Picking your PC: Computer Recommendations for Incoming Freshman

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:43:04 -0400
news, other, undergraduate

Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop? Unless you plan to be a Visual Arts major, the computer you bring to UMBC doesn't have to meet any special requirements. But, the truth is that an old computer that takes twenty minutes to start-up will only multiply the stress of papers and exams. Below are our recommendations for minimum computer requirements, taken from UMBC's Division of Information Technology (DoIT) website:

Desktop or Laptop?

Laptop.

DoIT recommends laptops, stating that last year, over 90% of freshman came to campus with both a laptop and another wireless mobile device (smart phone, iPod touch, iPad, tablet, etc.). Laptops have become an essential note-taking tool in classes, plus they give students the freedom to study anywhere. Their compact size also makes them more practical for dorm-living.

If you prefer a desktop, consider a Dell All-in-One, or an iMac. Their compact size makes them more convenient in small living spaces, plus they consume less energy.

Recommended Dell All-in-Ones:

Inspiron One 2320

Intel Core™ i5-2400S processor (2.50GHz with 6MB Cache)

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English

6GB3 Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz

1TB – 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache

Nvidia® Geforce™ GT 525M

3 Year Basic Support

Recommended iMacs:

2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5

4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM – 2x2GB

500GB Serial ATA Drive

AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512MB GDDR5

Apple Magic Mouse

Apple Wireless Keyboard (English) + User's Guide

AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac – Auto-enroll

Accessory kit

21.5-inch widescreen

Mac or PC?

Either.

Whether you choose a Mac or a PC is a matter of preference. The UMBC Bookstore is an authorized Apple retailer, and offers students competitive pricing and on-campus technical support.

Mac Laptop Recommendations:

For Engineering and Science majors, DoIT recommends the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch. The specs are:

2.5GHz dual-core
Intel Core i5
4GB memory 1600MHz
500GB 5400-rpm
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Built-in battery (7 hours)

Also to consider:

The Macbook Air is recommended for students who use their laptops for taking notes.

Get a computer with at least 4GB of RAM.

Consider purchasing VMWARE if you need to run Windows applications on your Mac.

PC Laptop Reccomendations:

Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

Get a computer with at least 4GB RAM.

Use Microsoft Forefront for virus protection.