Skip to main content

Computer Requirements and Recommendations

You will need an up-to-date computer to make full use of your ResNet connection.

These are our current requirements and recommendations for each computer operating system:

Windows

Recommended Computer Specifications

The following configuration is recommended for students who intend to keep a computer for four years without a major upgrade:

Windows 10 recommendation table including specifications for laptop and desktop workstations.
Desktop Computer Laptop Computer
Monitor 24 inch LCD, 1080p Personal Preference
Operating System Windows 10, 64-bit, Home or higher, fully updated with firewall enabled Windows 10, 64-bit, Home or higher, fully updated with firewall enabled
Processor/CPU Eighth Generation Intel i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Current generation Intel Core i5 mobile processor or AMD Ryzen 5 APU
Graphics/GPU AMD Radeon R7 570 or Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti or higher Integrated graphics
RAM 16 GB 16 GB
Hard Drive 256 GB solid state drive (SSD) with internal/external 1TB Storage Hard Drive 256 GB solid state drive (SSD) with 1TB External Storage Hard Drive
Networking Hardware 802.11ac wireless adapter 802.11ac wireless adapter
Software Office 365 (Free - Login with your UCSD credentials @ http://portal.office.com/) Office 365 (Free - Login with your UCSD credentials @ http://portal.office.com/)

*A solid state drive is a storage drive that does not use "traditional" hard drive technology of recording data on magnetic disks, meaning it has no moving parts. This makes them more reliable, faster, and less prone to data loss from dropping / carrying a laptop around. The downside is solid state technology is still more expensive than "traditional" hard drive technology, and space is still a limiting factor. If a solid state drive is purchased, we recommend also purchasing an external hard drive for data storage. 

Minimum Computer Requirements

Below are the minimum required specifications for any Windows computer to be used on the network. It is not recommended to use a computer on campus that does not meet these specifications. Computers that do not meet these minimum requirements will receive limited support.

  • Operating System: Windows 10.
    • Please note that Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP are no longer supported and are not allowed on the network.
  • Processor: Intel Pentium dual-core or AMD A4 APU
  • Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Hard Drive: 80 GB Hard Drive with at least 15% free space
  • Networking Hardware: 802.11n or higher WiFi adapter
  • Current firewall program
  • Current anti-virus software
  • Current internet web browser

Frequently Asked Questions

What version of Windows 10 should I purchase?

  • Distributions of Windows can be found for sale in the UCSD Bookstore.
  • First, check to see if you're eligible to upgrade for free. If not, or if you're building a new computer, there are two editions of Windows 10 currently offered to consumers:
    • Windows 10 Home – The base version of Windows 10
    • Windows 10 Pro – Contains all of the features of Windows 10, as well as the following features:
      • Remote Desktop Host – Ability to remotely control the computer from another Windows or Mac computer
      • BitLocker & EFS Encryption
      • Ability to join Windows Domains
      • System Virtualization – Full Hyper-V virtualization on 64-bit versions with compatible CPUs
  • Using the home Windows 10 edition will meet the academic needs for most students. The ability to access your computer remotely would be the primary advantage of installing Windows 10 Pro. And yes, the ResNet network currently allows students to access their computers remotely, on and off campus!

Should I get the 64-bit or 32-bit version of Windows 10?

  • Any new computer purchased after around 2006 should be capable of running a 64-bit operating system. ResNet recommends the 64-bit version in order to take full advantage of your system's processing power and to increase RAM capacity, which is limited to 3.5 GB under the 32-bit operating system.
  • Essentially, using the 64-bit OS will allow you access to extra features and performance. All your 32-bit applications will run fine under the 64-bit operating system.

