College of Architecture, Planning & Design

Recommended Computer \ Interior Design

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026
General Note for 1st-Year Students

Interior design students entering their first year will need access to a personal computer capable of running basic academic software such as Zoom, Mural, Microsoft Office, and other common applications. A wide range of software is available to K-State students at no cost or at discounted rates: https://www.k-state.edu/it/resources/access-software/applications/

Although high-performance laptops are not strictly required in the first year, we now recommend purchasing a computer as soon as possible—rather than waiting until the second year—to avoid potential delays due to supply chain disruptions, international tariffs, or last-minute availability issues. A suitable device purchased early can provide a smoother transition into digital coursework and allow time for students to become familiar with essential software tools.

General Note for 2nd-Year Students

Interior design students entering their second year are required to have a personal laptop computer that meets or exceeds the specified minimum requirements. Starting in the second year, students begin coursework that relies on resource-intensive software requiring advanced processing power and memory.

Students are fully responsible for maintaining their equipment and digital files. Failure to keep systems updated and well-maintained may result in performance issues, data loss, or frustration during critical projects. Proactive care and early acquisition of technology will help ensure success in the program.

PC

Dell Workstations

Dell Precision 5490 Mobile Workstation

  • Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 185H, vPro® Enterprise (16 cores, up to 5.1 GHz, 45 W)
  • Windows 11 Pro 64
  • NVIDIA® RTX™ 3000 Ada Generation, 8 GB GDDR6
  • 64 GB: LPDDR5x, 7467 MT/s, dual-channel (onboard)
  • 2 TB, M.2 2280, Gen 4 PCIe NVMe, SSD, Class 40
  • ProSupport Next Business Day Onsite Service after remote diagnosis with HW-SW Support, 48 Month(s)
  • $4,455.29 Dell direct before 10% educational discount
  • $4,312.99 K-State CatTech store in the Union
Dell direct: Follow these steps to unlock exclusive savings:
  1. Visit Dell’s new student portal: www.Dell.com/student
  2. Sign in or create an account.
  3. Register for Dell Rewards by clicking the Dell Rewards box when you create your My Account.
  4. Verify your student status with a valid student email address.
  5. Your student discount will be automatically applied to applicable items, and you will see the discount applied within cart.

Question?
Call sales: 1-877-275-3355 or chat with a live sales agent through the Dell website.

K-State CatTech store in the Union

Phone: 1-785-201-1941 Option 4
Web: www.bkstr.com/kansasstatestore
Email: cawright@follett.com, 1408590@follett.com

Lenovo Workstations

Lenovo Notebook ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 (21KYS6TY00)

  • Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 185H vPro® Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 5.10
    GHz)
  • Windows 11 Pro 64
  • NVIDIA RTX™ 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6
  • 64 GB DDR5-5600MT/s (SODIMM) - (2 x 32 GB)
  • 2 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 Performance TLC Opal
  • 4Y Onsite Warranty
  • 4Y Accidental Damage Protection
  • $2,970.00

Online orders: Lenovo Student Purchasing

Joe Kenney
Senior Account Executive
Higher Education KS/NE/SD/ND/WY/MT
Lenovo United States
Email jkenney@lenovo.com

Warranty

4 year on-site warranty is highly recommended.
These systems include a substantial discount for this warranty.

Monitor

Although not required, students are encouraged to purchase a second screen, either freestanding, portable or attachable, to have a more streamline faster and easier online experience. A second screen can help students participate in a studio/class on Zoom and continue to do things like look up a resource at the same time. A second screen will also help when needing to model and render simultaneously.

Ethernet

Cat 6 Ethernet cable.
10ft to 15ft recommended.
$5 - $15

Ethernet adapter for laptops highly recommended.
$10 - $50

Webcam

Laptops have a built in webcam and mic.

Removable storage

Students are encouraged to purchase an external hard drive of at least 1TB of memory in order to back up their work and always have it available if files needed to be transferred between computers.
$100 - $200

Software

Windows 11 Pro 64bit
Included with systems listed above.
There are multiple versions of Windows 11, ensure you have the PRO version and not the HOME version.

Microsoft Office
Available FREE through K-State Office 365 Webmail.

Adobe Creative Cloud
Software may be purchased from Adobe at academic discounts.
Check Adobe's storefront for current pricing.

Autodesk applications offered via the Autodesk Education Community.
Available FREE at autodesk.com
It is recommended to wait until you have received the syllabus from your instructor before downloading and installing Autodesk applications.

SketchUp
$55.00 /year
SketchUp Studio for Students

Enscape
$12.42 /month
Get your Enscape student license

Additional software may be specified in your instructor’s course syllabus.

Recommended options

Insurance
Protect your investment from accidental damage or theft. Check with your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and verify coverage, recommend purchase of a separate policy for your equipment if necessary.