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Msingh_G

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I use a mac. I'm very satisfied with it.

Question banks are only available with windows, if you have access to them. 

 

For most use, any computer with internet and a word processor should do. (Intended as a joke to portray that any computer will do, in case someone misinterprets it and thinks I live in 1995.)

Edited by Negotiation
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Which laptop do you think would be the most 'helpful' for the dp? 

 

I use a Mac, but I'd have preferred a windows in terms of which is the most helpful for the DP. 

 

Questionbanks (compilations of previous exam questions) are .exe files that work only on windows, necessitating the hijack of my dad's laptop.  

 

Some free programs I downloaded for Math and Econs IAs refused to work on my mac. 

 

Of course, these are just small inconveniences. Just make sure you have a decent productivity suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), and an internet connection. Also (very important) make sure your computer is working properly. There is nothing more annoying than a moody computer that randomly decides to shut down, deleting three hours of work, or one that takes five minutes to load a file. 

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Hmm... I don't want to be the outcast but, if you're not taking your laptop to school then build a desktop PC. Most computer users don't generally even take their devices outside of the house; so, why not spend less money on a more powerful system by investing in a desktop PC? For example, in my current life I wouldn't need to take a laptop to school because my school has computers. But if you're keen on buying a laptop for regular use, Negotiation nailed it. All current laptops running AMD chipsets or some sort of Intel processor will get through everyday things just fine. You can probably find excellent laptops for around 400 cash money; but, if you're looking for a gaming or a video/photo editing laptop then you will have to spend around 700-1000 bucks for a decent one. I recommend a Lenovo Ideapad laptop. They have pretty decent price to performance ratio (rubbish for a desktop though) considering it is a laptop and they actually look decent. Kind of like a mac book design. Good luck!

Edited by maturk
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Most computer users don't generally even take their devices outside of the house

I think you should start doing that then. If you have a personal laptop you have access to all of your usual data and programs immediately, rather than the hassle that shared computers usually are.

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Well there are things you have to consider:

1- You will be using Office/Word document most of the time. Getting a super-laptop with huge RAM and processing capacity is not really needed.

2- Battery, you will need it. (thanks to Negotiation for pointing this important point out.)

3- Portability, especially if you use it alot at school.

 

Now for the discussion between Mac VS Windows, consider the following:

1- If your teachers/school use Windows, get a windows laptop, Incompatibility issues might occur and can be annoying.

2- You will have to get software in order to run question banks

 

My advice is get a decent/cheap laptop for IB and then invest in one once you go to Uni, and get the one you feel most comfortable with.

 

Oh, and just a tip. Always back up your folders. ALWAYS! My laptop's hard drive completely died and got corrupted the day after i submitted my IAs/EE/ToK. I was lucky, but stupid not to back them up.

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Oh, and just a tip. Always back up your folders. ALWAYS! My laptop's hard drive completely died and got corrupted the day after i submitted my IAs/EE/ToK. I was lucky, but stupid not to back them up.

About this, I don't get why people can't seem to back up. It's not even hard. Just install dropbox on your computer and save your work in there by default. It's automatic, and it's free.

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I would personally advise you to go with a mac. I'm using a mac loaded with iWork (Apple's own productivity suite), and a program called Crossover to run question bank .exe files, and quite frankly, I find it brilliant. Then again, I also do a lot of media work, so having a mac helps with that. Ultimately you'll just have to pick whichever suits you best.

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Oh, and just a tip. Always back up your folders. ALWAYS! My laptop's hard drive completely died and got corrupted the day after i submitted my IAs/EE/ToK. I was lucky, but stupid not to back them up.

About this, I don't get why people can't seem to back up. It's not even hard. Just install dropbox on your computer and save your work in there by default. It's automatic, and it's free.

 

 

Well, its just something that you'd never expect could ever happen. I mean the chance is extremely low, and you just happen to overlook the fact that even though the chance is low, it could still happen.

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If you are worried about question banks on mac - just use crossover, it works perfectly. 

 

Also, macs don't tend to have the same hardware and software issues (yes i am a mac fan). 

 

If cost isn't an issue, get a mac and sleep well knowing your work is secure, and that you can do practically everything you need on it. It does depend on what work you plan to do on it, but personally, I think a mac is perfect for any IB student.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have an Acer Aspire and it works perfectly for me. I use Google Drive for most of my documents to avoid the issue of lost files. It's also handy because I can also access them on my phone and nook, so technically I don't really need a laptop. I prefer to use a proper keyboard, however, and my school's computers are ancient desktops so it's generally more efficient for me to use a laptop. Especially for notes in history.

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