Email the exact product link or a screenshot of the final configuration to joe.brewer@uky.edu before ordering. The same model name can be sold with different processors, graphics cards, memory, and storage. A name such as “gaming laptop” or “workstation” does not establish whether that particular configuration meets the requirements.
The College's current published checklist is the Fall 2027 Student Computer Checklist, approved August 24, 2026. It carries forward the existing technical thresholds.
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Native 64-bit Windows 11. Macs and Windows running virtually on a Mac do not meet the requirement. |
| Processor | A 64-bit Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9 processor with at least 8 cores. |
| Memory | At least 32 GB of RAM. |
| Storage | At least a 1 TB NVMe solid-state drive. |
| Graphics | A dedicated NVIDIA RTX graphics card with at least 8 GB of its own graphics memory, called VRAM. Integrated graphics do not meet the requirement. |
| Display | A 15- to 17-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 or higher. |
| Connections | USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, or USB4, plus support for HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4. |
| Cooling | A laptop designed for sustained 3D modeling and rendering. Avoid ultrathin models intended mainly for light office work. |
| Mouse | A two-button mouse with a scroll wheel. A three-button mouse is preferred for Rhino and other 3D work. |
More memory or storage does not make up for a computer that lacks the required operating system or graphics card. Meeting the requirements also does not guarantee performance for every possible project.
Wait to purchase software until your faculty or College technology staff confirm what you need. Start with the laptop setup guide.
Send its exact configuration and tell us which program and courses you are entering. We can compare it with the published requirements and explain any gaps. The fact that one application runs on a computer does not establish that it meets the College's requirements for the full course workflow.
Start with simple checks and keep a separate copy of current work before making changes.
If those checks do not resolve the problem, gather the details below and contact support. A problem in a particular application may need its vendor's troubleshooting guidance.
Crashes, display artifacts, and poor viewport performance can have several causes. An error mentioning graphics does not, by itself, prove that a driver or graphics card is faulty.
Application-specific minimums are separate from the College purchase requirements above. A lower minimum published by one software vendor does not change the College's Windows, memory, storage, or NVIDIA RTX requirements.
A computer may contain integrated graphics alongside its required dedicated NVIDIA RTX card. If you suspect an application is using the wrong device, include that in your support request. Updating an integrated graphics driver does not make an integrated-only computer compliant.
If routine checks do not resolve the issue, ask for help before using driver-removal utilities, changing firmware or BIOS settings, or opening the computer. The appropriate next step depends on the exact hardware and symptoms.
You do not need to diagnose the problem before asking for help. Please include:
For a license problem, include which account you used to sign in, but never send your password or a Duo code. If Adobe shows a trial or purchase prompt, follow the Adobe access instructions before buying a separate subscription.
Keep your current project organized in a course folder and maintain a second copy in another location. The computer checklist recommends a 1–2 TB external drive for weekly backups, stored separately from your laptop. Check that you can open a file from the backup before relying on it.
When you use a cloud folder, check that the files have finished syncing. Keep meaningful project versions so an accidental edit does not become your only copy. For linked images, textures, or reference files, back up the project folder as well as the main document.