Technology requirements
It is highly recommended that each student own a personal computer. A laptop is ideal. You should have an external drive (1 TB) or use a cloud storage service (WSU OneDrive) to back-up your work. Consider a secondary display and keyboard for better ergonomics. You will need access to a high-speed internet connection.
Recommendations
Here are some recommendations for specific art and design concentrations/majors in the Department of Art and Art History:
- Photography: MacBook Pro
- Graphic Design: MacBook Pro
- Fibers: Windows PC
- Fashion Design: Windows PC or Mac
- Fashion Merchandizing: MacBook Pro
- Industrial Design: Windows Gaming PC or MacBook Pro
- Interior Design: Windows Gaming PC
- Studio Arts: Mac or Windows PC
- Art History: Mac or Windows PC
MAC
If you are interested in getting a Mac, we recommend a 16-inch MacBook Pro laptop or the 21.5-inch or 27-inch iMac desktop computers. Here is a link to more information about these computers:
- The current 16-inch MacBook Pro models (any configuration) will meet minimum requirements for completing the work required in your classes. Get the most memory and storage capacity you can afford.
- A 13-inch MacBook Pro or MacBook Air will often not be suitable to effectively complete the work required in your classes.
- Some instructors may recommend that you also purchase an Apple iPad Pro and Pencil to be used as a secondary display and as a digital drawing tablet.
16-inch MacBook Pro
2.6GHz 6-Core Processor
512GB Storage
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M
- 2.6GHz 6-core 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processor
- Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz
- AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory
- 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
- 512GB SSD storage¹
- 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
2.3GHz 8-Core Processor
1TB Storage
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M
- 2.3GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor
- Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz
- AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory
- 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
- 1TB SSD storage¹
- 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
21.5-inch iMac
Hardware
- 3.2GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz
- 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
- Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory
- 1TB Fusion Drive storage
27-inch iMac
Hardware
- 3.6GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
- 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
- Radeon Pro 575X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory
- 1TB Fusion Drive storage
PC
If you are interested in getting a PC laptop, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA) provides examples of recommended models and additional technical specs. Here is the link to that information: LINK
Here is additional information from the Department of Art and Art History about choosing PC/Windows devices:
- It is recommended that you buy a "gaming" laptop which can run Windows 10 and has an Intel (i7 or i9) or AMD Ryzen (5 or 7) processors.
- Your PC should have at least 16GB of ram (32GB for greater longevity).
- You should use a Solid State Drive (SSD).
- You will also need a minimum 4GB video card. Nvidia is the preferred brand.
Example of some models that are out there:
Dell XPS 15
- Intel i7 CPU
- 32GB Ram
- 256GB 1TB SSD M.2 harddrive
- 4GB video card (recommendation NVidia GTX 1650)
- Estimated cost: $1800-2000
Razor Blade Pro 17
- Intel i7
- 16GB Ram (Upgradeable to 64GB)
- 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
- Estimated cost: $2000
Asus ROG Zephyrus M Thin
- Intel i7
- 16GB Ram
- 512GB PCIe SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6
- Estimated cost: $1700
Purchasing a computer
Information about discounts on computers and other items available to WSU students can be found on the C&IT computer discount page.
Dedicated computer labs
The Department of Art and Art History maintains computer labs for students. Students have access to desktop computers and outlets for their laptops in the labs.
Labs by concentration
Mac labs
- Graphic Design
- Industrial Design
- Photography
- Core
- Digital Art
PC labs
- Fashion Design & Merchandising
- Interior Design
Virtual computer lab access
For Fall 2020, the on-campus computer labs of the Department of Art and Art History can be accessed from your laptop or desktop computer, allowing students to use the software (including type fonts) and computing power of the university's network. Details to follow.
Computer access issues
If you are having difficulty meeting your technology needs for the up-coming Fall 2020 semester, please contact the Dean of Students Office for assistance.