For computer science courses, students should have a laptop computer that is running the latest version of either Apple macOS, Microsoft Windows, or a Unix-like operating system. For engineering courses, students will often need to work in a Windows environment (non-Windows users may need additional resources, such as Parallels). We recommend a mid-range to upper-end computer system. Our courses are rigorous and we want to avoid the frustrations that come with bargain computers.
Our students report that it is a big benefit to have an external mouse and reasonably-sized display monitor in their dorm rooms, but this is not a requirement.
Most Chromebooks, iPads, and other tablets will not work because they do not allow you to install the proper development tools or only provide limited functionality. A few highly skilled students have managed to get by with a combination of a high-end Chromebook and the desktop computers that are available 24/7 in our computer science and engineering labs; however, this setup is discouraged.