Note
If you are making a computer purchase for personal use (non-Emerson funds), please see more information at Purchasing a Personal Computer.
Purchasing Process
All items listed below are available through the vendor catalog, which approved purchasers can access on Workday. If you do not have access to the vendor catalog, please contact Procurement Services.
Please only purchase approved technology from the vendors linked to below (Connection preferred). Be aware that, while some computer hardware can be found in the Amazon vendor catalog, it is not approved for campus use. These items will have a Company Restricted label at the top of the webpage.
After you make your purchase, all technology equipment purchased for Emerson College should be shipped to the Tech Division Inventory Group. The address is Walker Room 530 - 120 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116. Once we receive the equipment, we will reach out to you for details on its use and destination. Computer configuration includes the installation of management software, security tools, and encryption, and in the case of mobile devices, a secure pin. We will contact you when it is ready for deployment or pickup. If the equipment arrives at your location before it reaches the Help Desk, please let us know so we can prepare it for you.
Please reach out to us to schedule an appointment.
While using your new device, we require you to comply with the Data Classification Guideline and Data Transmittal and Storage Requirements.
Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh
While there are many reasons a department would purchase a computer on their own (new employees, specific technical needs, etc.), the school also has a Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh program to ensure all the computers on campus are kept up-to-date. Read more about how this works in our Hardware Replacement Policy guide.
The suggested configurations below state whether Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds would cover their cost, or if your department may have to contribute to the purchase.
Hardware Standards
Below is a listing of standard computer hardware that is suitable for the Emerson College work environment. If you have a specific need outside of these standards, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@emerson.edu for a consultation or to request a quote. Laptops are the preferred form factor for computers as they enable flexibility and remote work. Purchasing of desktop computers for individuals is not recommended. If you prefer a desktop experience, purchase a monitor, keyboard, mouse and docking station for use with your laptop. Desktops should only be purchased for shared computer situations.
- Apple Laptops
- Apple Desktops
- Windows Laptops
- Windows Desktops
- Printers, Docks, and Accessories
Apple Laptops
13-inch MacBook Air (Standard Build)
The 13-inch MacBook Air is IT’s most popular refresh computer. With plenty of RAM and a fast solid-state hard drive, and up to 18 hours of battery life this model is great for anyone interested in upgrading their laptop.
| processor: |
Apple M3 chip with 8‑core CPU and 8‑core GPU |
|
| ram: | 16 GB Unified RAM | |
| Neural Engine: | 16 Core | |
| storage: |
256 GB Solid State Hard Drive |
|
| available ports: | 2 - Thunderbolt USB 4 ports*, 1 - MagSafe charging port, 1 - 3.5mm headphone | |
| display: | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone | |
| weight: | 2.7 Lbs | |
| computer refresh: |
Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. |
|
| Number of External Displays Supported |
2 (with laptop lid closed) |
* We recommend purchasing a multi-port adapter that will allow you to plug in USB and HDMI devices, and has an extra Thunderbolt 3 port.
15-inch MacBook Air (Standard Build)
The 15-inch MacBook Air is a larger version of IT’s most popular refresh computer. With plenty of RAM and a fast solid-state hard drive, and up to 18 hours of battery life this model is great for anyone interested in upgrading their laptop.
| processor: |
Apple M3 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU |
|
| ram: | 16 GB Unified RAM | |
| Neural Engine: | 16 Core | |
| storage: |
256 GB Solid State Hard Drive |
|
| available ports: | 2 - Thunderbolt USB 4 ports*, 1 - MagSafe charging port, 1 - 3.5mm headphone | |
| display: | 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone | |
| weight: | 3.3 Lbs | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. | |
| Number of External Displays Supported | 2 (with laptop lid closed) |
* We recommend purchasing a multi-port adapter that will allow you to plug in USB and HDMI devices, and has an extra Thunderbolt 3 port.
