as well.

So in light of going back to uni, it seems in this day and age some sort of electronic type device for note taking and online access would make life a bit easier.

Does the Beyond hive-mind have any recommendations? In talking with some of my younger friends, it seems laptops are pretty prevalent, but I already have a very nice desktop. The added bonus of a tablet being so small/light seems a substantial benefit.

No Apple products, I don't use their ecosystem. Anything else, and almost any pricepoint is on the table. No gaming needs, thats what the desktop is for, so I assume that will keep the price sane-ish.

[killramos]

If you want a non apple tablet, MS surface is probably the only real alternative.

That said. Tablets are kindof a gimmick, you will use it for note taking for a few days then give up on it.

Post secondary is all about soft copy PowerPoints these days with few exceptions, you will realize that there is not a lot of note taking to be done aside from a few typed scribbles in the note section of PowerPoint.

I would personally buy the cheapest normal slim laptop with an SSD in whatever size you want and consider it disposable. Keep an eye on the battery life ratings because that matters. I think the Lenovo carbon devices come highly recommended but anything will do.

If you insist on taking notes by hand, a remarkable is a better device for this. But doesn’t replace a laptop which you will absolutely need. Don’t be that guy who “has a desktop at home so I don’t need a laptop”

Only caveat to the above, is to know the requirements of your program for computing needs. Namely, if you are taking a CAD heavy or video editing etc. type workflow you might need to think hard about if you need more horsepower than a $500 dollar laptop will give you. If you are taking a lab excel heavy degree like finance, consider a 15” device. Excel sucks on a tiny screen

[SKR]

I just use a pen and paper for taking any notes, but a lot of that is because I remember things easier if I write them down, and for some things like math it's easier to draw pictures or whatever you need.

I think a laptop would be handy for being able to do your own work at school without using school computers. I almost never use mine. I think a tablet would be completely useless.

I'm in a trade school. Maybe in a hoity toity university class it would be different.

[vengie]

MS surface is what you're looking for.

I use one for work, the portability and performance has been a great combination.

[Pacman]

We bought my 9 year old daughter a $150 Acer Chromebook for her grade 4 work. I've used it and was quite impressed how quick it ran and the google apps are very smooth on it. Assuming you don't need Microsoft Office and could make do with Google pages, sheets and whatever their powerpoint knockoff is, it might be something to consider. It's small, lightweight, SSD hard drive and the battery power is fantastic. The one we got doesn't have the touch screen, I've seen some that act as a tablet with the touch screen and that would be a bonus.

Also, this one seems to be a steal (there is a big thread on RedFlagDeals about it). $430 down to $130. You can buy a keyboard for it as well. Would probably do the trick

https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/p/laptops/lenovo/lenovo-edu-chromebooks/lenovo-10e-chromebook-tablet/82am000eus

[Buster]

For pure note taking, I use a remarkable. It's much much better than a tablet for that purpose.

[killramos]

I feel like getting a chrome book falls into the “don’t be that guy” category

[mr2mike]

No one using android's auto dictate feature.
Record the lesson and have it fully typed out for you.
Do you even need to go to class sober?

[ExtraSlow]

You never did.

[AndyL]

You should absolutely source out an 80's era luggable computer Like an IBM 5155 for example
105307

Hack in a modern display and motherboard and really show those kids what a PC should be :)

[ShermanEF9]

There's a few decent surface alternatives out there. We really like the Lenovo yoga. It definitely has the best of both worlds without paying surface premium. My fiancée wants to get one for everyday use and for wedding planning. Her mom uses one for everyday business use (psychologist)

[zechs]

You should absolutely source out an 80's era luggable computer Like an IBM 5155 for example

Hack in a modern display and motherboard and really show those kids what a PC should be :)

The thought did cross my mind to retromod something from my youth, but I'm not that old, technically a millennial. They weren't kidding when they said we'd have multiple careers in our lifetime.

I'll look into remarkable, I definitely would prefer to write notes vs type as I find writing helps me with memorization. My concern was mainly if lectures had changed to the point writing wasn't feasible, then something I could use to markup class notes while listening to the lecture was what I was thinking.

[zechs]

I would personally buy the cheapest normal slim laptop with an SSD in whatever size you want and consider it disposable.

If you insist on taking notes by hand, a remarkable is a better device for this. But doesn’t replace a laptop which you will absolutely need. Don’t be that guy who “has a desktop at home so I don’t need a laptop”


All good points to consider, luckily not taking anything computing heavy at this time. So maybe a lightweight laptop with ~13" screen may be ideal? Keep a notebook for scribbling while referencing specific professor notes.

[ThePenIsMightier]

The thought did cross my mind to retromod something from my youth, but I'm not that old, technically a millennial. They weren't kidding when they said we'd have multiple careers in our lifetime.

I'll look into remarkable, I definitely would prefer to write notes vs type as I find writing helps me with memorization. My concern was mainly if lectures had changed to the point writing wasn't feasible, then something I could use to markup class notes while listening to the lecture was what I was thinking.

I think you'll find that many prof's have online notes available now. I remember how terrible a job high school did of scarring the living shit out of everyone about how impossible it was to take all the adequate notes that the incredibly demanding prof's had, etc etc etc.

Don't worry about that, at all!

I made it through a metric shit pile of courses and this was an issue exactly zero times. What the prof's want you to write down is crystal clear as day.

[killramos]

If you get slides in advance you can pdf them and load them to remarkable. Minimizes the note taking.

[sxtasy]

Microsoft Suface Pro is a nice mix of tablet portability and functionality with the performance of a laptop and a proper operating system.

[ExtraSlow]

When I was in uni I sweet talked a gal into letting me photocopy her notes the week before the final. Those were great notes.

[brucebanner]

When I was in uni I sweet talked a gal into letting me photocopy her notes the week before the final. Those were great notes.

What did she get out of the deal? Did you bang her dad?

[ExtraSlow]

A smile and a warm feeling in her heart. Maybe a pitcher of beer.

[suntan]

I used to photocopy entire textbooks.

[brucebanner]

A smile and a warm feeling in her heart. Maybe a pitcher of beer.

Nice value transaction for you

[ThePenIsMightier]

A smile and a warm feeling in her heart. Maybe a pitcher of beer.

Pffftt! Whatever you wanna tell yourself!


https://youtu.be/aSKiGGRp5uM

[msommers]

MS surface is what you're looking for.

I use one for work, the portability and performance has been a great combination.

+1

[SpdDmn268]

I got the top of the line MS Surfacebook at the time (first gen in 2015?) when I went back for my M.Sc. I used it exactly 0 times for note taking... I just couldn't get used to the pen on touchscreen, and the keyboard folding away when you use tablet mode. If I were to do it again, I'd get the smaller Surface Pro, because the Surfacebook is a bit big for everyday carry. Oh, also I'd get extended warranty (which I never do) because the SB is prone to battery swelling and my screen is just about useless now.

Instead I printed all the PDF notes and wrote in the prof's comments/explanations in the sides. I ended up doing 90% of my course assignments in the office, with full keyboard, monitors and mouse. I must be old af because I can't function without a mouse and real keyboard with num pad.

[SKR]

I must be old af because I can't function without a mouse and real keyboard with num pad.

You must be younger than me, because I still think anything more than a pen and a notebook in the classroom is insanity.