What are the minimum laptop requirements for CS at Durham Uni? Is windows 10 okay?
I’ve currently got a laptop that matches or above all the specs listed on digital equipment link on Durham Website, but it can only operate on windows 10. AND it mentions windows 11 or higher? Am i still okay or have i got to fork out another grand???
Original post by swurveman
I’ve currently got a laptop that matches or above all the specs listed on digital equipment link on Durham Website, but it can only operate on windows 10. AND it mentions windows 11 or higher? Am i still okay or have i got to fork out another grand???
Should be fine for a few months, but Windows 10 support ends on the 14th of October 2025. That's just under 13 months from now.
You may want to start saving for a laptop which is compatible with Windows 11.
I made it through my first year of CS (at another uni) with a terrible laptop that couldn’t even run pycharm and YouTube at the same time without blue screening (4GB of RAM, intel pentium, and windows 10). You will probably be fine. You may want to wait until Black Friday and see if you can survive with your current laptop. If not, then you can take advantage of the offers. You also do not need to spend a grand. You can get a quite good one for about £500 (although I understand that’s still quite a lot of money), you just need to educate yourself on what is a good deal, although it can be difficult because manufacturers like having names that seem to be deliberately confusing so they can scam you off your money.
Also, despite it being CS, courses (or perhaps the professors) tend to be weirdly resistant to change, so there’s a good chance most of your software you use would have been tested with windows 10 in mind, not 11. There are minimal issues between the two OS’s in terms of compatibility anyways, Windows 10 is fine.
The bigger issue is the specs of your current laptop. However, Durham should have computers that you can use, and there are very few cases where the problem can’t be solved by being a better programmer, rather than having a better computer, especially for the stuff you will tackle in first year.
Also, despite it being CS, courses (or perhaps the professors) tend to be weirdly resistant to change, so there’s a good chance most of your software you use would have been tested with windows 10 in mind, not 11. There are minimal issues between the two OS’s in terms of compatibility anyways, Windows 10 is fine.
The bigger issue is the specs of your current laptop. However, Durham should have computers that you can use, and there are very few cases where the problem can’t be solved by being a better programmer, rather than having a better computer, especially for the stuff you will tackle in first year.
Some advice on what type of laptop to buy
(edited 3 weeks ago)
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