By Alicia Penn and Carl Adams

As discovery productions get larger and larger, it helps to have equipment with sufficient processing power to handle them. In some cases, offices found once they had upgraded their hardware, problems with processing times and capabilities were resolved. If you would like to purchase a new machine but are stuck on what to buy, this post is for you.

PC or Mac?

Let’s get this question out of the way at the beginning. You need to buy a Windows PC to practice federal criminal law. Easy.

Okay, why? A few reasons for this. First, none of the proprietary discovery formats are Mac friendly. Cellebrite Reader, Axiom portable case, Hawk player, Genetec Video, proprietary jail calls, etc. etc. all require Windows. Furthermore, all of the enterprise licensed software supported by NLST also requires Windows. See, CaseMap, TrialDirector, dtSearch.

Second, even in the case where a program can be tricked into thinking a Mac system is Windows via virtualization, this is awkward and requires extra costs. Third, time that should be spent reviewing and processing discovery is instead eaten up trying to make it Mac-compatible.

In the end, buying a Mac is investing a lot of money in a word processor/internet browser. You will eventually have to use a Windows machine if you want to represent your clients to the fullest, so you might as well do it now. Buy a Windows PC. (and I think we can all agree time has shown John Hodgeman to be far cooler than Justin Long anyway).

Recommended Specs for your new Windows laptop:

Here are the minimum computer specifications you should consider when buying a new laptop:

• Display
  • 12.5-inch screen with display resolution of 1920 x 1080p minimum
  • 14-inch screen recommended
  • Display choice is up to your personal preference and eye strength. Some tasks, such as viewing Cellebrite Reader reports, benefit from larger screens. If you select a smaller screen, consider also purchasing an external monitor for more screen-intensive tasks.
• CPU (Processor)
  • Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 minimum
  • Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 Recommended
  • The CPU is the brain of your computer, and the speed of it directly relates to how fast it can process data. An i7 or Ryzen 7 will be better able to perform processer intensive tasks such as recognizing text, converting video, or viewing a phone report
  • Due to software compatibility issues, at this time we recommend that you DO NOT purchase a machine that uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (sometimes called a Copilot+ laptop).
• RAM (Memory)
  • 16 GB minimum
  • 32 GB (or higher) recommended.
  • If CPU speed is how fast your computer brain can think, RAM is how much stuff it can hold in its head at the same time. RAM works hand-in-hand with your CPU in completing the tasks you ask of your computer. More is always better.
• Storage
  • 500 GB SSD minimum
  • 1 TB SSD (or larger) highly recommended
  • Nearly everything you do will run faster if you are working from your computer’s internal storage, so having adequate space to install software and store your working data is crucial. A full drive can also impact your laptop’s performance in ways you won’t anticipate. If you go with a smaller drive, plan on purchasing external storage media.
  • A note about storage types – HDDs (hard disk drives) are storage devices with an internal spinning platter and is the storage technology that has been in use for decades. SSDs (Solid State Drives) have no internal moving parts and are the newer, much faster technology. Nearly all new laptops will contain an SSD. If you are buying external storage media, consider spending the extra money on an SSD. Your data will load and transfer to and from the drive faster.

Other Considerations

• Video Card – all laptops come with some sort of built-in graphics processor, so an additional ‘discrete’ card such as an NVIDIA GeForce or ATI Radeon is not required for our purposes. Don’t spend the extra money if you don’t want to.
• Spend the extra money to get Windows 11 Professional. Windows 11 Pro comes with the ability to create your own Bitlocker drives, which will allow you to easily encrypt any external media. Because you’re encrypting all of your external media, right?
• Extra storage – as noted above, have external storage handy. Buy SSDs for your own use. Buy HDDs if you’re sending off the drive and don’t think you’ll see it again (and encrypt them with Bitlocker!)
• Desktop accessories – Laptops are great because they are portable, but most of us will still use them in the same spot. Pick up an external monitor and wireless keyboard and mouse combo to make working at your desk easier on your wrists and eyes. Get a docking station to make connecting all of these devices easier.
• Look at it before you buy it. Go outside, go to the store, look at the laptop models available. Pretend to type something on the keyboard. Squint at the screen. Even if you don’t buy it at that store, get an idea of what you like between different brands and models before you make your purchase.

As always, these are *just* our suggestions. If you have any questions, please email us and we will be happy to talk to you about what works best for you and your practice.