Laptop Requirement

Computer Recommendations

Pratt Munson requires all new students to purchase a laptop.

The Dell Pratt Store and Apple Pratt Store are dedicated educational portals for all Pratt students that offer exclusive education discounts and payment plans. Students should create an account using their Pratt email address to access discounted pricing and available payment plans.

Below are a few laptop models we recommend.

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.

14-inch MacBook Pro

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 display. 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.

16-inch MacBook Pro

This description refers 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 display. 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.

Munson's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.