Computer Requirements

All students entering the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences – either as a first-time freshman or as a transfer student – are expected to have a laptop computer to ensure access to computing capability at all times and in all locations, helping to support student success. The specifications provided below are designed to support students’ computing needs through at least four years of Cal Poly instruction. For additional, department-level computer specifications, please click the link in each department name.

The Cal Poly bookstore offers educational discounts for computing hardware. Students who are experiencing financial hardship and who do not have resources available to purchase a computer before classes start can contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if any one-time funding may be available. You should email your request to financialaid@calpoly.edu with the subject line: "CAFES Computer Need." Cal Poly provides a host of IT support resources for students.

 
MAJOR OS Screen Processor RAM Storage
Agricultural Business Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 or at least Apple M1 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Agricultural Communication Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Agricultural Science Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Agricultural Systems Management PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Animal Science Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Dairy Science Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Environmental Management and Protection PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Experience Industry Management Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Food Science Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Forestry and Fire Sciences PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i7 16 GB ram 1 TB SSD
Nutrition Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Plant Sciences Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD
Wine and Viticulture Mac or PC At least full HD screen (1920x1080) Intel Core i5 or Apple M1 16 GB ram 512 GB SSD

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