Student laptops have become the standard at many universities. Modern laptops provide anywhere, anytime connectivity and computing for homework and projects, and provide a more interactive educational environment both inside and outside of the classroom. For financial aid information, click here.The details of the new EECS laptop recommendations are as follows. 

1) Effective Date:

           For Fall semester 2009, all incoming EECS undergraduate and graduate students are recommended to have laptops. Current EECS students are encouraged to purchase a laptop by Spring 2009, for use in Sloan 352 and other classrooms in Sloan and teaching laboratories in EME.

2) Laptop recommended specifications:

         a. Operating System: must be able to run Windows XP or Vista, either in native mode or   virtually.
         b. Processor: processing power comparable to that of a single-core 2.0 GHz Intel Celeron, or a dual-core 1.7 GHz Intel Pentium.
         c. Memory: at least 1 Gigabyte.
         d. Hard Drive: at least 160 Gigabytes.
         e. Optical Storage Drive: DVD, with write capability recommended for backups.
         f.  External Storage:  If write capability not available on the DVD, then an external storage device (e.g., tape drive, or external DVD drive with write capability) is recommended for students to backup their laptop.
        g.  Display: Must support resolution of 1280x800 or higher.
        h.  Networking: Cable and wireless Ethernet connectivity are both required.
        i.  Standard Software: 
                   i.  MS-Office or equivalent.
                  ii.  Anti-virus software, which can be downloaded without charge from    WSU’s IT site at http://www.scs.wsu.edu/library/software/index.aspx
        j.  A three-year service contract is recommended.

3) Course-Specific Software

        a. CS will maintain a server for download of Linux OS, for courses that require this. There are a variety of ways to run Linux on a Windows laptop; the Information Systems Group (ISG) will provide help where needed.
        b. Many EE courses use MATLAB. The student version of MATLAB is priced at $99, and contains the following toolboxes: Simulink, Control Systems, Signal Processing (Toolbox and Blockset), Optimization, Image Processing, and Symbolic Math functions. This package will be sufficient for almost all EE courses. EE451 requires the Communication Systems Toolbox which is available to students for $59.
        c. Some EE courses use PSPICE circuit simulation software. Freeware versions of PSPICE will be recommended by EE instructors. 

4) Management Policies

         a. Incoming students are strongly encouraged to contact the Information Systems Group (ISG) upon their arrival at WSU, to ensure that their laptops are compatible with the EECS systems environment, and with the various software packages used in EECS courses.  The ISG can be contacted through the EECS helpdesk (509-335-6773), or by sending email to support@eecs.wsu.edu.
         b. The ISG will maintain a FERPA-compliant server on which TAs will store their course records. TAs will have the option of connecting to this server through their laptop, or through an ISG-supplied thin-client in their office.

For exclusive savings on recommended laptops for EECS students (member ID:  57341495) click here or call 1-888-973-3355