While we do not recommend any specific brands of hardware or software, these are general guidelines and informational only. We have observed students having success with laptops from Dell, HP, and Apple in the past but overall, what drives the success of your experience with your computer are the hardware specifications you choose. The following information is provided to assist you in making your purchase. Memory and CPU in these recommendations assume that a laptop needs to last a student a minimum of four years. These recommendations are also made to support OSU Virtual Desktops, which are used in CCVM. If you have any questions, contact the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine IT helpdesk staff at mysupport.oregonstate.edu.
Hardware Recommendations
| Recommendations | Windows Laptop | Apple Laptop |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended Storage (hard drive): | No less than 256GB; 500GB+ is recommended. | 512GB is the standard minimum drive on Apple MacBook Pro laptops; MacBook Air starts at 256GB — we recommend 512GB for the best performance. |
| Recommended Memory (RAM): | 16GB RAM is the minimum amount recommended to ensure that you are able to use CCVM systems — it is likely that with less than 16GB of RAM you will experience performance issues. |
16GB RAM is the minimum amount recommended to ensure that you are able to use CCVM systems — it is likely that with less than 16GB of RAM you will experience performance issues. |
| Recommended Processors: | Intel® i7-Series processor or above. | Apple MacBook Air come with the Apple M2 or M3 processor; Apple MacBook Pro come with M3, M3 Pro or M3 Max processor. |
| Size/Type of Laptop/notebook: |
13” - 15” is the recommended size. Larger sizes are often cumbersome, bulky, and heavy for many of the limited work surface areas in the hospital. Standard laptop/Notebook or Convertible / 2-in-1 Notebooks (these convert between regular laptop and |
13” thru 16” are the options available for Apple laptops. For the needs of the students of CCVM, the 14” MacBook Pro is the model we would recommend. |
| Operating System: | Windows 11 current release (version 24H2, Build 26100.1742). You can opt for Windows 11 Home without any issues – you will not be able to use BitLocker (drive encryption) with the Home version. | macOS 14 (Sonoma) or newer (macOS 15 – Sequoia) |
| Antivirus\Malware: |
It is recommended that you have security software on your computer. The best type of software to have is paid Windows computers generally come with Windows Defender Antivirus installed. It is recommended that you |
While for many years, the general opinion was that Macs were not susceptible to viruses or malware as PCs are, today that is not the case. Macs are susceptible to malware, adware, and other unwanted programs. It is recommended that you have security software on your computer. The best type of software to have is paid services. Free security software is not recommended. There are many reputable options available, and we are happy to answer questions you may have about specific programs. |
What does NOT meet the hardware standard:
Ultra Slim books, Tablets, Chromebooks, iPads, Netbooks, early convertibles (MS Surface versions 1 or 2), These systems are not designed to work within a networked environment, or to do much more than read websites while online, etc. While they may be a suitable option for students on the K-12 level, they are not acceptable options for graduate school. They do not have the computing power needed to handle the workload required of students at CCVM and our core business systems. If it does not meet the minimum computer power needed to run the programs used at VetMed, your experience using these applications will be challenging.
Security & Software Considerations
Microsoft Office 365 for Students:
Oregon State University provides 5 free licenses of Microsoft Office 365 to students for the duration of your time at the university to use on various devices: laptop, smartphone, desktop, etc. This provides access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and OneDrive. Use this link to access Office 365 for Oregon State University students.
ONID:
Your ONID ID is tied into many services at OSU. This includes access to email, class scheduling, and more. It is important to ensure security of your ONID and one vital step is password management. This includes NEVER giving anyone your ONID password, and also ensuring your ONID password – as well as any other OSU or CCVM password – meets the standard for a secure password. Please ensure your password(s) is at least 12 characters long, contains at least one number, contains at least one special character, and contains both uppercase and lowercase letters. Oregon State University also uses DUO two-factor authentication for enhanced account security.
An additional best practice with passwords is to use a secure password manager. We are happy to answer questions about specific password managers.
Internet Browser:
For the best experience with web tools used in CCVM, we recommend Google Chrome.
Antivirus/Malware:
It is recommended that you have security software on your computer. The best type of antivirus software to have is paid services. Free security software is not recommended. There are many reputable options available, and we are happy to answer questions you may have about specific programs.
Windows computers generally come with Windows Defender Antivirus installed. It is recommended that you follow these instructions from Microsoft to enable Windows Defender on your computer.
While for many years, the general opinion was that Macs were not susceptible to viruses or malware as PCs are, today we know that is not the case. Macs are susceptible to malware, adware, and other unwanted programs.
Software Updates:
Software (this includes both the operating system and installed applications) should be kept updated at all times. This can always be automated for either Windows OS or macOS itself and we strongly urge you to do this, to ensure your system stays secure and to help prevent data loss or corruption. To set your Windows PC to automatically update the operating system you can follow these instructions. To set your Apple computer to automatically update the operating system you can follow these instructions.