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Computer Hardware Planning
Those areas on the 3 year hardware renewal cycle should consult MIT IS&T's recommended computer hardware for the list of acceptable desktop and laptop machines.
For those areas on a 4-5 year hardware renewal schedule and not the usual 3 year, please be aware that you must purchase a mid to high end model machine to ensure it has the ability to run newer software at a minimally acceptable performance level that far 4-5 years down the line. Minimum RAM must be no lower than DDR3 8GB and the processor must be no lower than an i5 running at 2.9Ghz. For users that require Adobe Creative Suite or for users doing video or photo editing or web development, the minimum RAM must be no lower than DDR3 16GB and the processor must be no lower than an i7 processor.
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