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College of Engineering Computer Recommendations

Grainger College of Engineering programs do not restrict students from choosing between PC or Mac. However, choosing a PC will simplify running specialized software required in certain core classes. Running this software on Mac requires additional software that can cost upwards of $100.

Basic considerations:

  • Minimum of 16GB of memory; 32GB is recommended for heavy graphics.
  • Minimum of 256GB storage; Cloud based subscription for file storage is highly recommended.
  • While tablets and iPads are great for note taking, they are not recommended as primary devices.

For more details on the Grainger College of Engineering's technology recommendations please visit: https://go.illinois.edu/TechforStudents (opens in a new tab)

Tech Zone has a wide selection of both PCs and Macs that would be suitable for the Grainger College of Engineering's coursework. We also offer Apple educational pricing to all members of our campus community.

Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are available to all students free of charge from the Webstore (software purchases and support.)