Resources
Computer Recommendations
All students entering the ±«Óãtv College of Engineering are required to have a laptop computer that they can use in their major classes and labs.
It is recommended that students purchase a computer with as much memory and processing power as reasonably affordable. Ideally, it should be a machine that is useful
- throughout the term of a student's degree program
- in courses for completing and submitting a variety of assignments
- for remote learning/meetings, when needed
- for running software such as Aspen, MatLab, Comsol, and other typical engineering software, if and when the need arises (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Mathematica, Python, etc.)
In addition, a student may want to consider a machine that is suited for taking digital notes.
For more information on the types of software and apps available at low or no cost for ±«Óãtv students, as well as resources for purchasing computers, please review the Student Guide by IT under Useful Links on this site and ±«Óãtv Computer Store.
Below is a list of recommendations that can be used as a general guideline:
- Processor: Intel 12th Gen or higher, xx400 or better OR AMD Ryzen 7000 series or better, x300 or better
- Memory: 16-32GB
- SSD Storage: 500GB-1TB
- Video Card: FHD (1920 x 1080); Integrated Graphics
- Sound Card: Microphone input and Headphones output
- Camera: 720p HD Resolution or better
- Network Hardware: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or Wi-Fi 6E if possible, otherwise, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
- Operating System: Windows 11. Note that Windows 11 Education is
Operating systems other than Microsoft Windows are allowed. In many cases, a Windows based operating system will be the easiest path towards software compatibility and connectivity. - Battery: Greater than 2 hours (note that optional or extended battery is suggested to reduce the need for charging between classes)
- Backup storage: ±«Óãtv provides students with , which includes services like OneDrive, Teams, and other Office 365 applications.