If I were in college, I would get LoJack for any laptop.

 

 

I always use my laptop on some kind of surface, table, bar, whatever.

Air circulation, or lack of, can overheat and possibly damage the laptop.

And yeah, college is laptop territory...but you have to worry about theft with that...nobody wants to take a tower and monitor setup anymore. And also burning your future children as it rests in your lap as you work. But in college, that could be a plus  LOL

 

Tulip3D:

 

Think college is desktop territory? I just suggested a laptop to our up 'n coming student.

 

Do you run Acad on a laptop as well as a desktop?

 

BTW, Micky D's has free WiFi! Big whoop!

Soon, I don't care when, Q-Mart'll be wireless too!

 

I think you would be better off with a laptop; i.e.: trips to the library, class, whatever.

 

Most college campus' are now WiFi. My daughter used to email her instructor completed assignments.

 

Sit on an outdoor picnic table, work, surf, have fun.

 

Laptop, I strongly suggest a Thinkpad™. Beautiful screen resolution, portable, I suggest a 14 inch screen, still crystal clear and a longer battery life. I use the optional 9-cell Ion battery, 4-5 hours runnin' time!

 

The stock 6-cell Ion battery, 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours of runnin' time.

I run AutoCAD '05 and '07 never a problem however, I'm not rendering (seldom) and 90% of my work is 2D. Plan and elevation views, advanced plumbing.

 

I have two Thinkpad™ laptops, one very seldom used.

I had two more, gave one to a son, the other to my daughter.

Both love their Thinkpad™ laptops!

 

To keep "others" off your machine, get the fingerprint reader option.

My GF says, "If you die, I'm cuttin' your fingers off and wear 'em around my neck!" I let her register her fingerprint, she rules!

 

 

 

My suggestion would be is to look up whatever version of Acad your putting on it and make sure you spec it out. Lots of RAM and at least a 512mb video card, to start.

As for monitors, you need somthing basically hi-def...hi contrast ratio. CAD is very visual. The old CRT monitors were great. But everythings LCD now. So be prepared to spend alot. Tell your parents that you NEED it, not that you want it, lol.