Laptop Recommendations
Explore the College of Technology’s recommendations for purchasing a computer.
With so many resources and so much of your course curriculum available online, it’s next to impossible to get through college without a computer. Buying a computer always starts with what software you plan on using. The software determines the hardware requirements. Using 3D modeling, graphic design or simulation software requires a lot more video/calculating power than 2D computer-aided design.
Business software that handles large databases and spreadsheets doesn’t need the video power but still needs calculating power and plenty of storage. If the system will only be used for Internet access, word processing and email, there is no need to spend the extra money on a high-performance configuration.
Recommendations
Just about all software is available for the Windows 11 operating system. Most Computer Aided Design and Animation software used in PNW courses will not run on a Mac. Before buying an Apple product, make sure that the software you will be using in your courses will run on a Mac.
The screen size really is a personal choice. The traditional 15-inch laptop, along with its newer 14- and 16-inch versions, are technically mobile products, but most laptops tend to remain in one location, or only move around inside a home or office. A 17-inch screen is nice, but the trade-off is that these laptops tend to have short battery life and are big and heavy if you do need to travel.
Less expensive laptops will have resolutions of 1366×768 pixels and more-expensive versions can get resolutions all the way up to 1920×1080 (High-Def). Higher resolution will offer a better view while working on CAD/Design projects.
Look for an Intel Core i7 Processor – The CPU is the heart of any computer, and is responsible for running the operating system and every application you use. A speedier CPU means faster-running programs, but usually it also means lower battery life and a more expensive laptop. Intel’s Core i5 CPUs are okay for most users; but for people running engineering applications you need to look for a quad-core Core i7 processor. Higher clock speeds are better, but any CPU around 3.0GHz is fast enough to handle all the construction/engineering applications.
Look for an NVidia dedicated graphics card – The GPU (graphics processing unit) in a computer is ultimately responsible for everything you see on screen, from 3D games to the basic desktop. Perhaps more important, many GPUs can accelerate video decoding: With the latest version of video drivers and the right GPU, design projects will run more smoothly and look better. It also allows you to quickly zoom in and out while editing CAD files.
Most computers are available with a choice between integrated graphics (from Intel) or a dedicated GPU (from NVidia or AMD). Integrated graphics are built into the system. They share the main system memory with the CPU. Discrete GPUs are individual chips that are dedicated solely to graphics and have their own pool of memory, which results in far better performance.
Look for at least 16GB of Memory (RAM) – The difference in performance between a computer with 8GB of RAM and one with 16GB is like night and day. The performance boost is well worth the cost. Not only do applications run faster, you can run more applications simultaneously (handy if you run suites like Microsoft Office or the Autodesk Collections). If you are doing 3D Modeling or Simulations, you need even more memory to handle the editing program and the large amount of data in solid model. If you want fast performance from a computer you need 16GB of RAM. If the main use is 3D modeling, 32GB of RAM is a must.