Laptop Purchasing Guide Requirement

Operating System
Windows XP Professional 32 Bit* or Windows Vista Home Premium 32 Bit* – (You are responsible for verifying that the version of Windows Vista being used is compatible with the necessary software.)

Processor and Memory
A minimum 2GB of memory is required. 4GB is highly recommended.
A minimum of a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor is required (No Celeron, ATOM, or other low end processors). The college does not use AMD processors. While they may work fine for this configuration, we have not tested them and cannot offer any advice or support regarding their usage or potential incompatibilities.

Display and Video
Minimum of a 15” display is required – 17” is recommended
A minimum of a 256MB ATI or NVIDIA video/graphics card is required. A 512MB card is strongly recommended.

Communication
A 10/100 integrated network card (usually a standard option) is required for wired
network connectivity.
A wireless network card is required for wireless network connectivity.
A FireWire port is necessary for video editing.

Storage
A minimum of a 160GB hard drive is required.
A CDRW/DVD drive is recommended for software installation and data storage.
A 250 GB or larger external hard drive is highly recommended.
A 4-8 GB Jump drive is required (Put your name on it!).

Software
1. AutoCAD Architecture 2010 (or latest edition) Academic Version
(Free download when you join the student community at students.autodesk.com)
2. Adobe Creative Suites CS4 (or latest edition) Design Standard.
www.journeyed.com
3. Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc)
www.journeyed.com
4. Google Sketchup (FREE - Pro is in our labs - sketchup.google.com)
5. Revit Architecture 2010
(Free download when you join the student community at students.autodesk.com)
6. Virus Protection – McAfee can be downloaded for free
http://www.kent.edu/is/Software/DownloadsWindows.cfm)
7. Spyware Protection – The McAfee package above also provides spyware protection

Optional Software – This and other software may be required for certain classes.
• Adobe Premier & After Affects
• Rhino 3d
• Autodesk Max Design
• Autodesk Maya

*Currently, as of Wednesday, June 24th 2009, certain software applications and campus services such as Pharos printing will only operate on a 32 bit operating system.  If you choose to run a 64 bit operating system, you will not be able to print on campus with your laptop using a flashcard.  You may also encounter difficulty when attempting to run certain software applications.  For 64 bit users, computers will be available in certain areas to allow for printing. Any changes to this policy will be noted here once they are made.   

**File sharing of copyrighted content is illegal.  Using peer-to-peer services such as Limewire and bit-torrent services can not only get you into legal trouble, but can also cause your computer to run poorly – sometimes requiring you to reload Windows from scratch.  These costly headaches can be avoided by simply not using peer-to-peer services.   

**Please note - free downloads are offered by the respective software
developers and not Kent State. These free promotions are subject to change or
end at any time without notice. Most downloads are not perpetual, and expire
after a set amount of time.

**Note about Macintosh Computers**
In previous years, Macintosh computers were not recommended because the
software packages and college print drivers used were only compatible with the
Windows operating system. Apple has since started using Intel processors in the
Macintosh product, allowing Windows and other operating systems to be run.
These operating systems can run exclusively, or in a “virtual” environment
simultaneously with the Mac OS.
Because of the resources required to run certain software packages and the
variance between a PC and a Mac, we are still not recommending the purchase
of a Mac computer for school use. Keep in mind that if you have a Mac, we
cannot support it or guarantee its compatibility with the required software
packages, college print drivers, or classroom lectures.

This page is current as of Wednesday June 24th 2009