Your Computer at NC State – Office of Information Technology

Updated

NC State does not require you to have a computer, but your college or department may have a requirement or specific recommendation.
Most professors expect you to have access to a computer, either a personal one or a lab computer.
We strongly encourage you to have one.

College of Design
See General Computer Purchase Information for Students
College of Education
See 1:1 Laptop Initiative
College of Engineering
See Student-Owned Computing.
Poole College of Management
See Computer Purchase Information for Students.
College of Veterinary Medicine
See College of Veterinary Medicine Computer Recommendation.
All other colleges and departments
Follow the recommendations on this page.

Compare machine types:
- Business-class (recommended)
  More expensive but more durable, stable, standardized, & well-supported
- Home use or consumer class
  Less expensive, may not hold up to rigorous academic use & transport
- High performance or gamer class
  More expensive, with bleeding edge, sometimes poorly supported technology
- Alternate devices
  Android, Chromebook, iPad, and iPad Pro devices cannot adequately substitute for a PC or Mac laptop or desktop.

Learn about any college or department requirement (above).
See Recommendations for a new computer system (below).
See Recommendations for a laptop you already own (below).
See special pricing for students at Wolfpack Outfitters Laptops & Tablets department.
Applicants for financial aid
See Computer Purchase Request Form (PDF) to include a computer in your financial aid request.

Item	PC	Mac
Type of machine	Business-class (See Compare machine types above.)	Any Apple Silicon based
Mobile device (e.g., iPad Pro, tablet, Chromebook, Pixel Book)	Not recommended as a primary device; Cannot adequately substitute for PC laptop or desktop	Not recommended as a primary device; Cannot adequately substitute for Mac laptop or desktop
CPU	Minimum: Intel i5 or i7, 12th generationRecommended: Intel i5 or i7, 13th generation or later	Minimum: Apple Silicon M1Recommended: M1Pro or later
RAM	Minimum: 8 GB if upgradeable otherwise 16 GBRecommended: 16 GB	Minimum: 8 GBRecommended: 16 GB
Storage	256 GB or greater SSD	256 GB or greater SSD
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 11 64-bitRecommended: Pro or EducationalNC State Students can download the Educational Upgrade for free. You will need to use your Unity ID and password access the upgrade	macOS 13 or later
Wireless	Yes	Yes
Camera & Microphone	Yes	Yes
Warranty Service (very highly recommended)	3 or more years	3 or more years
Accidental Damage Coverage (for drops and spills)	Yes	Yes
Theft Coverage (may be included in homeowner’s policy)	Yes	Yes

If your current laptop meets the following recommendations it MAY be sufficient for your first year or two.

Item	Recommendation
Age	Less than two years
Processor	Intel i5 or i7 or Apple M1
RAM	8 GB
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 10 or later macOS 11 (Recommended: macOS 13)
Battery Life	4 hours or longer
Wireless	Yes
Free Storage Space	80 GB

Warranty information
Software license codes
Personal printer, if desired (wireless printers are not recommended)
NOTE: WolfPrint FollowMe Printing offers fee-based printing at many campus locations.
Other needed peripherals and adapters (e.g. USB-C to USB-A)
USB hub for laptop models with limited USB ports; for Mac users a USB-C multiport adapter
HDMI adapter and/or cable
Surge protector

Antivirus – university requirement
See NC State Antivirus Resources.
Licensed for free use
- Microsoft Office 365, complete list of Software Licensing

Stay safe
See Safe Computing at NC State.
Mark it
The Wolf Guard ID Program can engrave your computer equipment with your driver’s license number.
CAUTION: Do NOT engrave ANYTHING with your Social Security number.
Keep a record
Keep a copy of your laptop’s serial number and your Ethernet and wireless card addresses in a safe place.