CETEMS - Student Resources

Personal computers are not required by RIT for course work as all assignments and projects can be completed using the computer labs provided by the university. However, most students find having a computer while attending RIT beneficial for academic and personal use.  Additionally, laptops are the recommended style computer as students can bring them to class, to their labs and directly to the faculty for help.   However, if you choose a desktop follow the same basic hardware guidelines found below.

Scaled down tablet devices such as the Microsoft Surface, iPads, and Android tablets are not really sufficient if you wish to run the higher end CAD tools and Engineering software packages you will be working with in class. 

Recommended Manufacturers (not an exhaustive list):

• Dell
• Lenovo
• HP

NOTE:  Although Apple manufactures fine hardware, the software used in the department does not run on MacBooks or MacBook Pros. 

Operating System

Windows 10 64-bit OS

Hardware Recommendations

Processor  i7 processor recommended.  Please see this link for laptop processor benchmarking information - http://www.cpubenchmark.net/laptop.html

RAM At least 8GB recommended, 16GB better.

Hard Drive:  At least 128GB hard for the boot drive(hard drive with operating system and main applications), 256 GB recommended.  Solid State drives are strongly recommended.  External or secondary drive for additional storage can be 7200RPM SATA drives or better.  * Some server space is provided to students, see towards the bottom of the page.

Graphics Card:

At Least 1GB Memory that supports Open GL. 

Some examples are:  Nvidia GeForce, Nvidia Quadro, or AMD FirePro series

If possible, use the SolidWorks System/Graphics Card Requirements matrix to find recommended graphics when configuring a new PC – see link here for certified models.

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html

Laptop screen size:

This is up to your preference, some models listed have 12.5 inch screens and some go up to 17 inch screens.  The 17” laptops can be quite cumbersome.  Most models have docking stations so that you could hook a larger monitor and standard keyboard and mouse in your rooms.  15” would be the suggested size.

Warranty

It is strongly recommended to purchase at least a 3 year warranty that covers failed hardware.  Some vendors such as Dell also offer complete care which covers accidental damage from drops, liquid spills, etc.

Backup

An external hard drive or USB thumb drive large enough to backup your important files externally is recommended.   Additionally, cloud services such as Dropbox offer space off your computer to securely store important files.

Additional information

Almost all manufacturers have educational discounts ranging from 5% - 10% off. The manufacturer website will have an education section in the online store.

Upon logging into your lab computer, if you open Windows Explorer, you will notice your computer has multiple Networked Drives. Each of these drives has a specific purpose. The S drive is a personal slice of the CET server, any files you put here can be accessed from any other lab machine connected to the CET network. The space in this drive is limited to 2GB, and we recommend backing up important coursework on a flash drive or with Google Drive as it is not backed up. The T drive has all the software you will need for your coursework. Simply navigate to your program, and look for your required software. This software is provided so you can install it on a home machine, you should not need to install it on the lab computers.

Access to labs in rooms 82-2165 require you to register your ID for swipe access. Visit https://apps.rit.edu/engineeringtechnology/labs/lab_access/index.php to do so.