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Saturday July 5th, 2008 |
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Summary: This document is directed at providing
guidance for systems suitability for faculty and staff university
work. It aids departmental and workgroup computing support staff when recommending
the purchase of faculty and staff laptop, desktop, and server computers.
Note: Mimimum for our purposes does not mean marginal. The specicifations listed below are for computers that will be quite adequate for most users for at least three years.
We try to keep this document up to date, but prices and capabilities
change rapidly.
A desktop PC workstation around $1100-$1200 (incl. monitor) will usually meet the goal of remaining
fully usable over a three year life cycle.
System Class [1] |
Intel Desktop |
Intel Notebook |
Mac Desktop [10] |
Mac Notebook |
Servers |
CPU |
|
Core 2 Duo [3a] |
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo |
2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo [3a], [9] |
Server requirements vary greatly, depending on:
Because servers are often expected to serve a large number of clients for several years, expandability is often a key requirement. Check with your software vendor about recommended system configurations, and consult with other users with similar needs before purchasing servers. Also consider storage space (rackmount), power supply/UPS, RAID configuration. |
Memory [4] |
2 GB |
2 GB |
2 GB |
2 GB |
|
Disk [5] |
80 GB or more |
80 GB or more |
80 GB or more |
80 GB or more |
|
Optical |
DVD±RW |
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Monitor [6] |
19" LCD or larger |
[9] |
19" LCD or larger |
[9] |
|
Network [7] [8] |
10/100/1000 BaseT |
10/100/1000 BaseT and wireless ethernet (802.11b/g) |
10/100/1000 BaseT |
10/100/1000 BaseT and wireless ethernet (802.11b/g) |
|
Backup |
Purchase an external hard drive, or use institutionally available backup over the network |
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Graphics processor |
To support the Windows Vista Aero interface, the graphics processor should support WDDM and DirectX 9.0. 128 Mb graphics memory. | ||||
Ports |
All desktops and laptops should haveat least two USB 2.0 ports easily accessible. IEEE 1394, sometimes known as FireWire or i.Link, is another type of port that may be useful. | ||||
[1] Several system manufacturers offer all-in-one configurations. These configurations may be desirable for situations in which desk/office space is at a premium, or for energy savings.
[2] New Intel processor designs also include a Processor Number, which indicates processor features other than clock speed. Not all Pentium 4s are created equal! See http://www.intel.com/products/processor%5Fnumber/ [7] Laptops should have, a wireless
network card, a network card and a modem. Network cards should
be 10BaseT / 100BaseT / 1000BaseT auto-configuring Ethernet. Many current wireless cards support the emerging 802.11n standard as well.
[8] Modems are used less frequently than before, and generally included with laptops.
[9] Laptops serve a variety of needs. For example an
"ultra mobile" lightweight laptop may have a 12" screen, a 60Gb, hard
drive and a 1.2 Ghz processor. A "desktop replacement" is likely to have
a 15 or 17" screen, an 1200 Gb drive, and as much
RAM as a desktop system. Consider the user's needs.
[10] a Mac Mini may be acceptable for light-duty administrative
work.
[11] Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Business, and Windows Vista Ultimate are the recommended versions of Vista for University computers. Vista Enterprise is available only to departments enrolled in the UC-MCCA leasing program or purchasers of Software Assurance.
Operating System:
Productivity Software:
Email:
Internet Tools:
Dial-up Connectivity: Deprecated - as of 2007, most users have broadband service.
File Exchange Format: