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(Updated July 2009)
This chart, adapted from the NC
State University Office of Information Technology website, provides
minimum recommendations for students bringing older computers to campus. Clicking
on "Tell Me More"
will provide detailed information about a component.
Depending on your needs, you should not expect an older computer to be useful
for more than a year. If you plan to bring an older computer to campus, it should
meet or, preferably, exceed these minimum recommendations. Contact your department
office for specific hardware and software requirements for coursework.
Minimum
Recommendations for Older Computers
2009 Specifications |
| Component |
Windows Desktop or Laptop |
Macintosh Desktop or Laptop |
| CPU |
Intel-compatible (Pentium, Core Duo, AMD):
1 GHz or higher |
Minimum : G5 or MacBook
Preferred: Intel iMac, Mac Pro or MacBook Pro |
System RAM
Tell
me more |
1 GB minimum,
2 GB or more preferred |
1 GB minimum,
2 GB or more preferred |
CD/DVD
Tell
me more |
CD-ROM minimum,
DVD/CD-RW preferred |
CD-ROM minimum,
DVD/CD-RW preferred |
Hard Disk Size
Tell
me more |
160 GB with 20 GB available |
160 GB with 20 GB available |
| Operating System |
Windows XP Professional
or higher
(Windows Home Editions NOT recommended) |
MacOS X version 10.4 minimum;
MacOS X version 10.5 preferred |
Monitor
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me more |
Desktop: 15" to 17" preferred
Laptop: 12" to 15" preferred |
Desktop: 15" to 17" preferred
Laptop: 12" to 15" preferred |
| Sound Card |
100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible |
Built-in |
| Ethernet Adapter
Tell me more
|
Built-in RJ-45 connector
(802.11g compatible
wireless ethernet card optional,
but needed for wireless network access) |
Standard on Macintosh
(Wireless Airport or Airport Extreme
card needed for wireless network access) |
Wireless Network Adapter (optional)
|
802.11b or 802.11g compatible |
Airport or Airport Extreme card |
External
Hard Drive for Back-ups |
An external drive at least as large as your computer's internal drive for backing up your computer. |
Questions?
For additional assistance, please contact your departmental office
or send email to: design_help@ncsu.edu
Go back to the College's Student
Computing Requirements and Information page for
general information.
For technical assistance or if you would like us to look over your purchase selection
before you spend money, feel free to contact the College's Information Technology
staff by sending an email to: design_help@ncsu.edu.
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