Architecture Majors Computer Requirements
Find out more on architecture majors computer requirements for the College of Architecture.
Man working on architectural designs on dual computer screens in an office environment. Concentrating on details of building layout and structure on screen.
The following is a guideline for computer or laptop specifications that would be the minimum for your work in the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M University. The set of standards listed below are the minimum of requirements/suggestions.
It is suggested that a new computer be purchased prior to first year or by the start of second year to ensure the compatibility and longevity of the machine throughout the students’ education.
A vast majority of the students’ classwork will require a computer during their years of study. This will prepare students for the creativity, research, communication and future workforce in the field of design, architecture, and beyond. Over 50% of the colleges in the Associate of Collegiate Colleges of Architecture require students to provide a laptop for first year students of their programs.
Basic Hardware Requirements
We highly recommend a desktop computer over a laptop because of its performance and cost advantages. macOS is not recommended because of compatibility and performance issues.
CPU: Intel i7 processor. 9th generation or higher. (This is the brain of the computer. The faster the speed, the faster it can process data/projects.) Highly recommend Intel CPU over AMD.
RAM (memory): 16 – 32 GB of RAM or more (The RAM is the computer’s “working” memory. RAM allows a computer to work with more information at the same time, which usually has a dramatic effect on total system performance. The more RAM a computer has, the more efficient it will be while running large programs such as Rhino for projects.)
Storage: Minimum 1 TB storage (preferred 2 TB) Solid State Drive (SSD) or more (the more storage a computer has, the more projects, documents, etc. you can store. SSD storage will allow a computer to turn on and open projects significantly faster than traditional HDD storage but tends to be more expensive.)
Graphics Card: Dedicated card (not integrated); NVidia RTX 3060 or better is preferred to be compatible with VR technology and CUDA acceleration. AMD GPUs are not recommended because they don’t have CUDA acceleration.
Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11 exclusively in the English language
Screen Size: 15″ minimum, 17″ preferred for laptops. 22” minimum for desktops. 1920 x 1080 minimum resolution.
Ports: At least three USB 3.0 and one USBC port; minimum one HDMI or Display Port
Recommended Accessories
- Wireless three-button mouse and QWERTY keyboard
- Webcams and microphones are strongly recommended, per the University BYOD guidelines.
- Additional monitor: 22″ monitor or larger, 27″ monitor preferred; 4K resolution preferred.
- External Storage: USB Drive (2 TB or higher) OR cloud storage; 32 GB USB flash/thumb drive for printer transfers and other tasks.
Software
BED first year required software:
BED second year and on key software:
Academic versions of most software are available for free or at discount. Texas A&M Software Center provides some software at a reduced cost.
| Software | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office (Microsoft Office 2019 or Office 365) |
$0 | https://gateway.tamu.edu/office365/ |
| Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro) |
$20/month edu | https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/buy/students.html?promoid=P79NQTWV&mv=other |
| Autodesk (all optional by instructor) (AutoCAD, Revit, 3DS Max, Autodesk Formit) |
Free Edu | https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/featured https://formit.autodesk.com/ |
| McNeel & Associates (all optional by instructor) (Rhinoceros V6, Grasshopper) |
$195 | https://www.rhino3d.com/sales/north-america/United_States https://www.grasshopper3d.com/ |
| Trimble (all optional by instructor) (SketchUp or SketchUp Pro) |
$55/year | https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing-promo#for-higher-education |
| Lumion 3D (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://lumion.com/educational-licenses.html |
| Twin Motion (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/get-now/twinmotion |
| Unreal Engine (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/education |
| V-Ray (all optional by instructor) |
$149/year | https://store.chaosgroup.com/products/educational#single-products |
| Enscape (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://enscape3d.com/educational-license/ |
| Blender (all optional by instructor) |
Free/Open | https://www.blender.org/download/ |
| Maxwell Render (all optional by instructor) |
Pricing available upon online request | https://maxwellrender.com/educational/#students1 |
| Maxon Cinema 4D (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://www.maxon.net/en-us/learn/educational-licenses/students-and-instructors/ |
| Thea Render by Altair (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://altairuniversity.com/free-altair-student-edition/ |
| OctaneRender by Otoy (all optional by instructor) |
$30/month | https://home.otoy.com/render/octane-render/subscriptions/#enterprise |
| Corona Renderer (all optional by instructor) |
€280/year | https://corona-renderer.com/prices-licensing/student |
| Artlantis (all optional by instructor) |
Free Edu | https://education.abvent.com/ |
| FluidRay (all optional by instructor) |
$15/month | https://www.fluidray.com/buy-now/ |
| Indigo Renderer (all optional by instructor) |
€145 | https://store.glaretechnologies.com/educational/ |
| Keyshot 9 (all optional by instructor) |
$99/year | https://buy.keyshot.com/collections/keyshot-education/ |