Advised Laptop Standard
The UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business and the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business have a mandatory laptop requirement. Students must have access to a laptop computer to access all of the resources they will need to complete their studies. This facilitates the use of the online learning environment, as well as various forms of eLearning and eAssessment. The programmes at the School rely heavily on student interaction with technology. Students are required to bring their laptop, power supply and network (LAN) cable, and any required adapters, to College on a daily basis when on campus. The College of Business eLearning Team has provided an Advised Minimum Laptop Standard to guide you in sourcing a suitable laptop for your studies. The advised minimum standard operating environment is outlined below:
| Requirement / Question | Details |
|---|---|
| System Type | LAPTOP PC Based System. |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 / i7 / i9 (Upcoming 15th Generation chips) / Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) (for A-I and Machine Learning) or AMD Ryzen 7000 Series, running at 2.0Ghz to 2.6Ghz / AMD Ryzen AI 9 (for A-I and Machine Learning) |
| RAM | DDR5 8GB minimum, 16GB+ recommended |
| Hard Disk Size | Solid State Hard Drive (SSD) Capacity: NVMe SSD recommended : 256 Gigabytes to 1 Terabyte |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 11 Professional with English language pack installed. Windows 11 Windows 11 Pro (24H2 & 25H2) are supported on the University’s network. They are compatible with a range of core IT systems including Office 365, Copi-Print and Sophos Intercept X Antivirus. UCD IT Services does not provide support for Windows 10 S or Windows 10 X. Students using Windows 10 S who wish to connect to UCD services are advised to obtain the upgrade to Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home from the Windows Store App. IT Services do not provide support for Windows Home editions, however as long as it is supported by Microsoft, it is considered suitable to access services. |
| Application Software | MS Office 365 is available to all students of UCD. More information will be provided once you have have received your UCD email account |
| Browser Software | We recommend having access to two internet browsers, we recommend Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. |
| Wireless Card | Wireless Card: 802.11n/ac/ax with Bluetooth 5 (incompatibilities have been noted with the ‘Qualcomm Atheros’ Wireless Adapters and software device drivers) |
| Network Port | We recommend an ethernet network port (RJ45) to connect to the UCD cabled network. Some newer laptops do not offer these, but they are preferred. If you do have a network port we recommend you purchase an Ethernet cable |
| Anti-Virus | Installed anti-virus software and a virus-free laptop. UCD students can avail of Sophos anti-virus software, free of charge. |
| Web Camera | You will need access to a webcam and microphone to attend virtual meetings and classrooms. If you do not have these you will need to get an external usb webcam and mic. |
More Information
Can I bring my Apple laptop to School?
Apple hardware and software are not fully compatible with the UCD online learning environment. Some modules may require specific Windows based software. If you decide to use an Apple laptop in the Lochlann Quinn School, you will be responsible for testing it with the UCD systems in advance of class and addressing resulting issues (if any) that may arise.
IT Services advise that the MacOS version that they will support are : MAC OS version: 14, 15 & 26 .
Please note: Windows emulation on a MAC can be achieved using VMWare, Parallels or Boot Camp. This service is not offered by UCD IT services and students may find this process technically difficult so we advise you to identify and engage with a third party IT provider
MacOS: an Apple Silicon ‘M’ chip Processor (Less powerful Intel or AMD Processors may cost less, but may not meet your requirements) . The 2020 or newer macBooks won’t support ‘Boot Camp’ to Windows 10, as they are ARM based.
The newerApple ‘Silicon’ Chips, e.g. the ‘M1’, ‘M2’ and ‘M3’, do not support Boot Camp.
Can I bring my Google Chromebook (or Chrome OS device) to the Lochlann Quinn School?
Unfortunately Chromebooks may not meet the needs of the Advised laptop standard as Chrome OS may not be compatible with virtual classroom tools used in UCD. Supported Devices and Operating Systems
Can I bring my tablet instead of a Laptop?
Tablets are considered to be complementary devices to the compulsory laptop requirement. Tablets on the market today are not powerful enough to run the online learning and assessment environments. Most tablets do not have a LAN cable connection. Please note that all in class online assessment must be completed using a laptop connected to the cable (LAN) network.
Why do I need specific software?
The Windows Operating Systems (recommended above) have been rigorously tested with the UCD network and the UCD online learning environment. The Application Software (above) contains tools that are commonly used in practice in the business world. These will be used to deliver in-class training, for assessment purposes, presentations, etc.
Prior to attending the UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business, please take a look at the some Brightspace tutorials here.”
