Laptop or Cheap Micro ATX build for uni?

[Zhiaaaaaaaaa]

Hi. I was debating wether this fits in the laptop/ prebuilds category or this one. Either way, i need help as university is starting and i have wanted to pc game since i was 12. I got into a very mid range to top grade uni and i probably have to put in work as i always do. I wanna make youtube content too. Its always been a passion. Besides calisthenics of course... anyway i bought parts after making some cash and decided to do a mid range pc build but i still have not bought my gpu and im thinking of selling my parts completely! As im not willing to take a 800$ pc to there. Pc gaming when university is in another city i just...NO.

so i was looking at some of these pre build dell's and i wanted to get thoughts on it. Shall i get a 700$ laptop and do shit gaming 'on the go' ? Forget about gaming completely ? Or what? I wanna take something so cheap with me no one would take it. Or just me feeling safe to keep it there. Something for around 200-250$. Maybe if i go look through the shchools in my city i can find some desktops and build a system with maybe 4c i5 3rd or 4rd gen 8g of ddr3 ram an ssd and a rx 570 or gtx 770 or something? Please help I dont know what to do and its worse as i have my pc parts in its boxes not opened laying there...

[Derrk]

ITX Build!

[DVA]

This seems more like a self judgement call. 

 

Would playing games and recording videos make your grades suffer? If the answer is "well no I could just..." than you're already fucked. I made the mistake of thinking I could do some nice gaming and uni at the same time. My very last semester when is when I just stopped gaming for a few months and my grade SKYROCKETED. School was a lot easier, I didn't need extensions and I was never in a hurry to finish projects. It was great as far as school life was concerned. 

 

I'd just get a cheap laptop if I were you so you can focus on school and relax with light gaming from time to time. 

[VEXICUS]

2 minutes ago, Zhiaaaaaaaaa said:

...

Well, if u wanna build a decent rig for cheap, then follow this guide.

1. Purchase a prebuilt from Acer/Dell/HP/Lenovo with at least a 3rd/4th gen i5/i7 and 8gb of ram. I mostly prefer Acer units as they don't use proprietary connectors. They usually go around for about $140-180.
2. Purchase a cheapo $30-40 SSD for faster loading speeds.
3. Purchase an old used GPU, something like a gtx 770/780/780ti/970/980/980ti. You can find most of them fr around $70-120. 
4. You'll need to upgrade the existing PSU to something like a masterwatt frm cooler master or cxm series from Corsair. They usually go around fr about $40.

[markr54632]

I couldn't imagine trying to make it through school without a laptop. Honestly I find myself staying at the library or a restaurant pretty often to study with fewer distractions. 

[Derrk]

6 minutes ago, markr54632 said:

I couldn't imagine trying to make it through school without a laptop. Honestly I find myself staying at the library or a restaurant pretty often to study with fewer distractions. 

Laptop will be more useful. You can't take a desktop to class. Although, i have seen people take their desktops to the library for that good internet...

[Mira Yurizaki]

Ideally, if all you're doing is taking notes, a cheap laptop and a desktop is a good combination. But if you had to pick one or the other, go with a laptop.

[GoldenLag]

Light laptop + a second hand build is what id recommend. You wont know how nice a light laptop is untill you try bringing a heavy one

[Zhiaaaaaaaaa]

Okay i think i know what im gonna do now... i will sell my parts and wont build the pc. I will buy a cheap laptop for school work. Thats it. If i find that i can manage school work and all or hell, i will get a job in the first year and we will see about the second. First year is usually short and easy. Thanks to everyone for the opinions, thoughts and ideas....

[MandoPanda]

You should go for a laptop that is not too heavy. You are in university now, you need to focus on school. Gaming can take a back seat or even a pause for a few years.

 

Like others have said though, you could get a laptop (best option for university) and build a second hand rig for light gaming when you have time. But like I said, most of your free time should go to studying and writing papers...

[markr54632]

29 minutes ago, MandoPanda said:

You should go for a laptop that is not too heavy. You are in university now, you need to focus on school. Gaming can take a back seat or even a pause for a few years.

 

Like others have said though, you could get a laptop (best option for university) and build a second hand rig for light gaming when you have time. But like I said, most of your free time should go to studying and writing papers...

I kind of disagree on the thin and light statement. I started off with a thin and light. Found it incredibly frustrating and impractical. Shrunken keyboard layouts just dont work for me. I typically use a laptop 5-12 hours on most days. Most text books are online now. My biggest two considerations in a laptop at this point are a keyboard that is comfortable enough and a screen that doesnt overly fatigue my eyes. Closely followed by must be able to reliably run all of the programs I use for school.

[MandoPanda]

5 hours ago, markr54632 said:

Found it incredibly frustrating and impractical. Shrunken keyboard layouts just dont work for me.

Notice how I said one that is 'not too heavy'. Literally not the same words as 'thin and light'... By this I mean you can get a laptop that is good but not in the "I'm going to lose so many ports, performance, and good features just so it weighs 2.54 pounds in my bag" category...

 

Also, any keyboard without a full sized feel is not even worth using... Most 13" and above laptops have decent sized keyboards. What laptop were you using??? And how did it make you frustrated???

 

Also, using it a max of 12 hours means you will have to carry a charger just in case for those long nights. BUT there are some laptops that can serve your needs for the most part, the LG Gram comes to mind (though I do not like it personally). Do some digging for long battery life. Live by the reviews.

 

I got away with a Macbook Air lasting me all day while doing notes while I was in university, but the Air is so outdated I can't actually make that recommendation.

[markr54632]

10 hours ago, MandoPanda said:

Also, any keyboard without a full sized feel is not even worth using... Most 13" and above laptops have decent sized keyboards. What laptop were you using??? And how did it make you frustrated???

I started with a Lenovo flex although I have used a yoga 910 extensively as well. Lenovo's keyboard layout on those lineups borders on unusable. This coupled with the fact that I use a numpad alot I just started carrying a full size keyboard.

 

I carry an acer nitro v now and it has filled my needs pretty great without having to carry much else. I still carry an ipad with me on long days to use as a second monitor.