Welcome LSA students! We hope that you will find the following advice useful.
First, the disclaimers: LSA does not require that you own your own computer. The University maintains several general use computing sites on both main and north campus which have both Mac and PC computers available for student use.
Within the College there are a wide range of disciplines; we cannot recommend a single computer that will meet all requirements. You should check with the department(s) in your field of study to see if there are specific recommendations.
That being said, many students will wish to acquire their own computer regardless and there are several decisions to be made. Here are some things to keep in mind as you consider your options.
There are 3 main areas to consider when making a decision:
How much to spend? You get what you pay for, but that doesn't mean that less expensive computers are lacking in quality. It does not make sense to pay for capabilities that you do not need or will not use. If you use your computer for email, writing papers, and doing research on the web, a modestly priced computer will be more than adequate. However, if you need to run demanding applications such as 3D rendering or computation intensive scientific applications, then you will benefit from a faster computer with more memory. If you know that there is a particular software application that you need to use, the software manufacturer's website will usually provide minimum hardware requirements to run the software and also recommend additional requirements for best performance. Lastly, bear in mind that the useful life of a computer rarely exceeds 4 to 6 years.
Laptop or Desktop? With the growth of wireless Internet access at LSA and around campus, you may want to consider a laptop computer. However, weight and battery life may influence your decision. The LSA campus is distributed among more than 16 buildings, and it is not uncommon to walk a considerable distance between residence halls and classrooms across campus. A full load of books plus a laptop can add up to a considerable burden. Wireless connections are increasingly available across campus, but be aware that using a wireless connection will decrease battery life quickly. For information on current wireless availability, see maps of U-M's wireless network locations. Desktop computers provide full sized keyboards, larger screens at eyelevel and more performance for the money. The main drawback is that they take up considerable real estate in small rooms.
Mac or PC? Either one will do email, word processing, web browsing, etc. If there is a particular piece of software that you need to use, it may not be available for both platforms. Check software manufacturers' websites for compatibility. Personal preferences play an important role in selecting one type of computer over the other. Some people prefer the Macintosh interface and for the time being Macs are also less susceptible to viruses and other malware. On the other hand there are more applications available for Windows, and currently you are more likely to encounter Windows machines in your professional career. Both types are available at the public sites. You may want to test-drive each type and see what you think.
Once you have narrowed your selection down to the preferred platform and OS, you should speak with your peers or Computer Showcase consultants about specific hardware. Other U-M schools and colleges with more specific teaching missions have published recommendations on this site; you may want to consult one or more of these to see what others who approximate your professional and educational interests are suggesting. An excellent example is provided by the School of Information.
Backups and Virus Protection In addition to adequate processor speed, RAM, and storage, be sure to include some form of removable storage for backups. The most important advice we can give you is to always make backup copies of your work so that if your computer dies the day before a paper is due you can always finish your work at one of the public sites. Also, always, always, always use antivirus software and keep it up to date. Antivirus software is available free of charge to all U-M staff, faculty, and students and can be downloaded from the VirusBusters site.