how risky is using computer below requirements

Colleges and Universities A-Z Virginia Tech
1

<p>hey, I have a laptop with specs that are below requirements (physics major)
-dual core AMD @~2ghz
-500Gb HD @ 5000 RPM
-8Gb RAM (currently 4 but will upgrade) </p>

<p>With these specs being just below the required, what are the risks of using this system during my time at VT? Do they rigorously check each students computer.. ? I can't imagine any programs that will constantly crash on my computer but work well on the required.. the HD speed requirement I feel is ridiculous. I cannot upgrade the CPU. What are your opinions?</p>

<p>thanks</p>

2

<p>It looks like that’ll run Autodesk Inventor so I think you’ll be fine, because I can’t imagine anything is going to be more taxing than that.</p>

<p>Upgrading the HD might be worth your while, but there shouldn’t be anything that refuses to run because of it.</p>

<p>Are you running windows 64 bit or 32? If its 32 then a ram upgrade won’t do you any good. If 64 then I’d highly recommend an upgrade.</p>

3

<p>yeah its 64. Do they actually check your computer though? Like, do you have to have the required specs in order to recieve a network account or anything like that?</p>

4

<p>I was just going to ask, do they check the computer requirements on ordination? I am a transfer student thou so idk.</p>

5

<p>No, nobody will check your computer. It’s yours. If you can’t run software required in a class it’s on you though; the professor could fail you if you can’t run something important. I managed to get away with using a netbook in class and a desktop at home for the heavy lifting for my last two years but only because I had good relationships with some of my professors who looked the other way a bit, so I would definitely not try that.</p>

<p>But no, nobody is going to check your computer. It’s your problem if you can’t run something, not theirs.</p>

6

<p>Related question: can a business major get by with a computer that was “top of the line” as of 2 years ago for the first couple of years? I hate to buy <em>another</em> computer so soon, but would be willing to upgrade later. I’m hoping that the first 2 years of intro classes won’t have high computing requirements. Is that OK?</p>

7

<p>I can’t think of what software a business student would be using that would be too taxing on any decent computer. A business major would have to say for sure though.</p>