Notebook Computer Hardware Recommendations
Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology
School of Media, Art & Design
Updated April 2017
Who should be reading this document?
This document is intended for students entering any of the following programs in the School of
Media, Art & Design at Durham College, where the student is expected to have a Macintosh
notebook computer:
Advertising and Marketing Communications
Broadcasting – Radio and Contemporary Media
Contemporary Web Design
Fine Arts – Advanced
Graphic Design
Interactive Media Design
Investigative Journalism and Documentary Production (graduate certificate)
Journalism – Mass Media
Photography
Public Relations (compressed)
Video Production
Notebook Computer
We recommend a new or very recent Apple notebook computer. It should be capable of running
Adobe Creative Cloud. Suggested: MacBook Air Early 2015 or MacBook Pro 2014 or later. Students
can choose any current Apple notebook but should keep in mind the recommendations below.
Why Mac?
Students breaking into creative and design professions need to be familiar with hardware and
software used in industry. Our Program Advisories monitor this closely. Student success is the goal
of these recommendations.
How to Buy
You can buy in person at any Apple store or Apple Authorized Dealer. You can also buy online
directly from Apple Canada. When visiting a store in person, be sure to provide proof of enrolment
to obtain student pricing. To obtain student pricing online, please visit this URL: www.apple.com
If you are buying a new Apple notebook computer "off-the-shelf", we recommended these specific
models:
13-inch 2015 MacBook Air, Part number: MMGG2LL/A You also need to purchase: Thunderbolt to
Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, Part number: MD463LL/A
13-inch 2016 MacBook Pro, Part number: MLL42LL/A (Space Grey) or Part number: MLUQ2LL/A
(Silver) You also need to purchase: Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, Part number:
HJKF2ZM/A
13-inch 2016 MacBook Pro with TouchBar, any version. You also need to purchase: Belkin USB-C
to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, Part number: HJKF2ZM/A
15-inch 2016 MacBook Pro with TouchBar, any version. You also need to purchase: Belkin USB-C
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to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, Part number: HJKF2ZM/A
Most students like to buy off-the-shelf. However, there are advantages to customizing your own
"configure to order" (CTO) computer. You can only do that online. To obtain student pricing online,
please visit this URL: http://store.apple.com/ca_edu_93120
This will allow you to upgrade the memory on a 13-inch computer to 16 GB, for example, or
choose a larger solid state drive than the off-the-shelf model has. These upgrades cannot be
added later because they are soldered onto the main logic board. Apple will build them and ship
them to you. Please allow one to two weeks for your CTO order to be delivered.
Hardware Recommendations
8 GB of memory is recommended. 16 GB is ideal.
256 GB or 512 GB storage is highly recommended, especially for photography and video students.
You will need an Ethernet adapter. Please buy the correct adapter for the hardware you select.
Students will also need a short Ethernet cable (CAT 5e or CAT 6) 1-2 meters but you don't have to
buy it from Apple.
Students should have a 2.5-inch portable hard drive (1-3 TB) for backup and extra storage. You
don't have to buy this from Apple as any computer vendor will carry such devices. Interface should
be USB 3 or USB-C depending on your computer, or you may need an adapter.
If you buy a 2016 MacBook Pro please purchase the optional three prong power cord, as some
power sockets in the college may make it impossible to plug in with only the 2-prong power
adapter.
Apple normally runs a student promotion during the summer months (June to early September.)
Durham College has no influence on Apple's pricing, promotions or product refresh cycles, so we
suggest make your purchase no earlier than three weeks before school begins to ensure you get
the latest and greatest. If you prefer to purchase your notebook computer right away, please keep
in mind that a better model may be released at a later date for the same price. That is simply the
nature of the computer industry. Please see Apple's website for details on their refund/exchange
policies.
Warranties
Apple notebook computers come with a one-year hardware warranty and 90 days of phone
support. Apple's extended warranty is called AppleCare. End-users can purchase it at any time
during the first 30 days after buying a new Mac. AppleCare covers the hardware for manufactured
defects for 3 years from original date of purchase and includes phone support for that duration.
Other vendors may offer their own warranties which should not be confused with Apple's own
offering. Warranties from other vendors can only be processed by those vendors (outside of the
first year) and may limit your service options.
Accidental Damage, Liquid Damage, Theft
AppleCare does not cover accidental damage such as liquid spills, theft or impacts. Add your new
notebook computer to your household or tenant insurance policy to protect your new purchase.
You will need to send your insurance company proof of purchase including serial number. Please
backup your data to at least one external hard drive and store it separately from your notebook
computer to avoid potential data loss.
Software Recommendations
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Eligible full-time programs include Adobe Creative Cloud®. The subscription fee is added to
student tuition; there is no need to buy the software separately. For programs that are desktop
based, students can use Creative Cloud applications in our computer labs. Those students can
opt-in to our Adobe subscription for an annual fee, currently $150. (Fees are subject to change
without notice.)
Microsoft Office
Many of our programs expect students to submit essays in Word format. Once you have your
college email address, you can obtain Office for free from Microsoft. This promotion is through
Microsoft Canada and is between the student and the developer and may end at any time. See the
following URL for details: www.microsoft.ca
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I bring a windows-based notebook computer?
