All students are required to have a portable computing device. This will help maximize your success in a range of class scenarios during your college career.
Students living off campus are strongly encouraged to have regular and reliable Internet access.
Device Specifications
We understand you may already have a laptop. There's no need to buy a new one if yours meets the minimum specifications below. However, we strongly encourage you to bring a device that meets the recommended specifications—the memory and storage capacity will allow you to effectively run necessary software and process data provided to you for class assignments.
A device meeting only the minimum specifications listed below may not last for your entire Michigan Tech career. The more capacity and power your device has, the more likely it will serve your needs throughout your time at Michigan Tech.
If you are planning to buy a new laptop, expect to pay between $900 and $1,700 for a model with the recommended specifications.
Students majoring in engineering, mechanical engineering technology, and engineering management should plan to have a laptop for in-class instructional purposes in required Engineering Fundamentals courses. For engineering students:
- You will need a Windows-based laptop. A Mac will not allow you to fully participate in course activities, as there is software you need to use that will not run natively on a Mac or on a Windows VM (virtual machine).
- Chromebooks are insufficient for supplied and necessary engineering software.
Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications | |
---|---|---|
Processor |
Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 |
Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 |
Memory |
8GB RAM |
16GB RAM |
Storage |
250GB (Solid State Drive (SSD) strongly recommended) |
500GB (Solid State Drive (SSD) strongly recommended) |
Graphics |
Integrated graphics |
Dedicated graphics card with at least 4 GB of VRAM |
Other |
|
|
Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications | |
---|---|---|
Processor |
Intel i7 |
Intel i9, Apple M1 |
Memory |
8GB RAM |
16GB RAM (more if you plan to work with video) |
Storage |
512GB (Solid State Drive strongly recommended) |
Additional 1TB external hard drive (SSD) |
Graphics |
2GB GPU VRAM* |
4GB GPU VRAM* |
Other |
|
Built-in or external webcam, and headphones with connected microphone. |
* The standard Mac graphics card is acceptable. Learn more about graphics cards for video editing.
Note: The above specifications apply to both Windows and MacOS machines. If students want to work seamlessly between the Humanities Digital Media Zone and their own computer, they should consider purchasing a Mac laptop.
Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications | |
---|---|---|
Processor |
Intel i7 |
Intel i9, Apple M1 |
Memory |
8GB RAM |
16GB RAM (more if you plan to work with video) |
Storage |
512GB (Solid State Drive strongly recommended) |
Additional 1TB external hard drive (SSD) |
Graphics |
2GB GPU VRAM* |
4GB GPU VRAM* |
Other |
|
Built-in or external webcam, and headphones with connected microphone. |
Learn more about device recommendations for VPA majors.
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