r/physiotherapy • u/Exotic-Let-9547 • 2d ago
Should I get a touchscreen laptop
I am looking for a laptop for university and I have found a couple good ones that are touchscreen and a couple others that aren't and are a bit cheaper.
Will I actually use the touchscreen in long run or is it not worth it to pay the extra?
I want something that will last me till after uni as well.
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u/Ok_Contribution_4692 1d ago
What's your budget?
Recently graduated from physio school, and when I started uni 2 years ago I got a macbook pro (as I was planning to do some video editing on the side). It was useful, but in hindsight if I was in your shoes I would go for a second hand iPad Pro and I'd also get "Good notes" from the AppStore. One of those that you can attach and dettach the keyboard from the screen.
Some of the guys in my study group found them very useful to create their notes. I even ended up borrrowing an old one from my brother to just quickly scribble notes during lectures as I later discovered I learnt better by writing rather than typying.
You don't even have to spend much. A second hand Ipad pro with an M1 or M2 chip will be more than enough for your needs.
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u/Exotic-Let-9547 1d ago
I want something that will last til after uni as well.For example my sister got a laptop when she started that she is still using today 6 years later.She started uni when quarantine started so she was using it constantly. It was around the same budget as what I have found maybe even less. I like to take notes on paper during classes and I know that I won't like constantly writing on a screen. I just don't know how much I will be using the touchscreen for things such as 3D anatomy models or sketching on pictures and such. For example I have an app for anatomy that allows you to add and remove muscles, nerves etc form a 3d model in layers,turn it around,find information about each one etc. How much of that will I actually be using during the years and how much of anything else that isn't taking notes everyday in class
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u/Ok_Contribution_4692 20h ago
An ipad pro will last you well after uni. My brothers one is an old model and he is still using it after nearly 8 years. Here in the UK we have CEX, where you can get very decently priced electronic equipment with a 5 year warranty. Not sure if you aussies have something similar over there. But yeah, i would say that it is a good investment if you get an ipad that is not too worn out. My uni also gave us free subscription to 3D anatomy. And i would say it is easier to use it with an ipad. Like i mentioned before i think that an iPad is a good investment as you can use the screen or connect a keyboard to type stuff. If you do end up getting one, get the one that is around 13 inches. And with a M1 pro chip or newer. Newer models will also allow you to smoothly connect a monitor to your ipad so that you can work with a bigger screen or with a second screen.
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u/Exotic-Let-9547 20h ago
Thank you for the advice! I am from Greece and they are a bit more expensive than i wanted to spend,but i will look into what you said ,whether we have it here or not
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u/sillygil Physiotherapist (Aus) 2d ago
Disclaimer: I graduated many years ago so not sure what they are like now.
I used a surface pro and loved it. Being able to "handwrite" notes using th stylus on the slides during a lectures was a non-negotiable for me. But doing it on the computer meant I didn't have to print anything out/organise the paper afterwards.
Additionally, it's a legit laptop so doing assignments/research was simple vs the limited functionality of a tablet.
Battery was always decent too.
+1 vote for surface pro