Wharton Computing Student Support

Wharton Computer Buying Guide

2009-2010 Computer Buying Guide

This Buying Guide is designed for incoming Wharton MBA and Undergraduate students entering Wharton in the Fall of 2009. It will help you make the most of the wide range of computing resources and services available to you while you are a student. To effectively use these services, and to actively participate in Wharton's computing environment, you will need the following things:

• A notebook computer with wireless Internet capabilities

• Basic email and productivity software

• External Hard Drive for data backups

• An Internet Service Provider (ISP) for off-campus connectivity

The recommendations in this guide are helpful to students purchasing a new system as well as for students considering the use of an older system. Keep in mind that systems tested and developed for professional environments tend to be more stable and reliable than similar systems designed for home environments.

Note: Some class projects and assignments will be assigned assuming you are using a Windows-based PC. If you purchase a Mac you should be prepared to use Apple's Bootcamp or VMWare's Fusion, or do your work at one of Wharton's public computers.

Notebook Recommendations

When buying a new notebook, the hardware components that matter are processor speed, memory, hard disk capacity, video card (256MB) and its networking capabilities. The combination of processor speed, memory and hard disk affect the performance of the machine; the investment in a robust system generally means you will spend less time maintaining the system. To get a notebook that will work well in Wharton's computing environment, we recommend purchasing one that meets the standards of the computers sold by the University of Pennsylvania's Computer Store, the Computer Connection.

Each year Wharton Computing works with The Computer Connection, to ensure that several of the machines offered during the Back-To-School sale through the Campus Express website will meet the needs of Wharton students. Purchasing from the Computer Connection also gives you access to knowledgeable staff and allows you to leverage the relationship that it has with the computer vendors. One key benefit to purchasing from the Computer Connection is that you receive a better warranty than you would normally get from an outside vendor.

For more information on availability and prices for Wharton recommended machines, watch for the Computer Connection's Back-To-School Sale mailing or log into Campus Express beginning June 1st for the 2009 offerings (http://campusexpress.upenn.edu/ccx).

Note: The Computer Connection is the University's computer store, serving faculty, staff and students, but is a separate organization from Wharton Computing Student Support. Wharton Computing Student Support provides guidance and first-tier troubleshooting services for a student's computing issues. However, if you have a problem with your computer's hardware you will need to work with your computer's manufactuer to get your problem resolved.

Software Recommendations

The basic software recommendations for students are designed to provide compatibility with the software in Wharton's computer labs and classrooms. When purchasing your system and software, be sure to request disks containing your original software. If your vendor doesn't provide the operating system CD or a recovery CD, be sure to ask about recovery procedures should the system fail.

Note: All of the software that is listed in the table above is sold at the Penn Computer Connection store at a discounted rate.

¹Notebooks with a 64-bit operating system are supported at Wharton, but you may need to work with us to resolve any compatibility issues that may come up. For more information on 64-bit computing click here

² Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student edition is NOT recommended because it does not support Exchange server connectivity with Entourage. To make use of all the email features available on Wharton's Student Exchange server, you'll need to purchase the Full, Student Select (sold @ Penn's Computer Connection) or Special Media Editions. Also, Microsoft Access is not available in Office 2008.

Microsoft Office 2007 (For Windows PCs) Professional edition is recommended instead of the Standard edition because it includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access and Outlook. If you will not need Access then you can consider purchasing the Standard edition.

³Symantec (for Windows) and Norton (for Mac) Antivirus is available for Penn Students free of charge.

⁴It is recommended that your Mac have at least 3GB of RAM if you plan to install Microsoft Vista in VMware Fusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use my company computer?
2. Can I use my current system?
3. How do I configure my notebook for Wharton?
4. Is 64-bit Windows Vista supported?
5. Which Smartphone will work best at Wharton?
6. How should I backup data stored on my notebook?
7. How should I care for my notebook?