Student Personal Computer Recommendations

Does UNC Asheville require students to have a personal computer?

UNC Asheville does not require students to have a computer, but your department, major or program may have specific requirements or recommendations.

Most professors expect you to have regular access to a computer – either a personal one or a lab computer.

ITS strongly encourages you to have a personal computer.

ITS Recommendations

You will benefit from owning a personal computer in most majors and programs at UNC Asheville. ITS recommends the following minimum specifications:

IMPORTANT:

Please check with the department of your MAJOR before you purchase any device. Some departments will have specific requirements for software packages you will be expected to use.

Windows suggested minimum specifications:

Windows 10
Intel i5 processor or AMD Phenom II processor (or greater)
8 GB of RAM (or greater)
At least 250 GB of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) space
- You may want to consider 2 hard drives if you wish to utilize the speed of a Solid State Drive (SSD)
- Some laptops are capable of having an SSD and a HDD for speed and storage capacity
Brand: Each brand offers differing configurations and options. You may be able to receive a student discount by checking with each company.

Apple suggested minimum specifications:

macOS, latest version (minimum 10.13 High Sierra)
Intel i5 processor (or greater)
8 GB of RAM (or greater)
At least 250 GB of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) space

If you have specific questions beyond what your campus academic department suggests for personal computer hardware, please contact the IT Service Desk at 828-251-6445.

Computer Discounts

While UNC Asheville does not purchase computers for students, many computer vendors offer discounts for university students.

Free Software

Microsoft Office 365: free for students – learn how to access Office 365.
Other campus licensed software

Software Discounts

Select software is available at discounted prices through unca.onthehub.com .

Products offered for purchase include brands like Adobe, Parallels, VMWare, Norton, and more.