It is strongly recommended all BFA in Film first-year students acquire a laptop robust enough for editing high-resolution digital film. The laptop will serve the student during their four years at Pratt and beyond. Laptops will be used during class time to work on projects.
You may purchase a Mac or a PC. Your laptop should meet the recommended requirements or higher.
Recommended Laptops
PC
The Dell Pratt Store is a dedicated educational portal for Pratt Institute students and faculty that offers exclusive education discounts, typically up to 10% off (with additional savings available through Dell Rewards) on laptops, desktops, monitors, and accessories.
1. Dell Pro 14 Premium
This is the most modest performer of the three. It features an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V vPro (8‑core processor up to ~5.0 GHz) with integrated Intel Arc graphics and up to 32 GB LPDDR5x RAM. Battery life is exceptional—up to 20+ hours streaming—thanks to its low‑power platform and tandem OLED display options.
Best suited for: web development, office productivity (MS Office, Google Docs/Sheets), light CAD, Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator at basic levels, virtual meetings, coding in Visual Studio or Python—anything that prioritizes mobility and battery over heavy GPU-intensive workflows.
2. Alienware 16X Aurora
The mid-tier performer, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX or comparable processor and paired with a dedicated NVIDIA RTX 5060 (or RTX 5070) GPU and 32 GB DDR5 RAM. Benchmarks show it achieves ~183 FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and ~53 FPS on Metro Exodus at high settings, and multi‑core CPU benchmarks are up to ~78 % faster than earlier models. The 240 Hz QHD+ display delivers smooth visuals.
Best suited for: GPU‑accelerated work like 3D modeling (Maya, Blender), Unreal or Unity for game development, video editing and effects in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, VR design, machine learning prototyping, and any creative workflow needing solid rendering and frame‑rate performance.
3. Alienware 18 Area‑51
This is the top performer, a desktop replacement. It uses the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24‑core) CPU and options up to RTX 5090 GPU with 24 GB GDDR7, up to 64 GB DDR5 RAM, and 2 TB PCIe Gen5 SSD. In benchmarks, it runs titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 at over 60 FPS at 4K maxed settings. As noted by TechRadar and Tom’s Guide, it’s the most powerful among modern gaming laptops without compromising on performance.
Best suited for: high‑end workflows like fluid 4K rendering in DaVinci Resolve or Cinema 4D, complex simulations, large‑scale game engine rendering, VR development, real‑time ray tracing, architectural visualization, massive datasets for GPU deep‑learning prototypes, Houdini FX pipelines—anything that needs maximum CPU and GPU power.
MAC
The Pratt Store at Apple is a customized college-education storefront tailored for Pratt Institute students and faculty, offering special pricing on Mac, iPad, and accessories, including limited‑time promotions like free AirPods or eligible accessories with qualifying Mac or iPad purchases
1. 14‑inch MacBook Pro (M4, Liquid Retina XDR display)
This model features the base M4 chip with a 10‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU, and 16‑core Neural Engine, paired with the 14‑inch Liquid Retina XDR display². It delivers excellent performance and portability, with sustained brightness up to 1,000 nits (SDR), 1,600 nits peak HDR, 120 Hz ProMotion, and superb color accuracy thanks to mini‑LED backlighting. Battery life in real‑world use can exceed 18 hours on light workloads.
Best suited for: coursework involving coding (Xcode, Python, Visual Studio Code), photo editing in Photoshop and Lightroom, moderate video editing in Final Cut Pro or Premiere, design tasks in Illustrator or Affinity Suite, and general productivity workflows where mobility and visual quality matter most.
2. 16‑inch MacBook Pro with 16‑core Neural Engine, Liquid Retina XDR display
This description appears to refer to the 16‑inch MacBook Pro configured with Apple’s M4 Pro or M4 Max chip, which includes the 16‑core Neural Engine and the larger 16‑inch Liquid Retina XDR display². With up to a 16‑core CPU (M4 Max model), 40‑core GPU, unified memory up to 48 GB, and bandwidth up to 546 GB/s, it offers a significant bump in rendering and compute capability over the 14‑inch base model. Battery life can reach over 20 hours under light tasks, while its display supports mini‑LED, ProMotion up to 120 Hz, and peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits.
Best suited for: intensive creative workflows—4K or multicam video editing in Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve, motion design and effects editing in After Effects, advanced 3D modeling in Blender or Maya, high‑resolution simulation or rendering, machine learning prototyping, and VR content development where GPU horsepower and large displays make a difference.
3. 16‑inch MacBook Pro with 16‑core Neural Engine and full M4 Max spec
This highest-tier variant leverages the M4 Max chip with up to a 16‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, massive unified memory (up to 48 GB), and incredible 546 GB/s memory bandwidth, all integrated with the same high-end 16‑inch Liquid Retina XDR display² and 16‑core Neural Engine for advanced AI workloads. It’s essentially the peak of Apple Silicon laptop performance available today, capable of matching or even outpacing heavier PC workstations in creative benchmarks while maintaining excellent thermal efficiency and quiet operation.
Best suited for: the most demanding academic applications—complex VFX and compositing in Nuke or DaVinci Fusion, cinematic rendering in Cinema 4D or Houdini, AI and deep‑learning workflow prototypes, architectural visualization at high fidelity, real‑time ray-tracing, and large Final Cut or Premiere edits with multiple layers and effects.
Important Note For MacBook Pro: Software required for degrees in the School of Architecture, Industrial Design, and Interior Design will only run within Windows OS. Download Windows for free, and install using Boot Camp Assistant (Intel processors) or by using Parallels (M1 and M2 processor).
Recommended Storage Solutions
Note: all Pratt students have limited Google Drive capacity.
Recommended Software
Adobe Creative Cloud (FREE to all Pratt Students)
Adobe Premiere Pro will be used during your first year. Follow the instructions below to acquire and install the Creative Cloud suite on your personally-owned computer:
- Visit adobe.com and login uisng your Pratt OneKey
- Choose ENTERPRISE ID if prompted to choose an account, then login once more with your OneKey
- Once redirected to your Adobe Dashboard, click DESKTOP DOWNLOADS in the upper left under Creative Cloud Apps
- Download the Creative Cloud desktop application, and you will then be able to install Adobe CC software from the Apps Tab
To ensure you meet all system requirements. If you need help or have questions or comments please contact the Service Desk at services@pratt.edu, 718.636.3765.
DaVinci Resolve – FREE, color grading and editing
Microsoft Office 365 – FREE, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Final Draft – screenwriting software
Not required until students take Screenwriting in the sophomore year. Students taking the Screenwriting course in the Film/Video Department can activate an 18 week first time user trial for use during the course.
Pro Tools – sound editing software
Not required until students take Sound for Film/Video in the sophomore year.
Monthly subscription: $9.99 month to month or $8.25 with a one year agreement
Perpetual License: $299