If you have questions about the suitability of a particular model of laptop, please feel free to email the UTS IT Department at it@utschools.ca and include a link to the laptop you are inquiring about.

UTS IT staff generally don’t recommend particular brands or models of laptops, but there are certain specifications that a student laptop should have in order to perform academic work at UTS.

1. Operating System:  Windows 11 or macOS is required. Chromebooks are not recommended because they cannot run certain development environments and other software that may be required in courses.

2. Battery Life:  The laptop’s battery should be able to last at least the length of the school day which is roughly 7 hours.  We recommend getting a laptop that will last more than 9 hours on a charge.  Battery life degrades over time so a battery that initially lasts 7 hours may not last the school day after 2 years of use.

3. WiFi:  Laptops must be able to connect to 5GHz wireless networks.  This is an obscure specification so it is important to check with vendors to make sure the laptop supports 802.11ac ("WiFi 5") wireless standards or newer - 802.11ax ("WiFi 6").  If in doubt, please email it@utschools.ca and include the model number or a link to the laptop.

4. RAM:  A minimum of 16 GB of RAM is required.

5. CPU:  Intel Core i5 or higher is recommended (Ideally generation 12 or newer) - we've seen issues with Adobe's Premiere application and CPUs built on non-Intel architecture

6. Storage:  We recommend at least 128 GB of SSD  storage technology (as opposed to slower HDD storage).  If students are working with larger files (movies and HD photos), we recommend a minimum SSD capacity of 240 GB.

7. Display:  A minimum screen resolution of 1920x1080 (Full HD) is recommended.

8. Touchscreen / Active Pen:  Although not required, a laptop with a built-in touchscreen and/or Active Pen technology is recommended. This allows students to digitally draw and write on documents.

9. Dimensions and Weight:  The laptop should be small enough to fit in a backpack along with books and other items and should not be heavier than the student is comfortable carrying.  A screen size of 12-14” is generally a good indicator of a suitably sized laptop.

Note:  Please do not purchase Microsoft Office with the laptop.  UTS provides Microsoft Office to students for installation on their laptops.  Adobe Creative Cloud will also be provided to students.

Below are laptops similar in technical specs to those provisioned to our staff.  Touchscreen and stylus / pen functionality is a recommended feature...

Education pricing is available from several retailers such as Microsoft and CDW.  Other retailers may have similar discounts.  It may be helpful to see and use display models at retailers like Best Buy, Microsoft, Staples, etc. and to ask store staff to check the specifications of the laptop against the requirements above.

CDW:

UTS has arranged for the parents of UTS students to have access to the CDW-UTS Employee Purchase Plan, by which any parent whose email address is registered with UTS, and which UTS has then registered with CDW, can avail themselves of the same corporate discount that UTS receives. This varies by product, but is certainly worth consideration.

If you would like access to the CDW portal, please fill out this form and make sure to enter the email address that UTS has on record for you.  You will be sent an invitation approximately 2 business days after submitting the form.

If you have questions about the suitability of a particular model of laptop, please feel free to email the UTS IT Department at it@utschools.ca.