Graphic Design Laptop Requirements

All juniors entering the Graphic Design BFA program are required to purchase a laptop and software for use in their courses.

Laptop Requirement needed by 2nd year.

An Apple Macintosh laptop is most highly recommended. Although PCs are fine, they do not network easily with the visual arts server and printers.

There are two primary levels of Macintosh laptop, Macbook and Macbook Pro. Either one would be fine. Avoid the Macbook Air. The minimum specifications are suggested below for each. Educational pricing may be obtained from the Sage Mac Store (http://store.apple.com/us_edu_87510)

MacBook

13-inch: White

2.26GHz

2GB RAM. Up to 4GB RAM possible. Always get as much as you can afford as it is the most cost-effective way to speed up your computer.

MacBook Pro

15-inch: 2.53GHz

4GB RAM. Up to 8GB RAM available. Always get as much as you can afford as it is the most cost-effective way to speed up your computer.

Required Accessories needed by 2nd year

Firewire 400 external hard-drive for backups and transporting files. 500 GB is recommended. $100-$200, money well spent--you MUST back up your work. Dependable brands include LaCie, Maxtor, Iomega, Western Digital.

Recommended: 4GB USB drive

Purchasing Laptops

Students may purchase laptops through any number of local vendors. For web purchases, Sage has worked directly with Apple Computer to set up an online store specifically for students entering our program.

Click here to access the Sage Apple Store.

Alternately, you can access the Sage Apple Store as follows:

  1. Log on to www.apple.com and click on the Store tab at the top of the screen.
  2. Click on the word Education in the list directly beneath the Store tab.
  3. Underneath Shop for yourself, click Find your college or university
  4. Enter the zip code 12208, then click Sage College of Albany in the list on the right.
  5. Accept the shopping agreement, then click Take Me There

Software

Students are responsible for purchasing the following software for use on their laptops:

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium (includes latest versions of Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop)

We recommend purchasing software through an educational software vendor, since the cost savings can be significant. The following companies sell software at educational discount to students:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you require laptops?
Because the computer is such an important part of our curriculum, we feel it essential for our students to have access to their tools at all times. Laptops literally allow students to carry their studios with them, making it much easier to share ideas, to work collaboratively, and for faculty to consult on specific technical issues. Owning a computer allows students to become proficient with the technology at a level simply not possible working in a shared computer lab. Plus, the laptops give the students the most essential tool they will need to begin work as a professional once they leave the program.

Can Financial Aid be used to help cover the cost of a laptop?
Yes. The cost of a laptop can be folded into your cost of attendance. Talk to the financial aid department for details on how to do this. In addition, Apple offers their own loan program called the Apple Instant Loan.

I already have a Macintosh laptop. Do I have to buy a new one?
As long as your laptop meets the basic configurations listed above, you should be all set. If not, it may still be possible to upgrade individual components to meet the specifications. (For example, you could purchase an external CD writer if your laptop is not equipped with one, or upgrade software to the current versions.)

I have a Windows laptop. Can I use that instead?
The Graphic Design department at Sage is entirely Mac-based (as is most of the professional graphic design world). While all the required software is available in identical Windows versions, you may run into difficulties with things like exchanging files across platforms, working with fonts, etc. Please realize that if you choose to work on the Windows platform, all such configuration issues will be your responsibility.

Where do I go for support? What if it breaks?
Apple laptops come with a one-year warranty. You can purchase an extended warranty for three years (called Apple Care) when you purchase your laptop. There are several authorized Apple repair centers in the Capital District area.

We strongly recommend purchasing a good laptop bag to protect the computer when you are not using it, as well as a cable lock to secure the computer if you need to leave it for a moment. Thefts at Sage are rare, but it pays to be cautious.

What if it gets lost or stolen? Is it covered by insurance?
Most likely your laptop will be covered by your homeowners insurance policy, although you may have to add a separate rider for it. Talk to your insurance agent for details. If you choose to purchase separate insurance for your laptop, you might want to look at a company like Safeware which specializes in laptop coverage.