14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro (Standard Build)
The 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro is the ideal computer if you need support for multiple displays. With plenty of RAM and a fast solid-state hard drive, this model is great for anyone interested in upgrading to a laptop.
| processor: |
Apple M3 Pro chip with 11‑core CPU and 14‑core GPU |
|
| ram: | 18 GB Unified RAM | |
| Neural Engine: | 16 Core | |
| storage: |
512 GB Solid State Hard Drive |
|
| available ports: | 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port | |
| display: | 14.2 Liquid Retina XDR 3024 x 1964, 600 nits, P3 Wide color | |
| weight: | 3.5 Lbs | |
| computer refresh: | Not completely covered by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. | |
| Number of External Displays Supported | 2 |
16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro (Power User)
If 14 inches isn’t enough screen real estate, then the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro might be for you. Weighing only 1.3 pounds more than the 14-inch MacBook, this model is great for powerful video editing on the go.
| processor: | M3 Pro 12-Core CPU 18-Core GPU | |
| ram: | 18 GB Unified Memory | |
| Neural Engine: | 16 Core | |
| storage: | 512 MB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: |
3 Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports HDMI SDXC Card Slot MagSafe 3 Port |
|
| display: | 3456 x 2234 pixels | |
| weight: | 4.7 Lbs | |
| computer refresh: | Not completely covered by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. | |
| Number of External Displays Supported | 2 |
Apple Desktops
24-inch iMac with Retina 4.5K Display (Standard Build)
The 24-inch iMac with Retina 4.5K Display is IT’s most popular Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh desktop computer. This model is great if you are looking for a powerful all-in-one machine with plenty of screen real estate.
| processor: | Apple M3 Chip 8-core CPU | |
| ram: | 16 GB | |
| graphics: | Apple M3 Chip 8-core GPU | |
| storage: | 256 GB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: | Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports Gigabit Ethernet |
|
| display: | 4480 x 2520 pixels | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. | |
| Number of External Displays Supported | 1 |
If you plan to plug an additional display into the iMac, please confirm that you have the correct input or adapter available. If you’re unsure what you may need, we’ll happily make a recommendation.
Windows Laptops
Dell 14-inch Latitude 7450 (Standard Build)
The 14-inch Latitude 7450 is IT’s recommended computer for anyone interested in upgrading to a Windows laptop. With plenty of RAM and a fast solid-state hard drive, this is a great all-around lightweight laptop that offers everything you need for your day-to-day work.
| processor: | Core Ultra 5 - 112-core 4.4GHz | |
| ram: | 16 GB | |
| graphics: | Integrated Intel® graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 135U vPro® processor | |
| storage: | 256 GB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: | Two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports Two USB 3.2 port HDMI port 3.5 mm audio jack |
|
| display: | 1920 x 1080 pixels | |
| weight: | 2.9 Lbs | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. |
Windows Desktops
The Optiplex 7010 Tower is IT’s recommended Windows desktop computer. This compact, yet powerful, desktop has plenty of ports for your everyday needs.
| processor: | 2.1 GHz to 5.1 GHz 16 core Intel Core i7-13700 | |
| ram: | 16 GB | |
| graphics: | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | |
| storage: | 256 GB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: | USB-C port Two Display ports Five USB 3 ports Four USB 2 ports SD card slot 3.5 mm audio jack Optical disk drive |
|
| display: | External 21.5-inch HD monitor | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. |
Dell Optiplex 7410 Ultra All-In-One (Standard Build)
If you are interested in a Windows desktop, but want something more compact, IT recommends the Optiplex 7410 Ultra All-in-One. With the computer and monitor all built into one, you don’t have to sacrifice your desk space for more power.
| processor: | 2.5GHz to 4.8 GHz 14-core Intel Core i5-13500 | |
| ram: | 16 GB | |
| graphics: | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | |
| storage: | 256 GB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: | Two USB-C ports Three USB 3 ports 3.5 mm audio jack |
|
| display: | Built-in 23.8" monitor | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. |
Dell Optiplex 7010 Tower (Power User)
The Optiplex 7010 Tower is IT’s recommended Windows desktop computer for those who need a bit more power. With double the RAM and hard drive space, this tower is great for editing video, designing graphics, or other processor-intensive applications.
| processor: | 2.1 GHz to 5.1 GHz 16 core Intel Core i7-13700 | |
| ram: | 32 GB | |
| graphics: | Intel Integrated Graphics | |
| storage: | 512 GB Solid State Hard Drive | |
| available ports: | USB-C port Two Display ports Five USB 3 ports Four USB 2 ports SD card slot 3.5 mm audio jack Optical disk drive |
|
| display: | External 21.5-inch HD monitor | |
| computer refresh: | Can be covered completely by Staff & Faculty Computer Refresh funds. |
Printers, Docks, and Accessories
There are a variety of accessories and peripherals that can enhance your computing experience. Please browse the options available in the Connection vendor catalog in Workday. We're here if you have any questions or would like some recommendations.