Before You Buy
Check out prices both online and in stores for laptop deals. While there is no obligation to purchase hardware/software from the university, be sure to include the Tech Shop in your search as it offers attractive laptop prices for registered students. When you contact the store be certain to tell them you are an admitted law student.
-
Recommended Laptop Specifications
Use as a guide
FEATURES
WINDOWS
MAC 1
OTHER
Operating System
Windows 10 or 11
macOS 12 - 13
Chromebook laptops, tablets, droids, iPads, etc. cannot run Windows or macOS, and are therefore not compatible with printing, Electronic Bluebook, and other services at the Law School.
We do not recommend them.Processor
(computer speed)
Dual-core or higher
Memory
(RAM)
4 GB (minimum)
Hard Drive
(storage space)
128 GB (minimum, Solid State Drives (NVMe or SSD) are recommended)
Removable Storage
USB Flash drive or hard drive 2
Virus Protection
Visit the University’s Safe Computing site for product recommendations and download information
Productivity Software
Microsoft Office is recommended. Learn more about obtaining it at no cost.
Warranty 3
3-yr labor & parts (complete care)
Printer 4
Laserjet or Inkjet
1 Students considering eventually joining one of the student law journals should be advised that a Windows-based laptop will be more compatible with the software and processes used by the journals.
2 A large flash drive or USB hard drive is recommended for backing up your important data unless you prefer a cloud service such as Google Drive or U-M Dropbox.
3 The ITS Tech Repair Service provides full warranty and out-of-warranty repairs on many laptop/tablet brands.
4 If you print often, we recommend that you have a personal printer to supplement the Law School printers.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us.
-
Purchase Adequate Warranty Coverage
We urge you to purchase a 3-year service contract to last you through your law school tenure, preferably complete care with screen replacement. Think about how long you can afford to be without your laptop during the semester or during exams. Also find out where you can get the laptop fixed and what the turn-around time is for warranty repairs. For instance, do you need to mail it back to the manufacturer or can it be serviced locally in Ann Arbor?
The ITS Tech Repair Service has information on available computer repair services on campus.
-
Software
- The Tech Shop offers software at deeply discounted prices for enrolled students.
- Microsoft offers Office 365 to current University of Michigan students at no cost. Office 365 is available for Windows and macOS users.
- Windows 11 Education is available to all current University of Michigan students for use on personally-owned devices at no cost. Students can register to access it on the U-M Software Portal.
- The Adobe Creative Cloud suite is available for all current students at no cost. This includes programs such as Acrobat Pro, and Photoshop.
-
Laptop Financing
If you anticipate the need for school loan funds to pay off your computer, note that you may not order the computer more than one month before the start of the academic year in order to qualify. The Office of Financial Aid (734.764.5289) has further information on laptop financing options.
-
Laptop Support Policy