A short list of things to consider when buying a laptop:
Is the warranty valid in Norway? What is covered and for how long is the warranty valid?
Who do you turn to when you have questions concerning your laptop? Will you have to pay for the shipping costs if you need to send it off for repairs?
Size and weight of the laptop. It is wise to invest in a good laptop bag/case as you will most likely carry it around a lot.
PC Requirements:
The software used at USN works under the Windows platform and our advice is to use Windows 8. Other operative systems (Linux, Mac OS) can work together with some programs, but the IT Department will not support alternative platforms.
This is the minimum recommended Technical Specifications for your own PC:
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Operating System: Windows 10 (Pro) 64bit
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Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5/i7/i9 or similar
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Storage: 256 GB (absolute minimum!). SSD recommended! You need to install lots of software, so a 128GB SSD disk is not enough.
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Memory: 8 GB RAM or more
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Wi-Fi: 802.11ac or newer
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Battery and Power: 7+ hours recommended (should last one school day!)
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Screen Size: 13.2" or larger, with minimum screen resolution 1920×1080
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Ports: 2-4 USB ports, HDMI or Mini DisplayPort, VGA or HDMI/DisplayPort Adapter, Ethernet connection (RJ45) or adapter
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External Mouse. If you want help from supervisors, etc. during lab and exercises, you need to have an external mouse!
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Built-in (or external) Web Camera (for Zoom, Teams, Skype, etc.)
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Headphones with microphone (for Zoom, Teams, Skype, etc.)
A Mac computer with similar specifications may be used, but Windows then needs to be installed using the BootCamp feature in OSX.
Software
As a student you will get the software (including Office 365 with MS Word, Excel, etc.) you need from USN, or we will use free software available on Internet.