BSc in Geology is a three years undergraduate program. After completing your 12th standard from the Science stream you can choose geology as your major if your ultimate goal is to become a geologist. As a student of Geology, you have to study and analyze the earth & its different physicochemical aspects.
To complete some of the analytical tasks, you’ll need a computer. However, while choosing your computer, you might get confused and look for an answer: Will I need a desktop or laptop for a BSc in geology? Giving a straight answer to this question is quite tough as it completely depends on your preferences.
Most students choose laptops over desktops because of their high portability. But you don’t have to stay in confusion, I’m going to explain this question in detail that’ll clear all of your doubts. Just stay with me till the end of this article to get the answer to your query.
Will I Need A Desktop Or Laptop For A BSC In Geology?
If you’re planning to complete your BSc in Geology then you should either have a desktop or laptop to complete your academic activity. As a student of Geological and environmental science, you need to use different software which you can’t run without a PC.
The program that you may need to run to complete your Geology coursework is:
- MS Word, Excel,
- Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop.
- Matlab,
- Google Earth Pro,
- Endnote,
- PAST,
- ArcGIS, etc.
The Minimum Requirements for Desktop or Laptop for Geology Students:
- 64-bit Operating System.
- Intel-based processor
- 16 Gb RAM
- 512 GB Storage System
- Integrated Webcam
Let’s sort out the answer to the question that you’re looking for: Will I need a desktop or laptop for a BSc in geology? Well, both desktop and laptop serve the same purpose except for some physical differences. That’s why it’s completely up to your personal choice and preferences that you like to pick.
But the majority of the students choose a laptop for geology majors because of its portability. However, some students also go for a desktop because of the big screen size, storage capacity, and power usage it provides.
Nonetheless, I would like to share my experience with you about the overview of desktop and laptop and their advantages and disadvantages. So that, you can make the absolute decision for yourself.
Overview Of Desktop
Desktop is one of the most popular forms of personal computers that perfectly fit on or beneath a desk. You’ll need peripheral devices for making interactions, like a mouse and keyboard for data input, a monitor, projector, or TV for display.
It comes with a horizontal or vertical tower or some desktop CPU combined with the monitor known as all in one computer. Unlike laptops, these all-in-one desktops are portable too. But in general, desktops are made for staying in one location.
What Are The Benefits Of A Desktop For a BSC In Geology?
The benefits of desktop for BSc in geology is given below:
More Robust
Desktop computers are more robust than laptop computers. Therefore, Geology students will face fewer lags while working with high-performance software like ArcGIS, Petrel, FreeHand, & several others.
Price
The price of a desktop computer is very less compared to laptop computers. Because of this students can easily afford them and have their own personal computer rather than relying on other students’ computers for their academic activity.
Easy To Upgrade
Another biggest advantage of a desktop computer is you can easily upgrade them whenever you need higher configuration.
Cooler Than a Laptop
The desktop runs cooler than a laptop and allows you to run it for a long time. For study purposes or while doing any analytical task, you may need to run your computer for a long time. In such cases, the desktop computer is more convenient than a laptop.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Desktop for a BSC in geology?
The disadvantages of desktop for BSc in geology is given below:
Not Portable
The biggest disadvantage of desktop computers is portability. In general, the majority of them aren’t mobile so you can’t carry them with you. But sometimes geology students need to carry their computer with them and if it’s a desktop, it may not be possible.
Need External Devices
Desktop computers need external devices for interactions. They don’t come with an inbuilt monitor, keyboard, and touchpad like a laptop.
Overview Of Laptop
A laptop is a small personal computer sometimes referred to as a notebook. It’s designed to be more portable than traditional desktop computers and nearly as powerful as a desktop. The best part of a laptop is it can easily be folded flat for easy transportation. And it comes with a built-in keyboard and touchpad.
What Are The Benefits Of A Laptop For A BSC In Geology?
The benefits of a Laptop for BSc in geology is given below:
Extremely Portable
The biggest advantage of laptops is they’re super portable. As a student of Geology, you may need to carry your computer to the university or other places for different academic purposes. A laptop allows you to carry it with you wherever you go.
