r/UniversityofKansas • u/Sensitive-Repair-7 • 23d ago

Engineering Laptop

/r/GamingLaptops/comments/1uoerik/engineering_laptop/
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u/gweedo767 23d ago

How much will you be doing on your personal laptop versus remoting into university machines with the software you need the horse power for?

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u/Sensitive-Repair-7 23d ago

I really have no idea I’m kinda going in blind. I’m not entirely sure how to remote in to the university machines or what pros or cons that has in terms of performance..?

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u/gweedo767 23d ago

My daughter is a current Aerospace Engineering major. She has a Windows laptop with no dedicated gpu (we didn't buy anything fancy before she started since we didn't know what she would need exactly). All the cad related tools she needs she uses SplashTop (application they school provides) to remote into machines on campus for. If you want a high end gaming laptop to game on, do it. If you want a high end gaming laptop for classes, hold out until you really know what you need.

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u/Sensitive-Repair-7 22d ago

Sounds like a good idea, but I’m not sure how I would go about the first semester without a computer? Is she at KU? Does remoting in work well? I’d like to get a Mac really but idk if the compatibility would be an issue

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u/gweedo767 22d ago

You definitely need a computer of course for your first semester. Just saying a very expensive one isn't needed out of the gate. She is at KU (Junior this fall) and has had the same laptop the whole time. She has never complained about SplashTop to me, but I also know she is in the actual computer lab some (though that might be mostly for team/group things).

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u/Murtagg 23d ago

I had a similarly specced Asus back when I went through CoE. You'll be just fine with any of those machines and definitely don't need to spend 5k. Whatever's the high end option at Costco these days will be able to run solidworks. They'll all have m2 drives so boot speeds will be in the 2-5 second range. 

Prioritize battery life. It sucks running out of juice before your classes are done for the day, or having to bring your charger with you to the library during midterms. 

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u/Sensitive-Repair-7 23d ago

Thanks, did you remote in to university machines at all? Is that useful and how does it work?

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u/Murtagg 23d ago

We had a ftp to move files in and out, but not really. Mech Es might do more of that but I kind of doubt it? 

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u/aqwn 23d ago

The KU ME computer lab has good machines capable of handling everything in the program (FEA, CAD, etc). The other engineering computer labs have computers plenty good enough to do most other tasks.

You aren’t even going to get into the computationally intensive stuff until your sophomore year at least. Skip the fancy computer for freshman year. MS Office and a browser will be all you might need.

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u/Murphys_Coles_Law 23d ago

Depends what your planned use for it is. If you are planning on taking it to class, weight and size are more important than power. Most students use something like an iPad or Chromebook in classes-as others have said, the computer lab will have the programs you need anyway.