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How to pick a new computer

This information was updated in SummerAutumn 2025 for the 2025-26 academic year. You can see a list of course-specific information on the Recommended Kit List page.

❌ Chromebook, Android Tablet, NetbookTablet

We do not recommend students purchase these products because they usually have pretty low specifications and do not have access to most open-source software available for Windows, Linux, and macOS devices.

❌ iPad

We do not recommend students purchase an iPad because it does not give them proper access to the operating system needed for software development, which will be a core part of most courses at CCI.

✅ Mac

IfFor youmost wantstudents a newMac Mac,is wegoing recommendto anybe the best power, performance and durablity option, and can be more affordable than it was in the past thanks to Apple Silicon laptop.processors.

TheRobotics: mainIf differenceyou betweenplan theto MacBookstudy Proone of our Creative Robotics courses, or a unit as part of Modular, you are advised not to buy a Mac as you need to be able to run tools that are Windows and MacBookLinux Air isonly that themay Airnot hasrun nowell coolinginside fans,a Virtual Machine.

Laptop Charger: MacBook's M5 and later do not ship with a USB-C power adapter as standard, you can buy one from Apple for £59, or you can buy a cheaper UGREEN charger and cable, which meansare aswhat itwe gets hotter, the computer will slow downgive to avoidour overheating,own whereas the Pro can turn on fans to keep running cool and at full performance.staff.

MacBook Pro 14" with M4M5

A B C
Chip M4M5 M4M5 M4 Pro
Processor 10 core 10 core 14 core
Graphics 10 core 10 core 20 core
Neural 16 core 16 core 16 core
Memory 16GB 16GB 24GB
Storage 512GB 1TB 1TB
Price with discount £1,499 £1,699 £2,199

MacBook Air 13" with M4

A
Chip M4
Processor 10 core
Graphics 10 core
Neural 16 core
Memory 16GB
Storage 512GB
Price with discount £1099

We also strongly recommend purchasing AppleCare+ or a similar repair warranty and insurance scheme.

AppleCare+ 3 years MacBook Air MacBook Pro
Price with educational discount £179 £249

Around August/September each year, Apple will run the Apple Back to School deal, which, in addition to the discounted prices above, will include a giveaway, including gift cards or AirPods in the past.

✅ PC

If you are specifically looking at a Windows or Linux computer, you may get better value from purchasing a desktop computer for home use and taking advantage of the large number of PCs and MacBook Pro laptops that are available on campus during and between classes.

PC Laptop

Generally, we're pretty big fans of Dell (Precision, XPS, G Gaming,Premium, or Alienware), Razer HP Z and OMEN brand computers. However, there is a large market, and you should pick what's best for you. The following specs give you an idea of what to look for...

UAL Diploma in Apple Development: If you plan to study on Apple diploma, you are advised not to buy a PC as you need to be able to run tools like Xcode and Swift Playgrounds that are macOS only.

Tip: Check for USB-C charging and display connection, as plug-in stations at CCI all use this.

Minimum graphics
The minimum graphics required will depend on the course. If you study areas such as machine learning, data science, or 3D, you should try to obtain any NVIDIA RTX 3xxx40xx series GPU or higher.

PC Desktop

At CCI, we primarily use Dell desktop computers, with some HP and Viglen computers used elsewhere at UAL.