Starting an electronics engineering degree in April - what computer should I get?

Cromulent · 7 Mar 2022 at 03:37

I've got a max budget of about £2000. This is just for a desktop. I'll get the laptop later so I'm wondering what I'll really need. Primarily be about doing maths, writing papers using LaTeX, programming and circuit design. I want to run Linux on it.

Any advice?

Cromulent · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:03

EVH said:
Something basic unless you want to do some gaming on the side.

If you don't want to do any gaming, I'd put your entire budget in to getting a nice laptop with an external screen, keyboard and mouse then undock it when you want to go to lectures.

Oh, sorry. I should have said. This is with the Open University so I don't need to go to lectures. I do need a headset though for video conferencing.

Cromulent · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:10

EVH said:
Why spend money on a desktop AND a laptop when you can get an external display and a nicer laptop?

I did a year of advanced electronics as part of my degree and you could get away with doing it on a basic office PC.

I have schizophrenia and normally end up in a psychiatric ward from time to time. The laptop is to give myself something to do when bored and ill. The desktop is for real work.

Cromulent · 7 Mar 2022 at 10:15

dLockers said:
This sounds like a 'spend loads of money to get setup and then the hard work will come easy'.

Start the course and find out what you really need.

Fair point.