Computer specs needed for university

AI Thread Summary
For studying Electrical Engineering and running software like Mathematica and Matlab, a laptop with decent specs is essential. The Toshiba Tecra A10 features an Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 and 2 GB of DDR2 RAM, which may be insufficient for optimal performance, especially for complex simulations. Dedicated graphics memory is not strictly necessary for these applications, but it can enhance performance. It's also noted that many universities provide computer labs, making a personal laptop less critical in the first two years. Prioritizing coding skills in Matlab is advised, as it may require more time than running simulations.
chollins
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I am going to be doing EE at university this year and i am looking at purchasing a laptop to use. So the question is...

What sort of machine specs do you need to run Mathematica and Matlab quickly?

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I am looking at a Toshiba Tecra A10 (PTSB0A-00E001)

Intel core 2 duo T9400 (2.53 Ghz, 1066MHz FSB, 6MB L2 Cache) GM45 Express Chipset
2 Gb DDR2 800 (up to 4 GB supported)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator GM45 up to 128 Mb shared memory
250 Gb 5400 rpm SATA HDD
15.4" WSXGA+ (1680x1050)
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The main thing i need to know about is if there is the need for a graphics card with dedicated graphics memory or if this on board graphics will suffice for the purposes of Mathematica and Matlab.

thank you in advance.
 
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chollins said:
I am going to be doing EE at university this year and i am looking at purchasing a laptop to use.

Similar topics exist on the forums, but unfortunately I can't find them. So just one advice, if your school has computer labs, don't buy a computer. If your school is of any standing, you shouldn't need one during the first 2 years. What comes to performance issues, I'm fairly confident that coding with Matlab will take much more time than actual simulations. Focus your efforts on that side.
 

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