Since Fall 2019, the College of Engineering has required that all of our undergraduate students must have a laptop in time for their Junior year at Temple.
A good deal of the coursework in engineering has a major software component. These programs are used throughout the engineering field for design, simulation, and programming.
A Microsoft Windows operating system is recommended since most of the required software is written only for Windows. We do not recommend Apple computers to engineering students. While it is possible to utilize a Virtual Machine to run Windows 11 on MacOS, this is not officially supported by the College of Engineering.
Laptop Hardware Recommendation
- Minimum dual-core Intel 8th Gen Processor or AMD 2nd Gen (quad- or six-core preferred)
- Minimum of 8 GB RAM, 16GB or more preferred
- 256GB SSD, 512GB or more preferred
- 13 – 15 inch LCD display, 1080p minimum
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi compatible wireless card and Bluetooth
- Microsoft Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud are available as free downloads from the TUportal
- Other Engineering software are available from TUportal, download.temple.edu, or the College of Engineering
- Extended warranty of at least 2-3 years with accidental damage coverage preferred
Windows computers are strongly recommended; Macs cannot run most of the required software
- Only Windows 11 OS Home or Pro Version. Windows is available through Temple.
Chromebooks, iPads, and Android devices including tablets are not permitted, as most engineering software requires Windows on an Intel or AMD processor.
To see more detailed information about Temple’s laptop guidelines, please visit the Temple University’s Computer Purchase Guidelines page.