Notebook Computer Hardware Requirements School of Media, Art & Design

Notebook Computer Hardware Requirements
School of Media, Art & Design
A new or very recent Apple
notebook computer is required
that is capable of running Adobe
Creative Cloud®. Students can
choose any current Apple product
but should keep in mind the
recommendations below.
Why Mac? Students breaking into
creative and design professions
need to be familiar with hardware
and software used in industry. Our
Program Advisories monitor this
closely. Student success is the goal of
these recommendations.
How to Buy
You can buy in person at any Apple store or Apple Authorized Dealer. You can also buy online directly from
Apple Canada. Be sure to provide proof of enrolment to obtain student pricing. To obtain student pricing online,
please visit this URL to begin:
http://store.apple.com/ca_edu_93120
Then click Shop Mac:
Next, select MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Please note we do not recommend products with an 11-inch display
but you are free to make your own decisions. (Note: Pricing may change without notice and will not be listed here.)
Please note the following important recommendations:
8GB of memory is recommended, although Adobe Creative Cloud will work with 4 GB.
256GB or more storage is recommended, especially for photography and video students.
If you choose a product without an Ethernet port, buy the Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.
Students will also need a short Ethernet cable (CAT 5e or CAT 6 compliant) about 1 meter or so.
Students should buy an external bus-powered hard drive (1-2TB) for backup and extra storage.
Whichever product you buy, you might consider the AppleCare warranty because it adds two years to the one
year warranty and provides basic phone support. (See Apple’s site for details.) When you have finished making
selections click Add to Cart. Once you have completed your selections, click the Checkout button to complete
your order. Please note: if you buy extended warranty from another company such as your dealer, you may be
limiting your options for warranty repairs. AppleCare does not cover accidental damage.
Please allow two weeks for your order to arrive. Apple often has a student promotion running during the
summer months which gives students a $100 gift card for the App store with a computer purchase. The college
has no control over Apple’s pricing, promotions or product refresh cycles, so we suggest make your purchase
Page 1
How to Buy (continued)
a couple of weeks before school begins to ensure you get the latest and greatest. If you prefer to obtain your
notebook computer sooner, please keep in mind that a better model may be released at a later date for the same
price. That is simply the nature of the computer industry. Please see Apple’s website for details on their refund/
exchange policies.
Microsoft Office
Most of our programs require students to purchase Microsoft Office.
Please check with your individual program web page for details.
You can buy Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac or Microsoft’s new
subscription product, Office 365 University, which gives you 4 years
subscription for one low price. The following link will take you to
Microsoft’s web store:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-office-365-university-2013-FX102918415.aspx
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use a Windows notebook computer?
While it is not impossible to use a Windows computer it is not recommended. Student success is improved
if all students are using similar computers and identical software. Having a different configuration in class is
a challenge students can do without and is not supported. Students who ignore this must be self-supporting. If
running Windows prevents students from handing in work that professors can mark this may affect student marks
— assignments that can’t be graded will be given a zero. Please note: This will not be considered grounds for an
appeal. It is similar to having the wrong textbook for class.
The 11-inch MacBook Air is the least expensive option, is it recomended?
The 11-inch MacBook Air is not recommended because is does not meet the minimum hardware requirements
for Adobe Creative Cloud, even though the software will run on the 11-inch MacBook Air. Also storage space on
the 11-inch Air is by default only 128GB which is very small, especially for photography or video.
Can I buy the MacBook Pro with Retina display (13-inch or 15-inch) ?
Yes, provided you buy the Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter so you can connect to the campus
network with Ethernet for maximum speed and reliability.
What if I purchased my laptop before these new models came out?
Previous versions of the MacBook Pro 15-inch are also recommended, provided they have:
• 4GB of memory, 8GB recommended. Processor must be an Intel Core i5 or i7.
• NVIDIA discrete video. (15-inch only, smaller units not recommended)
• Ethernet port or suitable adapter
My older MacBook or MacBook Pro has an Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Core Duo processor. Will it work?
