Film Program Laptop Requirement
For students majoring in Film who plan to take the production courses listed below, we require that you own a laptop computer that meets these hardware and software specifications.
Courses
- FILM 132 Introduction to Digital Filmmaking (4)
- FILM 257 Narrative Film Production I (4)
- FILM 258 Documentary Film Production I (4)
- FILM 358 Narrative Film Production II (4)
- FILM 359 Narrative Film Production III (4)
- FILM 360 Topics in Film Production (4) *Most FILM 360 Topics require a laptop
- FILM 361 Documentary Film Production II (4)
- FILM 362 Documentary Film Production III (4)
- FILM 363 Topics in Experimental Film (4)
- FILM 364 Sound Production and Design (4)
- FILM 365 Editing (4)
- FILM 366 Digital Cinematography (4)
- FILM 450 Portfolio and Professional Development (4)
- FILM 451 Advanced Production Workshop (4)
- FILM 460 Advanced Topics in Production (4)
Specifications
Hardware
Windows Minimum and Recommended Specifications
| | Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications |
|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i9-12900K Processor or AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Processor | Intel Core i9-12900K Processor or AMD Ryzen 9 7900X Processor |
|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit) V22H2 | Windows 10 (64-bit) V22H2 or later and Windows 11 |
|---|
| RAM | 32GB | 64GB or above |
|---|
| GPU | 2GB GPU memory. Ideally a port with 4k Signal and a 60 HZ refresh rate. Suitable graphics cards would be the NVIDIA RTX 3050 or the RTX 30604K | RTX 3080 or Quadro RTX |
|---|
| Hard disk space | 500GB drive with at least 15gb of free disk space | 8GB GPU Memory |
|---|
| Monitor resolution | 1920x1080 pixels | 1920x1080 or more to display HDR 1000 for HDR workflows |
|---|
| Internet | Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services. | |
|---|
macOS Minimum and Recommended Specifications
| | Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications |
|---|
| Processor | Apple M4 Pro chip with 12‑core CPU | Apple M4 Max chip with 16‑core CPU |
|---|
| Operating system | macOS 26 Tahoe (2025) | macOS 26 Tahoe (2025) |
|---|
| RAM | 48GB Unified Memory | 64GB Unified Memory |
|---|
| GPU | 16-Core GPU, 16-core Neutral Engine | 40‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine |
|---|
| Hard disk space | 500GB drive with 15gb of free disk space. | 1TB |
|---|
| Monitor resolution | Standard Liquid Retina XDR display (3024 x 1964 native resolution at 254 PPI) | Standard Liquid Retina XDR display (3024 x 1964 native resolution at 254 PPI) |
|---|
| Internet | Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services. | |
|---|
Internet connection and registration are necessary for Adobe CC required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services.
Software
The Adobe Creative Cloud (ACC) subscription program offers a package that allows students to subscribe to software on a month-by-month basis at a discounted rate while in courses that make use of that software.
· Editing: Adobe Premiere Pro
· Sound Design: Adobe Audition
· Color Correction: Adobe SpeedGrade and Adobe After Effects
· Visual Effects and Graphics work: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects
External Hard Drive
We recommend the LaCie Rugged series, or an external hard drive with:
• Disk rotational speed: 7200 RPM
• Interface: USB 3.0 and/or FireWire 800 and/or Thunderbolt
• Capacity: at least 500 GBs, but more is better
An additional external drive or a subscription to cloud storage is recommended for back up of the external hard drive.
Purchasing Your Laptop
Your purchase of a laptop may be eligible for an extension of any student loans you receive through the PSU Financial Aid Office. Please contact the PSU Financial Aid Office at (503) 725-3461 or toll-free (800) 547-8887. The form required to extend your student loan is available online.
You should ensure that you have access to a laptop before registering for any production course that is 100 level or above, starting with FILM 132. Even if you currently own a desktop, you will still need a laptop to participate fully in the courses listed above.