Montana State University: laptop requirements

Yes — a conforming laptop is required. Montana State University (School of Architecture) publishes a minimum specification students are required to meet.

📌 This is a requirement, and it is college-specific. It binds the School of Architecture, not necessarily every Montana State University student — check your own program before buying.

The published specification

Operating system: Both PC and Mac allowed, but "if you purchase a Mac to meet the specifications below, it is important that you also install the Windows operating system on your Mac—through Parallels." Revit "only runs on Windows"; a Mac needs Windows 11 installed and run through Parallels

Processor: "Typically i5-, i7- and i9- Intel processors will handle what we will do in ARCH 262." For the more demanding third-year software: "a processor that has a single thread speed CPUMark of 2200 minimum or 2600 recommended" (examples given: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X, Intel Core i7-4790S or better)

Memory (RAM): "The minimum RAM required is 16 GB, but we strongly recommend 32 GB of RAM."

Storage: "an SSD drive of 512 GB is probably the minimum size you will want to have"; optionally increase to 1 TB. If choosing an HDD instead, "1 TB as the starting point"

Graphics: Discrete (dedicated) graphics card required — Nvidia or AMD. "For ARCH 262, the software typically require a 4 GB graphics card at the low end--6GB VRAM is recommended if your budget allows for it." "We recommend discrete graphics cards that are between 4 GB and 12 GB depending upon your budget." Lumion target: G3D Mark of 14,000 or higher (8000 minimum recommended by the vendor)

What this specification rules out

"An integrated graphics card is not sufficient to run the programs we utilize." RhinoCAM and Lumion "only run on the Windows operating system"; Revit "only runs on Windows"

Also listed on the same page

Software used: Rhino 8, RhinoCAM (lab-only, PC-only), Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign/Acrobat (free via MSU), SketchUp Pro (network licence), Climate Studio; third year adds Grasshopper 1.0, Autodesk Revit 2025, Lumion and Enscape. An external monitor is a common student choice; laptop screen 13", 15" or 17" is left to student budget

Source

The source page quotes dollar figures in its budget advice. We do not reproduce prices, so those figures are omitted above — read them on the source page below.

Taken from Montana State University's own published page: https://arch.montana.edu/people/current-students/current-students-documents/MSU_Architecture_Computer_Specs_Flier_20250527.pdf — stated for Document dated May 27, 2025; references coursework in Fall Semester 2025 and Fall Semester 2026. Verified 2026-08-25. Specifications change every intake, so confirm against that page before you buy.

Laptops that meet this specification

Product links go to Amazon search — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Links never change the checklist.

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The search is built from the capacities Montana State University actually prints, so compare each result against the published specification above before ordering — listings change and this page does not track stock or price.

Packing for Montana State University

A laptop is one line on a longer list. See the full Montana State University dorm packing list for bedding, storage and the rest of move-in.

Laptop requirements at other schools: North Carolina State University · University of Nebraska–Lincoln · University of Nevada, Reno · North Dakota State University · Northwestern University · Oakland University