Help with computer for school

[CanCD]

Hi everyone,
I've been accepted to engineering at my local university fall 2022. I am shopping for a laptop to use for school.
I am not a computer guy so I don't have alot of knowledge to discuss tech specs but I just want it to be:

Robust: I bike to school year round and will need it to be able to handle the jostling. My pack is waterproof.
Portability: see above.
Price: I'm a Mustachian so obviously I appreciate optimization but also this purchase is covered by my employer so I am not overly concerned.
OS: I mostly use Windows but I also use my wife's macbook and I would be fine with that as well.
Specs: I just need it to be able to handle anything a typical school experience requires.

I'm sure computer people are reading this and cringing so I am sorry if I am missing critical items or my vernacular is terrible so please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks very much

[secondcor521]

Typically engineering programs will have a list of hard requirements for a computer or a list of actual brands/models.  I would ask the engineering program at the school where you plan to attend for their list and then choose from among those.

[ncornilsen]

It'll need to be Windows based... Solidworks, CATIA, etc do not run natively on MacOS, and those are the typical industry-wide programs.

Multiple processor cores don't help with CAD much. So go for faster but less cores on the processor. As always, maximize RAM. a good graphics card won't hurt.

[CanCD]

It'll need to be Windows based... Solidworks, CATIA, etc do not run natively on MacOS, and those are the typical industry-wide programs.

Multiple processor cores don't help with CAD much. So go for faster but less cores on the processor. As always, maximize RAM. a good graphics card won't hurt.

Thank you very much for that.
Does any specific product come to mind that satisfies all of those requirements ?

[SweatingInAR]

I'll take the opposite point of view here. I was a TA for Electrical Engineering students about 10 years ago while I was in graduate school. This is probably outdated advice, but whatever...

In a typical US 4-year engineering program you will do very little taxing computer work in your first 2 years. You'll have an introduction to engineering course to learn a little bit of each discipline, but the school may even have a computer lab to play with the programs. By the time you benefit from some processing power, your powerful laptop will be outdated, still heavy, have degraded battery life, and it might even be in need of hinge or fan repair. I wouldn't sweat the computing requirements set forth by the university too heavily. If I was spending my own money, I would get a cheap, light, and portable windows laptop for day 1, and an upgradable desktop computer when I needed it. Something with a full-size case and a modern processor.

Since you are spending someone else's money, see if they would cover two computers. If not, just get the nicest ultrabook you can find. 500GB SSD is enough. Maybe minimum 16GB of RAM and 8 hour battery? Processor and graphics capability are not as important.

[CanCD]

This is excellent, thank you.
While I have you here, do you have any general advice for me ? I know that's a huge question but just wanted to pick your brain, if that's possible.

[SweatingInAR]

Save some easy classes for your last year. I had an online economics class my last semester, and it was a wonderful diversion from the other 4 hard engineering courses that I was taking. I could knock out an entire week of assignments and quizzes in about 30 minutes!



Be willing to change your major, but not too many times.

I observed many people who didn't know what they wanted to do, so they would change major and try out a new program for a semester then give up and change again. This is extraordinarily inefficient. Go to a community college if you want to do this.

On the other hand, pay attention to your aptitude! When I started out, we had to pick a particular engineering discipline. Most of us picked mechanical or aerospace engineering because they are observable things that got us interested in engineering in the first place. Who doesn't like planes and cars? In year 2, after Physics 1 (force, momentum, energy, acceleration) kicked my butt, I questioned being in engineering. I chalked it up to an incompatible professor and stuck with it because I did well enough in my other classes. Then in Physics 2 (electricity!), I really excelled while my peers struggled. I switched to electrical engineering after that semester and have had a great time since!

[Askel]

As others have said- see if the school has any requirements. Our first year engineering students are required to purchase a laptop and the school has very specific requirements.

But if they don't require one, I'd hold off and see what you need unless that employer offer is about to expire.  Typically schools that don't require purchasing a computer make it a point to provide all the computing resources you need via labs.   

As for robustness, I keep a redundant array of crappy laptops I've rescued from the garbage that I carry back and forth by bike for school and work. Dells, Apples, and Lenovos all seem to be taking the abuse just fine.  I do carry them in a padded sleeve though.   

[PDXTabs]

Since you are spending someone else's money, see if they would cover two computers. If not, just get the nicest ultrabook you can find. 500GB SSD is enough. Maybe minimum 16GB of RAM and 8 hour battery? Processor and graphics capability are not as important.

The Lenovo T14 might meet these specs. It still has one user accessible RAM slot (and SSD) and I've been mostly happy with mine. Make sure not to get the 1366x768 screen. I've been happy with my "FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, Low Power, 400 nits" screen.

EDITed to add: I used mine for software work, not proper engineering. As such I don't use CAD.

[CanCD]

Save some easy classes for your last year. I had an online economics class my last semester, and it was a wonderful diversion from the other 4 hard engineering courses that I was taking. I could knock out an entire week of assignments and quizzes in about 30 minutes!



Be willing to change your major, but not too many times.

I observed many people who didn't know what they wanted to do, so they would change major and try out a new program for a semester then give up and change again. This is extraordinarily inefficient. Go to a community college if you want to do this.

