Interior Design Hardware and Software Recommendations - 

School of Design - Interior Design
Fall 2022-2023 Equipment Information

Congratulations and Welcome to Interior Design at RIT! 

Below are the supplies that will help you be prepared for your studies in the program! All this equipment will be used throughout your career at RIT.

Hardware

There are numerous labs with extended hours in the School of Design with high-end PC computers and industry relevant software. A personal computer will allow you to complete much of the necessary studio course work at home, the library or around campus with classmates. Below are recommendations for purchasing a computer and related equipment:

1. A 15-inch PC based laptop is recommended for portability and flexibility.
   

2. PC-based computers are largely utilized in Interior Design. There are software compatibility issues that will be encountered with Apple based system.
   

3. Purchase as much RAM (memory), hard drive space and an i5 - i7 Processor speed as affordable to best handle the manipulation of large digital files.
   

4. An inexpensive 27 inch or larger monitor for your dorm room will greatly increase productivity and allow you to see and work on design details easier.

5. Consider technology advancements. Due to the increases in computer speed and software requirements it may be desirable to upgrade the memory and graphic cards prior to your junior or senior years. We recommend purchasing the best laptop computer available today and plan to keep it for all 4 years.
   

• PC computers such as the 15” Dell XPS, MS Surface Book 2, or Lenovo with a dedicated video card.

•  Core i7

• 16+ GB RAM

• 1TB Hard drive

• Estimated Cost: $2,400.00
  

Digital Storage Devices

Remotely accessible server storage is available for temporarily moving files through the RIT network. USB “Thumb” drives should be used to meet your storage needs and are highly recommended for data backup. We also recommend that you keep backups of your files (projects, etc.) in AT LEAST 2-3 places and save often! Currently, the Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive and Apple’s iCloud offer online storage options for students.

1. USB Flash (Thumb) Drives: Prices range from $10 – $155 depending on size; they can store between 128GB to 1TB. It is HIGHLY recommended to have at least two flash drives and use them to save duplicates of your files in addition to using cloud storage.

Software

Our lab workstations have a wide array of software applications that you will use for your coursework at RIT. The full Autodesk suite of software is free and downloadable for students on their own personal computers, https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/System-requirements-for-Autodesk-Revit-2020-products.html. 

For use on your own computer, we strongly recommend the Adobe Creative Cloud: CC subscription and the Microsoft Office Suite for all students. The Adobe Creative Cloud: CC will be the package installed in the labs at RIT. This service includes online storage, 2 devices installations and will automatically update the Adobe software over the duration of the subscription, http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud.html.

1. Adobe Creative Cloud: CC - Academic Subscription
   Academic price: $19.99 to 29.99 per month
   

2. Microsoft Office Home and Student or Apple iWork
   Academic price: Free to students
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office

NOTE: Check for deals offered through RIT. Great discounts are frequently available closer to fall semester.

Smart Phone or Tablet Device

Currently one of the major design and interactive trends is in portable devices. We have a limited number in our School of Design equipment “cage” available to sign-out; however, you may want to plan and consider an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone or tablet for general use.

Camera

Due to the advancements in mobile phone cameras and VR, a high-end mobile phone such as the iPhone or Samsung will meet the needs for most freshman and upper level courses. In addition, the CAD photo cage will allow students to check-out cameras for a nominal lab fee that can be paid every semester.

Along with camera and computer needs, RIT’s Digital Den offers special pricing and/or manufacturers’ discounted offers on computers and software packages: http://www.rit.edu/digitalden.

Design Boards

 Students should anticipate professional printing expenses for design boards in the interior design studio courses. These expenses will range from $40-$100 per semester, depending on the scale and size of the project and required drawings.

Model Making Supplies

Introductory interior design courses include basic model making instruction with exposure to hand crafted, 3D printing, and laser printing techniques. Expenses for these supplies range ($10-$50) depending on the scale of the model.

NOTE

Please refer the campus resources in your welcome letter for the Digital Den at Barnes & Noble @ RIT (educational discounts), and our contact information.  We are happy to help as needed!

Questions

If you have any questions on the hardware or materials listed above please contact:

Mary Golden, Undergraduate program Director, megfaa@rit.edu

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Hardware and Software Recommendations