All students enrolled in Fort Hays Tech | North Central classes are encouraged to have a laptop to enhance their success and learning experience. The college does not recommend using an iPad, Chromebook or MacBook as a student’s primary computer.
The following programs use digital textbooks and require a laptop for this purpose.
Beloit Campus Programs: Automotive Technology, Agricultural Equipment Technology, Construction Technology, Diesel Technology, Heavy Equipment Operation, Plumbing, Heating & AC, Powersports Technology, Welding
Hays Campus Programs: Automotive Technology, Business Office Management, Business Technology, Construction Technology, Culinary Arts, Electrical Technology, Plumbing, Heating & AC, Telecommunications & Network Technology
Below are recommended specifications if you are planning to buy a laptop:
| Operating System | 64-bit Microsoft Windows 11. -No version “s” of Windows 11 Note: You cannot load certain software applications on Windows 11S |
| Processor | Basic: i5+ 2.5-2.9 GHz processor Recommended: i5+ 3+GHz processor |
| Memory | Basic: 8 GB Recommended: 16 GB |
| Display Resolution | Conventional Displays: 1920 x 1080 with True Color |
| Display Card | Basic: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant Recommended: 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 12 compliant NOTE: If the system does not meet this level, it may still work but will cause some applications to run slower. |
| Disk Space | 250+ GB SSD or M.2 or NVME |
| Network | Wireless (Required) and Ethernet (Optional) |
| Web Cam | Recommended |
| Sound | Recommended |
| Microphone | Recommended |