Minimum Laptop Specs for Earlham College

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Chromebooks are not recommended and will not meet the needs of most courses that have a computer or software component.

Minimum Laptop Specifications 

We recommend the following specifications:

  • Processor:  Roughly equivalent to an Intel 12th-gen Core i5 (6–8 cores) or Apple M2/M4 (8-core) in performance
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Operating System: Microsoft Windows 11, macOS 14 Sonoma (or later)
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD minimum (512 GB+ recommended)
  • Display: 13.6 inches or larger
    • 1080p Resolution or better
    • Integrated graphics or discrete graphics for some depts
  • Audio: Built-in audio capabilities
    • Speaker
    • Microphone
    • Webcam
  • Communication devices:
    • 802.11ac Dual-band Wireless-AC or better

Note: This is the average laptop requirement for Earlham College. Some departments/classes, such as computer sciences, engineering and digital arts may have the requirements for a more robust device.

Details

Details

Article ID: 5306
Created
Fri 6/26/26 8:47 AM
Modified
Fri 6/26/26 8:54 AM