MCEC PC Requirements

PC Recommendations

To ensure success in your coursework and projects, students in the Maine College of Engineering & Computing are expected to have access to a personal computer that meets specific performance standards. Many engineering and computing applications require higher processing power, memory, and graphics capabilities than a standard laptop. Please review the recommended specifications carefully to make sure your device can support the software used throughout your academic career.

Note: Mac computers are not compatible with required engineering software.

The 91�� Bookstore’s Tech Center has teamed up with Dell to recommend laptops that are a great fit for student needs.

Civil & Environmental Engineering

64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 11 or Windows 10 (version 1809 or later)

Note: ARM processors (e.g., Windows on ARM, Apple M1/M2) are not recommended due to limited software compatibility

Minimum: Intel i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 or equivalent, 2.5–2.9 GHz (base)

Recommended: Intel i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 or better, 3+ GHz (base), 4+ GHz (turbo)

Minimum: 8GB

Recommended: 16GB or more

Conventional: 1920×1080 with True Color

High-Resolution/4K: Up to 3840×2160 (with supported display card)

Basic: Integrated graphics (e.g., Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega)

Recommended: Dedicated GPU with 4GB VRAM or more, DirectX 12 compliant

Note: A dedicated GPU is strongly recommended for CAD, simulation, and 3D modeling software

Minimum: 256GB

Recommended: 512GB or larger SSD

Note: SSDs significantly improve performance over traditional HDDs

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or better recommended for on-campus connectivity

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering students are required to have a Microsoft Windows personal laptop computer that is powerful enough to support the demanding video and computational requirements necessary for coursework. The laptop should be capable of running .

Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor: 3.3 GHz or higher
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 256 GB Capacity
Graphics: Must work reliably with SolidWorks models and assemblies (see below)
Mouse: 3-button mouse with scroll wheel
Communication: Wireless Ethernet (WLAN)

Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7
Memory: minimum 16 GB
Hard Drive: minimum 500 GB capacity, solid state drive (SSD)
Graphics: 4GB or more NVIDIA Quadro / RTX or AMD Radeon Pro dedicated graphics card
Mouse: 3-button mouse with scroll wheel
Warranty: 3 Year onsite with accidental damage coverage
Communication: Wireless Ethernet (WLAN)

Most GeForce, Radeon (non-pro) and integrated graphics cards are not “Certified” for SolidWorks use, but have often been used without problems for part and assembly modeling. If a non-certified graphics card is to be used, it is highly recommended that a newer computer with a newer high-end (i5 or i7) processor be used.

System Requirements for various software used in Mechanical Engineering

The above software packages are provided by the University, except for Mathcad Express, which is available for free from PTC.

Price: $2,499.00

Intel® Core Ultra 7 265H vPro Enterprise (24 MB cache, 16 cores, 16 threads, up to 5.3 GHz, 45W)
Nvidia® RTX PRO 500 Blackwell 6GB GDDR7 GPU
16GB (2 x 8GB) 5600 MT/s, non-ECC Memory
512GB, M.2 2230, Gen4 PCIe NVMe, SSD, Class 35
16.0” FHD+ 1920×1200, 60Hz, 300 nits, Non-Touch, FHD HDR RGB Camera, Mic, WLAN
Accidental Damage Service, 48 Month(s)

Please contact the Tech Center at 207-581-2580 for more information or guidance in choosing the right computer for your engineering studies

The Mechanical Engineering department requires students to own a calculator and recommends the TI-89 model from Texas Instruments.

Electrical & Computer Engineering

All ECE students must have a personal laptop capable of meeting the computational, graphical, and software demands of their coursework (e.g., MATLAB, Quartus, Keil, virtual machines).

Note: Gaming laptops (e.g., MSI GP66, Razer Blade, Alienware, ASUS ROG, Dell G7) are generally not recommended due to their bulk, short battery life, and excessive fan noise, which can hinder portability and classroom use.

Operating System: Windows 11 or higher
Processor: 3.3 GHz or faster
Memory (RAM): 16 GB
Storage: 256 GB (HDD or SSD)

Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 (or equivalent)
Memory (RAM): 16 GB or more
Storage: 500 GB or larger Solid State Drive (SSD)
Graphics: Dedicated 4 GB+ GPU (e.g., NVIDIA Quadro/RTX or AMD Radeon Pro)
Mouse: 3-button mouse with scroll wheel
Warranty: 4-year onsite coverage with accidental damage protection
Connectivity: Wireless Ethernet (WLAN)

ECE students will use the following software tools

Microsoft Office – Free through the University
MATLAB – Free through the University
Quartus – Free version (Windows only; not available for Mac)
Keil – Free version for embedded systems design
KiCAD – Free and available on Windows, macOS, and Linux

The following laptops are available for purchase through the 91�� Bookstore Tech Center and meet or exceed the recommended specifications

