what laptop is good for nursing school

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

I'm starting nursing school on january for my associate and my laptop (hp) is not functionally normally. So soon I will need a laptop replacement. I would like to hear some opinions of which laptop will be good for nursing school. Also, when writing your careplans, do you use microsoft templates (microsoft doc, powerpoints etc)? Any information will be appreciated :)thank you for your time .

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Hey RunBaby,

If you go back to school no need for windows software, my version of pages and whatever the powerpoint equivalent is will convert files to word and powerpoint, so you do not need to buy the windows software.

Just download pages which cost I think a whopping 20.00. My laptop came with the other powerpoint type software. Free classes at any Apple Store as well.

HPRN

I had trouble with converting files for some reason. Luckily, the VA bought MS Office for me, so not a big deal.

I also needed PowerPoint for a lot of things. I had trouble on my laptop before I got MS Office with that, as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you can afford a MacBook (they are pretty pricy) you should go with that. They are pretty sturdy and last awhile. I need a new laptop also as my clumsy Labrador retriever knocked mine off the bed and broke the screen :(

Anyway if you are just doing school work, basic browsing, email, running basic programs like word, excel, outlook etc..... You should be fine with a 1.8-2 GHTZ processor and about 4 gigs of ram. However if you go windows STAY FAR AWAY from laptops with celeron processors. They are the cheapest processing chips that Intel make and it will give you a major headache in the long run. Usually laptops with celeron processors will run on the low end of the price range.

Also I would ask a friend who is technically savvy and you trust to go with you to pick out a laptop. DO NOT ask a rep in Best Buy or CompUSA, Tiger Direct, etc what is a "good" laptop for you to purchase for school. They work of commission and will probably sell you and expensive piece of machinery with all the bells and whistles that you probably won't even need or use.

If you are not looking to beak the piggy bank, Chrome books are fairly in expensive ($200) and up and Microsoft released Microsoft suite for ChromeOS.

Good Luck!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

dell venue 8 pro.

its small yet the screen is big enough to type notes on (or write on...its touchscreen). with onedrive built in you get 1tb of online storage for free.

and its ONLY $200 vs the 1k the macs go for..

or go with the microsoft surface. no way a mac can compare to windows 8.1 with in regards to school stuff

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You can get a Microsoft surface 2 from eBay right now for $200. Its refurbished by Microsoft itself and the quality is outstanding. It has a lean version of windows 8.1 called Windows 8.1 RT. The difference is that you cannot install legacy software ( what you would normally put in your PC or laptop), you can only install software from the Microsoft Store, this has its Pros and Cons. But for schoolwork it is amazing, comes with Office installed for free, you can connect anything you want via an USB 3 port, and if you purchase a keyboard cover you can use it as a mini laptop. I just bought one for when I start nursing school in January, its small enough to be ultra portable , but functional enough to get my work done.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My recommendation is not to buy a Mac Laptop, they are overpriced pieces of hardware that are really not worth the extra cost. Yes you can run windows virtually in them, but for that you may as well just get a normal windows laptop, normally half or even less of the price for the same amount of power.

They are sleek and pretty but beyond that they are just a symbol, to represent purchasing power and status.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would personally recommend the MacBook air. It is very portable for college students and doesn't feel heavy at all it is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. The MacBooks are also very reliable so its one less worry that you will have during school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Apple is my fave. My version of pages (my comp is from 09) can convert it so school websites can take it. My mom has a MacBook white which she had fixed so that if you restart the computer a certain way it runs Windows. I call it her Frankenstein computer, but it doesn't look any different. Mark me down for Mac, I HATED my Sony Vaio (this was in 05-08 so maybe they're better now).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The surface doesn't have a cd drive does it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The Sony Vaio line has never been too good. You can run windows using a software that lets you select between the 2 systems during boot. Still doesn't stops it from being an overpriced laptop.

The Surface is not a laptop, is a tablet hybrid that can serve as a laptop. So of course it does not has a disc drive. Who uses cd or dvd this day and age anyways. If you must use then you can connect any external disc drive and copy the contents to the tablet.

Again this recommendation is for a laptop or similar for college purposes. For that particular purpose the surface is a solution that is 5x times cheaper than an Apple laptop, or Half the price of an Apple tablet.

I value apple product for what they are, a premium product for a certain segment of the population. I use an iPhone, so I do value apple products.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Department.

My own laptop is a Toshiba Satellite C655 and it's a little over 3 years old now. It runs the 64-bit version of Win 7 and currently has 6 GB ram installed. It still feels nearly as fast as it did when it was new. I think I paid something like $450-ish for it and put in another couple hundred for voice dictation software and the extra ram.

Just look for something in the middle of the road and get the best battery life you can for the $$$. You may not be near a plug for a while...

ETA: My laptop is not the most powerful in terms of processors. It's got an Intel Core i3. While this one is a quad core, it's not exactly a great laptop for gaming. However, it is absolutely perfect for what I needed it for - basically doing word processing/excel spreadsheet work, email, and web-surfing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I needed a new laptop as my clumsy Labrador broke my last one. I just brought a Dell. My first time owning a Dell but so far I like it. It's very practical for nursing school. It's a 2 and 1 meaning it's a laptop that converts into a tablet. It has a 11.6 inch touch screen weighs 3 pounds and 1 inch thick. It does run Windows 8.1. It's my first time using this windows but it took all of 10 minutes for me to get use to the new menus and finding all the options. The battery life they claim last for 6 hours on one charge, but that would be dependent on how your using the computer. More resources (watching movies, streaming music, etc) will drain the better faster. Dell is currently selling them for 399 on their website. Dell Inspirion 3000 series.

It's compact, fast, plenty of storage and won't break the piggy bank.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment