Suggested Technology Specifications

When coming to campus, we want you to have reliable access to all University services.

Suggested Specifications for Computers

Operating System: Windows 11 or higher or macOS 13 Ventura or higher
Portability: laptops (as opposed to desktop computers) strongly recommended
Memory: minimum of 8GB RAM (16GB strongly recommended).
Processor Speed: minimum of Intel Core i5 or equivalent
Hard Drive/SSD: 256 GB or larger (512+ recommended)
Wireless: any card that supports 802.11 n/ac protocols and WPA2 Enterprise or latest
Webcam/Microphone: laptops with built-in webcams/microphones recommended (may use a USB headset or external webcam if supported)

As an active Nova student you do have access to Office 365 apps and Nova Perks/Discounts on Technology at Dell

Minimum Technology Requirements by Major

Please feel free to contact your program office directly for better guidance and their requirements if any.

Optional/Recommended Peripherals

External Webcam/Microphone - An external webcam or microphone can be used to improve your sound and picture quality during video communications.
Extra Power Adapter - An extra power adapter for your laptop can be helpful if you're on the move or if the original adapter fails.
Backup Service - We recommend regularly backing up your data so your important files will remain intact in case of hard drive failure in the computer. OneDrive or another cloud-based backup service can be used to back up some or all of your data to the cloud. An external USB hard drive can also be useful for data backups and transferring files between computers. The backup process is different for Apple and Windows systems.

Things to Consider When Purchasing a New Computer

Price range - Computer prices have changed in the past several years, but prices still range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the specifications and capabilities of the computer. Deciding how much you want to spend will impact the type of computer you can purchase, Windows computer most of the time are cheaper than their counterparts.
Your major - Some programs/courses of study will give you the option of downloading software onto your computer for classwork, and these programs may be resource-intensive. Typically, the science programs (engineering, math, GIS, computer science, etc.) require more powerful computers. Some programs might not be compatible on one OS than another. If you plan on pursuing one of these majors, it may be beneficial to have a computer with better specifications. We recommend contacting the department for special requirements or recommendations.
Apple or Windows - Either an Apple or Windows computer is fine for most programs at the university. Apple does run higher in price and both are the same. However, there are a few colleges that may recommend one operating system over the other based on the software used in those areas of study. Contact the college or department for more information.
Chromebooks - While Shark IT does not recommend that they be used as a student's only device (Respondus does not work on Chromebooks as other programs that are not apps), Chromebook laptops work well as an additional tool for school-related use.

Information Technology Services requires all computers using the university's network to have recent updates installed for your operating system (OS), Virus checker (Windows Defender preferred), and not to have a BitTorrent. The best way to do this is to turn on automatic software updates. For more information see our articles on updating your Windows or Mac operating systems.