University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

Laptop Program (2008-2009)

Tags:help desk notebook laptop program Apple ThinkPad IBM Lenovo Mac warranty prices price x60 t61 macbook pro t60p software flash drive 

The S.J. Quinney College of Law IT Staff continuously strives to make technology here at the law school as streamlined and uncomplicated as possible.  Because all law students are required to have laptops for all 3 years they attend, we have created a laptop program to ensure that our students get quality laptops at reasonable prices.  We test and review many laptops from numerous manufacturers and choose a few that we think will suit your needs best.  Once we find the laptops that we think are most appropriate, we negotiate special pricing for our students.

This year we have chosen the Lenovo ThinkPad T61 and the Apple MacBook Pro 15” as our primary recommendations.  And for those of you who want something extremely thin and light, we have also negotiated special pricing on Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X300.  Check out reviews on it HERE. These laptops provide an excellent working environment and are sturdy enough to last you through the next 3 years of law school.

Choosing a Laptop:

Getting a laptop that will stand up to the wear and tear that is inevitable over three years of law school is critical. The fewer times you have to take it in for warranty support the more time you have to focus on studying. There are many laptops that have the processing capability to do what you need here at the law school, and some may even be priced lower than our recommended laptops. Take into account that you will be using these laptops much more often, and under different circumstances than the casual laptop owner. Most laptops you would purchase at local electronics retailers are considered "consumer grade" laptops. This typically means that they are built sturdy enough to sit on a desk as a substitute for a desktop computer, with the occasional trip on an airplane as a DVD player. You will need a laptop that is much more robust.

Although we specifically choose laptops that have a reputation for quality and reliability inevitably some laptops require repair.  In order to simplify warranty support the law school drove the creation of University Bookstore partnerships with Apple and Lenovo to provide a one stop place for laptop purchase, and warranty support. Students who purchase our recommended laptops will not have to pay extra for local warranty support, nor be required to send their laptops across the country for repairs. Repairs covered by warranty can be done without cost at the bookstore. The bookstore will also have a large number of our recommended laptops in stock. Our recommended ThinkPads come with a 3 year warranty to cover you throughout your law school career. Apple has offered us special, below standard student discount pricing, on their 3 year AppleCare which we STRONGLY recommend.

Here is a list of things we think are important things to look for in a laptop:

1. Good tech support that can be provided locally (probably most important).
2. Quality system components Mobile processor (a processor designed to require less cooling and to use less energy than a standard desktop processor).
3. 1 GB RAM if you have Windows XP 2GB for Vista(more ram = better performance)
4. At least 5400 RPM hard drive (faster hard drive = less wait time)
5. Reasonable Weight (we don't want anyone suing for back pain)
6. Well designed with good heat management (i.e. fan on bottom = poorly designed)
7. Look and feel (an ugly laptop may attract fewer friends or clients)
8. Future Proof (needs to be able to handle anything you give it for the next 3 years)
9. Sturdy (Needs to stand up to daily use and abuse)

Laptop Program System Specifications:

The recommended laptops for the 2008-2009 school year are as follows:

Lenovo ThinkPad T61 14” Widescreen

• Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 2GHz
• NVIDIA® Quadro® NVS 140M 128MB
• DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer
• 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz
• 6 cell Li-Ion Battery
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965A  
• 120GB Hard Disk Drive - 5400rpm
• 14.1” TFT 1280-by-800 LCD display
• Integrated Camera
• PC Card Slot & Media Card Slot
• Windows Vista Business
• Integrated Bluetooth
• Integrated 1Gb Ethernet
• 3 Year Warranty

Price = $1,249

Apple MacBook Pro 15”

• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB
• 200GB Serial ATA Drive - 5400rpm
• NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3 memory
• 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440-by-900 LCD display
• SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

Price = $1,583.12 - Only available to law students
Strongly recommended AppleCare 3-year Protection Plan - $210.32

Lenovo ThinkPad X300

• Intel Core 2 Duo SL7100(1.2GHz) Processor
• 13.3” WXGA+ widescreen LED-backlit 1440-by-900 LCD display
  
• 2GB of 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB
• 64GB Solid State Hard Disk Drive
• Windows Vista Business
• Fingerprint reader
• Integrated Camera
• CDRW/DVDRW
• Intel 802.11agn wireless
• Integrated 1Gb Ethernet
• Integrated Bluetooth
  

Price = $2,200

 
For law school you will need Microsoft Office, or an equivalent, we recommend Office 2007. Also we are currently working on a custom hard drive image for the ThinkPads that you will be included with your purchase. This will allow you to purchase a laptop preconfigured for law school's wireless network, printers, and network drives. The image also includes McAfee VirusScan (which will not expire) that is included with your tuition. We have also streamlined the user interface, removed excess clutter and better organized the start menu.

Additionally we recommend that you purchase a USB flash drive - it will be invaluable to you. Also, 2GB of RAM is now standard with all our laptops this year. If you would like more, the bookstore has very competitive pricing on RAM and will install it free at the time of your laptop purchase.

The ThinkPads come with Windows Vista installed. The IT staff has been running Vista since November of 2006. We are familiar with many of the differences between it and Windows XP. However, it is different, and you may require a period of adjustment. Feel free to stop by the Help Desk should you have any questions.

Related Links:
Lenovo Website
Apple Website
Campus Bookstore