On the other hand, pay attention to your aptitude! When I started out, we had to pick a particular engineering discipline. Most of us picked mechanical or aerospace engineering because they are observable things that got us interested in engineering in the first place. Who doesn't like planes and cars? In year 2, after Physics 1 (force, momentum, energy, acceleration) kicked my butt, I questioned being in engineering. I chalked it up to an incompatible professor and stuck with it because I did well enough in my other classes. Then in Physics 2 (electricity!), I really excelled while my peers struggled. I switched to electrical engineering after that semester and have had a great time since!

Okay I understand , thank you. I am a bit terrified to go to school because I wasn't academically focused in high school.and have been in a skilled trade since. I'm 30 now but I'm FIRE and school is paid for so I'm going to give it a really good try.
I'm also very excited about the big shift in lifestyle and work, which is really nice.
One of my passions is building ebikes and while I am decent with my hands and a okay understanding of the system I am weak in the theory, so I hope that I catch on to electrical as you did.

[secondcor521]

Not sure if you want my advice too.  My son is currently a sophomore in mechanical engineering.

As far as picking which engineering discipline, we did two things:

1.  When visiting schools, he talked to students in the various engineering majors, as well as professors in the various majors.  He also visited labs and classes of the various majors.  While I was drawn to the EE/CS lab with all the computers and cables and network stuff (CS undergrad), he liked the planes and bridges and hyperloop carbon fiber stuff of mechanical engineering.  (Second choice for him was all the beakers and test tubes in the chemistry lab, but he was pretty burned out on chemistry stuff after 5 years of it in middle and high school.)

2.  Many schools have 4-year sample plans which list every class, every semester for a particular degree.  Go read all the 4-year plans for all the degrees you're interested in - the class titles and the paragraph or so about what the class does.  Imagine yourself taking all of those classes in order to graduate.  There may be a dud or hard class or two in there, but most of them should sound at least somewhat interesting and appealing and mostly possible.  My son *loves* SolidWorks stuff (not sure which class that was in) and Statics so far.  Calculus is just something to get through for him.  Differential equations will probably be tough for him.

Oh, and one other thing - some schools arrange their curriculums so that most of the first year or maybe even two are the same for all engineering disciplines.  Some also have seminars or 1-credit survey classes where you do a week or two rotation in each discipline.  So that helps too.

Since you've got your school already, I'll just mention for others that it may be good to choose a school that has all the options you might consider.  My son was considering mechanical, chemical and nuclear, so we made sure that all schools he applied to had all of those degree programs.

[alsoknownasDean]

Lenovo Thinkpad or Dell Latitude or similar is usually the default recommendation for a laptop that's somewhat durable.

Maybe the Dell XPS or Microsoft Surface Laptop if you're prepared to spring a bit more.

Most cheaper consumer grade laptops aren't really made to last.

[terran]

Along the same lines as the other responses, but don't feel like you have to limit yourself to looking at information posted by the school. If you don't find anything ask someone who works at the school. I'd probably take a look at the classes I expected to take and ask the professor for whatever seemed like the most computer intensive class what software they teach students to use, then look up the requirements for that software.

[CanCD]

Not sure if you want my advice too.  My son is currently a sophomore in mechanical engineering.

As far as picking which engineering discipline, we did two things:

1.  When visiting schools, he talked to students in the various engineering majors, as well as professors in the various majors.  He also visited labs and classes of the various majors.  While I was drawn to the EE/CS lab with all the computers and cables and network stuff (CS undergrad), he liked the planes and bridges and hyperloop carbon fiber stuff of mechanical engineering.  (Second choice for him was all the beakers and test tubes in the chemistry lab, but he was pretty burned out on chemistry stuff after 5 years of it in middle and high school.)

2.  Many schools have 4-year sample plans which list every class, every semester for a particular degree.  Go read all the 4-year plans for all the degrees you're interested in - the class titles and the paragraph or so about what the class does.  Imagine yourself taking all of those classes in order to graduate.  There may be a dud or hard class or two in there, but most of them should sound at least somewhat interesting and appealing and mostly possible.  My son *loves* SolidWorks stuff (not sure which class that was in) and Statics so far.  Calculus is just something to get through for him.  Differential equations will probably be tough for him.

Oh, and one other thing - some schools arrange their curriculums so that most of the first year or maybe even two are the same for all engineering disciplines.  Some also have seminars or 1-credit survey classes where you do a week or two rotation in each discipline.  So that helps too.

Since you've got your school already, I'll just mention for others that it may be good to choose a school that has all the options you might consider.  My son was considering mechanical, chemical and nuclear, so we made sure that all schools he applied to had all of those degree programs.

Thank you very much for this, I certainly do want yours and anyone elses advice on the matter.
Wow, your son is much more clever than I! I had no clue what I wanted to do after high school. I can't imagine touring different universities and having a good enough head on my shoulders to examine programs, speak to professors, etc. Although, it also sounds like he has a fantastic mom/dad. So good for you guys !!
I am interested in the material for sure but a big part of me is just going for fun and something to do ! Is that weird?

Alright thanks for the information and all the best to you and your son.

[CanCD]

Lenovo Thinkpad or Dell Latitude or similar is usually the default recommendation for a laptop that's somewhat durable.

Maybe the Dell XPS or Microsoft Surface Laptop if you're prepared to spring a bit more.

Most cheaper consumer grade laptops aren't really made to last.

Awesome, thank you. I am going for the Dell XPS.