Notebook Computers: College Majors May Have Different Minimum Requirements

A brief look at the various schools within one university setting that require different hardware minimum requirements.
What notebook to buy is one question that most parents will be asking sometime in the future as their student or students prepare for college. Previously, I had written an article on how to purchase a notebook for the college student. Perhaps a better question to ask is, "How should the notebook be configured?" After all, this is an expensive purchase and purchasing the wrong notebook can be a real "bummer." Let's look at a few of the "schools" within one university to see just how their requirements differed among the various "schools:"

1. The School of Business, and College of Education and Human Services, and College of Liberal Arts at one major university had the following minimum hardware requirements:

Windows XP Professional or MAC OS10.X Operating Systems
1.4GHz processor (Centrino, P4M, MAC)
60GB or larger Hard Drive
1GB RAM
CD-RW DVD-ROM Drive
10/100 Ethernet
802.11b wireless network
1GB Flash Drive
Recommend a 3 to 4 yr. service plan on the computer

The College of Fine Arts however, had these minimum hardware requirements for student notebooks:

Mackbook Pro
15 inch display
2GB RAM
120GB Hard Drive
Super Drive Recommended
3 year Apple Care Protection Plan recommended;
Within the College of Fine Arts, the music department had the following minimum hardware requirements:

MacBook Pro or Windows XP Professional
1GB RAM
80GB Hard Drive
USB Flash Drive
10/100 Ethernet
802.11g wireless
CD-RW DVD ROM
Service plans recommended
As you can see, each college or school within the university may have their own minimum specifications for notebook computer hardware. It is recommended that you speak with the admissions office or the Information Technology Resource Department to obtain the specific minimum hardware requirements.