Minimum Software Requirements
The laptop should meet or exceed the following specifications.
- Processor | Current generation Apple Silicon CPU or 64-bit Intel i7 2.1gHz or greater or AMD Ryzen
equivalent
- Memory | 16GB RAM
- Storage | 512GB or more (NVMe or SSD)
- Display | 1920x1080 or higher resolution
- Networking | Wireless dual-band or 5Ghz
- Graphics | OpenGL 4.1/DirectX 11 capable with 4GB of dedicated video RAM or Apple Silicon graphics
Refer to the system requirements of these products which are used in our program:
Other Recommendations
- Connectivity | HDMI connection (built in or via adapter)
- Warranty | 3 years or greater
- Backup | external disk or cloud storage
Apple Computers
At this time some of the software (e.g. Autodesk Revit) used in the architecture program
is not fully compatible with Apple computers running MacOS. It is possible to run
this software under Windows using VMware Fusion for an additional cost. The licensing and configuration of this software is the responsibility
of the student and no support is provided by the Huckabee College of Architecture.
Contact the Architecture IT department with any questions about these computer recommendations.
Helpful Tips
- Visit notebookcheck.net to compare the performance of all components of the computer (such as the video card
or CPU) being considered for purchase with those in the specification.
- Laptops do not allow the addition of new video hardware. For the laptop to be capable
of running the 3D software applications used in our program, it is important to choose
a video card that meets or exceeds the minimum specifications. No laptops with only
an Intel video card meet these requirements, though some laptops contain a power-saving
Intel card and a performance graphics card. All that is required is that one of the
installed graphics cards meets the computer requirements.
Software Available to Students for Free or Low Cost
AutoDesk software (e.g. Revit and AutoCAD) used in the program is free for educational
use.
Visit the AutoDesk Educational Community to create a new account using your TTU email address and to verify your educational
status. Once verified you can download most AutoDesk products and receive a license
to use the software for the next year.
The Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan is available to students at an initial cost of $239.99 per year (billed monthly or
annually). The Creative Suite includes Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
which are used to create and print student work. Use your personal email address instead
of your TTU email address to create an account with Adobe when purchasing the subscription.
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are free for student use from https://office.com and can be used in a web browser or installed on your computer. Sign into Office
programs or Office.com using your TTU email address and password.
Rhino 3D is used in the program but does not need to be purchased separately. A course fee
is used to purchase a discounted license for each student in the fall semester of
the second-year studio. We recommend that students create an account at Rhino3D.com
and register the software to the Cloud Zoo using the license key they receive.
Assistance with Computer Problems
For computer support, email IT help central or call 1-806-742-4357.
Limited support is available from the Architecture IT staff. Email architecture.it@ttu.edu for assistance.
