Recommended Laptop Program

Santa Clara University School of Law does not have a laptop program nor do any classes require students to use laptops.  The purpose of this page is to recommend brands and perhaps models that we in Law Technology feel we can best support.  Should you have a computer problem, we want to minimize your downtime and can do so best with Apple, Dell, and Lenovo computers. 

Educational Discounts

SCU Law students are eligible for the standard discounts available to all students.  Apple does not offer additional discounts beyond this, and accessing the Apple/SCU Law Custom Store brings you essentially to their education page.  We hope to develop discounts in the future. 

To access the store, you will login with your Law School CMS password. All existing students should have this. Admitted students will receive this with their university account information packet from the admissions office.  Alternatively, you can simply go to the standard education store directly. 

Dell offers excellent discounts to SCU students via its "Dell University" site.  Students can also access a dedicated site via eCampus. 

Lenovo Thinkpad laptops (including a recommended convertible tablet) can be found at a dedicated page at CDW-G, a higher-ed vendor.

Support Notes

Students do not have to buy specifically Dell or Lenovo Windows laptops. However, we have the most experience supporting machines from these brands. 

We have a number of resources for working with Apple laptops as well. 

In either case, from wherever you purchase a laptop, we strongly recommend at least a 3 year warranty.  Note that none of the machines at any of the student-oriented sites have these included by default.  For Dell and Lenovo laptops, we also suggest you consider their respective "spill protection" warranties, which cover drops, spills, and other mishaps not normally under warranty.

Choosing a laptop

One's choice in a laptop is and should be a personal one.  Other than choosing between manufacturer, one should consider the following factors.  This is a general list, and not comprehensive by any means.

• Size/weight
  • Laptops are not "one size fits all."  Some will want smaller laptops with longer battery life and less weight, while others don't mind carrying a heavier but faster laptop.  Please note that "desktop replacement" laptops and Apple's 17" Macbook Pro are too large for some of our desks.  The smallest of our desks are only 15" deep.
    
• Performance
  • As hinted above, smaller laptops are more portable, but tend to be a bit slower in order to consume less battery.  Bigger laptops are faster, but have less battery life or require a high-capacity battery at an extra cost.
• Battery life
  • As you can see, size/weight, performance, and battery life are all related.  The choice depends on your style of work.  Note, however, that we have power outlets throughout the Law School Library and all of our classrooms.
• Extra features
  • Wireless networking, bluetooth, a built-in camera, extra batteries, a DVD burner, etc - these add to cost.  Santa Clara University has an "802.11g" wireless network.
• Tablet PC laptops
  • With the Lenovo site, we are recommending their tablet PC.  This is not an iPad-style tablet, but one based on the Windows Tablet operating system.  For users of OneNote, in particular, the ability to write on a document can be very compelling.  We offer this option for this reason.

iPads & Tablets:  Special Note

With the proliferation of iPad-style Tablets (which include Android-based ones such as the Motorola Xoom and others), please note that:

• You still need a "regular" laptop for exams
• Keyboard/ergonomics should be a concern
• Above all else, make sure it's the right solution for you. 

Questions?

If you have problems or concerns, with these programs, please contact the SCU Law School Law Technology Department at 408.554.5762 or go online and create a ticket at http://lawhelpdesk.scu.edu.