Choosing the right laptop is an important step in preparing for success in ODU’s School of Cybersecurity. The programs and tools used in cybersecurity courses require reliable, high-performance systems capable of handling advanced software and virtual environments. This page outlines the recommended laptop and software specifications to help you select a device that meets program requirements and supports your studies from day one.
Software & Peripheral Requirements
| Technology | How to Get |
|---|---|
| VirtualBox (for Windows and non-M series Mac) | https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads |
| UTM (for M-series Mac) | https://mac.getutm.app/ |
| Parallels (paid service for MacOS) | https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/download/?srsltid=AfmBOopF87gJReY4TCpwfS_eyNEOnLnlFlbRaoFAb-7PPLSp0oCzEDG7 |
| Adobe Reader or other PDF Software | http://get.adobe.com/reader |
| Eclipse (Java) | Eclipse Downloads | The Eclipse Foundation |
| NetBeans (Java) | Apache NetBeans Releases |
| PyCharm (Python) | PyCharm: the Python IDE for data science and web development |
| VSC (Any) | Download Visual Studio Code - Mac, Linux, Windows |
| Microsoft Office | As a student at ODU, you can download and use the latest version of Microsoft Office for free. Visit https://www.odu.edu/office365 for more information. |
| Web Cam (with microphone) | https://newegg.com https://bestbuy.com/ |
System Specifications
| Technology Name | Minimum Specs (Typical CYSE User) | Recommended Specs (Power User) |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Drive | 512GB of storage. Solid-State-Drive (SSD) is preferred | 1TB of storage. Solid-State-Drive (SSD) is preferred |
| Operating System | Windows 10 or OS X 10.15+ or Ubuntu 20.04 (or any LTS)* | Windows 11 or OS X 11+ or Ubuntu 20.04 (or any LTS)* |
| Processor | 9th generation or higher Intel Core i7, or 3000 series or higher AMD Ryzen 7 | 9th generation or higher Intel Core i9, or 3000 series or higher AMD Ryzen 9 |
| RAM “Memory” | 16GB DDR4 or higher | 32GB DDR4 or higher |
| Wired Internet | Not Required | Ethernet cable |
| Wireless Internet | Any WiFi Card capable of 802.11ac | Any WiFi Card capable of 802.11ac |
Benefits of Windows, Mac, & Linux
When choosing an operating system to use for your degree in Cybersecurity, either Linux, macOS or Windows will be a great choice. In most undergraduate courses, professors will demonstrate their lectures on Windows or Linux.
Windows:
Easier development for programming languages using C#, .NET, and SQL server.
Well documented for setting up development environments for numerous programming languages.
Mac:
Easier development for iOS and MacOS related applications. Ex: Xcode and Swift.
macOS is a unix base environment. This includes the benefit of allowing development for multiple languages and a UNIX style CLI.
Linux:
Preferred for cybersecurity professionals due to its open-source nature and security features.
Provides powerful command-line tools essential for penetration testing, ethical hacking, and server management.
High compatibility with programming languages like Python, Bash, and C.
Used extensively in enterprise and government cybersecurity infrastructures.