Visualization Laptop Requirements
Student Needs
Visualization requires that all incoming students have a serviceable laptop computer. We suggest the following minimum system configuration.
Requirements for a useful system vary from program to program. These suggestions supersede college requirements and apply only to students in Visualization degree programs. It is important to note that no student will be denied admission to the college because of an inability to provide a laptop.
It is recommended that students enter the Visualization program with a laptop capable of high performance.
Remember, the major advantage of a laptop is its portability, not its computational power. A number of students maintain a separate, more powerful desktop system for use outside the classroom environment.
PC or Mac?
Both platforms are used in the program. Both platforms have advantages and disadvantages. For game development and animation production, PCs are preferable, because many of the programs are either made for PC usage or are only compatible with PCs. The design focus often uses Adobe products, which were originally created for use on a Mac. Students will have the opportunity to use both platforms in the program.
Note
As much memory, graphics card performance and hard drive as you can afford, above the minimums listed, will be a benefit. Increased memory and graphics performance is more important than exceeding the minimum spec on CPU.
- Minimum screen size of 13 inches
- On-board camera
- External 3 button mouse
- Wi-fi
- A 32GB USB flash drive
Windows Computer Specs
Minimum Specs
- Operating SystemWindows 11
- CPUIntel Core Ultra 5
- GPUNVIDIA RTX or AMD Radeon RX
- VRAM8GB
- RAM32GB
- Hard DriveSSD type with 500GB of free space
Recommended Specs
- Operating SystemWindows 11
- CPUIntel Core Ultra 9
- GPUNVIDIA RTX or AMD Radeon RX
- VRAM16GB
- RAM64GB or 128GB
- Hard DriveSSD type with 1TB of free space
Mac OS Computer Specs
Minimum Specs
- ModelMacBook Pro M4
- Operating SystemMacOS Tahoe
- CPUApple M4
- RAM32GB
- Hard DriveSSD type with 500GB of free space
Recommended Specs
- ModelMacBook Pro M5
- Operating SystemMacOS Tahoe
- CPUApple M5 Pro Max
- RAM64GB
- Hard DriveSSD type with 1TB of free space
External Devices
There are several external devices that are useful at various times throughout the program. These are not required but increase productivity.
Tablet
Graphic design classes, digital painting, digital sculpting, 3D surfacing and related classes frequently use a Wacom-style tablet as an input device which allows pressure sensitive input.
External Hard Drive
A 500 GB external USB hard drive (minimum) is very useful for backup and to transfer large volumes of data between personal and university machines. Depending on the type of connector on the laptop for external display, an HDMI adapter may be very useful.
Additional Devices
If the laptop is the primary system, there are additional devices that can make the system more productive. An external keyboard and full-sized monitor actually increase the speed with which the system can be used. A spare battery can also be useful.
Software Requirements
Certain classes will require students to use industry standard commercial software.
Many software providers have free or low-cost options for students, some of which can be provided for personal machines by the program. Consider waiting until the need exists so that the latest version of the software can be obtained.
Existing Program Resources
The program maintains laboratories used for both teaching and general access outside of class hours. These labs contain Mac, Windows and LINUX systems with software used in the various courses and are available after hours on a first-come, first-served basis. A variety of printers, scanners and other input/output devices located throughout the program and college are available to the student.
Computer labs available to Visualization students can be found in real time via this map.