Personal Computer Requirements
The College of Veterinary Medicine requires its professional students to own a notebook computer- either a tablet PC or a traditional laptop. Mobile computer technology enables greater flexibility so that you can easily bring your device and electronic notes to each class and home. Tablet technology allows you to use a stylus pen or finger to operate the computer without a keyboard or mouse, and the ability to add hand-written notes to an instructor’s materials for further study proves invaluable to our current DVM students.
Required MINIMUM system configuration for NEW purchases:
- Windows 10 / MacOS 11 Big Sur or higher (No Android devices, iPads, iPad Pro, etc.)
- Intel Core i5 processor (2.1 GHz) equivalent or higher
- Memory (RAM): 8GB
- Minimum 256GB hard drive (Solid State hard drive recommended but not required)
- WPA2-capable wireless connectivity and a/b/g/n wireless card 5GHz preferred
- 3 year complete coverage or accidental care warranty
- Storage Minimum 500 GB external backup hard drive or sufficient cloud based storage (no important data should be stored solely on the laptop)
Optional: Display adapter for projector/television connection. Typically a Mini DisplayPort or USB-C, dependent on the PCs connection, to VGA/HDMI Check with your retailer or manufacturer to determine which works with your PC.
Note: It is recommended that you keep your PC operating system up to date at all times.
New computers and accessories can be purchased online or at a variety of retailers; below are a few suggested:
- Illini Union Tech Zone: https://techzone.illinois.edu
- CDW-G: https://www.cdwg.com
- Dell: https://www.dell.com
- HP: https://www.hp.com
- Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com
- Amazon: https://amazon.com
IT@VetMed also recommends a minimum of 3-year complete/accidental care warranty with on-site repair. The complete care warranty is an extensive service contract that both extends the initial manufacturer warranty and provides protection for accidental damage such as drops and spills. Many complete care warranties also offer the option of at-home service or replacement so that you will not need to send your computer off for repairs
Finally, the purchase of an external hard drive or comparable cloud based storage to back up class and personal is highly recommended. Should your computer experience hardware problems or data loss, regular backups kept on an external drive or cloud will allow you to quickly retrieve your data once your computer is repaired.
Please contact the IT@Vet Med Help Desk with any questions at: IT@vetmed.illinois.edu.
Revised 4/5/2023