Hardware Guidelines

Please note the following guidelines when considering a computer purchase:

1. Computers should have a minimum of 16GB of RAM, ideally 32GB+.
2. Computers should have a minimum of 512GB of internal storage, ideally 1TB+.
3. Engineering IT strongly recommends purchasing a 5 year warranty and 5 year accidental damage protection when available - out-of-warranty repairs will not be covered by Siebel School and must be paid for by the student.
4. All computers that will use Windows as the operating system must explicitly include Windows in the purchase - any version of Windows is acceptable, as the computer will be reset into the Enterprise version of Windows. 
5. All Apple computers should be purchased through TechZone.
6. When you have an idea of the computer that you would like to purchase, please contact Engineering IT at engrit-help@illinois.edu to request a price quote - we will work with you to customize the quote to your needs and ensure appropriate cost.

Below you will find a list of recommended manufacturers and models. Please note that some configurations can be customized and prices are subject to change.

Dell Products:

Apple Products 

Educational pricing for Apple products can be found here:

https://www.apple.com/us-edu/store

Make and Model	Picture	Specifications	Price Estimate
MacBook Air - 15 inch		Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine 24GB unified memory 512GB SSD storage 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone² 12MP Center Stage camera MagSafe 3 charging port Two Thunderbolt 4 ports 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID - US English	$1700
MacBook Pro - 14 inch		14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display Standard display Apple M4 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU, 16‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine 48GB unified memory 512GB SSD storage 70W USB-C Power Adapter Three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID - US English	$2,100
MacBook Pro - 16 inch		16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display Standard display Apple M4 Pro chip with 14‑core CPU, 20‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine 24GB unified memory 512GB SSD storage 140W USB-C Power Adapter Three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID - US English	$2,400

Engineering IT Support

University and Engineering IT policy requires Engineering IT to handle all University owned computers before use. Computers will first be wiped then set up with University licensed OS, University licensed software, including the security application. Equipment ordered through the Siebel School PhD equipment program are automatically imaged by EngrIT prior to pickup at receiving.

For Apple computers, a program called "Managed Software Center" will be installed, allowing easy install of University licensed software.

For Windows computers, a program called "Software Center" will be installed, which serves the same purpose.

Since these devices are primarily for traditional office use (word processing, email, telecom, etc.), Linux is not recommended. If you want Linux, bring your machine to the helpdesk in Siebel 2302 and IT can install Ubuntu and the security software on your device. Please note that Engineering IT has limited Linux support compared to Apple or Windows machines.

As always, please email engrit-help@illinois.edu with questions or concerns.