Student Technology Recommendations
The university provides recommended technical specifications to help guide students in choosing a laptop for their academic journey at the U of A. These recommendations serve as a resource to help you navigate the variety of laptops and configurations available on the market and help to provide a seamless technical experience throughout your studies.
As a general guideline, your laptop configuration should align with your field of study and the software applications required for your coursework. While students in most U of A programs can use a general-purpose laptop for their entire degree program, certain programs require higher hardware specifications. For example, Engineering students often use graphics-intensive applications like SolidWorks or CAD, while Industrial Design students in the Faculty of Arts may use Adobe Creative Suite or video and music production suites.
On this page:
Key considerations when buying a laptop for university:
- Research your field: Look into your specific program and major (e.g., Mechanical Engineering) and search for the software applications commonly used in that field. Use the recommended hardware specifications for that software as your baseline.
- Longevity: A laptop generally remains effective for four to five years. If you currently own a three-year-old laptop, it will likely be adequate for the first few years of your program, provided it meets your specific coursework demands.
- Advanced coursework: As you progress into your third and fourth years, software requirements often become more demanding.
- Interdisciplinary studies: If you are taking courses across different faculties, consider the requirements of both areas and aim for the higher-level specifications.
- Device compatibility: iPads, Android tablets, and Google Chromebooks are not recommended as they often cannot run necessary academic software and may not be compatible with remote proctoring software for exams.
- Software compatibility: Laptops should have a webcam, microphone and speakers compatible with Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor, Zoom, Google Meet, Canvas and other University software programs.
- Windows vs. Mac: While Mac computers work with most university software, some specialized applications and specific Microsoft add-ins may not be fully compatible with macOS. Please check with your specific program for Mac-related recommendations.
- Warranty: Three to five years is recommended.
Laptop Configuration Categories
Minimum
Best for: General Productivity
Typical use cases: Email, Canvas LMS, Google Workspace, video streaming, web conferencing, and online exams using Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor.
Recommended
Best for: Enhanced Productivity
Typical use cases: All tasks above, plus data analysis, media editing/processing, and entry-level programming.
Specialized
Best for: High-Performance Productivity
Typical use cases: Resource-intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, large dataset analysis, machine learning, and advanced programming.
Laptop Configuration Recommendations
A laptop is highly recommended as it provides the mobility and flexibility needed for learning both on campus and at home. The specifications below are provided for both Windows and Mac computers.
Windows Laptop Configurations
Minimum Laptop Configuration (Suitable for general use for an undergraduate program.)
Academic use:
- Writing long-form papers in Google Docs or Microsoft Word.
- Participating in remote lectures via Zoom/Google Meet.
- Taking remote proctored online exams.
- Creating and presenting presentations.
- General productivity (email, Canvas course access).
Approximate cost: CA$700 to CA$1,200
Example models: HP Laptop 15, Dell Inspiron 14/16, Dell Latitude, Lenovo ThinkPad E-Series
Operating System: Windows 11 latest updated version
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 or AMD Ryzen AI 5
Memory (RAM): 16 GB
Storage: 256 GB or greater SSD Storage
Recommended Laptop Configuration (Appropriate for the length of an undergraduate program.)
Academic use:
- Statistical analysis.
- Introductory coding.
- Multitasking across many browser tabs and PDFs.
- Video editing tools for presentations.
- Running complex spreadsheets in Excel with large datasets.
- Reviewing high-definition images.
Approximate cost: CA$1,200 to CA$2,000
Example models: Dell Pro 14 Plus, ASUS Zenbook S 14, Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 6, HP EliteBook 840
Operating System: Windows 11 latest updated version
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 or Ryzen 7
Memory (RAM): 16 GB minimum (24 GB or 32 GB recommended)
Storage: 512 GB or greater SSD Storage
Specialized Laptop Configuration (Recommended for programs with heavy computing requirements.)
Academic use:
- Creative video or music production.
- Advanced computing (local machine learning training, running Virtual Machines (VMs), and compiling large software development projects).
- Running simulations or heavy mathematical modelling.
- 3D modelling.
Approximate cost: CA$2,000+
Example models: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, ASUS Zephyrus G16, Dell XPS 16
Operating System: Windows 11 latest updated version
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 or AMD Ryzen 9
Memory (RAM): 32 GB or greater
Storage: 1 TB or greater SSD Storage
Video Card: Discrete NVIDIA 8 GB GPU Minimum, 16 GB Recommended
Mac Laptop Configurations
While Mac computers work with most university software, some specialized applications and specific Microsoft add-ins may not be fully compatible with macOS. Please check with your specific program for Mac-related recommendations.
Minimum Laptop Configuration (Suitable for general use for an undergraduate program.)
Academic use:
- Writing long-form papers in Google Docs or Microsoft Word.
- Participating in remote lectures via Zoom/Google Meet.
- Taking proctored online exams.
- Creating and presenting presentations.
- General productivity (email, Canvas course access).
Approximate cost: CA$900 to CA$1,200
Model: MacBook Air 13”
Operating System: MacOS Sequoia or newer
Processor: Apple M4
Memory (RAM): 16 GB Memory greater
Storage: 256 GB or greater SSD storage
Recommended Laptop Configuration (Appropriate for the length of an undergraduate program.)
Academic use:
- Statistical analysis.
- Introductory coding.
- Multitasking across many browser tabs and PDFs.
- Video editing tools for presentations.
- Running complex spreadsheets in Excel with large datasets.
- Reviewing high-definition images.
Approximate cost: CA$1,400 to CA$2,000
Model: MacBook Air 13” or 15"
Operating System: MacOS 15 Sequoia or newer
Processor: Apple M5
Memory (RAM): 24GB Memory or greater
Storage: 512GB SSD or greater
Specialized Laptop Configuration (Recommended for programs with heavy computing requirements.)
Academic use:
- Creative video or music production.
- Advanced computing (local machine learning training, running Virtual Machines (VMs), and compiling large software development projects).
- Running simulations or heavy mathematical modelling.
- 3D modelling.
Approximate cost: CA$2,400+
Model: MacBook Pro 14" or 16"
Operating System: MacOS 15 Sequoia or newer
Processor: Apple M5 Pro (14-core CPU)
Memory (RAM): 32GB Unified Memory or greater
Storage: 1 TB or greater SSD Storage