Can Be Use In On The Way
Laptop computers come with powerful battery systems. It doesn’t require constant power like a desktop, therefore you can use it in any condition you’re in.
Doesn’t Require External Devices Like Desktop
The Laptop doesn’t require other peripheral devices for making interactions as it comes with a built-in monitor, keyboard, touchpad, etc. As a result, you can use it in your classroom, library, group study, etc.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Laptop For A BSC In Geology?
The disadvantages of a Laptop for BSc in geology is given below:
Expensive
Laptops are a bit more expensive than desktop computers. Where you can easily get a desktop computer for $400, you may have to spend $1500 for a laptop with the same configuration.
Not Appropriate For Long-time Uses
Laptops are not suitable for long time use as most of the laptop has hit issues. As they don’t come with cooling systems like desktop computers they get heated while using for a long time.
Shorter Lifespan
In general, a laptop has a shorter lifespan than a desktop. On average a laptop lasts for 3-5 years while a desktop computer will last longer than this.
Desktop Vs Laptop: What Do I Really Need For BSC In Geology?
As a student of geology, you’ll need a computer for completing your academic activity. But the question is: what should you go for a laptop or desktop? In the earlier section, I have shown you the overview, advantages, and disadvantages of a laptop and desktops.
If you read the section thoroughly you can already make your decision. But before you make your final decision, I’ll suggest you consider some criteria to pick the right one for you.
Things that you need to focus on:
- Size,
- Portability,
- Cost,
- Storage (internal and external),
- Ease of assembly,
- Size of the screen,
- Power Usage,
- Upgrading System,
- Repair, etc.
Size
When you consider the size, a laptop has an obvious advantage over a desktop computer. Laptops use small components compared to desktops that make them very compact.
Portability
Portability is the biggest distinction between laptop and desktop computers. In general, desktops are large and come with individual components. Although it’s possible to shift a desktop from one place to another, it’s pretty cumbersome and not ideal for portability.
On the contrary, a laptop comes with a compact size that makes it super portable. It’s designed for the convenience of users so that users can take it wherever they go.
Cost
In terms of cost, a desktop is more affordable than a laptop. Usually, you’ll find a desktop within $400 while the same configuration laptop will cost around $ 1000 or more based on the brand.
Internal Storage
While looking for internal storage a desktop is more convenient than a laptop. Desktop computers have several internal storage drives. While laptops have only one internal drive space. If you need more space then you’ve to replace the entire drive.
Screen Size
If you need a big screen and portability isn’t important for you then you can go for a desktop. But if portability is something you’re looking for you then should go for a laptop.
Power Usage
Desktop consumes more power and requires a constant power supply to run it. During the time of power outage or fluctuation, your ongoing task may not be saved or lost.
On the other hand, laptops consume less power than desktops and are equipped with powerful batteries. As a result, during the time of power outages or fluctuations, your work won’t be lost.
Which One Is Suitable For You?
Well, in my opinion, I’ll say it’s completely up to you. You can either go for a desktop or laptop for completing your academic activity(BSc in Geology). It’s not compulsory to have a specific version of a computer such as a laptop or desktop.
You can easily complete your academic task with both desktop and laptop. Both can serve the same purposes for the geology students. Now you’ve to come to a decision according to your needs.
The majority of the students go for a laptop only for the mobility of the laptop. As it’s not possible for them to carry their desktop in their classes they opt for a laptop although they have to pay more money for that.
If it wasn’t about the portability I didn’t see a single reason to choose a laptop instead of a laptop. However, in reality, the portability of your computer plays a huge role and has a lot of benefits for the students.
Conclusion
Students who study BSc in Geology require a computer that’s compatible with GIS( Geographic Information Science) software. As a student of geology, you have to do different types of analysis to complete your academic tasks. And without having a personal computer it becomes a tough job for you.
But before purchasing a computer for yourself, you might look for an answer: Will I need a desktop or laptop for a BSc in geology? As I mentioned earlier, it’s completely up to your personal preferences. Both desktop and laptop are capable of fulfilling your academic needs. But most students choose a laptop instead of a desktop for its extreme portability.