The College recommends bringing a laptop- nearly all students do. Microsoft Windows (8.1, 10, 11) and Apple MacBook (OS X 10.13 High Sierra or newer) laptops both work well in our network environment.
Chromebooks are supported but not recommended. The Microsoft365 applications cannot be downloaded or installed on Chromebooks. Chromebook users will only have access to the Microsoft365 web apps.
Most Colby-Sawyer computer labs run Windows 10. There are also two Mac labs for use by students enrolled in graphic design, photography and video editing courses.
General Guidelines for Purchasing a Laptop.
Battery Life
The longer you can go without having to charge your laptop, the better.
Weight
Lightweight models usually cost more, but are easier to carry around to classes.
Processor
Get the best processor you can afford (Intel multi core, for example); it's the brain of the system and is not upgradable. Processor choice can change the price by hundreds of dollars, but is not a good place to economize.
Memory
Most new systems have sufficient memory (RAM). In general, the more RAM your computer has, the better, consider 8G as a minimum. With most laptops RAM can be upgraded after purchase.
Keyboards
Tablets have been become increasingly popular, but having a full keyboard seems to be the most practical and popular choice among our students.
Warranty
We highly recommend that you purchase an extended warranty. If possible, get a 3 or 4-year plan. Some manufacturers offer accident protection plans as well.
The College HelpDesk does not provide hardware support. A good warranty is your best protection for this investment.
Software
No need to purchase Microsoft Office with your new computer. With Microsoft's Office365 program, students are able to install the current Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) on up to 5 devices. Chromebooks get Office apps from the Google Play app store, depending on manufacturer.
Purchase and activate antivirus or security software- highly recommended on student computers. Windows computer have Windows Defender built in. Malwarebytes Free is a helpful security scanning tool for Windows and Mac.
Wireless
The campus has complete wireless coverage. As with cell phones, wireless network signal strength can vary from place to place.
Printing
Wireless printing features will not work in our wireless network. Bring a cable to connect your personal printer. Also, all of our student-accessible labs have laser printers. Colby-Sawyer has a hard print quota ($24.00 = approximately 800 b&w pages) that satisfies the needs of most students.
Operating Systems
We do not support older versions of Windows (XP, 7, or 8.0), MacOS 10.12 (Sierra) or older, or alternative operating systems such as Linux.
Need More Help
Call the Helpdesk at 603.526.3800 or email helpdesk@colby-sawyer.edu.