College of Engineering Student Success Center

Recommended Computer Specifications for College of Engineering Students

Student with computer in library Currently the college requires students to have an entry level (primary) portable computing device. Note that secondary computing devices like tablets can be used, however they are not considered primary computing devices.

The recommendation below will work well for all academic degrees within the College of Engineering as an entry level computer.

Be sure to check with individual academic programs for any advance configuration requirements.

Chemical Engineering che@tntech.edu
Civil & Environmental Engineering cee@tntech.edu
Computer Science csc@tntech.edu
Electrical & Computer Engineering ece@tntech.edu
General & Industrial Engineering engr@tntech.edu
Manufacturing & Engineering Technology met@tntech.edu
Mechanical Engineering me@tntech.edu
- *For Mechanical Engineering majors a Macintosh is only recommended for highly experienced Mac users comfortable running and managing their programs using a virtual PC emulator.

Microsoft Windows Laptops

Processor: Intel Core i7 processor or equivalent
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 1TB solid state drive (SSD) or more - strongly recommended
Nvidia graphics recommended. Video: 1920 x 1080 resolution. 4K displays may have to be operated at a lower screen resolution to be compatible with some software. Several departments will make use of SolidWorks. There have been some reported issues of graphics cards not being compatible with this program. Students may want to consult https://www.solidworks.com/support/hardware-certification for a list of tested and certified graphics cards for SolidWorks.
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11

Apple Macintosh Laptops*

Please be aware: Not all classes uses Mac software and not all software work with Apple computers.

Recommended Hardware and OS Specifications
Processor: M series processors (Warning: not all software is compatible)
Memory: 8GB RAM (16GB strongly recommended, especially if you plan to also run Windows)
Storage: 500GB solid state drive (SSD) (1TB SSD strongly recommended)
Video: 1920 x 1080 resolution with minimum screen size of 13 in. (15 inches is probably better or access to an additional monitor). See note under Windows machines for SolidWorks compatibility.
Operating System: Monterey or later

Recommended Accessories

*** Laptops with only USB-C or Thunderbolt ports will likely require dongles for easier compatibility with USB-3 on campus ***
USB Flash Drive (64GB or higher)
USB External Hard Drive (500GB or higher)
A mouse MAY be preferred over a trackpad; brand/type does not matter.

updated 04/24/2025