UNM Computing Standards

UNM strongly encourages students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of the Dell Personal Purchases program. These computers have been vetted to be fully compliant with UNM systems requirements, security recommendations, and capable of supporting educational needs. They offer exceptional warranties and support at a price that rivals consumer equivalents.

Our recommendations are designed to provide you with a computer that will strongly support your studies through a four-year degree. Some Academic Programs or Majors may require higher performance computers than others. Someone working on 3D animation, film, or advanced computational models, for example, will need a higher performing computer than someone who needs more basic computer access. Make sure that you check with your Academic Program before buying a computer.

Please note that systems manufactured by other vendors that meet or exceed UNM standards are supported to the same extent as Apple products below. That said, support for certain features such as touch screens and docking solutions may be limited.

Mac Support

Like Windows 10, Apple's macOS operating system is approaching a significant transition, and current hardware and software are essential to ensure a high quality, consistent computing experience.

Recommended Minimum Hardware Specifications

Operating System

Windows 10 build 1809 Pro or higher, with hardware designed for it (2004 is current)

System purchased with macOS 10.13 or higher (10.15 Catalina is current)

Windows 10 and Apple operating systems are generally supported and upgradeable for free over the  a 3-5 year lifecycle. Hardware support for features may diminish after 5 years.

Processor

Intel i5 ‘KabyLake’ Generation 7 processor or better (or equivalent). The current Generation 10 processors are highly recommended as significant evolutions over the previous three upgrades.

Memory (RAM)

At least 16GB of RAM are recommended

Hard Drive

500GB+ NVMe or SATA SSD (NVMe preferable)

Display

Your computer will be experienced thrugh its display. We recommend at least 1920x1080 resolution for sceens up to 14”

4K or UHD displays will work better for larger laptops

Peripheral Ports

USB C 3.1 Gen 1 or USB A equivalent and USB C 3.x DisplayPort capable video and/or HDMI

CD-ROM Drive

Not necessary.

Network Card - Wired

USB dongle as appropriate to ports above recommended.

Network Card - Wireless

802.11 AC or better required.

Warranty

3 year parts and labor recommended. Accident protection through the Personal Purchase Program is HIGHLY recommended because it is deeply discounted and comes with home support.

Virus Protection Software

Windows Security as included with currently supported with Windows 10 is highly recommended.  This includes Windows Defender and a number of additional security features UNM believes are essential to ensuring a secure and reliable experience.

Productivity Software

Office is free through UNM.  There is no additional cost to students for Adobe, and Faculty and Staff enjoy deeply discounted rates.