computer requirements

The University of Florida requires students to have access to a computer system. The College of Engineering further requires that students have access to and on-going use of a laptop/mobile computer.

The College of Engineering requires that all engineering students have access to a mobile (notebook) computer for engineering courses in order to be able to function in the current learning environment. Some courses offered by the College of Engineering will require the use of mobile computers for coursework. Students are required to access electronic forms of information, submit assignments and communicate with other students and faculty electronically. In order to do so, the requirements documented below must be met.

NOTE:  Be sure to check departmental requirements to help you decide upon your choice of computer hardware and software.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Component

Minimum Configuration
These minimum specifications are not necessarily available in new computer configurations currently on the market and are provided as a reference for a minimally configured computer. Some departments may have specific requirements that are more restrictive than these general recommendations.

Processor 1.2ghz (includes pentium II/III/IV, celeron, cryix, AMD)
Memory 256 Megabytes
Hard Disk 20 Gigabytes
Video Card 1024x768 Resolution - High Color
Video Screen Any
Any laptop screen larger than 12.1" is acceptable. Students may  want to purchase a larger monitor for a docking station.
CD ROM Any speed CDROM, CD-RW, or DVD
Sound Card Any type with audio input
Mouse / Keyboard Any
Modem 56k v.90
Network Hardware 10/100 Ethernet and Wireless (Wi-Fi 802.11b)
Network connectivity is required in many classes. Additionally much of campus is covered by a campus wireless network
Operating System Windows
Operating systems other than Microsoft Windows are allowed. However, in most cases, a Windows based operating system will be the best choice since it will be the easiest path towards software compatibility in departmental courses.
Backup Hardware Any
Any responsible computer owner should perform regular backups of  critical datafiles. Thus some method of backup is required.
Printer Any
A printer is required but there is no current requirement on type (laser / inkjet), model or brand.
Battery 2hr Minimum
Current notebooks run between 1.5 and 5 hours on the included battery. It is suggested that an optional battery (or extended battery) be purchased.

 

Minimum Software Requirements

Software

Description
  Office Suite Documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and database information must be in a format readable using Microsoft Office or Corel Office Suite (newest version). Documents may be transmitted in native, HTML, PDF or ASCII formats at the discretion of the faculty. This means both information provided by the faculty for students to use and information provided by students for the faculty will conform to these formats. The document transfer format will be in either one of these two office native formats, HTML, PDF or ASCII. Any software that can read and write to these formats is acceptable. However, the student is responsible for making sure documents function correctly in one of these two formats.
  Mail Client Any POP3 or IMAP compatible mail client will be sufficient (Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Pegasus, Netscape, Thunderbird, etc). Students are required to have and regular check a Gatorlink email address. All official communication with a student is sent to this email address.
  Web Browser The most recent versions of Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator are required. There are many online applications for registering for classes and downloading University-wide site-licensed software that require these browsers. Other browsers, such as Opera or Lynx, may work but are not officially supported.


Specific Departmental Requirements

Departments will have additional hardware and software requirements as students move into upper division classes. Software required in the upper division is available through a combination of student purchase, Departmental, College or University site license, and freeware. Be sure to take these additional hardware and software requirements into consideration when purchasing a mobile computer:

  • Agriculture and Biological Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering
  • Computer & Information Science & Engineering
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering Sciences
  • Industrial & Systems Engineering
  • Material Science & Engineering
  • Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
  • Nuclear & Radiological Engineering

NOTE: Departments which are not links do not have additional published requirements.

UF and Engineering Special Purchasing Programs for Students

Dell Notebook Discount
Purchase one of two notebooks with your choice of options at a special 17-20% discount.
IBM Laptop Solutions for Education
Page will show the available systems. After selecting a system you can create your own unique username and password to access information about your order.