We recommend that new students come to Miami law with either an Apple or a Windows laptop. There are many factors that will determine which laptop is best for you:
- Whether you will be working with large media files
- If you need a DVD player or not
- If weight is a factor for you
- If you have a preference for a larger screen or keyboard.
Below are two minimum recommendations. One is for a standard day-to-day laptop that should meet the needs of most people. The other is the minimum recommendation for a laptop if you will be working with larger media files.
Many of the Miami Law exams have the option to use a laptop during the exam. If you want to take advantage of this during your time here, then please make sure to first check the requirements for Exam4 prior to purchasing a laptop. The requirements are found at https://www.exam4.com/support/article/1.
Also, the Florida Bar Exam is administered via Examsoft’s Examplify. Please be sure to check their requirements before purchasing a laptop, especially if you plan to sit for the Bar exam after you graduate Miami Law. The requirements are found at https://examsoft.com/resources/examplify-minimum-system-requirements/
Please note that both exam-taking software (Exam4 and ExamSoft) do not support new Windows and MacOS upgrade versions upon release. Please turn off auto-update until announced on Exam 4 and ExamSoft’s site for Minimum System Requirements.
We do not recommend iPads, Chromebooks, Androids, or Linux devices for your work or for your exam taking.
Minimum configuration for a standard laptop
- Operating System: MacOS 11.7.x (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma) or higher/ Windows 10 or higher (versions 2004, 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, 22H2, 23H2)
- Processor: Intel, i5, or i7 processor or equivalent (non-ARM based processor)
- Memory: 8 GB or more
- Hard Disk Storage: 500 GB or more
- Display: 13-inch or larger
- Additional Hardware: USB port, web camera, and microphone
- Additional Software: Microsoft Office 365 is available to students for free through the University of Miami Software site. For a full listing of software, please visit http://miami.edu/software
Minimum configuration for a laptop that can process larger media files
- Operating System: MacOS 11.7.x (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma) or higher/ Windows 10 or higher (versions 2004, 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, 22H2, 23H2)
- Processor: Intel i7 processor or equivalent
- Memory: 16 GB or more
- Hard Disk Storage: 1000 GB (1TB) or more
- Display: 15-inch (1920x1080 resolution) or larger
- Additional Hardware: External mouse, USB port, web camera, and microphone
- Additional Software: Microsoft Office 365 is available to students for free through the University of Miami Software site. For a full listing of software, please visit http://miami.edu/software
Students who need help with installing software, configuring their Internet connection, or connecting to the University of Miami’s printing system can get free assistance from the Student Technology Help Desk: http://sthd.it.miami.edu.
