In all honesty, if your son is going to a typical four year public university, he isn’t even going to need a full blown graphics computer until his sophomore or junior year, so why try to take a shot in the dark to buy an everything-to-everybody high end laptop now?
Get a decently priced PC laptop that he can type papers on, surf the web, and email home for more pizza money, and wait until he *knows* what sort of computer and software suites he will need for his specific animation classes.
His first two years will be filled with filling the humanities, writing, and mathematics prerequesites for his degree.
He is actually going to a technical college for an associates degree in animation, I am hoping he will go further, but am pleased he is going at all! School is not his thing, but I think he will do well.
I am checking with the school and so on, but appreciate the vast knowledge here on FR.
You know, now that you mention it, I think you have it exactly right. As a kid my brothers wanted to play an instrument so my foks bought them clarinets and saxophones that ended up in the closet. When I wanted to learn the guitar they bought me an introductory model that I proved myself on.
When my kids wanted a car, I bought them sturdy, dependable, entry-level cars (good thing too!) before I staked them to more expensive rides.
Not knowing how much experience ozaukeemom’s son has with computers or laptops in particular, I would urge the purchase of an inexpensive entry-level machine that would meet the requirements of the syllabus (should be available at the school).
I wouldn’t dream of sending a high-end, expensive machine out the door as a learning lesson, but that’s just me...