Buying a Personal Computer

Faculty & Staff

If you decide to purchase a new computer, be sure to select one with Wi-Fi standard six or greater. The product description should include a number 6, 6e or 7 with the Wi-Fi symbol or 802.11 followed by “ac,” "ax" or "be." If you are using a computer or device you already own and are having issues, contact the OTS Technology Support Desk.

Component	Windows Desktop/Laptop	MAC Desktop/Laptop	Tablet
Operating System (OS)	Latest 64-bit OS	Latest OS	Latest OS
Processor	Intel Core i5	Apple M1	Latest OS for Brand
RAM or Memory	8GB	8GB	4GB to 8GB
Hard Drive	120GB/250GB Solid State or Flash Drive	120GB/250GB Solid State or Flash Drive	Your Choice
Warranty	Yes, get warranty	Yes, get AppleCare	Yes, get warranty/AppleCare

Students

For purchasing advice, see the Student Laptop Services webpage. If you are using a computer or device you already own and are having issues, contact the Tech Support Desk. 

Make a Purchase

Apple

Purchase products and accessories at an Apple retail location or through the Apple Online Store. 

Dell

Get potential deals and discounts on Dell consumer computers, electronics and accessories through Dell’s Employee Purchase Program (EPP) 

Note: the business line of Dell products used at the university are different due to the demands of enterprise computing.

Support

Faculty/staff personally-owned devices: If you have issues with personally-owned computing devices (laptops, tablets, routers, cable modems, smartphones, etc.), you must seek support and service outside of the university.

Towson University, as a public university, cannot provide technical services for devices that are not owned by the university. OTS can help you connect to university systems, websites, applications and other campus-hosted resources. See more info.