CUIMC students can receive discounts on IT equipment. Please review all information before making a purchase to ensure that any compatibility needs are met.
Individuals can use Columbia discount information found on the CUIT (Morningside IT support) website under links for Dell and Apple Discounts for Personal Devices. Note that CUIT information about departmental or desktop support does not apply for CUIMC affiliates.
The Columbia Finance Goods and Services Catalog page may list other vendors as well, look for preferred supplier information after selecting a service category to see if there is information on purchasing for personal use.
Be sure to check with your school or program in advance to see if they have special requirements. CUIMC IT is not able to track and provide compatibility information for all departments, divisions, schools, and programs, however these links provide general guidance:
Computers purchased recently (within the past year or two) typically have recommended features. Other configuration choices such as hard drive size, amount of memory, and CPU speed should at least meet the minimum needs for the operating system and programs you plan to use and can therefore vary. To assist, we've listed suggested hardware configurations here.
Please be sure you have any necessary audio and/or video conferencing capability on the computer. If it does not have a built in microphone, speakers, or camera, make sure you can connect external components and test well in advance of needing to use them. Columbia and CUIMC courses may use Zoom or another method for online instruction, please check with your school or instructors as this may vary.
| Laptop | Windows 10 | Macintosh OS 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory/RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Hard Drive | 512 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD |
| Processor | Core i7 or greater/equivalent | Core i7 or greater/equivalent |
| Removable Media Storage Drive | 8x DVD+/-RW | 8x SuperDrive |
| Networking | 802.11g/n for wireless and ethernet port or adapter | 802.11g/n compatible for wireless and ethernet port or adapter |
| Residential housing may only provide wireless access but wired (ethernet) capabilities are recommended if you will be using the computer for research or work under a CUIMC department or division. | ||
| Warranty | 3 year onsite next business day and complete damage recovery | AppleCare+ |
| Encryption compatibility | Intel vPro technology enabled; TPM 1.2 or higher (BitLocker compatible) | FileVault 2 compatible |
| Desktop | Windows 10 | Macintosh OS 11 |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Hard Disk Drive | 512 GB SSD | 512 GB SSD |
| Processor | Core i7 or greater/equivalent | Core i7 or greater/equivalent |
| Removable Media Storage Drive | 8x DVD+/-RW | 8x SuperDrive |
| Networking | Ethernet port or adapter | Ethernet port or adapter |
| Residential housing may only provide wireless access but wired (ethernet) capabilities are recommended if you will be using the computer for research or work under a CUIMC department or division. | ||
| Monitor | 22" Flat Panel | 21.5” Display |
| Warranty | 3 year onsite next business day and complete damage recovery | AppleCare+ |
| Encryption compatibility | Intel vPro technology enabled; TPM 1.2 or higher (BitLocker compatible) | FileVault 2 compatible |