Technical Requirements

Information for International CBT Testing Technical Coordinators

Optimal Testing Experience: For an optimal online testing experience, avoid testing on any computer that takes 10 seconds or more to start and run applications

Hardware Requirements

See the table below for minimum hardware requirements:

 

Local Content Server Workstation

Proctor and Examinee Workstations

Number of examinees 1-50 examinees 51-100 examinees 1 proctor computer per 25 examinees
Operating System Windows
7 or Windows 10 – 64 bit (no Macs)
Windows 7 or Windows 10 – 64 bit (no Macs)
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
Mac OS X: MacOS 10.10, 10.11, 10.12, or 10.13(OS X)
Supported devices

Desktop

Laptop*

Desktop

Laptop*

Desktop

Laptop*

Desktop

Laptop*

Processor

CPUBenchmark single thread rating of 2000

Intel 3.0 ghz quad core or AMD Ryzen (any model) released within the last 7 years

*If you have questions about purchasing a server to meet requirements, PSI is available for advisement.

CPUBenchmark single thread rating of 2500



64-bit Intel® Pentium 4 processor or later that’s SSE2 capable 64-bit Intel® processor
Memory

8 GB RAM minimum

50 GB free hard drive space

16.0 GB (RAM)

256 GB SSD Drive (100 GB Free)

4 GB RAM

20 GB free hard drive space

4 GB RAM

20 GB free hard drive space

Screen size 14 inch 14 inch 14 inch 14 inch
Screen resolution

1024 x 768

24 bit

1024 x 768

24 bit

1024 x 768

24 bit

1024 x 768

24 bit

Other
  • Up-to-date Malware and Anti-Virus (AV) software must be active
  • External keyboard and mouse
  • Wired network connection required
  • Broadband internet 5MB/s download, 1 MB/s upload per examinee workstation (minimum 10MB/s download and 5MB/s upload)

*ACT CBT must be administered on a computer the test center owns and has administrative rights on. The student cannot have administrative rights to the device. If a school supplies their students with laptops, and the student wants to use that device to test, the student must test at that school and the school must have administrative rights to the laptop. If the school doesn’t have administrative rights to the laptop, the laptop cannot be used, regardless if the student chooses to test at that site.

Note: Google Chromebooks are not supported at this time.


Software Requirements

Below you will find the list of applications required. 

  • Google Chrome
  • PSI Secure Browser (70 MB download, with a one-click installer placing icon on desktop)

Notes:

  • ACT provides a technical guide (found under Administration Resources of this web page) with instructions on downloading software used for administering the test.
  • System-level applications (such as Deep Freeze Software or any other application that will prevent typical administrative level modifications to the workstations) must not be installed or must be disabled on computers that will be used for testing.