Laptop Requirements
UNM Law School requires that all entering students own a laptop computer. The law school does not require a particular brand but has determined a minimum hardware configuration. Many vendors have education websites with discounts.
Mac Support
Some students choose to use Macintosh laptops, including more recent models with Intel processors and running Apple Boot Camp or Parallels software to emulate a Windows environment. While students may use any brand of laptop computers, the Law School help desk does not provide advice on the operation of Macintosh systems. Therefore, students bringing Macintosh laptops must be self-sufficient in the use and operation of their systems. Mac users must follow the general law school guidelines for anti-virus and patched systems on both the Mac OS and Boot Camp/Parallels Windows partitions.
How to Finance Your Laptop
If you would like to have the purchase of your laptop added to your cost of attendance, please contact the School of Law’s Financial Aid Officer prior to making your purchase. Laptops may not be purchased prior to August 1 if they are to be included in your cost of attendance.
Minimum Hardware Specifications
| Operating System | What OS Version do I have? Windows 10 (Home, Pro, Edu and Enterprise) [versions 1803*, 1809*, 1903, 1909, 2004, 20H2] Windows 8.1* (Home, Pro and Enterprise) macOS 11.3.x, and 11.4 Big Sur (including Apple's new M1 Processor) macOS 10.15.7 Catalina macOS 10.14.6 Mojave macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra* (*Support ends August 1, 2021) NOTE: Please see below for a full list of unsupported hardware and operating systems. |
| Processor | New computers: Intel i5 processor or better (or equivalent) Existing computers: Intel dual core processor at 1.6 GHz or better (or equivalent) |
| USB Ports | At least 1. USB flash memory storage device recommended |
| Hard Drive | 500GB HDD/500GB SSD |
| CD-ROM Drive | Optional |
| Network Card - Wired | Strongly recommended - See Notes |
| Network Card - Wireless | Strongly Recommended - See Notes |
| Warranty | 3 year parts and labor recommended – we recommend adding Accidental Damage protection |
| Virus Protection Software | Symantec Endpoint Protection, provided by Central IT, is free to all UNM affiliates and can be downloaded from the IT Antivirus Protection website. |
| Productivity Software | Microsoft Office 2016 or greater strongly recommended; OpenOffice is acceptable only if documents are saved in Word compatibility mode. Office365 is available to all UNM students here. |
Notes
Operating System Notes
As per our exam software vendor Extegrity Exam4, please note that the following operating systems and hardware configurations are NOT supported as of July 2021:
• Beta OS versions
• Apple Macintosh OS X 10.13.5 and earlier
• Apple iDevices (iPad, iPhone, etc.)
• Windows 8 and earlier
• Windows (RT, IoT, Mobile, Team & S versions)
• Windows 10 SL (non-English Editions)
• Surface devices that do not have Windows 10 Home, Pro, Education or Enterprise version
• Linux
• Chromebooks
• Virtual operating systems (VMs)
Anything else not specifically listed as supported above
Administrative Rights Notes
You must also have full administrative rights to your device in order to run Exam4. Users of institutionally owned/controlled devices should contact their IT Department for assistance.
Wired Network Card Notes
The law school has Ethernet ports available in most classrooms as well as the library carrels and other common areas. The wired network card is used to attach to the law school network for Internet access, email, printing, and other computing services. All Mac computers must have an Ethernet port to initially configure and connect Macs to law school printers and network servers. After the initial configuration, access to resources should work on the wireless network.
Wireless Network Card Notes
Your wireless card must operate on the 802.11b/g/n standard if you plan to use the Law School’s wireless network. The driver must support WPA encryption. All Mac computers must have an Ethernet port to initially configure and connect Macs to law school printers and network servers. After the initial configuration, access to resources should work on the wireless network.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the configuration and purchase of a laptop computer, please contact the Law School Information Technology Department via email at lawithelp@unm.edu.
