Laptop Purchasing Advice

                               Specifications effective May 2009 

Buy for 3 years OF use
You may be tempted to buy the cheapest laptop you can find; however, be aware that over the life of the laptop, this seeming price advantage could easily be offset and exceeded by wasted time, money, and inconvenience spent on repairs.

The configuration below does not necessarily reflect the current configurations available to be purchased from a retailer; use it as a guide to help you purchase a good laptop that will adequately serve your law school needs for the next three years with as few problems as possible. 

Purchase adequate warranty coverage
Laptop repairs tend to be very expensive.  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.

ITCS Repair Contacts has information on available computer repair services, on and off campus.

Shop around
Please note: there is no obligation to purchase hardware/software from the UM Computer Showcase; links to products are provided simply as a courtesy.

Hardware
Check out prices both online and in stores for laptop deals. Be sure to include the UM Computer Showcase (734.647.2537) in your search, as it offers attractive laptop prices for registered students (available to incoming law students in May and August). When you contact the store be certain to tell them you are an admitted law student.

Software
To fully use the Law School's network resources, we strongly recommend that your computer have either Windows Vista Ultimate (Vista Business is also acceptable), Windows XP Professional SP3, or Mac OSX 10.4 or higher operating systems. Home editions of Windows (XP Home, XP Media Center, Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium) are not fully compatible with the Law School's network and may prevent access to some networking features.

In case you need to upgrade your operating system to one of those recommended by the Law School, the Showcase offers software at deeply discounted prices for enrolled students, including:

• Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 32bit for $18.87
• Windows XP Pro Upgrade w/SP3 for $14.15
• Mac OSX 10.5.4 (Leopard) for $65
• Microsoft Office 2007 (Windows) / Microsoft Office 2008 (Mac) for $47.17

Before finalizing your laptop order, calculate the cost of buying your laptop with the operating system and Microsoft Office installed by the manufacturer versus purchasing these software packages separately through the Showcase and installing them on your own. If you can save some money and you feel comfortable installing your own operating system and/or productivity software, you may want to consider this option.


Recommended Laptop Configuration
[Use as a Guide]