All students who have declared Computer Science as their major should have a laptop that meets the following requirements. These minimums are intended as guidelines for a computer and should function throughout the entire program. For courses outside the program and certain specialty courses, you may need to use provided lab facilities for systems configured to support specific applications.
Minimum Requirements
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CPU: Intel i5 11400, AMD Ryzen 5500
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Memory: 16 GB
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Storage: 512 GB SSD
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Screen: 14”
Guidance
When shopping for a laptop, generally you should prioritize the largest amount of RAM and CPU. When running multiple programs at once, you will need additional RAM. Storage can often be user-replaceable however if that is not possible, external drives or cloud storage is possible. The larger the screen, the bulkier the laptop will become, which makes transporting difficult. Typical laptops will be 14” or 15”.
Any modern operating system is appropriate. Computer science classes utilize a wide variety of software platforms and technologies; except for very few programs, all should work on any current OS. If a laptop running Windows is selected, it is recommended that the Pro version of Microsoft Windows is chosen if offered. The Pro version offers extra customization and virtualization support, however the Home version will function correctly.
Chromebooks, Apple M-Series, and other devices that do not meet the minimum requirements may be sufficient, depending on the course, but the degree of support for these systems will be limited and may strictly not work. Contact your professor and seek help from the CS club to assess your options.