In today’s world, many people are stuck with a single question – What Kind Of Computer Do You Need For Zoom?
In these times where the pandemic and lockdown restrictions are as still prevalent as ever, many businesses and institutions have switched to online video conferencing apps like Zoom for business communication, teaching, learning, etc.
This has created a huge demand for computers and laptops to run the video conferencing app for people that previously didn’t have a decent computer.
What Kind Of PC Do You Need For Zoom?
The problem is, many people still don’t know what kind of specs and equipment you need to run Zoom properly without any issues or lag.
This information is particularly crucial for buyers who are buying a new computer specifically for running Zoom for their business use or personal use.
It is even important for people who are not looking to buy a new computer but want to run Zoom on their pre-existing rigs.
If you, too, are one of these individuals that is confused about which kind of computer you need to run Zoom, then don’t worry because we have you covered.
In this article, we will cover all of the system requirements required for Zoom, along with the extra equipment you would need and the type of Internet bandwidth you would require for a smooth experience.
Read the article till the end so that you don’t miss out on crucial details.
What Computer Specs Do You Need To Run Zoom Properly?
Before we get started with the actual system requirements, you must understand that every software and application that runs on a computer has a predetermined set of minimum and recommended requirements published by the developer.
The minimum requirements are the absolute minimum system specs that you need to run a particular application.
On the other hand, the recommended requirements are system specs that can run the application in the most seamless possible without any stuttering and lag.
Now that you know what these definitions mean, let us find out the minimum system requirements you need to run Zoom on your desktop.
You need at least a single core 1Ghz or higher CPU in your system to run the app, which basically means that it can run on almost any CPU out there.
Additionally, while there is no minimum RAM requirement, we strongly recommend you have at least a bare minimum of 2Gb RAM so that your Windows system can run smoothly while running your Zoom application.
The recommended system requirements are much higher. Zoom developers strongly recommend you to have a dual-core 2Ghz or higher modern CPU and about 4Gbs of RAM to have the most optimal Zoom usage experience.
However, if you want to ensure that you can optimally use all of the Zoom app’s features without any stuttering or lag, we strongly recommend getting a modern quad-core CPU to support your system.
Also, while dedicated GPUs or processors with decent integrated graphics are not necessary to run the app on normal operating systems (provided that you have one of the either), the operating system of Linux does require the graphical processors in your system to have basic support for OpenGL 2.0.
While this feature is also available in most modern CPUs and GPUs, a few older-gen models don’t have it, so if you have a really old computer that runs on Linux, now is the time to change your operating system or upgrade it.
What Are The Other Different Equipment Necessary For Using Zoom?
Now that you know the basic system requirements to run Zoom’s web client application, we will be listing several necessary additional equipment accessories that a normal computer setup usually doesn’t have.
The first and most important device you would need for running Zoom is a dedicated camera. This is not a major problem if you have a laptop since they have all the additional features and equipment you need for running Zoom.
However, if you have a desktop computer, we strongly recommend getting a separate web camera or camcorder if you don’t already have one.
While you can run Zoom without a camera, it will be very problematic for you when the meeting requires you to keep your camera on.
It also proves to be useful when you need to show your fellow participants something from your side, such as your teachings on a board, etc.
Apart from the camera, you also need a microphone and some speakers. You can choose to buy external stereo speakers and a separate microphone for your computer to get the best quality out of both but also pay quite a lot of money for it.
Or, on the other hand, you can consider getting a headphone with a dedicated mic attached to it that comes at a much affordable price and offers you above-average quality for both aspects.
How Much Internet Speed Do You Need For Zoom?
Decent system specs are essential to running the Zoom application well without any lag. However, suppose you want to ensure the best quality in your online
Zoom meetings while you are video conferencing or screen sharing. In that case, you also need to have a stable and adequately fast internet connection.
There is a fixed internet speed requirement for each of Zoom’s various functions. Additionally, it also consumes a lot of data.
Thus, we strongly recommend you to get a fiber or broadband internet connection with an unlimited data plan that has a minimum speed of at least 5 Mbps (upload and download, not combined).
This is necessary because Zoom needs about 2-3 Mbps alone for a 720p video broadcast in a group video conference. If you want to go 1080p full HD quality while you are talking with everyone, the app needs up to 4 Mbps.
The extra 1 Mbps of speed gives you internet headroom space for the other apps in your background that consume your internet.
However, you can also do just fine with a 1 Mbps plan for video conferencing and a plan of about 400 kbps for the most basic Zoom features such as voice calls or screen sharing.
Conclusion
As you can see, the system requirements for Zoom are quite low, and we hope this article helped you answer the question which you came for, i.e. What Kind Of Computer Do You Need For Zoom?
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