| The case for a desktop: | | | | having a laptop to carry around campus means you |
| Basically, desktops give you better performance for | | | | can get Internet access pretty much all over. You can |
| the buck. Budget desktops start at around $300-$400 | | | | also use it to take notes in class, and depending on the |
| (LCD monitor included) while the cheapest laptops will | | | | kind of laptop, some even allow you to use it as a |
| cost you at least $100 more. Desktops are easier to | | | | notebook (see Tablets under the Laptop Buying |
| upgrade manually than laptops, and are harder to steal. | | | | Guide). Laptops are also much less of a hassle to take |
| They also tend to be more reliable than laptops, which | | | | home for breaks. Overall, the advantages of having a |
| are moved around often and are more prone to | | | | laptop mainly revolve around its size and portability. |
| failure. Desktops also support multiple monitors easily, | | | | Which one you pick depends on your situation. What |
| which may be important for hardcore programmers. | | | | are you going to use it for? How far do you have to |
| Finally, serious gamers may prefer high-end desktops | | | | travel to school? What does your budget look like? |
| for the performance, especially when it comes to | | | | For most students, especially freshmen, I would |
| supporting the newest graphics cards. Overall, | | | | recommend a laptop over a desktop. Unless you're a |
| desktops give a better deal for raw computing power | | | | hardcore gamer or programmer, there isn't a huge gap |
| and better reliability, with support for multiple monitors. | | | | in performance between desktops and similarly priced |
| The case for a laptop: | | | | laptops for everyday programs like Internet Explorer, |
| The main advantage of laptops is portability, which can | | | | Firefox, Word, Excel, IM and so on. Your dorm room |
| be a huge plus for college students. Moving in and | | | | most likely isn't going to be huge, and a desktop will |
| moving out out a dorm, house, or apartment with a | | | | take up more space and be much more of a pain to |
| laptop are obviously much easier than with a desktop. | | | | move in and out. Also, laptop prices have been |
| Your laptop will take up much less desk space than a | | | | dropping recently, not quite to the level of desktop |
| desktop, even assuming you have a LCD monitor for | | | | prices, but you can get a serviceable budget laptop for |
| the desktop. Most universities are going wireless, so | | | | around $500. See our Laptop Buying Guide for details. |