Recommended Technology
Selecting the right computer doesn't have to be cumbersome. Here is some valuable
minimum requirements information. Be sure to check your professor's syllabus for specific
configuration needs.
The School of Business, the College of Nursing, and the College of Arts & Sciences
recommend the Minimum Configuration.
Students taking Computer Science and Information Technology classes must have the
Recommended Configuration, but we strongly advise you have the Premiere Configuration.
Depending on the student's major and course selection, all other colleges and schools
may recommend the Minimum or Recommended Configuration.
Component
Minimum
Recommended
Premiere
The processor is the brain of your computer. It does the majority of the work.
Intel i5 +
AMD Ryzen 5+
Apple M1*
AMD Ryzen 5+
Apple M1*
Intel i7 +
AMD Ryzen 7 +
Apple M1*
AMD Ryzen 7 +
Apple M1*
Intel i9 +
AMD Ryzen 9 +
AMD Ryzen 9 +
Memory is the space your computer uses while actually working on information. The
more memory you have, the more information your computer can use at a given moment.
8GB
16GB
32GB or more
Disk storage is how much information your computer can hold, not necessarily how much
it can use. 256GB is adequate to store most of the applications your will use and
the OS. Large video libraries, very large photo libraries, and large audio libraries
may require more space.
256GB
512GB SSD
512GB SSD or
1TB SSD
1TB SSD
The GPU or graphics processing unit is a special processor that is dedicated to handling
the visual workload of your computer. Having a dedicated GPU can improve performance
of some applications significantly and generally improved the performance of the entire
system by freeing resources for other task.
Nvidia GTX Family
AMD Radeon Family
AMD Radeon Family
Nvidia RTX / Quadro (8GB+)
AMD Radeon (8GB+)
AMD Radeon (8GB+)
Built in camera are very common on modern computers, these are very helpful when participating
in virtual events and/or teleworking.
Built In
HD or Better
Built in is very convenient
Built in is very convenient
Most laptops have built in microphones. In crowded environments built in microphones
can present issues by hearing to much.
Built In
BT Headphones or
Earbuds w/mic
Earbuds w/mic
Networking
Minimum
Recommended
Premiere
Wireless networking is common in most locations you may visit. Improvements are always
being made to the speeds and stability of wireless systems. 802.11 b/g is ubiquitous
in todays world and will be available nearly anywhere wireless is available. Higher
speed devices may provide improved performance of networked resource such as cloud
services, email, etc, but is not a guarantee of a better experience.
802.11 b/g compatible
802.11 a/b/g/n
802.11 ac
802.11 ac
802.11 a/b/g/n
802.11ac
802.11ax
802.11ac
802.11ax
Ports
Minimum
Recommended
Premiere
USB-C is a modern interface that is capable of powering your computer, sending video,
networking, and audio, as well as used for direct data connections. ie: external drive
and flash storage.
Recommended
Yes
HDMI is used to connect to external video and/or audio systems. HDMI is the most common
connection type on monitor, projectors, and large displays. It is used in most HD
and 4K systems and under some versions can even send up to 8K video streams
Recommended
Convenient
Display Port is used to connect to external video and audio systems.
VGA (Video Graphics Array) is a mostly obsolete method of connecting computers to
displays. It was once a dominate method for connecting to displays and projectors
but have been nearly completely replaced with more modern, flexible, and better performing
alternatives such as HDMI and Display Port.
Mostly Obsolete
Thunderbolt is the brand name for a high speed connector. Various versions exist and
use ether a Mini-Display port connector or USB-C connector. In features modern thunderbolt
(TB3) is similar to USB-C and nearly always compatible with those peripherals. It
can carry, audio, data, video, and power. Thunderbolt is present on modern Apple computers
and some higher end Windows computers.
Recommended
Recommended
Accessories
Minimum
Recommended
Premiere
Device Specific
19” or larger
BT Headphones or
Earbuds w/mic
Earbuds w/mic
1TB SSD
64GB
Mostly Obsolete
USB-C to HDMI
USB-C to USB-C
HDMI to HDMI
USB-C to USB-C
HDMI to HDMI