Is this an awful plan?

[Terbinator]

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...s-atx-uatx-psu

Or

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/silve...silver-w-o-psu ???

[no_numb]

Looks like a nice laptop, the only thing I'd say is have a look at the keyboard my gfs mini 110 netbook has no page up and page down and the arrow keys are really annoying, it does my head in.

[Cheapy]

From experience by the time you have packed up two weeks worth of clothes and all the notes you need to do your work thats a lot of stuff already to lug back home without a computer too. If you plan on catching the train home its not going to be a good trip getting all that stuff home.

Another thing is if your accomadation has shelves above the desk they might be too low to fit a 24" monitor under them. Just somthing to bear in mind when arriving at uni.

[Skulltrail]

Speaking as someone who did the whole downsizing for university thing a year ago, I'm really not sure it's worth it, especially when you have the P180 Mini already. While my V351 (and the handle on its box) make it nice and easy to take home, in reality I didn't do that at the end of every term as expected as for the three or four weeks I had off the laptop or circa 2004 desktop would suffice. My advice would just be take the P180 Mini and suck it up for the two or four days a year when you are likely to actually move it.

On the other hand a small laptop is definatedly worth it - there may well be computers dotted all over the place but at King's at least they're old single thread P4 units which idle with about 70 processes running, so there's no such thing as 'quickly checking something'.

[nibbler]

Hmm is still my overiding feeling... I'm tempted to just upgrade anyway (this awful cpu/motherboard combo has to go anyway, that's for sure), and get something like a 2500k and a 6950 (although tbh, I'd be best waiting for bulldozer if it ever arrives in that case ). I'm pretty sure the accommodation would be fine with a 24" monitor, but it's a good point. The monitor is only about 13" high I think, so it's more width that would be an issue. This P180 is so heavy though, that's my main complaint..

[no_numb]

Speaking as someone who did the whole downsizing for university thing a year ago, I'm really not sure it's worth it, especially when you have the P180 Mini already. While my V351 (and the handle on its box) make it nice and easy to take home, in reality I didn't do that at the end of every term as expected as for the three or four weeks I had off the laptop or circa 2004 desktop would suffice. My advice would just be take the P180 Mini and suck it up for the two or four days a year when you are likely to actually move it.

On the other hand a small laptop is definatedly worth it - there may well be computers dotted all over the place but at King's at least they're old single thread P4 units which idle with about 70 processes running, so there's no such thing as 'quickly checking something'.

That sucks in my uni they're pretty good.

Dual core 3gb ram 22" screen in the computer rooms in my department, some are not quite as good around the campus but all pretty good, various departments have macs instead.

The latest thing in my uni is to have acer revos around the common areas/foyers where you can quickly log on to check your emails or timetable or whatever without having to go to a computer room.

[oolon]

I think a laptop is important for Uni as you then have something to work on while on Campus, rather than having to get back to hall. Ok the Uni does provide computers but there is nothing like having your own, as you don't need to complete for resources. Also when going to Uni generally girls and beer for some reason are more important than gaming. Don't tie yourself into having to be in Hall/digs.

[nibbler]

I think a laptop is important for Uni as you then have something to work on while on Campus, rather than having to get back to hall. Ok the Uni does provide computers but there is nothing like having your own, as you don't need to complete for resources. Also when going to Uni generally girls and beer for some reason are more important than gaming. Don't tie yourself into having to be in Hall/digs.

Halls are on campus so that's no problem. Yeah, i can't see myself gaming much during term time but I like having the power available for a quick game once a week or so, and I may as well get something that'll last (although a 6950 seems overkill, a 6870 at £130 from ebuyer is more like it, I'll grant you that).

[no_numb]

I think a laptop is important for Uni as you then have something to work on while on Campus, rather than having to get back to hall. Ok the Uni does provide computers but there is nothing like having your own, as you don't need to complete for resources. Also when going to Uni generally girls and beer for some reason are more important than gaming. Don't tie yourself into having to be in Hall/digs.

Compete for resources how? I guess it depends on what the uni is like for computing support but I have only taken my laptop into uni about 5 times in the 3 and a half years I've been here.

I dont like working on my laptop when I've got a proper keyboard mouse and a 22" screen available to me in uni. I think a main pc and netbook/ultraportable is the way to go! I'd take a desktop over a laptop for uni any day!

[oolon]

Also your probably get free electric in hall so something to fold on might be good. Time for that 1kw computer you were afraid to turn on.

If you are out in rented it probably will not have central heating so your need an electric fire... might as well use the electric for something useful first.

[no_numb]

Also your probably get free electric in hall so something to fold on might be good. Time for that 1kw computer you were afraid to turn on.

and then move out of halls into a house and really suffer! Halls are amazing for fast internet and free bills though. Someone set up a filesharing server for a group of about 6 halls and it was the most ridiculous thing ever. I swear you could download faster than you could move a file on your computer. Films took seconds to download.

Seen the edit so true my room is definitely warmer than some of the others with the amount of electrical equipment I have in here!

[nibbler]

Also your probably get free electric in hall so something to fold on might be good. Time for that 1kw computer you were afraid to turn on.

If you are out in rented it probably will not have central heating so your need an electric fire... might as well use the electric for something useful first.

Uni provides accommodation all three/four years, so I might get something to fold on... or bitcoin mine. Could pay for itself in 6 months or so

But it really does boil down to how on earth I'd get a massive 15kg computer from Cambridge to Glasgow and back more than once a year...

[oolon]

If money is not a problem then rent storage while your away.

This place seems to be quoting 3 pounds per square foot per year... not sure how much "bulk" counts as though.

[nibbler]

If money is not a problem then rent storage while your away.

This place seems to be quoting 3 pounds per square foot per year... not sure how much "bulk" counts as though.

Aah it's the other way round, Glasgow is home Cambridge is uni. I think I could keep it in Cam somehow, but i'd feel bad asking people to look after a massive PC, and not sure I'd want to leave it in the college.

[Skulltrail]

That is actually an excellent point about heating - my radiator broke mid-October and wasn't finally fixed (despite about 6 maintainence visits) until mid-January - only had an i7 and 2 460s to keep me warm.

It actually worked as well (ambient temperature increased by about 7C after a few hours), especially after I re-orientated the back pannel / exhaust fan to blow over my bed. The noise was irritating at night though.

However, I have had to stop folding the past week as my room is getting pretty tropical!

[oolon]

Big yellow do some really small storage boxes 8 ft (h) 3.3 ft (w) 3.3 ft (d) that is 13 pounds a week in london they even do a 3x3x3 box.