• Purchase Your Laptop
• Mac or PC?
• Laptop FAQs

Laptop Specifications

Be sure your laptop has either Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, or Mac OSX 10.5 or higher operating systems. Home editions of Windows are not fully compatible with the Ross School network and may prevent access to some networking features. Also, since we are PC-based environment, you may be at a disadvantage by purchasing a Mac.

If you need to upgrade your operating system or purchase a new system,
Computer Showcase (in the Michigan Union) offers software and hardware at deeply discounted prices for enrolled students.

Refer to the following table for minimum recommended specifications:
Click here for a printable version to take shopping with you.
 

Features	Windows 7	Apple*
Operating System	Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate	Mac OS X 10.5 or later
Processor (computer speed)	Dual-core or higher 1 GHz+ 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)	Dual-core or higher 2 GHz
Memory (RAM)	1 GB (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)	2 GB
Graphics Device	DirectX 9 with WDDM 1.0+
Hard Drive (storage space)	Min 80 GB
Removable Storage	USB Flash drive and/or USB external hard drive
Wireless (internal)	IEEE 802.11 a/b/g that supports WPA security For external wireless cards we recommend the Cisco Aironet 802.11 a/b/g Wireless Cardbus Adapter.
Optical Drive	CD/DVD-RW Combo
Virus Protection	Microsoft Security Essentials download free from U-M	Sophos download free from U-M
Warranty	3-yr labor & parts (complete care)
Printer	Laserjet or Inkjet Have a personal printer to supplement the Ross School printers.

Note: We are a Windows environment. If you wish to purchase a Mac, be certain that it has Boot Camp installed or consider purchasing Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMware Fusion. You may be tempted to buy the cheapest laptop you can find; however, be aware that over the life of the laptop, this seeming price advantage could easily be offset and exceeded by wasted time, money, and inconvenience spent on repairs.

The specifications listed below do not necessarily reflect the current configurations available to be purchased from a retailer; use it as a guide to help you purchase a good laptop that will adequately serve your needs with as few problems as possible.

Laptop repairs tend to be very expensive. We urge you to purchase a 3-year service contract to last you through your time at Ross, preferably complete care with screen replacement. Think about how long you can afford to be without your laptop during the semester or during exams. Also find out where you can get the laptop fixed and what the turn-around time is for warranty repairs.

Ross students can take advantage of great deals on laptops through the Computer Showcase. Members of the University can also purchase software packages at deeply discounted academic prices.

Retailers and on-line vendors may provide computer packages at prices competitive to the Computer Showcase. If you choose to buy elsewhere, make sure your vendor provides the following services:

• Configures all the standard and optional hardware components (including wireless and network cards)
• Offers a 30-day money back guarantee
• Provides a warranty period of at least 90 days (3 years is preferred)
• Offers local support in Ann Arbor

Give preference to vendors who offer on-site or next-day support with the longest warranty.

Stay with recognized brand names when selecting computer systems and components - components advertised as "compatible" may have conflicts with other components once installed.