Mac or PC laptop or workstation
Laptop Display: 1080p (1920x1080) or 1440p (2560x1440) recommended for laptop machines. Larger screen size is more important than resolution.
Mac Laptop: No less than a M2 Pro processor, M3 Pro recommended.
PC Laptop: No less than intel Core i5, Intel Core i7 or i9 recommended.
No less than AMD Ryzen Pro 5 series, AMD Ryzen Pro 7 series or 9 series recommended.
Desktop Display: 4K display is unnecessary, as it demands much more graphics power to run. A 1440p monitor or an ultrawide monitor is recommended for desktop users. BenQ EW2780, Dell UltraSharp U2412M, or LG 34WL600-B are good starting choices for monitors.
RAM: 16GB minimum, but 32GB highly recommended especially for Editing and Visual Effects courses. 64 GB recommended for high end performance.
Desktop Graphics Card: 4GB onboard memory minimum. If looking to build or buy a desktop system, a NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti is the minimum requirement, and an RTX 2060/2060 SUPER, or better card is recommended. AMD Radeon 5700 XT or better will also work, but NVIDIA is preferred for its proprietary encoding solutions (NVENC).
Laptop Internal Storage: An SSD for the base OS, and a hard drive or additional SSD for extra storage capacity. 1TB is the recommended minimum, however, more is preferable.
Desktop Internal Storage: 500GB SSD (M.2 nvME OR 2.5”) & 1TB Hard Drive are recommended minimum. More storage is better, opting for a larger hard drive vs larger SSD is the most cost effective.
Ports: At least Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 recommended, USB-C, USB 3.1, USB 3.2 recommended, and Ethernet (for networking) all recommended. If using a laptop, usb hubs are a recommended accessory to expand connectivity. The reference photo below points out the labeling used to distinguish Thunderbolt from USB C.
External Hard Drive: 2TB or more with Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C connectivity. The drive should be formatted to exFAT after purchasing so it can be used with both PC and Mac workstations.
A subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud (which includes Premiere) is recommended. Students can buy a discounted subscription at https://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/OfferingDetails.aspx?o=bb54b8ce-2ccd-e211-9d05-f04da23 e67f4&ws=b2c0cd57-97e2-de11-a13b-0030487d8897&vsro=8
Other software can be acquired later in the program as the student takes more advanced classes, often with student licensing or discounts.
Hardware Discounts
Students are eligible for hardware discounts from some of preferred vendors:
https://resources.depaul.edu/demon-discounts/technology/Pages/default.aspx
Questions
If you’re still unsure about what hardware to look for, or have another personal hardware question, contact scaavsupport@depaul.edu.
The animation department recommends that students wait until after their first year to determine if they need their own computer. This will give them time to figure out what their interests are in animation which will in turn dictate what setup best fits their needs.
Priority Specifications
● The most powerful processor possible, for Intel and AMD CPUs, i7/i9 and Ryzen 7/Ryzen 9 should be preferred over 3 or 5 series processors, even if the latter are newer.
● A discrete graphics card from either AMD or NVIDIA is recommended. The more video memory (GDDR5+) the better.
● The main drive, containing the OS, should be an SSD, with a secondary, larger HDD drive for storage.
● Much like the rest of the School of Cinematic Arts, a larger display will be useful. If buying a laptop, a physically larger screen takes precedent over a higher resolution screen. 1080p or 1440p is the highest necessary resolution, 4K is more demanding on the machine and detracts from performance.
● If looking to do drawing, consider a machine with pen input support, or buying a separate drawing tablet to use with the machine.
Mac or PC
The animation program is designed for either platform to be used. The animation labs on campus are predominantly PC based. The software that students will use in class is available for either platform. Students focused on 3D Animation will likely benefit more from a PC based system as it is native to most 3D software and hardware.
Hardware Discounts
Students are eligible for hardware discounts from some of preferred vendors:
https://resources.depaul.edu/demon-discounts/technology/Pages/default.aspx
Our labs are loaded with all software our students are required to use for class. If students wish to purchase copies for their own computer they should consider the following:
· Adobe Creative Cloud (CC): Available as a month to month purchase. Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, Animator, are the most commonly used applications. Students interested in motion graphics may also want to get Adobe Illustrator. These are available as part of a suite or for individual purchase. Discounted student pricing is available at https://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/OfferingDetails.aspx?o=bb54b8ce-2ccd-e211-9d05-f04d a23e67f4&ws=b2c0cd57-97e2-de11-a13b-0030487d8897&vsro=8.
· Autodesk Suite: This is essential software for all 3D animators. It includes a full range of Autodesk products including Maya, Max, Mudbox, and Motionbuilder. It is available as a free download for current students at https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/featured.
· TV Paint: Excellent and versatile software for 2D animators.
If you’re still unsure about what hardware to look for, or have another personal hardware question, contact cdmavsupport@depaul.edu.