Resources

Computer Recommendations

All students entering the USF College of Engineering are required to have a laptop computer that they can use in their major classes and labs.

It is recommended that students purchase a computer with as much memory and processing power as reasonably affordable. Ideally, it should be a machine that is useful

  • throughout the term of a student's degree program
  • in courses for completing and submitting a variety of assignments
  • for remote learning/meetings, when needed
  • for running software such as Aspen, MatLab, Comsol, and other typical engineering software, if and when the need arises (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Mathematica, Python, etc.)

In addition, a student may want to consider a machine that is suited for taking digital notes.

For more information on the types of software and apps available at low or no cost for USF students, as well as resources for purchasing computers, please review the Student Guide by IT under Useful Links on this site and USF Computer Store.

Below is a list of recommendations that can be used as a general guideline:

  1. Processor: Intel 12th Gen or higher, xx400 or better OR AMD Ryzen 7000 series or better, x300 or better
  2. Memory: 16-32GB
  3. SSD Storage: 500GB-1TB
  4. Video Card: FHD (1920 x 1080); Integrated Graphics
  5. Sound Card: Microphone input and Headphones output
  6. Camera: 720p HD Resolution or better
  7. Network Hardware: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or Wi-Fi 6E if possible, otherwise, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) 
  8. Operating System: Windows 11. Note that Windows 11 Education is available to USF students
    Operating systems other than Microsoft Windows are allowed. In many cases, a Windows based operating system will be the easiest path towards software compatibility and connectivity.
  9. Battery: Greater than 2 hours (note that optional or extended battery is suggested to reduce the need for charging between classes)
  10. Backup storage: USF provides students with access to a Microsoft 365 account, which includes services like OneDrive, Teams, and other Office 365 applications.