Owning your own computer enables you to easily take advantage of Temple's state-of-the-art technology resources for coursework, research and communication.
If you are looking to purchase a computer, here are some things to consider:
The purchasing decision is yours, but we suggest that you check with your particular school or college to see if a specific platform is recommended before you make your purchase.
Temple does not endorse a particular brand or type, but it’s best to select a name-brand manufacturer, such as Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo or Microsoft. These manufacturers generally use name-brand components and offer reliable customer support.
Please note that technical assistance is not available for custom-built computers.
While Chromebooks, iPads and Android tablets are innovative and have many uses, including convenient web browsing, they are still not a replacement for a PC or Mac.
Chromebooks are a viable option, however, for the College of Education and Human Development. For more details, see the College of Education and Human Development Computer Purchase Recommendations page.
Microsoft Office 365 provides current students, faculty and staff with access to the latest version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and more at no charge. Students can download the software on up to five PCs and/or Macs at no charge through TUportal. For details, see the ITS Microsoft 365 page.
Adobe Creative Cloud is also available for current students, faculty and staff at no charge. Creative Cloud includes all of the Adobe Creative Suite apps (i.e. Photoshop, Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator and more). For more details on what apps are included, and how to subscribe to the software, see the ITS Adobe Creative Cloud page.
In addition to Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud being available at no additional charge for students to use for coursework, Temple students can also purchase a variety of software online through ThinkEdu. For some software, you can save up to 80% off regular prices.
Software offerings are subject to change.
Supported Platforms
For a list of software supported by Temple, see Supported Platforms.
Several major computer companies offer educational discounts, as well as special discounts for Temple students on software and hardware. To learn more, see the Information Technology Services Educational Discounts for Computer Equipment and Software page.
See each manufacturer's website for academic or educational sections. In addition, major discount retail stores offer sale prices that may compete with educational offers.
At most campuses, each Temple student is allotted a quota of up to 300 double-sided pages for printing papers in the computer labs. For details, see Student Printing in Temple University Computer Labs.
Temple also offers Print on the Go, which allows students to submit print requests wirelessly and pick up their documents at any Print on the Go print station location.
If you would like to buy a printer, a name-brand ink jet printer is a good choice because of low-cost and versatility. Temple does not endorse a particular printer brand. When purchasing a printer, take into consideration the cost of the ink cartridges.
If you will be living in a Temple residence hall, make sure your printer is USB compatible, as wireless printing is not supported. It is also a good idea to include a USB-to-printer cable as part of your purchase.
OWLtech is Temple's technology store on Main Campus.
The OWLtech team is here to help with all your technology needs. Whether it’s your first purchase, device upgrade/refurb, trade-in or hardware repair, OWLtech looks forward to helping you throughout your time at Temple and beyond. To learn more, visit shopowltech.com.
Buy significantly discounted recycled/refurbished university computers and other electronic devices at Temple's Computer Recycling Center.
Looking to get rid of old technology? The Computer Recycling Center recycles items, such as computers, laptops, monitors, printers, scanners, TV's, projectors, keyboards, mice, phones, DVD's, CD's, disks cords, cables, toner, and ink cartridges.
