These are the UT Health Science Center ITS requirements and recommendations for student computing devices. For UT-owned faculty and staff computer requirements, please refer to this article instead.

Requirements and recommendations:

• 8GB Memory (16GB recommended)
• 256GB solid-state storage. (SSD or NVMe. Hard Disk Drives are much slower and more prone to failure).
• Operating System – A supported operating system version and available security updates are required for compatibility and security reasons. These are currently:
  • Windows 11 23H2 or higher
  • macOS 12 Monterey or higher
• Preferred vendors – The vendors below are the most popular among UTHSC faculty and staff, and are preferred for compatibility, quality, and support.
  • Dell
  • Apple
  • Microsoft
• Additional warranty coverage:
  • 4 years recommended to ensure coverage throughout the duration of your program for any needed device support/repair (i.e. Dell ProSupport or AppleCare)
  • ITS offers software and hardware support for student devices. The only cost to students for this service is the cost for any out-of-warranty replacement parts.
    • Out-of-warranty repairs on Apple devices are not available for students at this time.
• Antivirus Software – All student devices are required to a have current AV software installed. Recommended options:
  • Malwarebytes is a solid option on any platform.
    • Cost: $45/yr
    • Free version is lacking needed real-time protection features.
  • Additional recommendations for Macs:
    • Bitdefender (free)
    • Sophos (recommend paid version only - $60/yr)
• Additional Security Recommendations:
  • Lenovo devices are not recommended due to hardware security concerns.
  • Student computers should not be shared family/household devices.