University of Washington: recommended laptop specification

No — this is a recommendation, not a requirement. University of Washington (College of Engineering) publishes a suggested configuration: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage. You are not obliged to buy a machine that matches it.

💡 Recommended only. University of Washington publishes this as guidance. An existing laptop that does the job is usually fine — do not buy a new machine on the strength of this page alone.

The published specification

Operating system: Windows 11 24H2 or greater (LTSC versions are not supported); or macOS version 15 (Sequoia) or newer

Processor: Intel Core i5 10th Gen, AMD Ryzen 5 4000 series, or Apple M1

Memory (RAM): 8GB

Storage: 256 GB Solid State Drive (SSD)

Graphics: Integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Vega, or Apple M1 and newer)

What this specification rules out

Chromebook, tablets, smartphones. Page states: "Chromebooks do not have the ability to run the software needed" and "smartphones and tablets are not able to run the software needed at this time." A separate note says MacBook Neo is not supported.

Also listed on the same page

Display: 15-inch or larger, Full HD (1920x1080) or higher resolution. Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), webcam, and microphone. Page states "No other hardware is required." A 1TB external drive for backup is listed as recommended, not required. Students needing financial help are directed to "complete a Revision Request for Additional Expenses form found on the UW Student Financial Aid page."

Source

Taken from University of Washington's own published page: https://www.engr.washington.edu/current/policies/technology-expectations. Verified 2026-08-25. Specifications change every intake, so confirm against that page before you buy.

Laptops that meet this specification

Product links go to Amazon search — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Links never change the checklist.

Search Amazon for Windows 11 laptop 8GB RAM 256GB SSD →

The search is built from the capacities University of Washington actually prints, so compare each result against the published specification above before ordering — listings change and this page does not track stock or price.

Packing for University of Washington

A laptop is one line on a longer list. See the full University of Washington dorm packing list for bedding, storage and the rest of move-in.

Laptop requirements at other schools: University of Wisconsin-Platteville · University of Texas at Arlington · Vanderbilt University · Virginia Commonwealth University · Virginia Tech · Washington State University