Department Specs
Click on one of the departments below for a complete list of requirements for specific majors:
2011 - 2012 Laptop Minimum & Recommended Specifications for Undergraduate Students
Below you will find the MINIMUM and RECOMMENDED laptop specifications for laptop computing at University of Denver. These specifications should be used as guidance when making decisions on bringing a laptop to DU.
MINIMUM specifications are for those who are choosing not to buy a new laptop and want to bring an existing one to DU.
RECOMMENDED specifications are for those who are choosing to purchase a new laptop and need guidance on which specifications to go with. Also please visit our Preferred Vendors list to the left. As a rule of thumb, if you are buying a new laptop, most, if not all, specifications will be fine. However, these guidlines will provide you with a good starting point.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY SPECIAL DEPARTMENTAL SPECS OVERRIDE THESE GENERAL MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS - YOU WILL FIND THESE DEPARTMENTAL SPECS TO THE RIGHT.
A note on Netbooks: Netbooks are becoming more popular with their low prices. If considering buying a netbook, it is advised to stay with Intel Atom processors and Windows XP. Also consider maximizing the amount of RAM and hard drive space. Netbooks are truly only suitable for basic internet browsing and word processing and are not recommended for students whose needs are above these basic functions. Please consult the the special requirements for majors by the links provided above to see if netbooks are acceptable. Netbooks are NOT viable solutions for audio/video/web production & design, database work, and math/engineering applications.
Note: If deciding on purchasing a Mac, please contact your program advisor first. Business, Engineering, Mathematics & Science classes may require use of Windows only software. For example, some Accounting classes in the Business school may require you to use MS Access, which is only available in the Office suite for Windows. If you purchase a Mac and need to take these classes, you will have to install Parallels (www.parallels.com) or VMware Fusion as well as the Windows operating system & Office suite in order to load this software.
If you need assistance from the UTS Computer Help Center in installing Windows on a Macintosh computer, please allot at least 3 hours for your Help Center visit.
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WINDOWS PC |
APPLE MACINTOSH |
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Operating |
MINIMUM Windows XP Professional SP2 Windows XP Home SP3 Media Center Edition 2005 Vista Home Premium SP2 Vista Home Basic SP2 Vista Business SP2 Vista Ultimate SP2 RECOMMENDED Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Ultimate |
Macintosh OS 10.5 or Above |
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Productivity Tools |
Microsoft Office 2003/2007/2010 |
Microsoft Office for Mac 2004/2008/2011 |
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Windows Emulation Software (check with academic advisor) |
N/A |
Parallels Desktop for Mac (www.parallels.com) or VMware Fusion (www.vmware.com) |
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Processor Type |
MINIMUM XP: Intel Core Duo or Atom VISTA: Intel Core Duo (not Celeron) RECOMMENDED Core i5 or i7 Processor |
MINIMUM 1.86 GHz RECOMMENDED Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz or higher |
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Memory |
MINIMUM 2 GB RAM 4 GB RAM |
MINIMUM 2 GB RAM RECOMMENDED 4 GB RAM |
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Hard Drive |
MINIMUM 100 GB RECOMMENDED 250-500 GB |
MINIMUM 100 GB RECOMMENDED 250-500 GB |
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Graphics Card |
MINIMUM 128 MB Video memory RECOMMENDED 256 MB Video Memory or higher
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MINIMUM Integrated card RECOMMENDED NVIDIA GeForce 320M or higher |
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Warranty |
4 year parts and labor |
3year parts and labor Applecare |
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Insurance |
Comprehensive breakage, theft, hazard (strongly recommended) |
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Virus and Spyware Protection Software |
Symantec Antivirus is provided by the University. For software and instructions please visit www.du.edu/uts/helpdesk/newstudent.html
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Recommended Accessories
External USB 2.0 or Firewire 400/800 hard drive: Strongly recommended for data backup in case of laptop failure. Always keep a daily backup of files.
Personal Printer: for ease of printing from home. There are many public printers available on campus, but during high volume traffic times, may have long wait times.
USB Memory Storage Devices: Strongly recommended for their ease of use and ability to encrypt contents in case of lost or stolen property.
Ethernet cable: These are required for wired connections on campus. They can be bought at the bookstore. Please bring your cable to your laptop configuration session during orientation.
For questions concerning hardware and software minimum specifications, please contact:
UTS Computer Help Center
303-871-4700
support@du.edu
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