Personal Computing Recommendations

• System configuration 
  • Intel Core i7 2GHz CPU or faster
  • Windows 10 or above - MacOS is not supported
  • 8 GB RAM (16 GB or more strongly recommended)
  • Discrete graphics card with 4 GB or more of memory (NVIDIA graphics card with 4 GB or more of video RAM recommended)
  • 256 GB or more SSD hard drive storage (512 GB recommended)
  • 4 year/extended warranty/multi-year service agreement 
  • Web Cam/microphone
• Notes 
  • We do not support Apple sysems since Mac OS will not run many required software packages and they generally cause printing problems.  
  • Chromebooks will not run required architecture software.

Additionally, it is recommended that you purchase a laptop cable lock to secure your laptop when using it on campus.

While we recommend the use of UB Box, the university’s cloud storage system, it is also recommended that you purchase a portable external hard drive and/or flash drives.

You can find special discounted pricing on Dell laptops.

One system that we recommend is the Mobile Precision 7670 with the graphics card upgraded to one of the NVIDIA cards.

Software Resources – verify what software is required by contacting your department

• AutoCAD Educational License – available free of charge
• Adobe Creative Cloud Educational Subscription
• Rhinoceros 7, including Grasshopper
• ArcGIS – free student license available

More information about UB provided software and ways to access it.

Please contact the School of Architecture and Planning IT services (ap-itservices@buffalo.edu) with any questions with regard to Computing Hardware and Software.