Lakeland University Computer Science Technology Requirements

Please keep the following hardware requirements in mind when selecting a laptop to use when taking computer or data science courses.

Lakeland University has desktop computers in the computer science classrooms that will have the recommended requirements needed for the computer science curriculum. However, most students like to bring their own laptops.

Recommended hardware specifications are below.

If you plan on using a laptop for your courses, please see the following requirements. Please note that there are items in these requirements that are listed as desirable or recommended. They are recommended because they will make your laptop more powerful and versatile with a longer effective lifespan. The recommended configuration options are not required – minimum requirements will be sufficient.

Systems purchased within the past two (2) years will typically be outfitted with the recommended features. Please confirm that your laptop meets these minimum requirements.

Note that a tablet such as a Microsoft Surface, Apple iPad with a keyboard, or a Chromebook is not sufficient for the Computer Science curriculum.

Hardware	Minimum Requirements	Recommended Requirements
CPU	Quad Core (not counting hyper-threading) 2.4 Ghz, Intel VT or AMD V (Intel i5/AMD Ryzen 5 or better) Virtual box/VMware must be supported.	Intel i7/AMD Ryzen 7 Virtual box/VMware must be supported.
Memory	16GB	More memory, or the ability to install more memory is desirable
Disk	256 GB SSD	512 GB SSD or larger
Network	Internet access required
USB	WiFi required for on-campus classes USB-A required for peripheral connectivity USB-C to USB-A adapter if the laptop does not have any USB-A ports
Peripheral	Webcam and microphone
Miscellaneous
Installs	Students must be able to install software on the computer they will use for courses
Operating Systems	The ability to either dual boot into Windows or Linux is necessary If a system can run these operating in VMware with only a minor performance impact this is also acceptable
Microsoft Office	Provided to all Lakeland University students Students should be able to run these programs either on their system or access the web versions
Development Software	Provided at no additional cost to the student These include many Microsoft developer tools and operating systems, as well as VMware and many open-source programs, software, security tools, and Linux distributions
Service	An extended warranty is recommended