Computer Purchasing Recommendations

How to choose a suitable computer for use while attending the UNL College of Law

Your computer will be used primarily for accessing your email, word processing with Microsoft Word, taking notes in class, participating in remote activities using Zoom videoconferencing, accessing reference databases and other resources on the Internet, and perhaps most importantly, completing many of your written final examinations each term.

We offer a limited number of Laptop Checkout computers for our law students to borrow short-term during the regular course of each semester. Our Laptop Checkout computers are erased after each time that a student uses them, so if you wish to save your files long-term, a USB flash drive or use of cloud storage is required.

Laptop Hardware Recommendations
  • Display: 13" or larger screen. Many applications will not run correctly on 9" and 11" sized "Netbook" computers.
  • Operating System: Apple macOS 10.14 or higher or Microsoft Windows 10.
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 or better (or equivalent AMD CPU).
  • Storage: 128gb or larger Solid State Drive.
  • Memory: At least 8GB RAM. 16 GB is encouraged.
  • WiFi interface - we recommend an 802.11ac wireless card/adapter.
  • Special educational pricing on select laptop models is available from the UNL Computer & Phone Shop.

Alternative Operating Systems

You may choose to use a tablet or alternative operating system for your own personal note-taking during the course of the semester, but please note that you MUST have access to a supported Mac or Windows PC in order to take your mid-term and final exams electronically each term.

Our exam-taking software, Exam4, does NOT work on Linux, Chromebook, iPad, iPad Pro, Android, Ubuntu, or any other operating system not listed above. Additionally, you must have administrative rights on the computer you use to take exams - Exam4 will not work without admin privileges.

Data Storage and Backup
  • We strongly recommend using a Cloud Storage solution. This offers you automatic backups of your important documents (in case of your computer's failure) and many services also offer versioning (in case you need to revert to an older version of the document).
  • Your UNL Office365 account includes 1 TB of free OneDrive cloud storage to use as long as you are a student at UNL.

  • Other cloud storage options include Dropbox.com, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Carbonite, and many others.  All of these are effective solutions to store and protect your class work from data loss. If you require a specific feature, you will need to research different providers before making your selection.

  • Your UNL Office365 account includes 1 TB of free OneDrive cloud storage to use as long as you are a student at UNL.
Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Protection:
  • Palo Alto Cortex XDR system protection (provided to students by UNL), Microsoft Security Essentials, or a third-party antivirus application is required for Windows. We recommend Palo Alto Cortex XDR protection for Mac OS X computers. 
  • Do NOT run multiple antivirus programs on the same computer. Your laptop's performance will suffer
  • MalwareBytes or Spybot S&D are recommended for Windows. Anti-spyware software is not required for Mac OS X.
Productivity and Security Software:
  • Microsoft Office 2016 software suite, for Windows or Mac, are available online through your Huskers account. You may also obtain a copy in person from the UNL Computer Phone Shop at a discounted price.
    If you prefer an Open-Source alternative, you can also use compatible software such as OpenOffice or LibreOffice, that allows you to save files in a .DOC format. Google Drive (Formerly Google Docs) is another reliable, free alternative.
Multimedia and Internet:
  • Your laptop must have a built-in camera, or you must provide a USB-connected web camera, in order to fully participate in Zoom videoconferencing meetings. If you do not have a web camera, we recommend purchasing the Logitech C925e due to its' high video quality and sharp, crisp image.
  • We recommend using a USB Headset/Microphone when videoconferencing to eliminate audio feedback and provide clear, audible sound.
Internet Connection:
  • You must provide an internet connection of sufficient speed & bandwidth to support your Zoom videoconferencing if you'll be attending classes remotely from home. We recommend at minimum 15 Mbps downstream / 5 Mbps up, but this might vary based on your local ISP, their quality-of-service policies, and the number of customers in your area who are also utilizing their bandwidth.

General Information for Entering Students

The College of Law does not offer a computer lab for law student use. We have a small fleet of laptop computers, available through the Circulation Desk for checkout to current J.D. students who wish to use them, provide our law students access to the Internet and to the Microsoft Office software suite. Each laptop checkout is for a maximum length of 24 hours. If you have an extenuating circumstance that requires you to borrow a laptop for a longer duration of time, exceptions will be granted on an individual basis by Law College I.T. staff.

If you anticipate buying a new computer before starting law school, hopefully these recommendations will help you select a capable laptop which lasts throughout your Law School studies and beyond.

Some professors make materials available on the web, and students may find it useful to access these materials during class. At minimum, all students are expected to have a well-maintained laptop computer that they can use for their exams during each final exam period.