UIT Technology Purchasing 

Hardware and accessory purchasing for all Community Network (CN) customers

The UIT Technology Purchasing team offers consulting, facilitation, and buying services for computing equipment and related accessories for CN customers. We serve much of the university in Corvallis, and many locations across the state including OSU's Extension Offices and Ag Experiment Stations, OSU-Cascades in Bend, and our centers in Newport and Portland. We will engage with you to help determine what your individual technology needs are, and offer recommendations that will give you the best overall value concerning quality, cost, and long-term support.

NEW! In-Stock Laptops Now Available! 

UIT-CX offers a rotating inventory of CN-recommended Dell 14" Latitude laptops. Items are in-stock on campus and available with no supplier wait time! 

 

Learn about and request an In-Stock Laptop

 

How to Request a Computer and/or Accessories

For recommendation support and purchasing a computer, peripherals, and accessories, please visit: Technology Recommendation/Purchasing Form

 

Request Computer / Technology Equipment Purchase & Consultation

 
 
Please note: While we will purchase equipment for learning, presentation, & collaboration spaces, please work with Academic Technologies to find a business-class system that is highly reliable and supportable.

How to Purchase a Printer

Please visit Printing and Mailing's website for recommended copier/scanner/printers.  If the Printing and Mailing printers do not fit your needs, we can provide a recommendation for you.

For a printer recommendation, please visit: Printer Recommendation Form

Note: Please contact the Service Desk for lab toner requests.  All other toner is considered an office supply and can be purchased through BennyBuy.

Purchasing Information

  • The Technology Purchasing team makes recommendations based on your position's needs, availability, durability, sustainability and budgetary considerations

  • A 3-year warranty (laptops will also include accidental damage protection) will be automatically added with each computer purchase

  • Non-CN clients needing a university-owned device, please contact your IT department or your supervisor

  • Purchases over $5,000 require written approval from the departmental budget authority, as well as additional approval steps in Benny Buy

  • Purchases under $5,000 require approval from the departmental budget authority
  • An index number is required when making your initial request; we will obtain explicit approval from you before finalizing your order
 
Expectations
  • Processing timeframe: We are dedicated to providing you the best customer support for your purchasing needs. Please note that each equipment request requires time to find the right product. We strive to deliver a response time of 1-2 business days on all requests. 
  • All items purchased are university-owned (including grant purchases). Computers are configured with the latest supported operating system and security software, and are managed by the University.
Order Information & Shipping:
  • Order information will be copied/attached into the ticket request and the current status can be viewed by the ticket requestor.
    • Shipping information, when available, will be updated in the ticket
  • If ordering a computer, all items will be shipped to an *OSU campus for configuration by a CX Desktop Support Team. 
    • For equipment that will then be shipped to the customer, the customer's index will be charged for shipping costs.
  • If ordering technology without a computer, items can be shipped directly to off-campus customers by request. 
    • Packing slips and/or receipts may be required to confirm items have been received
  • Vendor timing: Supply chains are still disrupted and hardware delays are not uncommon.  We are seeing computers taking 2-6 weeks to be shipped (and some accessories even longer), please plan ahead when requesting equipment.
  • Payment processing: Charges to the index will generally show up when the item is ordered. Orders for In-Stock Equipment will be processed monthly as a Journal Voucher (JV).

*By default, all computers will be shipped to the UIT Service Desk for setup. For HMSC customers, computers may be shipped to the Hatfield IT team by request, pending staff capacity. 

All equipment is University owned and must be returned to OSU (Apple ID's must be removed from all Apple products)

Costs

What you can expect when purchasing a new computer to use for work at OSU

We purchase Enterprise or Business-class machines that are trusted, tested, and provide a positive experience. These systems typically cost more than you might see when shopping for a computer at Costco or Best Buy. The reason for this is we look at the total cost of ownership between when you purchase the computer to when it is sent to surplus. Business-class laptops offer advanced configuration through our contracted procurement partners and are more durable and efficient than their consumer-grade counterparts. They feature enhanced security features, proactive firmware and driver updates, and access to more premium warranty services that enable consistent support over the life of the device.  Having a curated number of options provides the right balance between choice and cost. These types of devices dramatically improve our ability to provide fast and comprehensive support, with a 3-year manufacturer warranty automatically added to each computer purchase.

 

How much can I expect a computer workstation to cost?

"It depends". Factors like position duties and performance needs play the biggest role in determining cost. That said, you can expect to pay ~ $2,000.00 for a complete & mobile computing system. 

Here is a list of our current recommended technology items & costs that make up a full computer workstation that meets most OSU employee computing needs:

  • Dell Latitude Laptop: ~ $1,400.00
  • Dell Docking Station: ~ $210.00
  • Dell 24" Monitors: (2) @ ~ $185.00
  • Dell Wireless Keyboard/Mouse: ~ $35.00

What options do I have when it comes to requesting a computer?