Older units are far too slow. In addition, they may come with an older version of iLife (iLife ’09 as opposed to
iLife ’11) and they may not support OS X 10.7.5, the minimum operating system required. Both performance
and software issues make these units unsuitable for our programs.
Page 2
Can I get by without a laptop and just use my desktop computer at home or in residence?
Students are expected to have a mobile learning device (an Apple notebook computer that meets our requirements)
in order to complete assignments and collaborative work in class. Being able to do work in class is critical to
student success.
How do I get the best price?
Make sure you are buying from the Apple education store or that store personnel are aware you are a student.
Time your purchase to take advantage of promotions.
Besides the recommended notebook computer, what other hardware will I need?
Students should come to the college with the following: Cat 5e/Cat 6 Ethernet cable to connect to the campus
network, approx. 1 meter in length. Most programs recommend a 16 GB USB data “stick” and a portable hard
drive for backup. We recommend 1TB minimum for the hard drive and it should be bus-powered.
The college has wireless networking. Why do I need to connect with Ethernet?
A connection to the network via Ethernet is essential. Wireless networking is too slow for large files students may
be required to obtain (or hand in) using our Macintosh network servers. Also, strong wireless coverage does not
extend into all labs.
How much is enough memory?
Choosing how much memory for your computer is a balancing act between cost and performance. For editing
video, more memory means better performance. For video editing we recommend 8GB of RAM or more.
Is system memory the same as storage?
System memory (RAM) should not be confused with mass storage, which is the hard drive or solid state device
where your programs and data are stored. 256GB is the minimum size recommended for mass-storage and may
be too small for students with a lot of data needs. If you can afford it, a larger device is better.
My machine has 4GB of memory, will this work?
While 4GB is the minimum required by the Adobe software suite most students will use, it will result in
decreased performance as the computer will “swap” memory to the built-in mass storage device as needed. Keep
in mind your laptop needs to last more than a year, so a small increase in cost now is a good investment for later.
Most of Apple’s new notebook computers do not accept memory upgrades after the initial purchase because
there are no slots for additional RAM. That means you can’t fix the problem later so you should purchase as
much memory as you can right away.
Can I get by with an iPad or other tablet device?
Unfortunately, no. Although a tablet will be useful for note-taking and some other tasks, a laptop (notebook
computer) is needed to complete assignments and collaborative work in class.
Page 3
Buying a Used MacBook Pro
If you are buying a used or refurbished MacBook Pro, use these specifications to ensure your purchase
will meet our software requirements. To check the specifications on a Mac, click on the Apple menu
and select About This Mac. In the dialog box that appears, and click More Info… to see additional
details. If you need assistance please contact Jim Ferr at 905-721-2000 ext. 2645 or send an email
message to: jim.ferr@durhamcollege.ca.
Processor
Memory
Intel 64-bit multi-core processor. (Intel Core i5 or
Core i7 are recommended for best performance.)
4GB is the minimum, but 8 GB is recommended.
If you can afford 16GB that’s even better.
Storage
Graphics Processor
For Adobe Premiere Pro, a 7200-rpm hard drive
or a Solid State Device (SSD) is recommended. If
video editing is not a large part of your program
you may opt for a 5400-rpm hard drive or solid
state device, which is much faster.
NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor or Intel HD
Graphics 4000 or better. Must be OpenGL 2.0–
capable. All new Apple notebooks have Intel Iris
Pro graphics. The high-end 15-inch model also
has an NVIDIA graphics processor. If you buy an
older notebook, get a 15-inch model.
Display
Operating System
OS X 10.7.5 or 10.8.5 or 10.9.3. Older operating
13 or 15-inch display recommended. Minimum
resolution should be 1440 x 900 pixels for Adobe systems are not supported or recommended.
After Effects. Other applications need a minimum
resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.
Page 4