Laptop Requirements for Upper Secondary

Starting from upper secondary (5th year / 9th school level), students need their own notebook for classes. Here you will find the official minimum requirements of the school and a buying guide.

Work Equipment — Duty of Care

The notebook is considered a work tool under Austrian school law. Pursuant to Section 43(1) SchUG, students are required to bring the necessary work tools in proper working condition and have them ready for classes. A non-functioning notebook may be considered a breach of the duty to cooperate.

Official Document

The complete requirements can be found in the official school PDF (as of June 2026): Notebook Information (PDF)

Minimum Requirements

Feature	Requirement
Display	At least 14 inches, recommended 14 or 15.4 inches, FullHD (1920x1080)
Processor	Intel Core i5 / Core Ultra 5 (current generation) or equivalent AMD Ryzen 5
RAM	At least 16 GB RAM
Storage	At least 512 GB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11 (not the S version!)
Admin Rights	Local administrator rights required
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi capable
Ports	USB ports, 3.5mm headphone jack (or Bluetooth/USB adapter)
Weight	Easy to carry (typically 1.3-1.6 kg for 14 inches)
Optional	External mouse (wireless/wired), external DVD drive

Not Suitable

Windows 10: No longer receives security updates since 14 October 2025 — when buying new, be sure to choose Windows 11.
Windows 11 S-Mode: Cannot install programs outside the Microsoft Store — not suitable for school use.
Chromebooks: Cannot run Windows, Next-Exam does not work, many school programs do not run.

MacBooks — Allowed, but with Limitations

Apple MacBooks are generally allowed, however the school partially uses Windows-exclusive software. If you use a MacBook:

You may need to set up a working Windows installation (dual-boot or virtualization via Parallels / UTM) — this is not mandatory, but may be necessary for certain Windows-exclusive software
Setting this up is the responsibility of the student — teachers will not assist with this
Next-Exam has its own macOS version (Intel + Apple Silicon)
Microsoft 365 runs natively on macOS

ARM processors (Apple Silicon & Windows on ARM)

Devices with an ARM processor — i.e. MacBooks with M1/M2/M3/M4 chips as well as Windows laptops on ARM (e.g. Qualcomm Snapdragon) — should generally work for everyday school use (Office 365, Teams, browser, and Next-Exam with its own macOS/ARM version).

With specialised software, however, compatibility or performance issues can occur (some programs only run via emulation). In that case the student must resolve it themselves — teachers and IT do not provide support for this.

Why These Specifications?

Requirement	Why?
Windows 11	Next-Exam (exam software) requires Windows. Many school programs are Windows-exclusive.
Intel Core i5 / Core Ultra 5 · AMD Ryzen 5	Sufficient performance for Microsoft Teams (video conferencing), Office 365, programming, and multimedia.
16 GB RAM	Teams + browser + Office simultaneously easily consume 10+ GB. With 8 GB, the device quickly becomes slow.
512 GB SSD	Windows 11 + Office + programs take up approx. 100 GB. Add files, projects, and updates on top of that.
14-inch FullHD	Good balance between screen size (for split-screen work) and portability.
x86/x64 (recommended)	Maximum compatibility — all school programs run natively. ARM devices (Apple Silicon, Snapdragon) usually work too; but for specialised software, resolving any issues is the student's own responsibility.

Buying Guide — What to Look For

Display

14 inches — Best compromise: large enough to work on, light enough for commuting to school (approx. 1.3-1.5 kg)
15.4 inches — More room for split-screen, but heavier in the backpack (approx. 1.7-2.0 kg)
FullHD (1920x1080) is a must — HD (1366x768) is too low for productive work
IPS panel preferred (better viewing angles and colors than TN panels)

Battery

At least 8 hours of battery life, so a school day without a power outlet is possible
Pay attention to manufacturer specifications and independent reviews
USB-C charging is convenient — one charger for laptop and smartphone

Keyboard

German layout (QWERTZ) — important for touch typing and umlauts
Backlit keyboard is a plus for dark classrooms

Ports

Many current laptops have almost only USB-C — a USB-C hub/adapter (for USB-A sticks, HDMI/projector) may be needed
A 3.5 mm headphone jack is handy; otherwise connect headphones via USB-C or Bluetooth
Prefer USB-C charging — one charger for laptop and smartphone

Accessories (Recommended)

External mouse (wireless or USB) — more precise than the touchpad
Headphones — for video conferences and language exercises
Laptop bag or sleeve — protects the device in the backpack
USB stick — for quick file transfers
External DVD drive (optional) — modern laptops have no built-in drive

Recommendations by Budget

Budget	What You Can Expect	Example Devices
400-600 EUR	Meets minimum requirements: i5, 16 GB, 512 GB SSD, 14" FullHD	Lenovo IdeaPad, Acer Aspire, HP 14s
600-900 EUR	Better battery, lighter, faster SSD, higher-quality build	Lenovo ThinkPad E-Series, HP ProBook, ASUS VivoBook Pro
900+ EUR	Premium: lightweight, very long battery, top keyboard, metal chassis	Lenovo ThinkPad T/X, Dell Pro / XPS, HP EliteBook

Tip: Warranty & Insurance

Purchase an extended warranty for 3-4 years (upper secondary lasts 4 years). Also consider device insurance against drop and liquid damage.

Important: Personal Responsibility

Antivirus: Is the responsibility of the student (Microsoft Defender is pre-installed in Windows 11 and sufficient)
Backups: Back up regularly! OneDrive (5 TB) syncs automatically, but also back up local data separately
System configuration: Teachers do not perform system or hardware configurations for liability reasons
Software installation: You need local admin rights to be able to install school software

Questions?

For questions about laptop requirements, contact IT: admin@bgzwn.at

Legal Sources

§ SchUG, BGBl. Nr. 472/1986 i.d.g.F. — § 43 Abs. 1 (duty to cooperate: keep work tools in proper working condition)

Last updated: 3 June 2026