High-Budget Option – Dell Precision 3591

Price: $2,249 (quoted February 7, 2025)
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 165H vPro Enterprise (24 MB cache, 16 cores, up to 5.0 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 1000 Ada Gen, 6 GB GDDR6
Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080), 60 Hz, 250 nits, Non-Touch
Memory: 16 GB DDR5 (2×8 GB, 5600 MT/s, non-ECC)
Storage: 512 GB M.2 Gen4 PCIe NVMe SSD
Warranty: 4-Year Accidental Damage Service

Low-Budget Option – Dell Inspiron 16 Plus

Price: $1,499 (quoted February 7, 2025)
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Graphics: Intel Arc
Display: 16.0″ 2.5K (2560×1600), Anti-Glare, 300 nits, Non-Touch
Memory: 16 GB LPDDR5X (2×8 GB, 6400 MT/s)
Storage: 1 TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Connectivity: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth
Warranty: 4-Year Accidental Damage Service

ECE students must own a basic scientific calculator. Graphing, programmable, or advanced engineering calculators are not permitted. Approved models include

Casio: Any fx-115 or fx-991 series
Hewlett Packard: HP 33s or HP 35s only
Texas Instruments: Any TI-30X or TI-36X series

Contact the 91�� Bookstore Tech Center at (207) 581-2580 for personalized assistance

School of Engineering Technology

Operating System: Windows 11 Home, Pro, or Enterprise (64 bit)
Processor: Recent generation of x86 64 ADM or Intel CPU
Memory: 16 GB RAM (more is better)
Storage: 512 GB SSD with at least 50 GB free
Graphics: Discrete GPU with 4GB or more*
Display Resolution: 1920 x 1080 or higher
Pointer: Windows IntelliMouse Optical Mouse with wheel
Wireless Internet Connectivity

*Graphics card compatibility is very important. Thus, integrated graphics cards are NOT recommended.

MET students will use the parametric solid modeling computer-aided design software SolidWorks and the computer numerical control computer-aided machining software Siemens NX. SolidWorks and Siemens NX are not supported on anything but a Windows system.

While some CPUs with integrated graphics maybe adequate in combination with enough system memory, they are not recommended for either SURFCAM or SolidWorks.

Processor: Intel Core i7 or equivalent
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: Integrated graphics acceptable; dedicated GPU helpful
Display: 1920×1080 resolution

Processor: Intel Core i7 or equivalent
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: Integrated graphics acceptable
Graphics Capability: DirectX® 12 with Shader Model 6
Peripherals:
- Optical mouse
- Integrated or external webcam
- Headset with microphone
Software: Autodesk Civil 3D, other AEC industry tools

Note: Use Autodesk Certified Hardware Tool to verify compatibility.

SVT Students (Autodesk Software)

Most AEC industry software is Windows-only
Mac compatibility is limited and not recommended
Use Autodesk’s Certified Hardware Tool to verify compatibility with Autodesk applications

Processor: Intel Core i7 or equivalent
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: Integrated graphics with DirectX® 12 and Shader Model 6
Display: 1920×1080 resolution
Peripherals:
- Webcam
- Headset with microphone
Software: NI Multisim (Windows-only)

Note: Minimum specs may lead to sluggish performance—recommended specs are strongly encouraged.

EET Students (Multisim Software)

Multisim is required and only available on Windows
Recommended specs are highly encouraged for a smooth experience

Performance under these specs may hinder productivity and coursework.

Operating System: Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise (64-bit)
Processor: Quad-Core Intel Core i5 (4th Gen/Haswell)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 256GB SSD with at least 8GB free
Graphics: Integrated GPU with DirectX® 12 and Shader Model 6
Display: 1920×1080 resolution
Mouse: Windows IntelliMouse Optical Mouse with scroll wheel
Connectivity:
- USB 2.0 or 3.0
- Wireless 802.11 a/g/n (802.11ac preferred)
- Integrated webcam
- Headset with microphone

School of Computing & Information Science

Laptop required (desktop systems are not recommended)

Windows 10/11 or macOS (current version)

Note: Both platforms are supported and acceptable for coursework

Minimum: 4-core processor (Intel, AMD, or Apple M-series)

Recommended: Any modern processor released in the last five years

Minimum: 16GB RAM

DDR4 is sufficient; DDR5 is optional but offers improved performance

No strict minimum; use what is most comfortable for your workflow

Windows: Discrete GPU recommended

macOS: M-series with higher-core integrated GPU recommended

Minimum: 512GB

Recommended: 1TB SSD

Built-in Wi-Fi interface required

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering & Engineering Physics

These options are chosen to fit the needs of students in programs with non-specified requirements. Prices shown are based on purchases made through the .

Processor: Intel Core i7-1355U (10-core, up to 5.0 GHz)
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe (integrated)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080)
Price: Approx. $999

Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H (14-core, up to 5.0 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 16″ 3K (3072×1920)
Price: Approx. $1,499

Processor: Intel Core i7-13700H (14-core, up to 5.0 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Memory: 32GB RAM
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 16″ 3K (3072×1920)
Price: Approx. $1,699

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16-core, up to 4.8 GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX A500 4GB (professional/workstation GPU)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 16″ FHD+ (1920×1200)
Price: Approx. $2,249

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