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Laptop Purchase


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  • 2 weeks later...
SSD: Agreed 100%, I would advise you get a bigger drive if you can afford it. Mine is almost full, may have to get a new one. One good thing is it is getting cheaper.

 

Is yours full due to school work (I.e. storing long podcasts?) or due to storing personal things (like movies, games, etc)?

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Games? haven't do that for a while :(

 

It is all school works. I could delete some of them, but it is not worth it for the time I will spend doing that.

 

For my 256 GB on my Macbook Air, I've got a 50 GB Windows install, 30 GB of movies/podcasts, 36 GB of music, 11 GB of apps, and the balance free. It probably depends on how much you podcast, but you can use an external if you're really short on space. Other than that, a SSD will be the best upgrade you can get in a computer.

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  • 2 months later...

I thought I'd revive this thread as I'm sure many of us will be looking at buying something for the start of school. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Specifically,

 

1) How many people use tablets vs laptops vs old fashioned notes? What is your preference?

2) Are there plugs in most lecture halls or is a long battery life critical?

3) Do you take your laptop/tablet with you to clinic settings often?

 

Thanks!

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^^

1. Most people use laptops, a few use tablets, a few use paper. My preference? I used to use my laptop, but I've actually stopped taking notes because it's all in the powerpoints anyway and I would find myself getting distracted and getting behind writing all these notes that sometimes were just word for word what was written on the slides. So now I just listen and I go home and make summary at the end of every day (very short summary notes, so that they'll actually be useful later). I still bring my laptop with me and bring paper with me in case I want to write something down, but I never do. I tried to use my ipad the first week but I don't have a keyboard for it and it just didn't work very well. But some people use ipads.

2. There are plugins at every single chair. And in the small groups there are more plugins than people usually. Not an issue.

3. Never. A few people might take their ipads, but I just take paper and I think most people do also.

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  • 9 months later...
^^

1. Most people use laptops, a few use tablets, a few use paper. My preference? I used to use my laptop, but I've actually stopped taking notes because it's all in the powerpoints anyway and I would find myself getting distracted and getting behind writing all these notes that sometimes were just word for word what was written on the slides. So now I just listen and I go home and make summary at the end of every day (very short summary notes, so that they'll actually be useful later). I still bring my laptop with me and bring paper with me in case I want to write something down, but I never do. I tried to use my ipad the first week but I don't have a keyboard for it and it just didn't work very well. But some people use ipads.

2. There are plugins at every single chair. And in the small groups there are more plugins than people usually. Not an issue.

3. Never. A few people might take their ipads, but I just take paper and I think most people do also.

 

I know I'm jumping the gun a bit by resurrecting this thread but am starting to poke around at what's out there for tablet PCs.

 

Just wanted to confirm a few things...

 

1. If you do bring a slate/tablet to a clinical setting, would you want one that is discreet, basically the size of a paper notebook. Would a convertable laptop/tablet like the Lenovo X230t be too big?

 

2. For the first few years it appears that most of your time is in front of your laptop either following along/editting notes in lectures or using them in small groups.

 

3. Other than manipulating large PDF files or graphic intensive websites/resources (to look at anatomy for eg), what else would I need the laptop to do?

 

4. How durable should the laptop be? What kind of wear and tear would it be subject to? Am I just pulling it out of the backpack and setting it on a desk or am I going to take it outside and use it?

 

5. Is the laptop used less during the last year? What about during a Fam Med Residency?

 

Lots of questions I know, sry. I was looking at a tablet with pen functionality. Just wondering if I could get by with a smaller portable windows 8 slate/ultrabook like the Microsoft Surface Pro with attachable keyboard or if I should go for the Lenovo X230t convertible tablet. The Surface is smaller (10.6 inch screen) and very portable but with less battery life. The X230t is more powerful, heavier and bulkier but with a larger screen (12 inches) and long battery life.

 

Cheers!

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1. Clinical setting? The Lenovo's a bit large. Coming back from winter break, it seems the Hellbenders went out and brought back at least a dozen new iPad Minis for themselves, so we'll see how they are in clerkship ;) Otherwise I've been using a paper notepad which has been working fine, as well.

 

2. Ditto. Some people use iPads, some use laptops with the minority having their notes solely on paper, due to the fact that on occasion notes will be available post lecture and not before.

 

3. Organize digital ebooks (.chm, .pdf), podcast library, emails, web, research if you're into that sort of thing. Basically anything a run-of-the-mill laptop can.

 

4. Backpack, desk, rinse, and repeat. I maybe saw two laptops in my class ever meet the anatomy lab ever, and that was in the first month or two of classes. If you ever come across a coffee-proof laptop though...

 

5. Hard to say since we just started our final year last week. I'm still using it for reading, putting together presentations, loading up imaging, etc. In residency you might be able to claim a new laptop as a business expense, though. You'll need something for med school.

