<p>I know that each school has certain requirements, but in general, which brands/specific models (other than Macs!) are good for arch majors?</p>
<p>I've looked through past threads, but they are a little vague..</p>
<p>thank you!</p>
<p>from my arch major alum friends, I hear we’ll have to switch laptops two years in unless we get a powerful one.</p>
<p>We’re gonna be doing a lot of 3D Rendering and CAD, so something with a strong processor and decent GPU will be best.</p>
<p>The Dell Precision mobile workstation will work nicely…</p>
<p>These were the recommendations listed on Syracuse Architecture’s websites, but something tells me you might want a little more power if it’s to last a long time.</p>
<pre><code>* Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2+ GHz or AMD Turion 64 X2 2.2+ GHz
- 4 GB RAM
- 250+ GB Hard Drive (7200 rpm)
- 802.11g (or n) Wireless Network Support
- USB 2.0 / Firewire (Firewire is optional but helpful for video work)
- DVD Burner
- 10/100 (or 10/100/1000) Ethernet
- 256+ MB dedicated Video Graphics Card (avoid Intel or integrated graphics)
- 15.4”+ widescreen notebook display
- External optical mouse
- 3 year on-site/at-home warranty
</code></pre>
<p>The graphics card recommendation sounds a little weak…</p>
<p>looks like i’ll be investing in a desktop replacement behemoth then haha… might get an asus eee netbook on the side for class, not sure yet.</p>
<p>another way of approaching this is to look at the system req’s for Autocad/Rhino/Archicad/Revit and buy a comp. that meets said req’s.</p>
<p>^ min. requirements might not be the way to go - from what i hear, the more powerful, the better since you’ll be rendering in 3d a lot faster</p>
<p>oh, okay, I guess can follow those guidelines then (@akmeechen’s post)? thanks for replying you guys!</p>
<p>I absolutely hate microsoft and was unwilling to use windows all the time, so I got a macbook pro and installed windows through boot camp. Autocad runs like a dream and I dont have to deal with windows all the time!</p>