Laptops - necessary for uni?

[HorsePetal]

Can I ask what your DC's use for Uni? Is a laptop necessary for lectures, essay writing? Or would a tablet device be ok?

Thanks

You can't really write a essay on a tablet. There will be computers in the library, but a laptop is pretty vital.

Yes, definitely - need it for essay writing.

I think you really need a laptop - you might be able to just about manage with a tablet if you had a separate keyboard and stored all your essays and notes on icloud or dropbox rather than the tablet itself, but a laptop would be much easier because of the keyboard, software, storage capacity etc. I spent a lot of time in a university library last year and it was 99% laptops.

I suppose one of those hybrid things which are sort of combined tablet and laptop might be worth looking at, but I don't know much about them.

Thanks - I thought it would be but just wanted to double check incase we were missing a very obvious alternative

Laptop or decent sized notebook with a real keyboard - definitely

Yes there will be PCs etc in the Library/IT Centre but for writing essays at 1am in their bedroom students need their own.

Make sure its light and small/portable enough to 'stick in bag and go' without needing a Pickfords wagon or an arm brace to lug it round all day. A very small b&w printer is also very useful.

Strange time of year to be asking. Are you forward planning for September? If so, it might be an idea to wait until then because lots of places will be touting for trade and will do 'student deals'.
DS didn't get his laptop sorted until December-ish. He coped fine on library computers til then.

Another voice here to add to the chorus of those saying that you need a laptop at uni - you really do need one. There's no way that you can type quickly and accurately enough on a tablet at all, and you need a laptop of your own to use in halls / house.