how essential are laptops in law school? Forum

[sangr]

from what i gather all exams are taken with ones laptop right? so i guess they are necessary.

does anyone take only their desktop pcs?

thanks

[ph14]

from what i gather all exams are taken with ones laptop right? so i guess they are necessary.

does anyone take only their desktop pcs?

thanks

Required at my school.

[sangr]

can it be the most basic of laptops?

[rinkrat19]

can it be the most basic of laptops?

A lot of schools have minimum hardware requirements.

[joemoviebuff]

You need a laptop, and it needs to be a non-shitty laptop. HTH.

[vanwinkle]

It sounds like what you're really asking is, "If I get the cheapest, most pared-down Black-Friday-special laptop at Best Buy, will that work for law school?"

The answer is, technically, yes. Pretty much anything on the market today should be sufficient, as long as it runs Windows. (Many schools use custom exam-administering software such as Exam4 which is Windows or Mac only, and Macs don't come cheap.) But realistically, you get what you pay for, and do you really want to spend $180K on a legal education and then blow it all because your $199 laptop died on exam day?

[094320]

..

[DocHawkeye]

It sounds like what you're really asking is, "If I get the cheapest, most pared-down Black-Friday-special laptop at Best Buy, will that work for law school?"

The answer is, technically, yes. Pretty much anything on the market today should be sufficient, as long as it runs Windows. (Many schools use custom exam-administering software such as Exam4 which is Windows or Mac only, and Macs don't come cheap.) But realistically, you get what you pay for, and do you really want to spend $180K on a legal education and then blow it all because your $199 laptop died on exam day?

Expanding off of this, someone (not in law school) is lending me their laptop during my exam days so that if mine crashes or explodes I have a backup.

The only backup to your registered laptop my school allows the the bluebook. Ugh...

I bought a middle of the road laptop (about $450) and it has served me pretty well thus far. Several of my profs use Blackboard to make assignments so I need to have it handy when I am preparing to read each day for class.

[NYC Law]

I don't think it is necessary. I think most schools have some sort of laptop rental program (through the library) for exams. But I'd highly recommend getting a decent laptop.

[NeighborGuy]

Those at my school who choose to handwrite are now the "special" kids who get to go to a different room on exam day, presumably to fingerpaint in their bluebooks while drinking chocolate milk and getting high fives from their government-appointed helper.

Seriously, any new laptop will fill the bare minimum, but you'll want to get a half-decent one. There's a giant computer thread somewhere around here.

Wait, don't questions like this go in the 0L forum now?

[vanwinkle]

Wait, don't questions like this go in the 0L forum now?

Actually, they do. Moved.

[sangr]

how much battery life would we probably need then? (for exams)

im assuming we cant all plug it in the power cord right?

[NeighborGuy]

how much battery life would we probably need then? (for exams)

im assuming we cant all plug it in the power cord right?

Exams are typically 3 to 4 hours, so you'll want at least that much if your school doesn't have outlets in the exam room. Turns out my school's classrooms have at least 1 outlet for every student that will be in the test room, but I didn't count on that when I bought mine.

[kalvano]

How much are you looking at spending on law school?

Jesus, pony up the $600 or so for a decent laptop.

[sangr]

how much battery life would we probably need then? (for exams)

im assuming we cant all plug it in the power cord right?

Exams are typically 3 to 4 hours, so you'll want at least that much if your school doesn't have outlets in the exam room. Turns out my school's classrooms have at least 1 outlet for every student that will be in the test room, but I didn't count on that when I bought mine.

jeez. i wonder if most places account for students laptop battery life.

[Zazelmaf]

Not essential at all, unless you need to be on google chat or facebook during class.

[DocHawkeye]

Most classrooms here have electrical outlets at each student seat for laptops.

[Zazelmaf]

can it be the most basic of laptops?

Yes, it can. The most basic laptop sold in stores now is overkill compared to what is required. I bought a netbook over two years ago and use it for exams. Cost around $300 and it works just fine. Anything, I repeat, ANYTHING new on the market today will work.

[sangr]

ok guys i am getting one....im just concerned that it has about 4.5 hour battery life.

but from what i can gather so far in this thread i dont have to worry for exams cuz we have power outlets accounted for

[rinkrat19]

ok guys i am getting one....im just concerned that it has about 4.5 hour battery life.

but from what i can gather so far in this thread i dont have to worry for exams cuz we have power outlets accounted for

Are you getting a 17" gaming machine or something? Get something with better battery life.
You won't always be able to find an outlet, in the library or the common room or a coffee shop.
Plus that 4.5 hour battery won't last 4.5 hours forever. Battery memory is a bitch.

[gaud]

Battery memory is a bitch.

I lol'd; very true

[sangr]

ok guys i am getting one....im just concerned that it has about 4.5 hour battery life.

but from what i can gather so far in this thread i dont have to worry for exams cuz we have power outlets accounted for

Are you getting a 17" gaming machine or something? Get something with better battery life.
You won't always be able to find an outlet, in the library or the common room or a coffee shop.
Plus that 4.5 hour battery won't last 4.5 hours forever. Battery memory is a bitch.

lol actually...yes i am
i wanna play a game or two.

so are u more concerned about the fact that i may not have a plug during an exam? or just during other days?

[rinkrat19]

ok guys i am getting one....im just concerned that it has about 4.5 hour battery life.

but from what i can gather so far in this thread i dont have to worry for exams cuz we have power outlets accounted for

Are you getting a 17" gaming machine or something? Get something with better battery life.
You won't always be able to find an outlet, in the library or the common room or a coffee shop.
Plus that 4.5 hour battery won't last 4.5 hours forever. Battery memory is a bitch.

lol actually...yes i am
i wanna play a game or two.

so are u more concerned about the fact that i may not have a plug during an exam? or just during other days?

Carrying a 17" gamer to class is ridiculous. You might as well lug your desktop in on a handcart, CRT monitor and all. (I have a 17"...it does not travel well. I don't take it anywhere unless absolutely necessary.)

[sangr]

its actually a 15.5. i know thats still on the bigger side.

so other than the carrying it around to the library, etc.

do u think its fine for exams? ( in your experience)

[NeighborGuy]

its actually a 15.5. i know thats still on the bigger side.

so other than the carrying it around to the library, etc.

do u think its fine for exams? ( in your experience)

Anything that can adequately run a word processor can run exam software.

Here are 60 pages of recent posts about law school computers. Enjoy.