Below you will find detailed information as well as suggestions / examples for both Apple and Windows/PC laptop computers that will work well with software that is typically used in the Film and Digital Media production concentration courses. 

Please take note of these details: 

• Three of the suggestions on this page (and PDF file) specify 16GB of RAM (Memory). When possible, it is the best case scenario for the system to have 32GB of RAM (Memory) for the Adobe Applications to run more efficiently, especially when working with higher resolution video formats (UHD/4K). However, this can be prohibitively expensive. 16GB of RAM (Memory) should be considered a minimum. Also, to purchase a computer with 32GB you will need to order it as a custom configuration directly from the manufacturer (the UCSC bookstore does not offer 32GB options). The Apple M1 Pro models have a newer “unified” memory architecture that is faster than traditional RAM, however, we still encourage 32GB when possible as shown in the second configuration option.
• There are many companies who sell and manufacture laptops. The two PC (Windows) suggestions in this page (and PDF file) should serve as examples. If you prefer a different brand and would like to do your own research on this topic, that is ok. This list has been compiled as a convenience because it is a frequently asked question and a technically complex subject. The Film and Digital Media department does not endorse one particular brand/manufacturer regarding personal laptop purchases, but it is important that laptops are able to run the software that Film and Digital Media production concentration courses use.
• For those interested in this subject who wish to look into the details more, you can find system requirements for the two most advanced pieces of software that are typically used in the Film and Digital Media production concentration courses here:
• Adobe Premiere: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/system-requirements.html
• Adobe After Effects: https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/system-requirements.html

Apple (MacOS) suggested systems:

Please note: These are the newest laptops available from Apple and ship with MacOS Monterey. Check compatibility with MacOS Monterey for any applications that you rely on.

Apple MacBook Pro 14” or 16” M1 Pro Model:

• 10-Core CPU
• 16-Core GPU
• 16GB Unified Memory (see 32GB RAM note above)
• 1TB SSD Storage
• Liquid Retina XDR display
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
• Force Touch trackpad
• Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port
• MacOS Monterey
• Available at https://www.apple.com with student discount (Choose “Shop for College”)
• Also available at the UCSC Baytree Bookstore – https://slugstore.ucsc.edu

Apple MacBook Pro 14” or 16” M1 Pro Model (better for running simultaneous applications) ::

• 10-Core CPU
• 16-Core GPU
• 32GB Unified Memory (see 32GB RAM note above)
• 1TB SSD Storage
• Liquid Retina XDR display
• Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
• Force Touch trackpad
• Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port
• MacOS Monterey
• Available at https://www.apple.com with student discount (Choose “Shop for College”)
• Also available at the UCSC Baytree Bookstore – https://slugstore.ucsc.edu

PC (Windows OS) suggested systems:

Razer Blade 15″:

• 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11800H 8 Core (2.3GHz / 4.6GHz)
• Discrete (Video Card): NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 (6GB DDR6 VRAM)
• 16GB Dual-Channel DDR4-3200MHz (8GB x 2) memory (see 32GB RAM note above)
• 512GB SSD (M.2 NVMe) storage
• 15.6″ Full HD 144Hz, 100% sRGB, 4.9 mm bezel, factory calibrated display
• Single-zone RGB Powered by Razer Chroma™ anti-ghosting keyboard
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) x3, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB-C)
• Windows 10 Home
• Available at https://www.razer.com with 5% student discount

New Dell XPS 15”:

• 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-11800H (24MB Cache, up to 4.6 GHz, 8 cores)
• Discrete (Video Card): NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 4GB GDDR6 [45W]
• 16GB DDR4 3200MHz memory (see 32GB RAM note above)
• 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive storage
• 15.6″ FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit Display
• English keyboard, black, backlit, Fingerprint Reader
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C™, Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB Type-C™) 2x, SD, headphone/mic
• Windows 10 Home
• Available at https://www.dell.com with 10% student discount

These system suggestions are also available as a PDF file by clicking here.
If you need more help on this subject, please feel free to reach out to the department ITS staff by emailing fdmit@ucsc.edu with your question.

Last updated: Winter 2022