Student Computer Requirements

Overview

Texas A&M University students enrolled in the fall 2020 semester and beyond are required to own and use a computer that meets certain technical requirements as outlined on the Computer Requirements web page. If you already own a computer, you will need to verify that it meets these requirements. Some colleges require specific computer requirements. Please visit the Computer Requirements page to see if your degree program has different requirements.

Instructions

How to verify your computer's processor

Windows 10

1. Click the start menu icon.
2. Click the Settings icon (it looks like a gear).
3. Click the System settings panel.
4. Click About at the bottom of the left-hand column of the Settings window.

Your computer's processor will be listed as "Processor" under Device specifications at the top of the About window.

Mac

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the menu

Your computer's processor will be listed in the About This Mac window.

How to verify your computer's memory

Windows 10

1. Click the start menu icon.
2. Click the Settings icon (it looks like a gear).
3. Click the System settings panel.
4. Click About at the bottom of the left-hand column of the Settings window.

Your computer's memory will be listed as "Installed RAM" under Device specifications at the top of the About window.

Mac

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the menu

Your computer's memory will be listed in the About This Mac window.

How to verify your computer's hard drive

Windows

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on This PC from the left-hand menu.
3. Select your hard drive under Devices and drives. Your primary drive is typically labeled as "Windows (C:)."

The size of your drive will be displayed below the drive icon in a manner similar to "150 GB free of 750 GB." The second number indicates the total size of your drive.

Mac

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the menu
3. Click on System Report.
4. Click on Storage in the left-hand column.
5. Click on Mac OS under "Volume Name" in the top window on the right-hand side to select your primary storage drive.

The size of your drive will be displayed in the column labeled Capacity.

How to verify your computer's screen size

Computers view display sizes as a ratio of horizontal by vertical pixels (such as 1920x1080) rather than absolute linear measurements. Displays of a given number of pixels can vary wildly in size. A 1920x1080 display may be as small as 13" or as large at 45". Because of this wide variance, there is no programmatic way to easily determine the size of a given display. It is best to physically measure your screen to determine its size.

Windows and Mac

Use a ruler, yard stick, or tape measure to measure the distance from one corner of your screen diagonally to the other corner of your screen.

How to verify your computer's webcam

Windows

1. Right-click the Start menu icon.
2. Click on Device Manager.
3. Click on Cameras to view the cameras available for your computer.

Mac

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the menu
3. Click on System Report.
4. Click on Camera in the left-hand column.

How to verify your computer's wifi

Windows

1. Right-click the Start menu icon.
2. Click on Device Manager.
3. Click on Network Adapters.
4. Verify there is an adapter listed that indicates it is a wireless adapter. The specific wording will vary based on the manufacturer of the wireless adapter.

Mac

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select About This Mac from the menu
3. Click on System Report.
4. Click on Wi-Fi in the left-hand column.