F a l l P u r c h a s i n g G u i d

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Irma Cook
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F a l l 2 0 1 4 P u r c h a s i n g G u i d WHO IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A? First year students (both undergraduate and graduate) are required to have a laptop in their first semester.

edu/ If you have any questions, call or visit the NinerTech Computer Store (which is a great on-campus computing resource for UNC Charlotte students) located in the Student Union.

Read more about why NinerTech is more than just the tech store.

1 F a l l P u r c h a s i n g G u i d WHO IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A? First year students (both undergraduate and graduate) are required to have a laptop in their first semester. These recommendations are meant to serve as a guide to aid in your purchasing decision. WHERE TO GO FOR HELP? If you have any questions, call or visit the NinerTech Computer Store (which is a great on-campus computing resource for UNC Charlotte students) located in the Student Union. NinerTech is your tech-savvy partner for life at UNC Charlotte. They are with you from choosing the right laptop for your major, to servicing malfunctions when you least expect them. Read more about why NinerTech is more than just the tech store. NinerTech carries everything that is recommended in this guide, customizes hardware and software bundles for students, and also offers sales and repair services for Apple, HP, and Dell computers. You may also contact Gary Hunter in the CoA+A IT department or by at garyhunter@uncc.edu or call with any questions you may have. DECIDING WHICH SYSTEM: MAC OR WINDOWS? The School of Architecture (SoA) highly recommends purchasing a 15 Apple MacBook Pro for all first year students. While the MacBook Pro is not a requirement, the department recommends it because the overall quality is much higher than comparable non-apple laptops and they have proven to last longer. All (except one) of the computing labs in the Storrs building have Apple imacs and all SoA faculty use Apple computers. Many architecture students have chosen to go with the 15 Apple MacBook Pro because you can run Mac and/or Windows on the same laptop. While the department recommends the 15 Macbook Pro, we recognize you should select a computer that works best for the individual student. If you choose to go with a different computer, you should try to match or exceed the specs for the machines listed in the charts. We have included a sample HP & Dell laptop option that could meet a student s needs (please note that the HP s & Dell s laptop lines change often and these are the current models as of June 2014). The NinerTech Computer Store can help you find a laptop that matches or exceeds the SoA recommended configuration. WARRANTIES & INSURANCE The School of Architecture highly recommends the purchase of a warranty and insurance for your student laptop. There are two different kinds of warranties to consider. The first is the standard/manufacturer warranty. This covers the machine if it fails for some reason due to the design or components. The second kind is accidental damage, which covers the machine regardless of what happens, including spills, drops, and acts of nature. If purchasing an Apple MacBook Pro, we recommend the AppleCare warranty.

2 Fall 2014 Purchasing Guide School of Architecture, College of Arts + Architecture, UNC Charlotte 2 SOFTWARE FIRST YEAR undergraduate and graduate students will need the following software: Microsoft Office 365 Windows & Mac ($79.99 for student subscription) Adobe Creative Cloud ($327/year for student subscription). Find out more at your NinerTech store. FIRST YEAR graduate students will need the additional software: SketchUp Pro ($49) In the same way a textbook purchase would be required for a class, additional software purchases may be requested by individual professors or desired by students. By waiting to purchase software until it is needed, you will be able to purchase the most up-to- date version and not carry the burden of upgrading software the student may not have used. The following are applications available in the SoA computing labs and may be required by courses: Adobe Acrobat Pro Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Design Builder Apple iwork Nemetschek Vectorworks* AutoDesk 3DS Max* AutoDesk AutoCAD* AutoDesk Revit* ARC GIS SketchUp Pro McNeel Rhino Microsoft Office Strand 7 *These applications are free to download for UNC Charlotte students. REQUIRED PORTABLE EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE Each Architecture student will be required to purchase a portable external hard drive (portable means no additional power supply, just a USB/Firewire connection to the computer). These drives will be required for all courses that use the computing labs. It has two important functions: 1) to store files that are used in the computer labs, and 2) to be used as a back-up drive for their laptop. Manufacturers such as Western Digital, G-Technology and Lacie are recommended (minimum size should be 750 GB). Find out more at your NinerTech store.

