Work Station Specifications for Game Programmers

What kind of specifications are required to learn game programming at home?

Since we provide the tools that are necessary for our students to succeed in the classroom, we get a ton of questions regarding work station specifications for game programmers, allowing students to continue developing their games at home. The instructors have shared their top recommendations for any AIE student to be able to comfortably work from home. We will primarily focus on specifications needed for our students enrolled in Game Programming.

From the cream of the crop and then on to more bank account friendly options, there are tons of options you can choose from in stores or online that will suit your needs. Game programmers that know what kind of specifications to look for can give them the freedom to future-proof their workstation, lasting years without having to upgrade their workstation.

Here is an example of some of the best hardware money can buy in 2018:

• Graphics: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080
• Motherboard: MSI Z270 SLI Plus
• Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB

With this setup, or a setup like it, you’re well on your way to a powerful machine that’s more than capable to make some game programming magic happen. Parts like these can be quite costly, but completely worth it in the long run. We recommend using these benchmarks as a guide when you are ready to ask a retailer. If they don’t have these parts in particular, they can suggest parts similar to these, as well. Inquire your local retailer or online supplier for more recommendations.

What are some budget-friendly options?

Look for a laptop with this sticker adjacent to the keyboard.

Maybe you’re not looking for the latest and greatest, or you don’t want the headache that can come with building your own computer. However, you do want something that will last you a good while and to keep within your budget – which is totally possible! Just keep in mind that you’ll eventually need to upgrade to stay current with the industry standard programs the game programmer will be working with. For your convenience below, you will find a list of options, along with their specifications:

• Acer – Nitro 5 15.6″ Laptop
• Asus VivoBook S510UN-EH76 15.6″ Full HD Thin and Portable Laptop
• ASUS ROG Strix GL753VE 17.3″ Full HD Notebook

Technical jargon and big words aside, there are plenty of budget-friendly work stations to choose from. We’ll also be covering the specifications needed for those studying: Game Design & Production, Game Art & Animation and 3D Animation & VFX for Film.