Technology

Laptop Requirements

Overview

All students, whether in the J.D. or Graduate Division, enrolled in or registered for any course at New York University School of Law are required to have, for exams and other purposes, a laptop with wireless Internet connectivity. Every student is required to type his or her exams on a laptop or desktop computer, and handwriting will not be permitted on exams.  In-class exams require the use of a laptop. Take-home exams can be completed with a laptop or desktop computer. Students may not use a tablet or e-reader for their exams.

Some Graduate Programs (notably NYU at NUS and the E LLM Program) may have slightly different requirements. Please see the Graduate Admissions Laptop Requirements below for reference.

Hardware Requirements

  • 2 GB of memory (RAM)
  • 80 GB hard drive capacity (minimum ... larger capacity recommended if you store media (i.e. photos, music, videos))
  • Intel Processor (Mac requirement only ... older PowerPC processors no longer supported)
  • CD(DVD combo drive (not required, but recommended)
  • Ethernet card (recommended, but not required)*
  • Wireless card with 802.11 a, g, or n capability**

* Ethernet card and cable are necessary to take advantage of ResNet for wired Internet access from the residential halls.

** A wireless card is needed to take advantage of the wireless network. Most 802.11 a, g and n compliant wireless cards will work with the NYU wireless network.

Software Requirements

For ALL laptops, you must have a licensed copy of the operating system. We reserve the right to refuse service to laptops with non-licensed or unactivated copies of the operating system. Dual-booted systems are not supported for exams (e.g. Windows via Boot Camp on a Mac)

Supported Operating Systems

When Microsoft and Apple release new versions of their operating systems, the exam software vendors must certify that the new operating system will work with the exam software. Since this is one of the focal points of computing at NYU Law, you must have a computer that meets the operating system requirement. If you are looking at upgrading your operating system, or purchasing a new laptop, pay careful attention to these requirements, and the computer/operating system you are purchasing.

  1. Windows Vista with Service Pack 2, OR Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
  2. OSX  10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.7 Lion, or 10.8 Mountain Lion
  3. For the Spring 2013 semester:
    • Windows 8 is now supported
    • Windows XP and OSX 10.5 (Leopard) are no longer supported

Software

  1. Office Productivity Software, such as MS Office, LibreOffice or WordPerfect Suite
  2. Symantec Endpoint Protection (provided free through the University) or other up-to-date antivirus software
  3. PDF reading software (e.g. Adobe Reader)

Graduate Admissions Laptop Computer Requirements

ELLM Students

ELLM Students who are planning to examine remotely must use a laptop with a Windows OS.  Dual-booting your laptop is expressly forbidden (e.g. using Boot Camp on a Mac to run Windows)

NYU@NUS

All NYU@NUS students are required to have a laptop for take-home exams and other purposes. This laptop must support wireless connectivity, and must have a PDF reader. 

Buying a Laptop

If you are shopping around for a new laptop, we highly encourage you to look at the offerings from the NYU Computer Store. The academic pricing is very competitive. In addition, all Thinkpad models recommended come with a 3-year warranty, covering accidental damage (spills, drops, etc...). Click here to find Law School recommended models.

NUS students may want to purchase a laptop under the NUS Notebook Ownership Scheme.



http://www.law.nyu.edu//technology/laptops/requirements/index.htm