IS&T assists the MIT community with computing needs analysis and purchasing advice. MIT has relationships with several vendors which offer students discounted educational pricing on hardware and accessories.
IS&T recommends portable computers due to the flexibility that they provide.
If this is a department purchase, you may want to take advantage of IS&T's DLC Direct support services.
Benefits and key features
- IS&T makes laptop recommendations based on the kind of work you do. We make it easy to find the right machine to suit your needs.
- If you’re planning on buying a new computer, MIT has relationships with several vendors which offer discounted educational pricing on hardware and accessories.
Requirements
- Certificates are required to access the Apple and Dell Education sites.
- Faculty and staff: MIT-owned purchases: MIT Buy2Pay (B2P); personal purchases
- Students: Once you've decided on your computer, go to the vendor’s online education store in order to get the proper educational discounts applied to your purchase.
Recommended laptops
Note: The models, configurations, and prices are subject to change based on manufacturer's availability.
In general, when buying a computer, IS&T recommends that you purchase hardware that supports the latest operating systems and includes as much memory and the fastest processor speed your budget will allow. In addition, we recommend purchasing the extended manufacturer warranty to protect your device.
Other aspects to keep in mind are the size and weight (you’ll want something that isn’t a burden to carry around), battery life, and camera placement (you should be able to work on your computer while participating in remote learning or work).
Student discounts
Students can take advantage of these discounts by purchasing through the vendors’ online education stores at the following links:
Personal purchases
Before making a personal hardware purchase, review the following guidelines:
- You may not use the Institute’s tax-exempt number when making personal purchases—in fact, use of an institutional tax-exempt number to make personal purchases is prohibited under Massachusetts law.
- You may not add personal items to a purchase order that includes official MIT purchases. For example, you cannot purchase 10 reams of paper for personal use included with an MIT order of 50 cases.
- You may not charge personal items to the MIT ProCard.
Protect your new device from theft
Once you've received your new computer, take steps to protect it from theft.