Before purchasing a new laptop to use during your journey at Western Michigan University, please review these WMU recommended laptop specifications. You may also use these specifications to determine if your existing equipment is sufficient.
The general recommended specifications will provide greater computing capabilities than the minimum specifications as well as a longer lifespan. Minimum specifications are designed for typical academic tasks such as email, word processing, creating presentations, taking notes, accessing and participating in Elearning, and web conferencing.
Note: Please refer to the college-specific recommendations if you will be attending one of those programs.
| PC Laptop | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU: | i5 8th generation or newer | i7 8th generation or newer |
| Memory: | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD |
| GPU (Video): | Integrated | 4 GB |
| Camera: | 720p/Integrated | 720p/Integrated |
| Min screen resolution: | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 |
| Battery life: | 8 hours | 8+ hours |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Professional Need to Upgrade? |
| Warranty: | none | 3 years |
| Apple Laptop | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU: | i5 8th generation | i5 9th generation or i7 |
| Memory: | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD |
| GPU (Video): | Intel Iris Plus Graphics | Intel Iris Plus Graphics |
| Camera: | 720p/Integrated | 720p/Integrated |
| Min screen resolution: | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 |
| Battery life: | 8 hours | 8+ hours |
| Operating system: | macOS Catalina | macOS Catalina |
| Warranty: | none | 3 years |
Need to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro?
Have questions about your major and area of study?