hi, i'm an incoming first year banking analyst at citi and I know they're not providing laptops. I want the best one because I know I'll be having to commute/work from home at least once a week but also don't really know if I need to drop 1k on a ThinkPad for a virtual desktop? What's the best option/rec and how many gb??
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Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s what you need to know about choosing a laptop as an incoming analyst:
Firm-Provided Laptops: Many firms provide laptops for work purposes, but since Citi isn’t providing one, you’ll need a personal laptop capable of running a lightweight remote desktop program. Heavy computational tasks will typically be handled on the firm’s systems, so your laptop doesn’t need to be overly powerful.
Recommended Specs:
Best Options:
Mac vs. PC: While MacBooks are popular, many analysts find that Excel shortcuts and financial modeling are more seamless on Windows laptops. If you’re deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, you can use Bootcamp or Parallels to run Windows, but it’s not ideal for heavy Excel work.
Price Range: You don’t need to spend over $1,000 unless you want a premium model. A solid laptop with the recommended specs can be found for $700–$900.
For your needs, a Lenovo ThinkPad or Dell XPS with 8GB+ RAM and an SSD should strike the right balance between performance and cost.
Sources: Summer Analyst perks?, I Need Laptop Recommendations, Best laptops for an MBA program, Best Personal Labtop for Banking, Summer Analyst perks?
Bump
I swear there's one thread on this every month.
It could not matter less what laptop you have if you're running a VD.
That said, literally just go on YouTube, type in "best laptop under [your budget]" watch a couple videos from nerdy looking guys and pick the one that looks coolest.
But as I said, it doesn't matter. You can run a VD on basically a toaster.
idk I did it on my mac over the summer and it was rly slow and laggy. is it j bc its a mac?
Yes. But also VDs are inherently slow and laggy.
so even if I were to get like a thinkpad it's still going to be slow and laggy?? I just got one on sale for july 4th but idk
Yes. The speed of the VD has virtually nothing to do with the speed of your laptop. That's the point in a VD.
I don't really get this site's fascination with Thinkpads. Saying "buy a ThinkPad" is like saying "buy a Samsung". There are good and bad Thinkpads both in terms of value and just overall performance. If you just blindly buy one, it's not hard to get ripped off. Most people don't even know why they're recommending Thinkpads.
Not providing laptops is crazy. VD is complete ass.
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