 

Since the Surface is still so new, it's hard to offer comment on how useful it will be. Admittedly, having a dedicated pen input is nice, but ultimately it's non-essential. There are lots of people in my class who take notes off of an iPad, and use a wireless keyboard, capacitive stylus, or both, in addition to the many that get by with a macbook air, standard asus laptop, etc. There are handful of x220t/230ts in my class, and I think those that own them do like the functionality. You're going to like the battery life, as well as having a dedicated keyboard, so if you do opt for the surface I would recommend getting the better keyboard case. Also, I unless you're finding yourself needing a new laptop now, I would wait until May/June when the student summer sales start. Usually Apple has one, and Microsoft has had one the last few years where you can pick up a free xbox; something to consider. I also think in my starting year Lenovo had a sale when they were just releasing the x220t so some people got theirs with a bunch of free upgrades when they built it to order. It looks like Haswell is coming out in June, so I would keep my eyes peeled for a new x240t around then (which makes sense, considering I think the sale was around Canada Day...)

 

Summary

-----------

 

1. Pen is nice, but non-essential.

2. Battery life is awesome, you can never have too much of it.

3. You will want some sort of laptop/computer/tablet for pre clerkship.

 

Hope that helps, and feel free to fire off any more questions. Anyone else is always welcome to chime in, too.

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Thanks for all the advice. Looking at it further, the Surface Pro is not easy to use on a lap as the kickstand doesn't balance well on the legs. Also the battery is only like 4 hrs. Not sure if that is too much of an issue as there are apparently plugins everywhere. Is there always opportunity to plug in?

 

Also has anyone had any experience with a portable laptop charger? Would they be useful for a laptop that only lasts about 4 hrs?

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There is, but it's always nice to either go a full day on a charge or not bring your charger when you don't have to.

 

What exactly do you mean by a portable laptop charger? Do you mean an external portable power source or a spare battery? In my opinion, they're expensive, heavy, and cumbersome and usually not worth the effort, especially when you can get a 13" Macbook air with an easy 7h battery life or an iPad with 10h.

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There is, but it's always nice to either go a full day on a charge or not bring your charger when you don't have to.

 

What exactly do you mean by a portable laptop charger? Do you mean an external portable power source or a spare battery? In my opinion, they're expensive, heavy, and cumbersome and usually not worth the effort, especially when you can get a 13" Macbook air with an easy 7h battery life or an iPad with 10h.

 

Yes, those portable power sources. I agreee, that starts to get a little cumbersome carrying around all that stuff.

 

Do most people tote around a backpack or attache (man purse, side bag...can't think of the word).

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Most people will carry some sort of backpack or bag durign preclerkship. You end getting some decent ones during o-week.

 

uvic - Whatever suits your needs best, if you want pen input, thinkpads are one of the best. I don't mind not having the feature, and quite enjoy my macbook haha :P

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Most of our classmates have laptops and quite a few uses thinkpad tablets, power outlets are everywhere so battery life is not a concern. Once we're in clerkship, we use Ipad mini and we like it a lot.

 

By the time you guys are in clerkship, there will be lot more choices, I would expect Microsoft surface pro, hopefully with HasWell CPU, to be a good choice. We are moving to a all in one PC/Mac that are highly portable.

 

Don't want to get into any arguments which one is better, Mac, IPad. smartphones or PC, they are all good choices depending on your need. IPad Mini is light and have quite a few good apps for medicine for example.

 

Again my 2 cents.

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Need advice on a smartphone. I am currently using a dumbphone and have never owned a smartphone. I still T9. Really. :)

 

For the fall, I'll be getting an iPad and Mac Laptop.

Considering blackberry Z10 or iPhone.

considerations:

-I want a phone that is also a phone, as I probably won't get a land line. It always seems like the iPhone is good at everything except being a phone.

-iPhone does not work in the communities in the Yukon, just in Whitehorse itself

-if all my other technology is Mac, I should prob get an iPhone, right? But I don't have lots of apps or anything (not yet) and don't have lots of music from iTunes.

-I will keep this phone for 3 years, won't be upgrading every 12 mo.

 

Input from current UofC students appreciated.

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Need advice on a smartphone. I am currently using a dumbphone and have never owned a smartphone. I still T9. Really. :)

 

For the fall, I'll be getting an iPad and Mac Laptop.

Considering blackberry Z10 or iPhone.

considerations:

-I want a phone that is also a phone, as I probably won't get a land line. It always seems like the iPhone is good at everything except being a phone.

-iPhone does not work in the communities in the Yukon, just in Whitehorse itself

-if all my other technology is Mac, I should prob get an iPhone, right? But I don't have lots of apps or anything (not yet) and don't have lots of music from iTunes.

-I will keep this phone for 3 years, won't be upgrading every 12 mo.

 

Input from current UofC students appreciated.

 

 

Get an iPhone. It has the best selection of medical apps on the appstore and available from the U of C library. Not saying the Z10 isn't a nice phone, but it will take a while for the app selection to become more mature. That being said, many people in our class do have androids for which there are some med apps, ios certainly leads the pack.

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