New laptop for alevel computing

angbrads

Hi, my son is taking up a level computers (ssd) and a level digital tech with a view to doing a degree in computer engineering in uni. Can anyone recommend what I should be looking for in a laptop or have a recommendation of a new laptop please. 

Any advise much appreciated.

400ixl

I would be checking with the course leads as it really depends what modules are in the course. For example is he doing data science as part of the course.

Minimum spec I would have thought would be an Intel i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 with 8Gb RAM and 256Gb SSD. Going up to an Intel i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 with 16Gb RAM (or 32Gb if heavy data science) and 512Gb SSD.

Outlet stores are well worth a look at for this type of spec 

Dell - https://www.dell.com/en-uk/dfh/lp/outlet
HP - https://www.hp.com/gb-en/shop/offer.aspx?p=c-hp-outlet
Lenovo - https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/gboutlet/d/deals-and-coupons/outlet/sale

Neil_Jones

Is this A-Level Computer Science?

If that's the case then the bulk of this will be study and writing, and any laptop can do that.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/302105/A_level_computer_science_subject_content.pdf might be of interest.

You can probably do the bulk of the programming side of that on something like Visual Studio, and if it can cope with Visual Studio, it can cope with a bit of typing.

DullGreyGuy

For A Level you are unlikely to need anything special. Given the degree is 2 years away I'd suggest holding off buying anything now for it... depending on what area of computing they want to get into will notably impact what sort of machine they need and in 2 years time a laptop, even a budget one, will be more powerful and more efficient than the models available today. 

Newcad

I've often wondered if such questions would not be better asked on a student forum, to get the opinions of students using them on courses.
So I took a look and quickly found this: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=147
And in particular this sticky: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5000458

Cisco001

Don't know the exact requirement. But I guess this should be sufficient...

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/lenovo-loq-3i-intel-i7-13620h-16gb-ram-512gb-ssd-rtx-4060-156-wqhd-2560-x-1440-ips-screen-no-os-wcode-4191911

angbrads

Thanks for all your replies. The only requirement from school is that the laptop should be able to run visual studio. It’s just hard to
know whether to go for a cheaper maybe 8GB ram one and look about buying a better one for when he starts uni in 2 years time or 16 GB or 32GB ram now and a view to him using it for starting uni too. 

Cisco001

angbrads said:

Thanks for all your replies. The only requirement from school is that the laptop should be able to run visual studio. It’s just hard to
know whether to go for a cheaper maybe 8GB ram one and look about buying a better one for when he starts uni in 2 years time or 16 GB or 32GB ram now and a view to him using it for starting uni too. 

Or you may spend £200 for a half decent second hand one.

Something like this
https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail/?id=slaplenl14g237b&categoryName=laptops-windows&superCatName=computing&title=lenovo-thinkpad-l14-g2-i5-1135g7-8gb-ram-256gb-ssd-14"-w10-b&referredFrom=search&queryID=3489a8cf25a456d503b510aa3ef0d099&position=7

https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail/?id=slapdel542038b&categoryName=laptops-windows&superCatName=computing&title=dell-5420-i5-1135g7-8gb-ram-256gb-ssd-14"-w10-b&referredFrom=search&queryID=3489a8cf25a456d503b510aa3ef0d099&position=6

Then, get an expensive which suit for the need when he go to uni. I assume the uni will tell him what exactly required when he sign up to the course.

Neil_Jones

angbrads said:

Thanks for all your replies. The only requirement from school is that the laptop should be able to run visual studio. It’s just hard to
know whether to go for a cheaper maybe 8GB ram one and look about buying a better one for when he starts uni in 2 years time or 16 GB or 32GB ram now and a view to him using it for starting uni too. 

I can run Visual Studio on my current laptop that I bought in 2019 and I was running it on a previous laptop I bought in 2010...