Computers for Law School 2011 Forum

[WayBryson]

I am having a hard time deciding on a new laptop.

I currently own an Asus i5 360gts 4gb ram... However it's 16inches and I am not enthusiastic about rolling into class with a notebook blazoned with "Republic of Gamers" on it.

I want something that can play D3 and sc2 and I am trying to find something that is smaller and lighter than my current machine.

Looking at a Dell 15z, DV6 Quad, Lenovo W520. I loved my T61p thinkpad I had a few years back. However, the W520 just looks like a monster O.o I would drop on a DV6 as that is the best buy but I hate the DV6 keyboard and the touchpad on them always gets in my way (my gf has a dv6 select that is about 9 months old).

any suggestions or other companies I haven't looked at yet? I don't have the money to drop on a falcon NW. dang.

You might take a look at this. It is what I just purchased. It has some pretty sweet power/performance scaling options, which allow you to have a bit more power onboard without necessarily having crap battery life.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LRO7QQ

[bigjinjapan]

Anyone know anything about when the new MacBook Air will finally come out and what might be different?

Also, is that laptop too inconvenient for law school due to the external drive or does it not really matter?

Thanks

Expected launch next month sometime with upgraded processor and latest OS. For daily use I doubt it will make much difference, and even if you buy now you get an upgrade voucher for the OS. As far as the external disc drive, I think you can leave it at home, but if you're a person who uses it a lot you might want to consider something else.

[typ3]

I am having a hard time deciding on a new laptop.

I currently own an Asus i5 360gts 4gb ram... However it's 16inches and I am not enthusiastic about rolling into class with a notebook blazoned with "Republic of Gamers" on it.

I want something that can play D3 and sc2 and I am trying to find something that is smaller and lighter than my current machine.

Looking at a Dell 15z, DV6 Quad, Lenovo W520. I loved my T61p thinkpad I had a few years back. However, the W520 just looks like a monster O.o I would drop on a DV6 as that is the best buy but I hate the DV6 keyboard and the touchpad on them always gets in my way (my gf has a dv6 select that is about 9 months old).

any suggestions or other companies I haven't looked at yet? I don't have the money to drop on a falcon NW. dang.

You might take a look at this. It is what I just purchased. It has some pretty sweet power/performance scaling options, which allow you to have a bit more power onboard without necessarily having crap battery life.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LRO7QQ

I would go with that but I am shying away from subnotebooks because they aren't very future proof with the exception of maybe the M11x.

[Eugenie Danglars]

Go to notebookreview forums and post your query in in this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/what-no ... uld-i-buy/

Just make sure to fill out their form. People there are good about responding.

This site is great! Thanks

[Eugenie Danglars]

Just a heads up- I went on the Lenovo site and played around with the X220. I upgraded a few things, and the final price was $1100ish. A chat option popped up, and I decided to ask for an education discount. After working with the customer service rep, she emailed me a quote that I can use to order the tricked out comp for $940

Ask and you shall receive. Also, if you sign up for the newsletter, you get 10% off. Sweet.

[ResolutePear]

Just a heads up- I went on the Lenovo site and played around with the X220. I upgraded a few things, and the final price was $1100ish. A chat option popped up, and I decided to ask for an education discount. After working with the customer service rep, she emailed me a quote that I can use to order the tricked out comp for $940

Ask and you shall receive. Also, if you sign up for the newsletter, you get 10% off. Sweet.

Yeah, Lenovo/Thinkpad is very nice about discounts and stuff to government and academia. Their corporate discounts aren't bad either - if you work for a conglomerate.

[Dany]

I couldn't be happier with my new computer!

[albanach]

Anyone know anything about when the new MacBook Air will finally come out and what might be different?

Also, is that laptop too inconvenient for law school due to the external drive or does it not really matter?

Thanks

It will have a thunderbolt port, you'll probably never use unless it's to connect an external monitor.

The big difference should be a switch to SandyBridge and i5 processors. That should make the MacBook air a lot faster. Standard memory might be upgraded to 4GB. If you're buying an older model at a discount now, make sure you get a 4GB model, as RAM is not upgradable and 2GB could slow you down.

[FantasticMrFox]

Don't Macbook Airs have heating issues? I've read/heard that somewhere...but it might be completely wrong

[queenlizzie13]

Don't Macbook Airs have heating issues? I've read/heard that somewhere...but it might be completely wrong

I thought Macbooks sometimes have heating issues in general, but I could be wrong as well.

[CBaker]

Just a heads up- I went on the Lenovo site and played around with the X220. I upgraded a few things, and the final price was $1100ish. A chat option popped up, and I decided to ask for an education discount. After working with the customer service rep, she emailed me a quote that I can use to order the tricked out comp for $940

Ask and you shall receive. Also, if you sign up for the newsletter, you get 10% off. Sweet.

Yeah I ended up getting the government discount and the 10%, but it took a whole bunch of complaining. Originally they didn't want to give me the 10%; then didn't want to give me 10% off the whole order; and then tried to only give me 10% off of the warranty and mouse I ordered instead of the laptop lol.

I ended up spending about 1900 for the X220 Tablet, with the 4 year depot warranty, upgraded ram, hard drive, camera, bluetooth, and the i7 processor. Now I just realized I need to go back and add the extended protection.

[Eugenie Danglars]

Just a heads up- I went on the Lenovo site and played around with the X220. I upgraded a few things, and the final price was $1100ish. A chat option popped up, and I decided to ask for an education discount. After working with the customer service rep, she emailed me a quote that I can use to order the tricked out comp for $940

Ask and you shall receive. Also, if you sign up for the newsletter, you get 10% off. Sweet.

Yeah I ended up getting the government discount and the 10%, but it took a whole bunch of complaining. Originally they didn't want to give me the 10%; then didn't want to give me 10% off the whole order; and then tried to only give me 10% off of the warranty and mouse I ordered instead of the laptop lol.

I ended up spending about 1900 for the X220 Tablet, with the 4 year depot warranty, upgraded ram, hard drive, camera, bluetooth, and the i7 processor. Now I just realized I need to go back and add the extended protection.

I guess I was just lucky- the rep was cheerful, and it only took 10 minutes (most of which was me filling out the form).

[deepspacenine]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

[typ3]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

MBP 15" will have the best gaming of them all if you have the 6750 in it.

I'm doing a Lenovo Thinkpad W520 though, it out benches the MBP for less and the keyboard is the best of any laptop imo Studies have proven that gunners out gun other gunners on exams when using a thinkpad keyboard

[beach_terror]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

Don't game during law school. Just don't. Get a laptop with an integrated card. You heard it here first.

[typ3]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

Don't game during law school. Just don't. Get a laptop with an integrated card. You heard it here first.

Why? If we can manage our time and work full bore from 7am to 7pm why can't we enjoy a game or two at night before hitting the sack. Do you also advise law students never to have drinks with friends, watch a movie, or eat out during their entire three years? This guy is asking about gaming during his relaxation time. Hell, maybe he wants to play minecraft for 5 minutes a day after doing his nightly outlining and wants to do it in 1080p.

What about those 3 months during the summer or few weeks during the winter when he wants to binge on Diablo 3 and hard liquor?

[beach_terror]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

Don't game during law school. Just don't. Get a laptop with an integrated card. You heard it here first.

Why? If we can manage our time and work full bore from 7am to 7pm why can't we enjoy a game or two at night before hitting the sack. Do you also advise law students never to have drinks with friends, watch a movie, or eat out during their entire three years? This guy is asking about gaming during his relaxation time. Hell, maybe he wants to play minecraft for 5 minutes a day after doing his nightly outlining and wants to do it in 1080p.

What about those 3 months during the summer or few weeks during the winter when he wants to binge on Diablo 3 and hard liquor?

yumadtho?

[typ3]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

Don't game during law school. Just don't. Get a laptop with an integrated card. You heard it here first.

Why? If we can manage our time and work full bore from 7am to 7pm why can't we enjoy a game or two at night before hitting the sack. Do you also advise law students never to have drinks with friends, watch a movie, or eat out during their entire three years? This guy is asking about gaming during his relaxation time. Hell, maybe he wants to play minecraft for 5 minutes a day after doing his nightly outlining and wants to do it in 1080p.

What about those 3 months during the summer or few weeks during the winter when he wants to binge on Diablo 3 and hard liquor?

yumadtho?

No, I'm not mad . I just think you should provide warrants to your suggestions on as to why one should never play any games during law school.

If someone has terrible time management they should probably get a net book incapable of even accessing face book or running farm ville. However, some people are better able to manage workloads and forgo putting off work.

These awesome time managers should play the occasional game, see the occasional movie, get the occasional dinner with friends, bang the occasional girlfriend, and get the occasional top half grades. Not ever blowing off steam or relaxing during life has disbarment for doing cocaine lines with escorts in an upscale Manhattan penthouse written all over it.

[ResolutePear]

Don't game during law school. Just don't. Get a laptop with an integrated card. You heard it here first.

Why? If we can manage our time and work full bore from 7am to 7pm why can't we enjoy a game or two at night before hitting the sack. Do you also advise law students never to have drinks with friends, watch a movie, or eat out during their entire three years? This guy is asking about gaming during his relaxation time. Hell, maybe he wants to play minecraft for 5 minutes a day after doing his nightly outlining and wants to do it in 1080p.

What about those 3 months during the summer or few weeks during the winter when he wants to binge on Diablo 3 and hard liquor?

yumadtho?

Nope . I just think you should provide warrants to your suggestions on as to why one should never play any games during law school.

If someone has terrible time management they should probably get a net book incapable of even accessing face book or running farm ville. However, some people are better able to manage workloads and forgo putting off work.

These awesome time managers should play the occasional game, see the occasional movie, get the occasional dinner with friends, bang the occasional girlfriend, and get the occasional top half grades. Not ever blowing off steam or relaxing during life has disbarment for doing cocaine lines with escorts in an upscale Manhattan penthouse written all over it.

Unless you made Law Review, got a job, and got married then knocked your wife up for good measure, you shouldn't be playing games. There's just no time for bullshit in any serious grad school setting.

Put down the Blizzard games(WOW. LULZ.) They'll wait for you.

[typ3]

Unless you made Law Review, got a job, and got married then knocked your wife up for good measure, you shouldn't be playing games. There's just no time for bullshit in any serious grad school setting.

Put down the Blizzard games(WOW. LULZ.) They'll wait for you.

Guess I better not sleep either since that'll detract from studying.

Grabbing a quick bite with friends isn't conducive to getting a better exam grade nor is having a beer on a Friday night. You reasonably can't expect students to have ZERO downtime during the semester. Drinking is bullshit. However, law students still find the time for it. Maybe the OP wants to play 3D tetris for an hour on Friday's for a little time off rather than having a beer. Guess he is destined for tier three toilet employment! Better advise those people who work out, spend time with SOs, watch ESPN, read the news or do any number of non studying things during the year to just pack it up and quit now (I mean they are all inevitably going to be public defenders in Wyoming, right?).

Your suggestions and comments are outrageous.

I don't believe the OP is suggesting he wants to do 25 man WoW raids every night until 4 AM. However, if it wants to fit light gaming in once a day or once a week I don't see the problem with it.

Too much bullshit and screwing off in a day is a disastrous thing, but it doesn't matter what type of bullshit it is. That's the bottom line.

[ResolutePear]

Because you need a space-heating graphics card to play tetris..

[typ3]

Because you need a space-heating graphics card to play tetris..

Maybe he has an undying passion for photo and video editing that he wants to use his laptop for during the summers? Who knows?

[fatduck]

Because you need a space-heating graphics card to play tetris..

Maybe he has an undying passion for photo and video editing that he wants to use his laptop for during the summers? Who knows?

i normally find "u mad?" to be a pretty weak response, but dear god you are defensive about this.

[bigjinjapan]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

For the money desktop performance trumps pretty much any notebook out there, so I'd build and get an ultralight for school. Of course, by the time you build and buy you could probably get a pretty nice gaming laptop for the same money, but I tend prefer more, specialized systems to fewer, general purpose systems (might be why I have 3 at any given time...).

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4348/smal ... rs-guide/4

[typ3]

So what are my fellow law school bound gamers going to be doing? I'm having trouble deciding between building a gaming rig + a MacBook Air, just going with the MacBook Pro for a heavier all in one solution and sacrificing GPU/gaming ability, or the Alienware m11x and a MacBook Air (if I want to bleed what little money I've saved before the debt begins).

Tough call! Anyone else planning on gaming a bit during your relaxation times? What are you going to do?

For the money desktop performance trumps pretty much any notebook out there, so I'd build and get an ultralight for school. Of course, by the time you build and buy you could probably get a pretty nice gaming laptop for the same money, but I tend prefer more, specialized systems to fewer, general purpose systems (might be why I have 3 at any given time...).

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4348/smal ... rs-guide/4

This is especially much more reasonable now with the advent of reliable cloud quad computing. Just do all your outlining etc in a dropbox folder that way you'll always have it. This also saves you the headaches of a computer crash etc.