Recommended PC Laptop Hardware
NUIT establishes minimum hardware guidelines to assist purchasing a computer for use at Northwestern. Check with your individual school for additional requirements.
Note: If you use specialized administrative software such as TMIS, consult with your system administrator before choosing a Windows operating system. Windows XP Professional is recommended if you do not use any specialized administrative software.
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NUIT offers software at a significant discount or free for download. Please check the software Web pages before finalizing your hardware purchases. |
Laptop — minimum
Expect to use the computer for basic productivity, running multiple applications such as e-mail, web browsing, word processing, music and video players, and photo organization.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.26GHz or faster |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM |
| Hard drive | At least 160 GB SATA hard disk (7200 RPM) |
| CD/DVD drive | Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Drive |
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit) Ethernet |
| Wireless | 802.11 b/g/n wireless (WPA2 Enterprise-compatible) |
| Video card/VRAM | 128 MB video RAM |
| Ports | At least 2 USB 2.0 ports |
| Integrated fingerprint reader | Wherever available (not required for students) |
| Operating system |
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 or Windows Vista Business edition |
| Warranty | 3 year onsite next business day |
Laptop — power user
In addition to the tasks above, expect to resource intensive programs for audio/video editing, graphic design, running multiple operating systems, storing large multimedia files and playing games.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz or equivalent |
| Memory | At least 4GB RAM |
| Hard drive | At least 320GB SATA hard disk (7200 RPM) |
| CD/DVD drive | Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Drive |
| Ethernet | 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit) Ethernet |
| Wireless | 802.11 b/g/n wireless (WPA2 Enterprise-compatible) |
| Video card/VRAM | 256 MB video RAM |
| Ports | At least 2 USB 2.0 ports |
| Integrated fingerprint reader | Wherever available (not required for students) |
| Operating system | Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 or Windows Vista Business edition |
| Warranty | 3 year onsite next business day |
NUIT Support Center
Central helpdesk for faculty, staff, and students.
847-491-HELP (4357)
consultant@northwestern.edu
Last Updated: 02 July 2009
