1. Coe
  2. Student Life
  3. Student Life Resources
  4. Information Technology
  5. Computer Recommendations

Computer Recommendations

Throughout campus, 250 computers are available for student use. Students are not required to bring a computer to campus. Both PCs and Macs work on our campus network. Most modern computers should be sufficient, but the below recommendations may be helpful if you are considering purchasing your own device.

Feel free to contact the Office of Information Technology with any questions you may have. We are happy to assist you in reviewing these specifications.

319.399.8877 or o-computer@coe.edu

Hardware

  • Processor:
    • Intel Core i3 (i5 preferred, i7 optional)
    • AMD Ryzen 3 (Ryzen 5 preferred, Ryzen 7 optional)
  • Memory: 8GB (16 GB recommended)
  • Hard Drive: 500 GB (Solid State drives recommended as they increase the speed and durability of computers.)

Network Interface Card

  • Desktop: 10/100/1G Ethernet card (This is required for direct network connection from the residence halls.)
  • Laptop: 10/100 MB Ethernet port and/or a wireless Ethernet card.
    • Nearly every modern laptop has a wireless card sufficient for connecting to the college’s wireless network. To connect via Ethernet some machines may require a USB (or USB-C or Thunderbolt) – Ethernet adapter.
    • We highly recommend having a laptop with an Ethernet port or having an adapter for your laptop that enables it to connect directly to an Ethernet cable. Having a wired connection is a more reliable and stable experience. 

Operating System

  • PC Windows 10 or 11 OR Mac OS Monterey or newer.
  • The main operating system on your computer needs to be either Windows or Mac OS. We cannot guarantee applications that Coe College supports will work on other operating systems such as Linux and Chrome OS.
  • We do not recommend using a Chromebook as your main computer.

Accessories

  • If living in Coe College housing, it is suggested you purchase an Ethernet (Cat-5e) cable.

Software/Equipment

  • Antivirus software is strongly recommended and available for personal use for free at home.sophos.com.
  • Microsoft Office 365 is available to Coe students at no cost. Students can download the full version with their Coe College email address at www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office.
  • Coe provides 24/7 access to printing services. Printers are available in all computer labs across campus, as well as the library and some residence halls. Students are provided up to 750 single-sided black and white print pages per term (color pages count as 4 pages), with additional pages costing 5 cents per page for black and white or 20 cents for color pages. Additional pages can be purchased by visiting the Office of Information of Technology. Pages can be purchased in blocks of 100 pages ($5/block).Web print service is available at www.print.coe.edu.
  • Coe provides wired and wireless internet on campus. Personal Wi-Fi routers are not allowed on campus.
  • Home assistant devices such as Amazon Echo Dot, Google Home, Apple Homepod and more are not compatible with Coe’s network.
  • Additional information can be found on My Coe (Student tab > Information Technology).