Information Technology Services

Minimum Requirements for Users of Non-Program Laptops

Incoming traditional freshmen (full-time, non-transfer, etc.) in the 2007 fall semester and every class thereafter will be required to bring a laptop for academic use. While students are strongly encouraged to purchase one of the recommended program laptops to meet this requirement, students may bring a non-program laptop to campus for the purposes of meeting the requirement.

Students who are considering using a non-program laptop should be aware of the following important points:

• Students who do not purchase a program laptop must still bring a device which meets or exceeds the hardware specifications given below.
• These students are also required to purchase and install the required software listed with the minimum hardware specifications.
• Laptops not purchased through the Student Laptop Initiative are not eligible for support in the walk-in support center.  Any hardware repairs must be paid for by the student and obtained from off-campus service providers.
• Students who do not purchase a program laptop are not eligible to check out a loaner laptop when their non-program laptop is being repaired.
• The software support available for clients without program laptops is very limited. ITS staff at 6-TECH [336-256-TECH (8324)] cannot directly troubleshoot software problems on non-program devices; they can only assist you in troubleshooting your software problems. If a catastrophic software failure requires that the operating system and software be re-installed, it is the student’s responsibility to do so, or to pay for the work to be done by an off-campus service provider.

The following are the minimum hardware requirements for the Windows Platform:

For the Apple Platform – assume the same specifications that describe the Standard MacBook Pro Laptop as the minimum requirements. See About the Laptops for the Standard MacBook Pro description. For items that are not explicitly listed on the description for Apple MacBook Pro (example – minimum battery life), use the list below as a guide.

Minimum hardware requirements

In order to meet the requirements of the Student Laptop Initiative, a student may elect to purchase a recommended laptop through the SLI, or they may obtain a non-program laptop on their own. Non-program laptops must still meet or exceed certain minimum requirements listed below. Laptops which do not meet these minimums do not fulfill the UNCG laptop requirement.

Minimum software requirements

In addition to meeting the minimum hardware requirements listed above, students who elect not to purchase a laptop through the program are also required to purchase and install the following software to meet the requirements of the Student Laptop Initiative.