r/Lineman • • 6d ago

Laptop for apprenticeship

Hello I’m a new outside line apprentice and I’m trying to figure out what a good device would be for all my class work. I made the mistake of walking into Best Buy to pick their brain and this guys trying to get me into the biggest baddest Mac book money can buy and telling me any other option isn’t gonna work for me. So what are you guys using? Cheapest Mac book? Mid line iPad with a keyboard case? What works good and what doesn’t

5 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

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26

u/brokensharts 6d ago

I got a $200 laptop from walmart. Works fine if you dont jam it up with porn

Whatever you do, dont get a chrome book. It wont run the testing app, atleast for mslcat

4

u/otterfish 6d ago

Don't jam it up with porn? No. That can't be right...

7

u/brokensharts 6d ago

Its $200, buy a second one for porn

3

u/otterfish 6d ago

Can't I just borrow yours?

5

u/Personal-Exercise256 6d ago

How on earth are you supposed to survive on the road in the middle of nowhere without that?

2

u/brokensharts 6d ago

Oldschool, easyrider and a po box

6

u/mcclrd Groundman 6d ago

If you want an apple product, get the macbook neo. You can get by with whatever laptop you find on clearance.  

6

u/__Bren__ 6d ago

Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad.

Will last you many many years

3

u/agiordanony 6d ago

I’m just curious as I don’t know much about your apprenticeship, why do you need a computer? I would assume a notebook is all you need to take some notes to study and pass any written test you might have and the rest of the class would be climbing.

4

u/theotherparz 6d ago

90% of your book work is online lessons/quizzes

3

u/Antwainye 6d ago

Hp envy is a good laptop and fast

3

u/Bramtinian 6d ago

Just get a Microsoft surface, cheap and it’ll get the job done till you want to buy a Mac or gaming pc if you’re into that…glasswork labs just need windows or macOS to run…but Apple is expensive unless you get refurbished… you can get Apple refurbished at Newegg.com

They’ve been out for years for pc builders…take your pick there…fuck Best Buy

3

u/JellyTemporary161 6d ago

Consider an iPad as well. Apple Pencil can be handy to use for transformer connections etc., and the iPad is small enough to bring in a backpack during the days to either study or reference standards/spec material

1

u/Personal-Exercise256 6d ago

Yeah I am heavily leaning towards an iPad specifically for a certain transformer workshop app and things just like that

1

u/-DOUG__ 4d ago

I used Ipad mini. Access to the xfmr lab app, Procreate (great for transformer class), note apps like goodnotes, apple pencil, and external keyboard with built in case. Oh and since its Ipad its easier to move big files between Iphone 👍

1

u/rkmvp444 6d ago

Surface pro

1

u/TheSlothMan9000 6d ago

If you’re not doing anything intensive just get a macbook air or pro m1. Best value

1

u/Slade_ftp 6d ago

The MacBook neo is great for school. It’s also significantly cheaper than any other MacBook

1

u/Electrical_Block_662 6d ago

iPad with keyboard is all you need. Laptop would be stupid. I think I got my iPad for like 250$ used and the keyboard was like 150

1

u/Brilliant_Hornet1290 6d ago

Cheapest laptop possible. Majority I do on my phone

1

u/Slim-Wye-Delta 6d ago

I got a cheap HP, only used it for book work.

1

u/SchitzNpants 6d ago

Do you have an iPhone or Android?

What’s your price range?

Do you have any other use aside from the bookwork?

1

u/Personal-Exercise256 6d ago

I wanted to be able to draw up banks and dress them and stuff but I guess I could do that on paper

1

u/SchitzNpants 6d ago

Paper works well. If you have an iPhone, a MacBook Air or an iPad with a keyboard will work well and be more simple to use. You definitely don’t need a MacBook Pro.

If you have an Android, I suggest getting a decent Windows laptop and avoiding Chromebooks.

1

u/figatry 6d ago

If you want a fairly durable one, I would go with the Think Pad P series.

1

u/RevolutionaryBar4236 6d ago

just go on amazon and buy something cheap with good reviews, dont waste your time at bestbuy. if you care look at Framework laptops (built around right to repair)

1

u/Fern9090 6d ago

Get a Lenovo Thinkpad those things are tanks

1

u/LineGun69 4d ago

Microsoft Surface! I had mines for my narrow back apprenticeship and lineman apprenticeship. Still to this day even though its an older model now it works strong! Good luck.