Laptop System Requirements for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates
All undergraduate students entering Chemical Engineering are required to have a laptop for use in course work. Laptops do not need to be brought to campus on a daily basis, but individual courses may require that a laptop be brought to class or lab sessions.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure their laptop meets or exceeds the following requirments.
Operating System Requirement
Undergraduate students will be required to install specific software packages on their laptops. Some of the software packages used in our program are only available on the Microsoft Windows Platform. Due to this need, all students are required to have a laptop with a Windows operating system. Required software for some courses are not compatible with a macOS device.
PC Minimum Requirements
Some CHE courses utilize software that places significant demands upon the processor, memory and/or graphics systems of the computer. Consequently, students are advised that a new laptop may be required if their current system is more than three-years old, or fails to meet certain minimum specifications. The following table summarizes CHE recommended minimum specifications for students purchasing a new computer for the upcoming semester. If your current computer does not meet these minimum requirements, you may find that your system will need to be upgraded or replaced within three years and/or may not provide acceptable performance for some or all CHE courses. CHE does not recommend purchasing a new laptop with specifications less than those shown below.
Microsoft Windows 11 Operating System, 64-bit is the expected standard.
Hardware & OS | Minimum (and you may struggle with these specs) | Preferred (and please exceed even these in order for performance to persist) |
|---|---|---|
Operating System: | Windows 11 64-bit (required software for courses will NOT run under MacOS) | Windows 11 64-bit (required software for courses will NOT run under MacOS) |
Processor: | Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 | Intel Core i7, i9, Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 |
Memory: | 16GB RAM | 32GB RAM |
Hard Drive: | 500GB SSD (Solid State Drive) | 500GB - 1TB SSD (Solid State Drive) or larger |
GPU (Video): | Integrated Video | Discrete graphics card (Nvidia or AMD)* |
Wireless: | 802.11ac | 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6 |
Ports: | Minimum 1 USB port; either a USB-A or USB-C with a USB-A to USB-C adapter | Minimum 1 USB port; either a USB-A or USB-C with a USB-A to USB-C adapter |
Camera/Conferencing: | Front facing camera with mic and speakers | Front facing HD camera with privacy shutter and headset with mic |
Backup: | ||
Warranty: | An extended warranty with accidental damage coverage is HIGHLY recommended | An extended warranty with accidental damage coverage is HIGHLY recommended |
A "discrete graphics" card such as Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon series is not explicitly required, but may be be beneficial.
Home internet bandwidth: Sufficient for classes and online testing. At least 10 Mbps upstream/downstream is recommended.
Apple macOS Notes
Some CHE required software for courses will not run under macOS
Newer macOS devices with M1 or higher chipsets are not fully compatible with virtualization software running Microsoft Windows
The use of Apple Bootcamp requires a Mac with an Intel processor
A macOS device will require additional memory, drive capacity, and an investment in time/labor on the end-user to install a Windows virtual environment. Even then, there will be compatibility issues with some software
Recommended Software
All computers must have an active antivirus software installed before being connected to the campus network. Systems running Windows 8 or higher have the built-in Windows Defender. UT recommended anti-virus solutions are listed on the ITS Anti-Virus page.
Package | Availabilty |
|---|---|
Microsoft Office | Instructions for access (Free for Students) |
MATLAB | Contact CHE IT for access |
Anti-Virus | Download from ITS Anti-Virus page |
Additionally the Cockrell School of Engineering provides access to various Microsoft products through the Azure Development Tools for Teaching program and to National Instruments' LabVIEW.
Financial Aid
Students that receive aid or are loan eligible may contact The Office of Student Financial Services to have their aid adjusted to include the cost of their laptop. Students not eligible for aid can apply for alternative or short-term loans through The Office of Student Financial Services.