Do I need to buy a computer?
The Department of Computer Science maintains computer labs in which most students do all of their computer-related assignments for CS courses. It is not necessary for students to use their own computers to complete Computer Science assignments. In fact, it is usually the case that department computing facilities are better suited for such work than any computer a student is likely to own.
Nevertheless, many if not most students have their own computers. What sort of computer is best to purchase? The answer is: whatever you are most comfortable with. Though currently most computing assignments are done on computers running Linux, students typically don't use their own computers for computer-related assignments. Students use their computers for e-mail, web browsing, note taking, writing papers, etc. Our students have computers running Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc. In general a desktop computer system is cheaper than a laptop, but if you use your computer for taking notes, then a laptop is essential. If you do purchase a laptop, make sure you get one that supports WiFi, since WiFi is available across the campus.
Note that some students in some of our courses do use their own computers for CS assignments, particularly in introductory courses. Such courses attempt to accommodate students who use their own computers, particularly computers running Windows and MacOS.