This is not recommended. For programs that involve desktop publishing (Journalism Print,
Advertising / Marketing, Graphic Design, Public Relations) a Macintosh notebook computer will be
needed. Students who choose to bring a Windows-based notebook computer may have difficulty
following Mac-based instruction, collaborating in groups and may encounter cross-platform issues
such as incompatible fonts. Students with computers that do not meet our hardware requirements
must be self-supporting. Faculty cannot support non-Mac solutions but our support staff can
assist with printing and connecting to servers. If you choose a Windows notebook computer it
should have similar specifications to the 13- or 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro: A modern, multi-core
processor, 8 or 16 GB of RAM, solid state drive, Windows 10 and compatibility with Adobe Creative
Cloud 2017.
The 13-inch MacBook Air is the least expensive Macintosh, is it recomended?
For students with minimal storage needs (such as Public Relations), this may be sufficient.
However, the storage on the least expensive model is only 128 GB — 120.11 GB when formatted,
which is very easy to fill, especially for photography or video. If you buy a computer with minimal
internal storage you will need an external hard drive.
I want to buy the MacBook Air 11-inch, will that work?
The 11-inch MacBook Air is no longer sold by Apple and is not recommended because of its
screen size and extremely limited storage.
Should I buy the 2015 MacBook?
The 2015 MacBook is a premium offering which is less economical than the MacBook Air or
MacBook Pro. Although it is still available, it was not updated in 2016 when the new MacBook Pro
was released. The 2016 machines have better performance.
What if i purchased my Mac laptop before these new models came out?
Please do not bring a Macintosh that was manufactured before 2013. We recommend:
8 GB or 16 GB Processor - Intel Core i5 or i7
Retina display
Solid state drive (SSD)
My Older Mac has an Intel Core 2 Duo (or Intel Core Duo Processor.) Will It Work?
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These older machines cannot run the current operating system or Adobe Creative Cloud.
Can I get by without a notebook computer with my desktop at home or in residence?
Students are expected to have a mobile learning device (an Apple notebook computer) in order to
complete assignments and collaborative work in class. Being able to do work in class is critical to
student success.
How do I get the best price?
Make sure you are buying from the online Apple Canada education store or if in person, that store
personnel are aware you are a student. Time your purchase to take advantage of promotions.
Apple's student promotion normally runs from June until early September. Another option is to buy
a refurbished or used device. If you are buying used from local buy and sell sites such as Kijiji or
Craigslist, be sure you know what to look for. Meet any potential sellers in a well-lit public place
and bring a Mac expert with you, if possible. See the end of this document for more information.
Besides the recommended notebook computer, what else will I need?
Students should come to the college with the following: Cat 5e/Cat 6 Ethernet cable to connect to
the campus network, 1-2 meters in length. Ethernet adapter. Most programs recommend a 32 or
64 GB USB flash memory "stick" and a portable hard drive for backup. We recommend 1 TB
minimum for the hard drive and it should be bus-powered, i.e. not require an external power
supply.
The college has wireless networking. Why do I need ethernet?
Wireless networking is too slow for large files students may be required to download or hand in
using our network servers. Strong wireless coverage is not available in all laptop rooms. Ethernet is
hundreds of times faster than wireless networking.
How much is enough memory?
Choosing how much memory for your computer is a balancing act between cost and performance.
For editing video, more memory means better performance. For video editing we recommend 8GB
or 16GB of RAM.
Is system memory the same as storage?
System memory (RAM) should not be confused with mass storage, which is solid state device (SSD)
where your programs and data are stored. 256 GB is the minimum size recommended for massstorage and still may be too small for students with a lot of data needs.
My machine has 4 GB of memory, will this work?
While 4 GB is the minimum required at the time this document was written by the Adobe software
suite, that may change at any time. Having only 4 GB of memory will result in decreased
performance as the computer will "swap" memory to the built-in mass storage device. Keep in
mind your notebook computer needs to last the entire length of your program of studies, so a
small increase in cost now is a good investment for later. Most of Apple's new notebook computers
cannot be upgraded after purchase.
Can I get by with an iPad or other tablet device?
Although a tablet can be useful for some tasks, a Macintosh notebook computer is needed to meet
all learning outcomes and to work in groups.
Buying a used or refurbished MacBook Pro
If you are buying a used or refurbished MacBook Pro, use these specifications to ensure your
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purchase will meet our requirements. To check the specifications on a Mac, click on the Apple
menu and select About This Mac. In the dialog box that appears, and click More Info... If you need
assistance please contact the author of this document. Contact information is at the end.
Processor
Intel 64-bit multi-core processor. (Intel Core i5 or Core i7.)
Memory
4GB is currently the minimum, but at least 8 GB is highly recommended. 16GB is ideal.
Storage
A Solid State Device (SSD) for mass storage is highly recommended, 256 GB or more. Hard drives
are too slow.
Graphics Processor
NVIDIA GeForce graphics processor or Intel HD Graphics 6000 or better. Must be OpenGL 2.0capable. All new Apple notebooks have Intel Iris Pro graphics. The high-end 15-inch model also
has an NVIDIA graphics processor. If you buy an older notebook, the 15-inch model has better
graphics.
Display
13 or 15-inch display recommended. Minimum resolution should be 1440 x 900 pixels for Adobe
After Effects. Other Adobe applications need a minimum resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.
Operating System
OS X 10.10 "Yosemite" or later. New systems ship with macOS Sierra (10.12.) Older operating
systems are not compatible with Adobe Creative Cloud.
Is there someone I can call to for more information?
Please call Jim Ferr at: 905-721-2000 extension 2645. Or email him at:
[email protected]
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