Computing at Bentley

Computers are a vital part of life at Bentley and you are expected to bring a personal laptop computer to campus. You will use it to communicate, access online resources, register for classes, complete and submit class assignments and countless other academic tasks. Bentley provides a list of computer specifications to insure you can work in Bentley’s computing environment. Please be aware that you do not need to purchase Microsoft Office 365 as it is made available to you at no additional cost while you are a registered student at Bentley. While Bentley does not require a specific laptop, we strongly advise you to purchase a Windows computer, as certain courses at Bentley require you to install software that is only compatible with a Microsoft Windows Operating System and will not run on a Mac Operating System. If you bring an Apple computer to campus, IT 101, GB 310 and certain courses in Accountancy, Computer Information Systems, Finance and Information Process Management require you to install a virtualization software called VMware Fusion on your Apple computer which would allow you to run Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Office and a variety of Windows-only software applications on your Apple computer. Although Bentley makes VMware Fusion and Microsoft Windows 10 available for Mac users, installing this software is time consuming, requires advanced technical knowledge and will not run efficiently on a Mac with less than 16GB of memory.

Purchasing a New Computer

Bentley offers educational pricing on Windows and Apple computers. Each year Bentley reviews brands, models, and configurations based on product quality, reliability, value and the ability to meet the needs of the Bentley curriculum. Last year, Bentley offered Lenovo laptops. Computers can be purchased from secure procurement portals provided by Micros Northeast (for Windows-based products) and Apple (for MacOS products). Please note that tablets, iPads and Chromebooks do not provide adequate functionality in order to complete your necessary academic work at Bentley. While students are not required to purchase Bentley’s recommended laptop computers via the Micros Northeast and Apple portals, there are advantages to doing so, including access to vetted business-class computers, educational discounts, three-year warranty and accidental damage coverage, on-campus repair services, and priority access to a loaner should your computer need repair. For information on computer configurations, available software, links to purchase Windows and Apple computers, and more, visit bentley.edu/offices/it/ information-incoming-students.