Windows / Intel Systems

PC Systems

Computing Services buys and recommends Dell computer systems. In addition many people have had good luck with Gateway , Hewlett Packard and Compaq systems.
We suggest that if you are purchasing a new system, look at machines with a Intel Pentium D, Core 2 Duo, AMD Turion or AMD Athlon Dual-Core based system with at least 1 Gig of RAM, (2 gig is highly recommended) and a minimum of a 120 Gig Hard Disk.

Flash Drives are highly recommend for students and Faculty as a portable data storage. Flash drives are also called pen drives, usb drives, or thumb drives. These drive have a lot of advantages over zip disks, floppy disks, CD Rom Disk, and DVD disks. These advantage include easy deleting and adding of items, wider storage capacity over CD Rom and Floppies, and also their durability to last for a reasonable amount of time. Since the storage capacity of flash drives varies (512MB to 8GB), ASC computing service recommends a minimum of 1 gig flash drives.

ASC Computing service recommends DVD Writers which has the capability of writing on a 4.7GB media (DVD).
Dual-layer recordable DVD drives and media (also known as double-layer in the DVD+R format) possess roughly twice the capacity of current 4.7GB media and can hold an entire high-bit-rate, 8.5GB DVD-9 commercial movie. With a few more dollars Dual-layer recordable DVD drives would be a nice drive to have in a pc.

A 17 inch monitor is considered standard on most systems. Many systems have flat screen (LCD) monitors which look excellent, save desk space and are coming down in price as well.

Most video cards will be fine for standard office automation (MS-Office etc), but for playing games video cards like:
High-End Video Card, which include Nvidia GeForce 7800GTX, X1800XT, X1900XT and ATI X1900 CrossFire or ATI Radeon 9800XT are recommended.

Most computer systems especially Dell computers have the option of a built in network card. If you plan on living in one of the dorms that have network connections like Coronado, Girault and Connor Halls, you will need a network card. All computers purchase now already have an in-built network card (port).

Computing Services uses and recommends Dell, HP and Sony VIVO laptops. Laptops can be very handy, being able to take them to class etc. Generally they are more expensive than an equivalent desktop system. Students should consider the problem of them being easily stolen.

Consider hardware products like Kryptonite's KryptoVault, Kryptonite's Cable lock, Kensington Lock's MicroSaver, and Secure-It's Kablit, X-Lock and iBook cable locks or Vanguard II, which attaches to the 9-pin adapter on the back of the PC.