Technology

To do the best work, you'll need the right gear.

CCAD has all the cutting-edge tech tools you'll need to turn your creative dreams into reality. Our computer labs are loaded with the latest version of Adobe Creative Cloud and other industry-standard software. Plus, we've got 3D printers, laser-cutting tools and plenty of 21-inch Cintiq tablets for you to draw on. Not to mention high-quality, large-format printers so you can see your work translate onto paper.

If you have any tech questions, the CCAD Information Technology staff are here to help. Contact the IT Help Desk at 614.222.6174, helpdesk@ccad.edu.

IT Help Desk hours:

Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Digital Print Lab hours:

The Print Lab will reopen for in-person printing on Monday, August 23rd.  Bring your own paper and come to the Print Lab in Kinney Hall room 220, or submit a print order using our online order form, and your prints will be completed within one business day and will be available for pickup at the Ampersand Emporium during operating hours. For more information about the IT Help Desk and Digital Print Lab hours and services, click here.

Technology recommendations & guidelines for incoming students

Recommended laptop specifications

While having a laptop is a requirement as a CCAD student, it can be confusing knowing which one will best fit your needs. Use the table of recommendations below to help you purchase the right laptop for your intended area of study. You can purchase Mac laptops at the Apple Education Store, PC laptops at the Dell University Store, and Wacom MobileStudio Pro systems at the Wacom Student Discount page.

If you have any information about our recommendations, please reach out to the Chair of your intended major.

MFA Visual Arts students should refer to major in the table below that most closely relates to their discipline. For example, MFA students whose work is photography-focused should refer to Photography, etc.

Mac

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major

OS

Memory

Processor

Storage

Video

Battery

Suggested model

How much will this cost me?*
Photography macOS 11 Big Sur or newer 8GB RAM Intel Core i5 1.1GHz quad-coure 10th-gen 512GB Intel Iris Plus Graphics standard battery (not customizable) MacBook Air $1,149.00
Comics, Illustration, Advertising & Graphic Design macOS 11 Big Sur or newer 16GB RAM Intel Core i5 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-gen 512GB Intel Iris Plus Graphics standard battery (not customizable) 13-in MacBook Pro $1,699.00
Film & Video macOS 11 Big Sur or newer 16GB RAM Intel Core i7 2.6GHz 6-core 10th-gen 1TB** AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory standard battery (not customizable) 16-in MacBook Pro $2,199.00
                 

PC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major

OS

Memory

Processor

Storage

Video

Battery

Suggested model

How much will this cost me?*
Interior Design Windows 10, 64-bit 8GB RAM Intel Core i5 10th-gen or AMD Ryzen 5 2500X 256GB*** Integrated Intel Iris Xe with 1080p display 4-cell or higher Dell XPS 13 Laptop $979.99
Fashion Design Windows 10, 64-bit 16GB RAM Intel Core i5 10th-gen or AMD Ryzen 5 2500X 512GB*** Integrated Intel Iris Xe with 1080p display 4-cell or higher Dell XPS 13 Laptop $1,175.99
Animation, Industrial Design, Game Design Windows 10, 64-bit 32GB RAM Intel Core i7 10th-gen or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 2TB*** Discrete 4Gb Graphics Card with 1080p display 4-cell or higher Dell Precision 5550 OR Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16 $2,199.00, $3,324.95
                 

Either Mac or PC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major

OS

Memory

Processor

Storage

Video

Battery

Suggested model

How much will this cost me?*
Fine Arts, Art History macOS 11 Big Sur or newer 8GB RAM Intel Core i5 1.1GHz quad-coure 10th-gen 512GB Intel Iris Plus Graphics standard battery (not customizable) MacBook Air $1,149.00
Fine Arts, Art History Windows 10, 64-bit 8GB RAM Intel Core i5 10th-gen or AMD Ryzen 5 2500X 256GB Integrated Intel Iris Xe with 1080p display 4-cell or higher Dell XPS 13 Touch Laptop $979.99

 

*Based are based on "student" or "educational" discounted rates. Prices listed are subject to change, and do not include additional, external storage or accessories such as a mouse, adapters, or extra charge cables.

**additional 1TB external hard drive recommended

***upgrade internal storage or additional external drive recommended

Adobe Creative Cloud

CCAD BFA and MFA students have full access to Adobe Creative Cloud apps using their CCAD email address. Click here for instructions to download and install the Creative Cloud apps.

Antivirus software

Our IT Help Desk can recommend software to keep your files safe. Contact us by emailing helpdesk@ccad.edu, or by calling 614.222.6174

Backing up your files

You will have access to unlimited storage on your Google Drive as part of your CCAD account. Store important files here to make sure they are safely backed up in the cloud.

A USB flash drive

Or some other form of external storage to move your files between classroom stations and your laptop. Make sure not to keep the only copy of your files on your external storage in case it is lost or damaged.

A digital drawing tablet
 

Tablets are available at Ampersand Supply Store.