Recommendations for Computer Configuration

We hope you find the following information helpful as you consider your purchase. These are minimum recommendations and are given with a price-performance ratio in mind and are, to the best of our ability and knowledge, reasonably robust configurations. We've also included some standards that will assure connection to our campus network.

Operating System
We recommend Windows XP (any edition) or Windows Vista (any edition).

Processor Speed
Laptop: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 1.5GHz minimum
Desktop: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.33GHz minimum

Hard Drive size/speed
• Laptop: At least 80GB of storage space
• Desktop: At least 160GB of storage space
• A faster hard drive (7200 rpm vs. 5400 rpm) will enhance the overall performance of the computer. Increasing this is probably the second most important thing you can do to improve computer performance (after increasing RAM).
• You may have noticed that our recommendations in hard drive size differs greatly between desktop and laptop computers. To get a high-capacity laptop drive you would pay considerably more money than you would for a desktop with a comparable drive. We suggest that laptop users augment their storage with external USB 2.0 drives.
• Although our hard drive recommendations may seem like an exorbitant amount of storage space, keep in mind that space is eaten up very quickly by multimedia and graphics files. Smooth computing depends on ample storage space.

Integrated Video vs. Dedicated Video
Integrated video shares memory with the computer, while dedicated video has its own memory and will enhance performance when graphics-intensive applications are run. If you play high-end games or are doing graphic or video development, this will have an impact on the computer's performance. Under normal circumstances (while writing papers, surfing the web, doing IM or e-mail, etc.), you should not see any difference. Some features of Windows Vista may work better on computers with dedicated video.

Monitor
For desktop computers, we strongly recommend that you purchase a 17" (minimum) LCD (flat panel) instead of a traditional CRT monitor. This will save valuable desk space and reduce the heat and power load in your room.

Optical Drive
DVD Writer (internal or external): we suggest purchasing a computer with a DVD writer/burner. A DVD drive can write to and read from DVD's and CD's. Also DVD's hold nearly 5 gigabytes of storage and make multimedia authoring and data backup easy.

RAM/Memory
• A minimum of 1GB RAM is strongly recommended.
• If you are considering Windows Vista as your operating system, you should have 2GB of RAM.
• Ideally, memory should not be shared with an onboard video card. The video card should have 128MB of video RAM. If you are using Vista as your operating system, your video card should have 256MB of video RAM.
• The 1GB of RAM should be on one DIMM if possible (2GB for Vista) to allow for upgrades. Laptops typically have two DIMM slots, so upgrading a PC with both slots filled entails removing some of the RAM that's already installed. Buying one DIMM avoids this potential waste.

Network Connection
Wired: All computers should have a Network Interface Card. A CAT-5 ethernet patch cable is provided by the IT Department.
Wireless: Laptops should be equipped with wireless networking capability. The wireless card is usually pre-installed, however, be sure this is the case with your computer. We recommend the 802.11g ethernet card.

Mouse
An optical or laser mouse is recommended.

Printer
If you purchase a personal printer that attaches directly to the computer, be sure to have a USB cable for your printer.

Small Storage Needs
USB 2.0 drives: We strongly recommend using USB drives (1GB minimum) that go by several different names: flash, pen, mobile, memory, thumb, or jump drives.
Floppy or Zip drives: We don't recommend them at all. They are obsolete technologies and may fail over time resulting in loss of data. In addition, many computers on campus no longer have floppy drives in them!

Surge Suppressor
A surge suppressor is the basic form of protection that can be used to protect the computer from sudden power spikes and surges. At a minimum, we suggest that you protect your equipment with a high-quality surge suppressor, inserted between your computer and the electrical outlet. Be sure the suppressor has a rating of 330V each UL1449, and it should have a Surge energy rating of at least 1750 Joules.

Security Cable
A security cable with a key lock is a must for laptops and small form factor CPU's, and a good idea for all CPU's. Don't just buy a security cable - USE IT!

Warranty
A warranty on a new computer is a good thing, especially since we are quite a distance from any computer repair facilities. On-site warranties make the vendor send someone out to where you live and are more expensive. Regular warranties cover parts and labor, but not shipping. Laptop computers usually have costly repairs so we recommend purchasing the extended warranty for a laptop. Remember that a warranty is like an insurance policy, sometimes you never have to use it, but when something goes wrong, it is nice to have it covered, especially for those people who don't know much about computers. The important thing is to look into getting a good warranty and accidental damage protection