Student Computer Requirements

Not quite sure what you want to study yet?  As a student in the Discover Program, you’re encouraged to explore your academic options at UD while staying equipped for success. To make sure your tech is up to the task, refer to the computer recommendations for the academic division most closely aligned with your current Discover track. 

For example, if you’re leaning toward the School of Business Administration, be aware that many business applications require a Windows operating system. Purchasing a Mac may require you to buy or access a PC later, which can be costly and inconvenient. Choosing the right technology from the start will help you stay on track, no matter where your path leads.

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

Minimum Tech Requirements

Visual art majors are required to use Mac-specific academic tools that may encounter problems running on a PC.

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  • macOS
    Sonoma or higher
  • M3 or newer processor
• Memory (minimum)
  • 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred)
• Screen / Display
  • Graphic Design and Photography majors: MacBook Air M3 with a 15” display.

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to see a list of UD-licensed academic software; most apps required for classes are provided for free.

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel or AMD processor is required. No ARM processors.
      
• Memory (minimum)
  • 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred)
• Screen / Display
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum
  • HDMI video output or adapter for presentations

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to see a list of UD-licensed academic software; most apps required for classes are provided for free.

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

While Mac computers are popular personal devices, the School of Business curriculum relies heavily on software that is designed for the Windows operating system. To ensure compatibility and full functionality, a Windows-based laptop is strongly recommended.

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel or AMD processor required. No ARM processors.
      
• Memory (minimum)
  • 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred) 
• Screen / Display
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum
  • HDMI video output or adapter for presentations

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to view a list of UD-licensed academic software. Most apps required for classes are available for free.

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

UD/Sinclair nursing students will need an iPad Mini 11” in addition to their laptop.

Laptop

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  • Windows
    • Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free).
    • Intel or AMD processor required. No ARM processors.
• Memory (minimum)
  • Windows: 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred)
• Screen / Display
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum
  • HDMI video output or adapter for presentations

Tablet:

• Android newer than 3 years
  OR
• iPad any age as long as it runs the current iOS (26.5)
• * Kindle and Chromebook are not supported

*Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD's student computer specifications for any major.

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel or AMD processor required. No ARM processors.
  • macOS:
    Sonoma or higher
    • M3 or newer processor
• Memory (minimum)
  • Windows: 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
  • macOS: 16GB
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred)
• Screen / Display
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum
  • HDMI video output or adapter for presentations

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to view a list of UD-licensed academic software. Most apps required for classes are available for free.

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System (3 options)
  
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel Core i5 or i7 (recommended) 14th Generation and up OR AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 (recommended) 7000-series and up. No ARM processors.
      
  • Linux
    Preferred options are: Debian-based Long-Term Support (LTS); Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy Jellyfish) / Linux Mint 21; Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat) / Linux Mint 22
    • Intel Core i5 or i7 (recommended) 14th Generation and up OR AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 (recommended) 7000-series and up. No ARM processors.
  • MacOS
    Sequoia version 15 or higher
    • M2 and M3 OR M4, silicon only
• Memory (minimum)
  • 16GB (32GB preferred) of RAM
• Storage (minimum)
  • 512GB SSD (1TB SSD preferred)
• Screen / Display Windows & Linux
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum (14”-16” recommended)
  • HDMI video output or USB-C AV adapter (w/ HDMI video)
• Screen / Display Apple (Mac)
  • MacBook Air 13” or 15” display
  • MacBook Pro 14” or 16” display
  • + USB-C AV adapter (w/ HDMI video)

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to see a list of UD-licensed academic software; most apps required for classes are provided for free. Package managers students will become familiar with: Windows (chocolatey), Debian-Linux (apt), MacOS (homebrew).

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD's student computer specifications for any major.

Preferred Tech Recommendations

• Processor/Operating System
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel Core Ultra 7 or equivalent AMD processor. (No ARM processors.)
    • No Mac OS or ARM (Qualcomm Snapdragon, etc.)
• Memory
  
  • 32GB of RAM or higher
• Storage
  
  • 1TB SSD or greater
• Graphics
  
  • Dedicated with 8 GB+ VRAM (NVIDIA RTX 1000 Pro or greater)

Minimum Tech Requirements

• Processor/Operating System
  
  • Windows
    Windows 11 Pro / Enterprise / Education (UD students with Home or Pro editions are licensed to download the Education version for free.)
    • Intel Core Ultra 5 or equivalent. (No ARM processors.)
      
    • No Mac OS or ARM (Qualcomm Snapdragon, etc.)
• Memory
  • 16GB of RAM
• Graphics
  • Dedicated with 4 GB+ VRAM (NVIDIA RTX 500 series or greater)
• Screen / Display
  • Discrete / dedicated graphics (e.g., NVIDIA or AMD)
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution minimum
  • 13” display minimum
  • HDMI video output or adapter for presentations

Software Recommendations

• Microsoft Office (provided to enrolled UD students in August)
• Anti-virus program (strongly recommended)

Visit go.udayton.edu/software to view a list of UD-licensed academic software. Most apps required for classes are available for free.

Accessories

• Working headset (e.g., headphones / earbuds with microphone)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam

Note: Google Chromebook and MacBook Neo do not meet UD’s student computer specifications for any major.

• Set up your password challenge questions to reset your UD password if it expires.
• Enroll in UD’s two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure your University account.
• Download the UD App from the App Store and Google Play and fly to the information you need.
• Protect your tech: Add your computer to your family's homeowner’s insurance. If that’s not possible, consider separate coverage through a tech insurance company.

Get Free Software

As a UD student, faculty, or staff member, you have access to a variety of licensed software at no cost. Visit go.udayton.edu/software to explore what's available and download essential tools like Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Education.

What Technology to Bring

• Your laptop and mobile devices
• Power strip with surge protection (bonus if it has USB ports)
• A built-in or external high-definition webcam
• External hard drive or USB flash drive (for backups and file transfers)
• Most laptops have cut down on ports. Having adaptors for USB-C to HDMI, Ethernet or VGA may be helpful as you use your device on campus.
• Headphones or earbuds (preferably with a mic for virtual meetings)
• Personal printer (optional – FlyerPrint is available around campus)
• Printer paper & ink refills (if bringing your own printer)
• Gaming console or streaming device (e.g., Xbox, PlayStation, Roku). These must be registered on the network. Home assistants like Google Home and Amazon Echo are not supported.

What to Leave at Home

• Chromebooks (not compatible with UD’s student computer requirements for any major)
• Wireless printers
• Wireless routers
• Amazon Echo/ Dot
• Chromecast
• Google Home
• Devices controlled by mobile apps

• Configure your computer and mobile device to use Eduroam, UD’s secure campus Wi-Fi network.
• Register your gaming and entertainment devices. 
• Install the FlyerPrint print queues to print to campus pay-for-print printers. While some students choose to bring a personal printer, it's not a necessity. UD’s FlyerPrint system provides convenient, pay-to-print access to printers located across campus.

If you need help with technology at UD, our IT Service Center is here to help. Whether you are troubleshooting a network issue, have questions about your UD account, or need guidance with campus systems, our team is just a click or call away.

In addition to general support, our on-campus technicians offer several fee-based services for more in-depth technical needs:

• Operating system installation: $50
• University-licensed software installation: $25
• Virus removal: $75
• Data backup: $25 per 25GB
• System diagnostics: $10
• Laptop rentals: $10/day; $50/week

NOTE: Our technicians do not provide hardware repair for personal devices (laptops, phones, tablets). However, we're happy to help you identify appropriate external support options.