Recommended Mac Laptop Hardware

Northwestern Information Technology (IT) establishes minimum hardware guidelines to assist in purchasing a computer for use at Northwestern. Check with your individual school for additional requirements.

 

Laptop — Minimum

Expect to use the computer for basic productivity, running multiple applications such as e-mail, web browsing, word processing, music and video players, and photo organization.

Category Description
Model MacBook Air
Processor Apple M1 (or higher) Processor
Memory 8GB
Storage 256GB PCI-e based flash storage
Graphics Integrated graphics
Network 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) , Bluetooth 5.2 or higher, USB Ethernet (sold separately)
Operating system macOS 13 Ventura (or higher)
Warranty AppleCare Protection Plan

Laptop — Power user

In addition to the tasks above, expect to resource intensive programs for audio/video editing, graphic design, running multiple operating systems, storing large multimedia files and playing games.

Category Description
Model MacBook Pro
Processor Apple M1 Max Processor
Memory 16GB
Storage 512GB PCI-e based flash storage
Graphics Integrated graphics
Network 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5.2 or higher, USB Ethernet (sold separately)
Operating system macOS 13 Ventura (or higher)
Warranty AppleCare Protection Plan

 

Was this helpful?
89% helpful - 9 reviews