3 Fall 2014 Purchasing Guide School of Architecture, College of Arts + Architecture, UNC Charlotte 3 SECURITY CABLE LOCK The Storrs building is a relatively secure location on campus. It is a well-lit, open space, which is typically populated 24 hours a day. However, it is very important that you understand the School of Architecture can make no guarantees for the security of your privately owned computing equipment and that you are ultimately responsible for the safety of your computer. To provide increased protection, the department recommends a high quality security cable lock for your laptop. Laptop lock products are great and can be found for under $50. OTHER RECOMMENDED ITEMS The following are not required but are useful items: External Optical Drive Bluetooth or USB Mouse Digital Camera Surge Protector/UPS Durable Laptop Carrying Case InkJet Printer Laptop Skin/Shell Ethernet Cable/Apple Adapter Use the charts on the following page to help you determine which computer system best suits your needs. Please note that the availability of items in the NinerTech store are subject to change. For more information regarding availability and options, please visit the NinerTech store or website. Representatives in the NinerTech store can help you find a suitable alternative if necessary. Everyone s situation is unique and choices vary widely. Inquire at the NinerTech about a financing option or regarding the best way for you and your family to acquire your computer. NinerTech Store Hours Monday - Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm Store Information: ninertech@uncc.edu 1st Floor, Student Union Extended Summer Hours Start June 2nd. Monday-Thursday: 9:30am - 6:00pm Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm

4 Fall 2014 Purchasing Guide School of Architecture, College of Arts + Architecture, UNC Charlotte 4 Apple Options: Purchasing Guide L APTOP C OMPONENT Description M inimum Requirements Screen Size Diagonal measurement At least 15 CPU RAM Card Hard Drive Interprets & executes instructions in a computer. The brain of the computer that is key to its performance. The speed of which the computer can run multiple processes simultaneously. 2.0 GHz Intel Quad- Core i7 8GB DDR2 This card helps to render/draw the graphics Dedicated from imaging and 3D applications. Card w/512mb A dedicated video card is required. memory Space available on the computer for 250GB saving files. The bigger the better for storing graphics and image renderings. Warranty To protect your investment. At least 1 year APPLE Screen Size 15 Apple 15 MacBook Pro w/retina (minimum solution) Ninertech Store CPU 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 $ RAM 16GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Card NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory Hard Drive 512GB PCIe-based flash storage Warranty NinerCare 4 years $349 This is the only Apple MacBook that has a dedicated video card. This laptop meets all the needs of the Architecture and will run Mac and/or Windows student Windows 7 Home Premium with SP1 64-bit $ MS Office Win & Mac Office 365 University Subscription $79.99 Total (excl. taxes) $ APPLE Apple 15 MacBook Pro w/retina (complete solution) Ninertech Store Screen Size 15 CPU 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 $ RAM 16GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Card NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory Hard Drive 512GB PCIe-based flash storage Warranty NinerCare 4 years $349 This is the only Apple MacBook that has a dedicated video card. This laptop meets all the needs of the Architecture and will run Mac and/or Windows student Windows 7 Home Premium with SP1 64-bit $ Toshiba Canvio Slim 1TB External Hard Drive $99.99 PNY Macbook Air & Retina Locking System $29.99 Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabet Ethernet Adapter $29.00 PC Surge Protector 6 Outlets 4ft $12.99 GoldX Ethernet Cable 14ft Gray $9.99 Parallels Desktop for Mac w/free USB Flash Drive $39.99 Total (excl. taxes) $

5 Fall 2014 Purchasing Guide School of Architecture, College of Arts + Architecture, UNC Charlotte 5 PC Options: Purchasing Guide L APTOP C OMPONENT Description M inimum Requirements Screen Size Diagonal measurement At least 15 CPU RAM Card Hard Drive Interprets & executes instructions in a computer. The brain of the computer that is key to its performance. The speed of which the computer can run multiple processes simultaneously. 2.0 GHz Intel Quad- Core i7 8GB DDR2 This card helps to render/draw the graphics Dedicated from imaging and 3D applications. Card w/512mb A dedicated video card is required. memory Space available on the computer for 250GB saving files. The bigger the better for storing graphics and image renderings. Warranty To protect your investment. At least 1 year HP Screen Size HP Zbook (Windows only solution) 15.6 Anti-Glare LED Display Ninertech Store CPU 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 4700MQ $ RAM 8GB DDR3 SDRAM Card NVIDIA Quadro K110M with 2GB dedicated GDDR5 memory Hard Drive 750GB 7200rpm w/32gb solid state drive Warranty NinerCare 4 years $279 This computer runs Windows and not Mac OSX Windows 7 Professional Total (excl. taxes) $ DELL Screen Size Dell Latitude E6540 (Windows only solution) 15.6 Anti-Glare LED Display Ninertech Store CPU 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7 4800MQ $ RAM 16GB DDR3L Card AMD Radeon HD 8790M with 2GB dedicated GDDR5 memory Hard Drive 1TB 5400rpm w/8gb solid state drive Warranty NinerCare 4 years $279 This computer runs Windows and not Mac OSX Windows 7 Professional Total (excl. taxes) $

release of new software versions or updated computer hardware by manufacturers.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING RECOMMENDED HARDWARE: These recommendations are preliminary, final recommendations may change during the summer to reflect release of new software versions or updated computer