Technical Requirements for Campus Students

*For the AI concentration the following are recommended:

• 1 or 2 TB SSD
• NVIDIA GTX 4080

Optional accessories: Headphones, external hard drive

Game art and interactive design also requires a digital drawing tablet. Students using their own laptops may choose any tablet brand, such as Huion, XP-Pen or others. However, if they plan on using the school’s lab PCs they must get a Wacom brand tablet – any series will do. We also have Wacom pen display tablets in the lab. If they want to take advantage of those, they will need to additionally get a pen that works with them.

Optional accessories: Headphones, external hard drive

It is essential that graphic design students have industry-standard hardware and software equipment. Student discounts are available.

Required Software

• Annual subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud design suite
• Office Suite

We recommend that you bring your laptop to class the first week. Your instructors will discuss the use of laptops within your classes. In general, avoid distracting other students by turning off instant messaging, email, games and other unnecessary applications before class begins. 

When using laptops and other computers, be aware of SNHU's Network Acceptable Use Policy and File Sharing Policy. Information Technology Solutions monitors illegal downloading of music and other files from campus sites and will restrict network usage for anyone found violating this policy. 

We strongly recommend that you avoid downloading unnecessary programs, utilities and games onto your laptop. These programs can create problems with other software on your computer. It is best to keep your computer clean. 

You may purchase any laptop brand that you wish and from any location/reseller.

All students are required to have a laptop computer for use in classes and other academic activities.

Minimum Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Core i7 12th Gen or AMD Ryzen 7 5000 series
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3070 (Laptop GPU) or AMD Radeon RX 6750M+
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 (32GB recommended for multitasking and creative work)
• Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD (1TB recommended for longevity)
• Display: 15.6” FHD (1920x1080), 60 Hz+ (QHD optional for creative/visual work)
• OS: Windows 11 Home or Pro

Additional Information:

• If you are a game design, graphic design, aviation, engineering, construction management or computer science student, refer to the other sections on this page for additional or different equipment requirements.
• Where to purchase: You may purchase any computer brand you wish from any location/reseller, relying on the minimum specs provided to ensure the acquisition of an appropriate machine. We recommend asking your preferred vendor if they offer a student discount, since many do.
• Mac users: You must verify your machine offers comparable specs.
• Microsoft Office: This software is required for all campus students. Office 365 is available to all students for free. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion.
• Antivirus software: This is required for campus students and will be provided if needed. Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers.
• Optional accessories: Many people find it useful to have a second power cord: one for home and one for your bag.

If your laptop requires service, we strongly encourage you to follow the manufacturer's warranty process. However, in the absence of a warranty, you may bring your laptop to the Technology Help Desk located in the Wolak Library Learning Commons. Our Help Desk staff are equipped to provide limited service depending on the computer's manufacturer.

If you have questions or problems with your computer, visit the Technology Help Desk in the Wolak Library Learning Commons, login to mySNHU and create a case online, or call 1.855.877.9919. Support is available via the Help Desk from 8 am to 8 pm. (The schedule is published each fall with exact times.)

Training

Consider enrolling in the IT-100 (Introduction to Information Technology) course early in your academic schedule for an introduction to the software on your laptop.

The Wolak Learning Center periodically offers workshops to better use the software on your laptop.

Laptops are particularly vulnerable to theft. Take the following precautions: 

• Be sure that your laptop is covered under your homeowner's insurance.
• Consider purchasing a PC theft recovery service. This service tracks the location of your computer and reports its location to a monitoring center when it connects to the internet. 
• Do not leave your laptop unattended 
• Record your laptop's serial number
• Purchase a security cable