Art Education student computing requirements
If you have a computer that meets the following minimum specifications, then you are encouraged to use it, and plan to purchase a new computer when your needs exceed its capabilities.
| Platform | MAC | PC |
| Form Factor | Laptop | Laptop |
| Operating System | macOS 15 | Windows 11 (64 bit) |
| Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i5 (10th Generation) or AMD Ryzen 5 (3000 series) |
| Memory | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB (solid state drive) |
| Webcam | Built-in or external with built in microphone | Built-in or external with built in microphone |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi capability | Wi-Fi capability |
If you do not have a computer that meets the minimum specifications listed above, then you should purchase a computer that meets the minimum specifications listed below. Purchasing a computer with the minimum specifications listed below will meet the defined needs of your program.
The last row in the table is a recommended purchase that is intended to be a balance of price and performance; but there may be less expensive brands and/or models that meet the minimum specifications; so you should not feel obligated to purchase that specific computer.
If you wish to exceed the specifications of the recommended purchase, then the general guideline is to set your budget, and only purchase as much computer as your budget allows. All modern computers are quite powerful. Please do not overspend.
| Platform | MAC | PC |
| Form Factor | Laptop | Laptop |
| Operating System | macOS 15 | Windows 11 (64 bit) |
| Processor | Apple M2 | Intel Core Ultra 5 or Core i5 |
| Memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB (solid state drive) |
| Webcam | Built-in or external with built in microphone | Built-in or external with built in microphone |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi capability | Wi-Fi capability |
| Recommended Purchase | Apple MacBook Air 13–inch M3 chip 16 GB memory 512 GB storage |
Dell XPS 13 Laptop Intel Core Ultra 5 processor 16 GB memory 512 GB storage |
We recommend that you investigate all possible purchase options, but make sure that you are receiving a price that is equal to, or less than the education pricing offered by the manufacturer:
Apple Education Store
Dell Student Discounts
Online stores occasionally have sales that are even lower than the standard educational pricing. Make sure you check pricing at B&H, Best Buy, Amazon, and others.
Ramtech is the official university computer store. They are familiar with our requirements, and are available to assist you with making a compatible purchase. Call 804-828-8324, or visit in person (1111 West Broad Street).
There are no specific software requirements for this program.
Information about commonly used software that is available for free through VCU, and available for free or reduced cost through publishers, is available in the Software section of the Technology Support for Students web page.
User files are often stored online in cloud based services; but as a creative professional, you are likely to have any number of files stored locally for maximum performance and accessibility. It is important that you adopt a file backup system to preserve your files in the event of a hardware failure. Information about backup options and associated costs is available in the File Backups section of the Technology Support for Students web page.