DUL-Issued Equipment

Owned by John P
Last updated: Jun 13, 2022 by Ayse Durmaz
3 min read

We've had requests for "supported" or "recommended" products that staff might use in their home offices.  Since there is great variability in what a "home office" means, we can't really offer support for home offices.  In hopes of improving the support-ability of your home set-up, we'll list the make/model of the equipment that DUL currently issues to staff. 


Useful Resources:


Computers:

DUL is currently using Dell laptops and desktops:

  • Dell Latitude 7490 laptops – 
  • Dell Optiplex 7090 desktops – 
  • For some AV installations, we'll buy the Dell Precision line to get a bit better performance

NOTE:  any DUL-related work should be done on a DUL-owned and -managed computer.  If you are regularly using a personal computer to do DUL-related work, please work with your manager and Computing Services to see if there is a better computer or configuration available for you to use.


Keyboards & Mice:

Keyboards and mice are generally quite interchangeable – almost anything with a USB "Type A" connector (rectangular, 1.4cm x 0.65cm) should work.  We currently use Dell-branded products for staff:

  • Dell KM522 Keyboard – 104-key; USB connection
    • A 104-key keyboard includes separate sections for arrow keys and a number pad; if you are space-constrained and don't use those extra keys often, then a smaller (87-key) or "compact" keyboard may be an option
  • Dell MS116 Optical Mouse – 3-button with scroll-wheel (pressing the wheel down makes the 3rd button); USB connection

For ergonomics, keyboard/mouse wrist-rests are a great addition, as well as a keyboard tray to allow proper positioning of the keyboard to avoid wrist strain.


Monitors:

DUL is currently deploying Dell-branded monitors, usually 24" or 27" in size:

  • Dell 24" Monitor P2419HC - 1920x1080 resolution (Full HD); HDMI and DisplayPort connectors; 4 x USB-A and 1 x USB-C connections
  • Dell 24" UltraSharp U2412M - 1920x1200 resolution; DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA connectors; USB connections
  • Dell 24" P2419H - 1920x1080 resolution (Full HD); HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA connectors; USB connections
  • Dell 23" P2319H - 
  • Dell UltraSharp 27" 

The USB connections on the monitor can be used as a mini-dock, allowing you to only connect one USB cable to your laptop (instead of separate keyboard, mouse, etc.).  Note that they are often marked as "Upstream" (connect to your computer) and "Downstream" (plug in your keyboard/mouse); and they may not be the fastest performance USB version, so it may not be the best place to plug in your USB-memory stick.

NOTE: some large-format displays – usually the cheaper ones – may not have as many dots-per-inch (DPI) as higher-quality (and higher-cost) monitors.  This essentially means that the individual pixels that make up the image are larger, and that can impact what you see.  Before buying one for your home, it is recommended that you see it in action – e.g. stop by a big-box retail store to see how it looks up close.


Docks & Docking-Bricks:

DUL is currently deploying Dell-branded docking bricks,

  • Dell K20A Dock – 2 x DisplayPort adapters, 1 x HDMI, 2 x USB-C, 3 x USB-A, Ethernet, 1 x USB-C, power adapter
  • Dell Thunderbolt Dock WD19TBS - 2 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, Thunderbolt/USB-C, 3 x USB-A, Ethernet, 1 x USB-C, power adapter
  • Dell Universal Dock D6000 - 2 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, 4 x USB-A, Ethernet, 1 x USB-C
  • Dell Business Dock WD15 - 1 x mini-DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 5 x USB-A, Ethernet
  • Anker dock


Printers:

DUL currently leases the majority of staff printers from Duke's Office Products division.  These tend to be higher-end office printers and are all configured for network printing – not something you probably want for your home office.

For home printing needs, it might be easiest to look for USB-based printers as those should not interfere with the network-based printing you might do when you're on-campus – of course, that does mean your printer has to be close to your desk.  Using a networked printer at home is definitely possible, but do use a meaningful name for your printer so you don't accidentally try to print to it while on campus.