The College of Engineering at NC State has adopted college-specific computer recommendations, which vary slightly from university recommendations.
NOTE: Many applications used by College of Engineering students are only compatible with Windows operating systems. While MacBook laptops and Mac desktops may meet college recommendations, the Tech Den does not recommend them for engineering students.
The Tech Den recommends the models below to meet the needs of College of Engineering students.
Dell Precision 3580
Intel i7 P Series 13th Gen CPU
32GB DDR5 RAM
1TB SSD Drive
15.6" FHD Screen
3 year Dell ProSupport Plus warranty coverage + accidental damage, onsite service, and keep-your-hard-drive coverage
$2,299
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 4
Intel i7 H Series 11th Gen CPU
32GB DDR4 RAM
1TB SSD Drive
16" WQUXGA Screen
3 year Lenovo warranty coverage including accidental damage, battery and keep-your-hard-drive coverage
$2,299
Lenovo Thinkpad P15V Gen 3
Intel i7 H Series 12th Gen CPU
32GB DDR5 RAM
1TB SSD Drive
15.6" Anti-Glare Screen
3 year Lenovos warranty coverage including accidental damage, battery, and keep-your-hard-drive coverage
$1,899
(If viewing the recommended specification table on a phone, please view in landscape mode for easiest access to both PC and MacBook recommendations)
| Item | PC | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Type of machine | Business-class | Any Apple Silicon (M1 or M2) based |
| Mobile device (e.g., iPad Pro, tablet, Chromebook, Pixel Book) | Not recommended; Cannot adequately substitute for PC laptop or desktop | Not recommended; Cannot adequately substitute for Mac laptop or desktop |
| CPU | Minimum: Intel i5 or i7, 11th generation Recommended: Intel i5 or i7, 12th generation or later | Minimum: Apple Silicon M1 Recommended: M1 Pro or later
|
| RAM | Minimum: 8 GB if upgradeable otherwise 16 GB Recommended: 16 GB | Minimum: 8 GB Recommended: 16 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB or greater SSD | 256 GB or greater SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11, 64-bit Recommended: Pro or Educational NC State Students can download the Educational Upgrade for free. You will need to use your Unity ID and password access the upgrade | macOS 13 or later |
| Wireless | Yes | Yes |
| Camera & Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty Service (very highly recommended) | 3 or more years | 3 or more years |
| Accidental Damage Coverage (for drops and spills) | Yes | Yes |
| Theft Coverage (may be included in homeowner’s policy) | Yes | Yes |