Windows or Linux

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to cybersecurity concerns, we will not recommend or purchase Lenovo computer equipment. If you intend to use Lenovo equipment, please contact the Office of Information Security.

 

  • Budget laptop: ~$1,000-$1,300. (i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB hard drive) - Lower initial cost, but limited useful life, and offers limited potential for increased needs. Video collaboration and tools necessary to secure the workforce have asked more from our laptops than ever before.

  • Recommended PC laptop: ~$1,100-$1,800. (i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 256 - 512GB hard drive) - A solid all-around option that meets most productivity needs, and has room to take on additional computing requirements that will arise over its useful life of 3-5 years. 

  • Power PC laptop:  ~$1,600-$2,600. (i7 - i9 processor, 16 - 32GB+ RAM, 512+GB hard drive, dedicated GPU option) - For power users who have specialized software and regularly require increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. A processor or memory-intensive application like Adobe Premiere is a good example here. 
  • Mobile Workstation PC laptop: ~$2,400-$3,600+. (i7 - i9 or Xeon processor, 32GB+ RAM, 512+GB hard drive, dedicated GPU) - For power users who have specialized software and regularly require increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. A processor or memory-intensive application like Adobe Premiere is a good example here. 

 

  • Budget PC desktop: ~$900-$1,200. (i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB hard drive) - Lower initial cost, but limited useful life, and offers limited potential for increased needs over its useful life.

  • Recommended PC desktop: ~$1,200-$1,800. (i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 256 - 512GB hard drive) - A solid all-around option that meets most productivity needs, and has room to take on additional computing requirements that will arise over its useful life of 3-5 years. 

  • Power PC desktop: ~$1,600-$2,800+. (i7 - i9 processor, 32GB+ RAM, 512+GB hard drive, dedicated GPU) - For power users who have specialized software and regularly require increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. A processor or memory-intensive application like Adobe Premiere is a good example here. 
  • Research PC Workstation: ~$3,800+ (Intel i9 or Xeon processor, 64GB+ RAM, 1TB+ hard drive(s), dedicated 12+GB GPU) - For power users who have specialized software and require increased computing capacity such as AI to complete their tasks. Usually only used by researchers with extraordinarily intense computing needs. 

 

Apple

A 3-year warranty (laptops will also include accidental damage protection) will be automatically added with each computer purchase. *Apple devices need to be purchased through OSU's Benny Buy contract with Apple Education to meet the security and support requirements of OSU IT. 

  • MacBook Air: ~$1,200-$1,800. (M1/M2 chip, 8GB-16GB RAM, 256GB - 512GB hard drive) - Lowest initial cost, useful for many computing needs, and offers limited potential for increased needs. Web collaboration/video conferencing and tools necessary to secure the workforce have asked more from our laptops than ever before. M1/M2 base chip currently ONLY supports 1 external monitor.

  • Recommended MacBook Pro: ~$2,000. (13", M2 Pro chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB hard drive) - A solid all-around option that meets most productivity needs, and has room to take on additional computing requirement that will arise over its useful life of 3-5 years. 13". M1/M2 base chip currently ONLY supports 1 external monitor. 

  • Performance MacBook Pro: ~$2,900+. (14"+, M2 Pro/Max chip, 32GB+ RAM, 512+GB hard drive) For power users who have specialized software and increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. A processor or memory-intensive application like Adobe Premiere is a good example here. M2 Pro supports up to 2 displays, M2 Max up to 3 displays.

 

  • Recommended Mac mini: ~$1,300+. (M2 Pro chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB hard drive) - Lowest initial cost, useful for many computing needs, and offers some potential for increased needs. Web collaboration/video conferencing and tools necessary to secure the workforce have asked more from our devices than ever before. *M2 base chip currently ONLY supports external 1 monitor. 
  • Recommended iMac 24": ~$1,900+. (M1 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB hard drive) - A solid all-around option that meets most productivity needs, and has room to take on additional computing requirements that will arise over its useful life of 3-5 years. M1 base chip currently ONLY supports 1 external monitor.
  • Mac Studio: ~$2,000+ (M2 Max chip, 32+GB RAM, 512+GB hard drive) - For power users who have specialized software and increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. A processor or memory-intensive application like Adobe Premiere is a good example here. M2 Max supports up to 3 external displays.
  • Mac Pro Tower: ~$6,800+ (M2 Ultra, 64+GB RAM, 1+TB hard drive) - For power users who have specialized software and increased computing capacity to complete their tasks. Usually only used by researchers with extraordinarily intense computing needs. 

 

Personal computer

Recommendations for a computer for personal use can be found here: https://oregonstate.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1935/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?I...