Digital Art and Design Technology Requirements

Cost of Technology Summary

Computer

• MacBook Pro 16" 64 GB 1TB with AppleCare: approximately $3918

Annual Software

• First Year: $240
• Sophomore—Senior and up: $502 per year

Tech Total

• Total to be added into cost of education for a Digital Art and Design student = $5,644 for 4 years
  
  

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Detailed Specifications

Make sure to purchase through the Apple Education Store for the student discount. 

MacBook Pro 16": $3918

This computer is a laptop. To draw digitally you will need access to a drawing tablet. Cintiqs are available on campus or you can purchase your own digital drawing tablet - see the recommendations below.

Computer Cost: $3559

Configure your computer with:

• Processor: Apple M1 Max chip with 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine
• RAM: 64GB unified memory (+$360)
• Graphics Card: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory
• Storage: 1TB SSD storage
• Display: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
• Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port
• 140W USB-C Power Adapter
• Backlit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID - US English
• Include AppleCare (+$359)

External Accessories Required for Entertainment-Focused Students ONLY

• Digital Drawing Pen Display:  Huion Kamvas Pro 16 Pen Display with Stand : $400 (we tested and  recommend)
  
  There are larger options available if preferred. We do not recommend pen displays under 15".

Additional Software and Accessories - Required for ALL Digital Art and Design Students

Required Software for all DAD students:

• Adobe Creative Cloud subscription ($20 per month or $240 for the first year)
• Microsoft Office (provided by Ferris State University)
• MODO Student Edition License ($262 per year) – for students Sophomore-level and above