The Department of Art and Art History is currently finalizing a computer recommendation. When completed, it will be posted online. If, however, you are planning to purchase one now, here are some things to consider. You will be well-served with a computer that is powerful enough to run Adobe Creative Suite applications such as Photoshop, InDesign and Flash Pro.
Laptop or Desktop?
Many students prefer laptop computers, since they can bring their work and communications hub with them instead of leaving it behind at a desk.
Operating System
You may select a computer running either Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP, or Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5. You will find Apple Macintosh computers in the department’s computer labs. Most of the faculty and many students will be using Macs, but students are successful with Windows PCs as well. We make no specific recommendation.
Where to Buy
You may purchase a computer from any vendor or store. The UNL Computer Store can advise you on appropriate models that will meet the suggestions below. They also offer excellent academic pricing on software, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) for $10 for Macs or $15 for Windows. We suggest you not purchase other software until it is needed for a specific class. The UNL Computer Store has 2 locations, in the Nebraska Union lower level, and in the 501 Building on Stadium Drive. Phone 402-472-5785. Web: http://sales.unl.edu.
Specifications
A computer that meets these specifications should run Adobe Creative Suite applications well.
Processor Select a processor from this list with a minimum speed of 2.0 gigahertz.
Intel Core 2 Duo in most laptops and many desktops
Intel Core 2 Quad in a few laptops and some desktops
Intel Core i7 in desktops only for now
or
AMD X2 series
Please avoid computers with the Intel Atom processor, typically found in ultra-small notebooks or ‘netbooks.’ Netbooks will not be powerful enough to run the software you will be using.
RAM 2 GB (gigabytes) of random-access memory, minimum. Most computers today will support 4 GB. Additional RAM allows for faster execution of complex software, and speeds up your work if you have multiple applications open. You don’t need to look for a computer that comes with 4GB of RAM; it is relatively easy and inexpensive to add RAM when you buy the computer or afterwards.
Video Card A) For most studio art courses, and Art History: The integrated video card that comes built into the chipset of many computers will be fine. B) For Graphic Design courses, or for creating and editing digital media: consider a computer with a separate video card from NVidia or ATI with at least 256MB of dedicated video RAM, such as:
ATI Radeon HD 34xx NVidia GeForce 8600 or 8800
ATI Radeon HD 37xx NVidia GeForce 9600 or 9600M- but not the 9400M (mobile)
ATI Radeon HD 48xx NVidia GeForce GT 1xx series
ATI FireGL series NVidia GeForce GTS, GTX, Quadro or Quattro series
Typical Additions to consider
1. Extended Warranty, 3 years
2. Data backup: an external hard drive with USB or Firewire connections. Hard drive capacity should be 2-3 times the capacity of the computer’s internal hard drive. Cost: $85-125.
3. File transfer: a USB Flash drive, 2GB-4GB. Cost: $8-14
4. Macintosh computers can run both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows operating systems. To run Windows-only software: purchase a version of Windows Vista, $10-$17 at the UNL Computer Store. Windows can be installed by the student for no additional cost, using Apple’s free Boot Camp software. For an additional fee, the UNL Computer Help Center will install Vista or Windows XP. Contact the UNL Computer Store for advice on available options.
For additional questions, please contact the Hixson-Lied College’s Information Technology Services office at 402-472-5830 or cfpahelp@unl.edu.
Laptop or Desktop?
Many students prefer laptop computers, since they can bring their work and communications hub with them instead of leaving it behind at a desk.
Operating System
You may select a computer running either Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP, or Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5. You will find Apple Macintosh computers in the department’s computer labs. Most of the faculty and many students will be using Macs, but students are successful with Windows PCs as well. We make no specific recommendation.
Where to Buy
You may purchase a computer from any vendor or store. The UNL Computer Store can advise you on appropriate models that will meet the suggestions below. They also offer excellent academic pricing on software, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) for $10 for Macs or $15 for Windows. We suggest you not purchase other software until it is needed for a specific class. The UNL Computer Store has 2 locations, in the Nebraska Union lower level, and in the 501 Building on Stadium Drive. Phone 402-472-5785. Web: http://sales.unl.edu.
Specifications
A computer that meets these specifications should run Adobe Creative Suite applications well.
Processor Select a processor from this list with a minimum speed of 2.0 gigahertz.
Intel Core 2 Duo in most laptops and many desktops
Intel Core 2 Quad in a few laptops and some desktops
Intel Core i7 in desktops only for now
or
AMD X2 series
Please avoid computers with the Intel Atom processor, typically found in ultra-small notebooks or ‘netbooks.’ Netbooks will not be powerful enough to run the software you will be using.
RAM 2 GB (gigabytes) of random-access memory, minimum. Most computers today will support 4 GB. Additional RAM allows for faster execution of complex software, and speeds up your work if you have multiple applications open. You don’t need to look for a computer that comes with 4GB of RAM; it is relatively easy and inexpensive to add RAM when you buy the computer or afterwards.
Video Card A) For most studio art courses, and Art History: The integrated video card that comes built into the chipset of many computers will be fine. B) For Graphic Design courses, or for creating and editing digital media: consider a computer with a separate video card from NVidia or ATI with at least 256MB of dedicated video RAM, such as:
ATI Radeon HD 34xx NVidia GeForce 8600 or 8800
ATI Radeon HD 37xx NVidia GeForce 9600 or 9600M- but not the 9400M (mobile)
ATI Radeon HD 48xx NVidia GeForce GT 1xx series
ATI FireGL series NVidia GeForce GTS, GTX, Quadro or Quattro series
Typical Additions to consider
1. Extended Warranty, 3 years
2. Data backup: an external hard drive with USB or Firewire connections. Hard drive capacity should be 2-3 times the capacity of the computer’s internal hard drive. Cost: $85-125.
3. File transfer: a USB Flash drive, 2GB-4GB. Cost: $8-14
4. Macintosh computers can run both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows operating systems. To run Windows-only software: purchase a version of Windows Vista, $10-$17 at the UNL Computer Store. Windows can be installed by the student for no additional cost, using Apple’s free Boot Camp software. For an additional fee, the UNL Computer Help Center will install Vista or Windows XP. Contact the UNL Computer Store for advice on available options.
For additional questions, please contact the Hixson-Lied College’s Information Technology Services office at 402-472-5830 or cfpahelp@unl.edu.
