Question
What computer should I buy? What equipment do I need for Minnesota State University, Mankato classes?
Device Applicability
This article applies to:
- Personal Devices: Equipment owned and maintained by individual users.
Overview
Minnesota State University, Mankato does not require students to have a personal laptop or desktop computer for enrollment. However, many students choose to bring their own devices for convenience. If you plan to do so, we provide the following hardware recommendations to ensure compatibility with university technology and software.
The table below outlines both Recommended and Minimum specifications. Meeting the recommended specifications will provide the best experience when using university-provided technology such as Office 365, D2L Brightspace, and other academic software. Some programs may require specialized software, which could necessitate more powerful hardware than listed here.
Hardware Specifications
| Component |
Recommended |
Minimum |
| Computer Type |
Windows or Mac laptop/desktop |
Windows or Mac laptop/desktop |
| Operating System |
Windows 11 or macOS 13 Ventura* |
Windows 10 or macOS 12 Monterey* |
| Processor |
Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent |
Intel Core i3 or AMD equivalent |
| Memory (RAM) |
8GB or larger |
4GB or larger |
| Storage |
512GB Solid State Drive (SSD) or larger |
256GB or higher |
| Wireless Network Card |
802.11n, ac, ax (WiFi-6) |
802.11n, ac, ax (WiFi-6) |
| Wi-Fi Compatibility |
Must support 802.1x, AES, and WPA2-Enterprise (Compatible Wi-Fi adapters are available at the Campus Computer Store.) |
Must support 802.1x, AES, and WPA2-Enterprise (Compatible Wi-Fi adapters are available at the Campus Computer Store.) |
| Audio/Video |
Web camera, speakers (or headphones), and microphone |
Web camera, speakers (or headphones), and microphone |
For additional information regarding Apple device support, visit Apple Support.
Devices Not Recommended
Minnesota State Mankato does not recommend relying on the following devices as a primary computer due to software limitations:
- Tablet devices (e.g., iPads)
- Mobile phones
- Netbooks and Chromebooks
While these devices may work for certain tasks, they are not fully compatible with all university software. The university continues to test these types of devices in the classroom environment and can provide basic troubleshooting support, but performance may be limited.