Macintosh

Recommended Computer Specifications

The following configuration is recommended for students who intend to keep a computer for four years without a major upgrade:

Mac recommendation table including specifications of the 24" M1 iMac, M2 Mac Mini, and MacBook Air and Pro Offerings.
Desktop Computer Laptop Computer
Computer 24" iMac with M1 chip or Mac Mini with M2 chip (Personal preference) M2 MacBook Air 13", 15" or M2 Pro MacBook Pro 14" (Personal preference)
Operating System macOS Ventura (13.4), fully updated with firewall enabled macOS Ventura (13.4), fully updated with firewall enabled
RAM 16 GB  16 GB 
Hard Drive 1TB SSD with 1+ TB External Backup Drive 256 GB SSD with 1+ TB External Backup Drive
Networking Hardware Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) adapter Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) adapter
Software Office 365 (Free - Login with your UCSD credentials @ http://portal.office.com/) Office 365 (Free - Login with your UCSD credentials @ http://portal.office.com/)

 

Mac Memory Upgrade Information

Current Mac offerings do not feature user-replaceable / upgradeable memory. If you purchase a Mac, you will not be able to upgrade or replace your memory after your purchase. ResNet recommends maximizing your memory configuration prior to purchase.

Minimum Computer Requirements

Below are the minimum required specifications for any Mac computer to be used on the network. It is not recommended to use a computer on campus that does not meet these specifications. Computers that do not meet these minimum requirements will receive limited support and may be blocked from the network.

  • Operating System: macOS 12 (Monterey) or higher with the latest software updates
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
  • Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Hard Drive: 80 GB Hard Drive with at least 15% free space
  • Networking Hardware: 802.11n or higher WiFi adapter
  • Current firewall program
  • Current anti-virus software
  • Current internet web browser

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I update from my current macOS version?

  • Updates for macOS can be found in System Settings > General > Software Update or in System Preferences on older versions. If your hardware supports it, you should be able to upgrade your operating system to the latest version at no additional charge. 

Linux / Unix

Important Considerations

  • Beyond the information on this page, ResNet only offers limited support for these systems.
  • Intrusion into multi-user operating systems is common and may result in your computer violating our Acceptable Use Policy. You will be held responsible if this occurs, even if you had no knowledge of the intrusion.
  • Because it will not be accessible from off-campus locations, hosting a web page or other service on your computer will not be possible.
  • You are responsible for not violating the Acceptable Use Policy if you provide services on your computer.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

There are no minimum hardware requirements for running Linux / Unix. If you can get it to run, congratulations!

Minimum Software Requirements

You must ensure that the operating system and all software is kept up to date. Security updates come out for most Linux distributions daily. It is your responsibility to stay on top of these updates to ensure conformance with the Acceptable Use Policy and, more importantly, to keep your machine from getting broken into.

Some of the most common pitfalls of Linux machines are configurations that have been overlooked. A few things to watch out for are:

  • SMTP server running on port 25 (ex. Postfix, Exim, Sendmail)
  • SSH allowing version 1 connections (only version 2 should be allowed)
  • FTP (port 21) or Telnet (port 23) services running

Additionally, you must configure your firewall (IPTables) to prevent unwanted connections.

Linux Recommendations

Linux is available in many different "flavors" known as "distros". A few of the most popular ones are:

  • Ubuntu Linux: Ubuntu has been hailed eWeek as the most popular Linux distros today. It is the easiest to install and use for first-time Linux users, but versatile enough for pro-users as well. Recommended for beginner to advanced Linux users.
  • Linux Mint: A build of Ubuntu making use of a clean user interface, Linux Mint is the 4th most-widely used operating system behind Windows, OS X, and Ubuntu. Mint makes use of a more traditional user interface that PC switchers may find useful.
  • Gentoo Linux: Gentoo throws you head first into Linux knowledge by having you build your system from the ground up. Recommended for intermediate to advanced Linux users that want to learn a lot and run a very customized operating system.
  • Debian Linux: One of the longest running distributions, Debian is still under active development, but releases more slowly than other Linux distros. It tends to be used for servers, rather than desktops.
  • SUSE Enterprise Linux: The commercial version of Linux from Novell. You have to pay for it, but unlike many others it comes with support.
  • openSUSE: The open source (and free) version of SUSE from Novell.
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux: The commercial version of Linux from Red Hat. You have to pay for it, but it comes with support.
  • Fedora Project: A Red Hat-Sponsored Community Project.

Unix Recommendations

The most common Unix variant (aside from Linux) is BSD, developed at UC Berkeley. The most popular open source distributions of BSD are:

Contact Us