The iSchool requires that all masters, Ph.D., and CAS students own a laptop. The laptop must run Windows 10 or macOS (10.12 or newer). Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones are not adequate.
Several courses use Windows applications, which Mac users will need to be able to run through dual-booting or a virtualization utility (such as Parallels or VirtualBox).
Minimum recommendations:
- Processor:
- Core i5 1.7GHz dual-core or better
- RAM:
- 8GB (12GB if attempting virtualization)
- Hard Drive:
- 250GB HDD/SSD or greater
- Display Resolution:
- 1440×900 or greater
- Administrator Access:
- You must have an administrator account on the laptop
- Warranty:
- 2-year or greater warranty highly recommended.
If you are taking online courses, you will also need a headset with a microphone. Suggestions and more details here.
If you have concerns about this requirement or if you are uncertain if your current laptop will be acceptable, please contact the School’s Help Desk at (217) 244-4903, (800) 377-1892, ischool-support@illinois.edu, or through our TechChat.