Laptop Requirement

All students are responsible for providing their own reliable Mac or Windows laptop. This is in addition to the iPad that Geisel supplies.

Minimum Laptop Recommendations:

  • Operating System
    • MacmacOS 11 (Big Sur) minimum; macOS 12 (Monterey) or later recommended
    • Windows: Windows 11 Pro. Avoid purchasing a new computer with a Home edition of Windows, since some Home versions lack functionality required to fully function in Dartmouth’s computing environment.
  • RAM:8GB minimum, more preferred depending on the operating system.  RAM is your computer’s “thinking memory”.  More memory will allow your computer to run faster or run more applications concurrently.  
  • Internal Data Storage:256GB or more, depending on your data storage needs. Over your time at Geisel, you will need roughly 100GB of space for course-related files.  Students may be able to get by with less local disk storage by utilizing storage option ‘in the cloud’ (Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.) and storing some files on their iPads.  In addition to storing copies of files, internal storage is also used by your computer to ‘swap’ data in and out of thinking memory (RAM).  Insufficient free space for the computer to use for swapping will adversely impact performance.  Internal storage should be managed so that at least 10% of the drive’s available space is kept free.
  • Screen Size: Portable, space-conscious laptops are preferred for classroom use (15” screen or smaller with 13” screens being popular).  Students may wish to consider a larger, external display that can be connected for study back in their home.

Questions about your computer: If you are unsure whether your existing computer will be appropriate, please contact Geisel’s Computing Support team by calling 603.646.5123 or sending an email to geisel.computing.support@dartmouth.edu.

Need a New Computer?

For students wishing to purchase a new computer, the Dartmouth Computer Store offers educational pricing on laptop models from Dell, Apple, and other vendors.

The Financial Aid office is aware that purchasing a computer might be yet another "miscellaneous cost" of attending medical school, and they will handle each student on a case-by-case basis.