The USC Technology Council (UTC), in partnership with Information Technology Services (ITS), annually publishes computing hardware and software recommendations for faculty and staff. These recommendations reflect institutional and industry trends but do not necessarily take into account the computing requirements of specific schools or departments.
It is recommended that you consult with your local IT staff to purchase a solution that is best for you.
The chart below provides recommendations for employees with high, medium, or low computing requirements. The following are definitions of the three categories.
- High: Specialized applications that require high-end data processing and memory usage
- Medium: Locally installed desktop applications for data processing and administrative work
- Low: Internet access, email, document creation, or word processing
In all cases, a warranty and hardware lifecycle of three to five years is recommended.
Hardware Recommendations for New Purchases
| Computer Component | High | Medium | Low |
| Processor | Intel Core i9 | Intel Core i7 | Intel Core i5 |
| Memory | 32 gigabyte (GB) or greater | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Hard Drive | 512 GB SSD or greater | 256 GB SSD | 128 GB SSD |
Laptop Security
To ensure the integrity of university data, USC requires encryption on all laptops and mobile storage devices purchased with university funds and/or used for USC business purposes. As an additional security measure, we strongly encourage that users avoid storing any sensitive data on such equipment altogether. Laptops and mobile storage devices must be either a) delivered with built-in encryption (preferred) or b) accompanied by a software-based encryption solution for subsequent installation. All encryption solutions purchased separately must be installed before the instrument may be used to store or access university data. This applies to laptops and mobile storage devices purchased from all sources of university funds, including sponsored project accounts, and applies to laptops and mobile storage devices used for business purposes but purchased with personal funds.
Windows laptops require a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip to use Bitlocker for full disk encryption. Apple laptops running Mac OS X should use FileVault for full disk encryption. Should you have any questions or concerns, please consult your local IT staff for assistance.
Software Recommendations
UTC and ITS recommends operating systems or applications to be no more than two versions older than the most current version available, and that no end of life (EOL) products be used on computers or mobile devices. If an EOL software must be used on your computer, please consult your local IT department, who can assist with providing a solution that will keep the USC network safe and secure.
| Function | Software | Supported Versions |
| Antivirus | Sentinel One Anti-virus (REQUIRED) | For Windows and Mac OS 10.x or newest available |
| Browser | Apple Safari Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox MS Edge |
Individual applications may have specific browser version requirements.
For information on the most current browser version available, go to: |
ITS distributes a variety of software for operating systems free to USC faculty and staff. For more information, please click on the links below. Valid USC NetID credentials is required.
Mobile Devices
Mobile devices are defined as tablets and phones that are running a mobile operating system such as Apple iOS, Google Android, or Windows Mobile.
Devices paid for with university funds are managed and supported by its local IT departments. Please consult your local IT staff if you have any questions or require assistance.
For mobile devices that were purchased with personal funds, ITS and local IT staff will only provide support to assist its users with accessing USC’s network resources, such as USC Wireless and email. Documentation on accessing these resources can also be found through https://itservices.usc.edu.
It is recommended that all users secure their devices by following basic security best practices, such as activating screen lock, enable remote wipe/lock feature (if available) and backing up data regularly. Note: UTC and ITS recommends all software to be no more than two versions
NOTE: UTC and ITS recommends all software to be no more than two versions older than the most current version available and that no end of life (EOL) products be used.
Purchasing Hardware through Business Services-Procurement
Business Services-Procurement has worked with our suppliers to negotiate pricing on laptops and desktops that meet or exceed these standards above. It is recommended that you consult with your local IT staff to purchase a solution that is best for you.
Data Security
All USC faculty, staff and students are required to comply with the university’s Information Security User Policy and requirements for the protection of sensitive data. For more information, see the Information Security Website.
E-waste
It is recommended that you consult with your local IT staff to assist to dispose of electronic waste responsibly and securely. For more information on e-waste, see the USC Sustainability department’s Website.