Computer Hardware Guidelines

Purchasing a new computer can be an overwhelming task. This document is designed to make your decision a little easier. It provides some general guidelines and lists some best practices to follow in order to get the best performance and security from your new computer. These tips will also help to ensure that your new computer is compatible with today's most common software packages and will work well on the networks on campus.

For Faculty and Department purchases, please contact Purchasing (519 661-2038) to obtain current pricing information on the latest models of computers being offered by their top vendors.

For Student purchases, please contact the Campus Computer Store computer.store@uwo.ca or call 519 661-3520.

Purchasing Tips

  • Buy as much RAM as you can afford, regardless of intended use
  • For high-end graphics and video games, upgrade to a 64 MB video card and a larger monitor
  • For file storage (especially audio and video files), consider a larger harddrive

The above information is simply a guideline. The intended purpose of the system will help determine the type of computer you should purchase. If you require assistance in deciding on the type of computer you need, or have questions after acquiring your new computer, please contact the ITS Help Desk by webform at http://itshelp.uwo.ca or by phone at 519 661-3800.

 

See Also

Laptop Recommendations @ Western

Western provides the best student experience among Canada's leading research-intensive universities.