Best Laptops for Architects, whether you are a professional building designer or an architect student having the right laptop and software can make a big difference to your work. There are many architecture software in the market that can run smoothly only on a decent laptop. Examples include Revit, Sketch-up, and Studio Max. The best laptop for architecture is powerful enough to run these programs comfortably and portable enough to bring around.
The best laptop for architects must be equipped with a lot of internal memory and an impressive display to minimise eye strain. Also, the key factor is the portability of the laptop.
So, if you’re looking for the best laptops for architects, we can help you with some of the best laptops currently available in the market.
We have selected the best laptops for architects, including various price ranges, features, performance, and design, so you have a wide range of choices.
Top 15 Best Laptops for Architects
15. Lenovo Legion 5 15
The 15th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Lenovo Legion 5 15. Lenovo rebranded its mid-range and high-end gaming laptops line into the Legion line a few years back, and we’ve always been great fans of the Legion models.
Legion on the Legion Y 530, in particular, were formidable entries in 2019, and for 2020 the Legion 5 takes the line to new heights. The Legion 5 has the same type of look as its predecessor.
The Legion Y series, despite coming in as a rebrand. However, the chunky profile 0.9 inches thick and 5.41 pounds doesn’t quite match the minimalist design of competitors like the Asus Rog Zephyrus M 0.78 inches and 4.39 pounds. The Legion 5 sports a 15.6 inch 1920 x 1080 on the screen. That’s a step above budget on both brightness and color range. At the same time rocking a 144 hertz 100 percent sRGB display that’s perfect for speedy frame rates. The Legion finds AMD Ryzen 74800 H CPU and 16 gigabytes of RAM will handle most of your productivity tasks with unmatched ease. You can open at a time 40 Google chrome tabs, including a twitch Livestream and Netflix film and the 1080P Youtube videos without lagging at all. The impressive performance is boosted by speedy 512 gigabyte SSD storage, the answer to impressive processing speeds. It definitely is one of the best laptops for architects in the market, and you should check it out.
14. Asus Rog Zephyrus G14
The 14th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Asus Rog Zephyrus G14. If you want to get the most bang for your hard-earned money, I recommend the excellent Asus Rog Zephyrus G14.
It is one of the most impressive gaming laptops out there. It provides you a great portable design, superb performance specs, excellent battery life, solid display, nice audio, and so much more. The lightweight body owes you to the fantastic magnesium and aluminum used for its construction perfect overall. The moonlight white color scheme is just fantastic.
The Asus Zephyrus G14 is packed with a 4-inch panel with full HD resolution and a 120-hertz native refresh rate. The panel supports AMD free-sync, which works excellent for tear-free gaming even though it rocks an Nvidia graphics unit. The Asus Rog Zephyrus G14 is power-packed with some awesome solid performance specs. It provides you enough to get you through any game with a high refresh rate and beautiful visuals. It’s packed with the 3rd generation AMD Ryzen 94900 HS processor with 16 gigabytes of RAM and one terabyte of high-speed SSD to make it a productivity powerhouse. The graphics department’s all under the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 MaxQ GPU with 6 gigabytes around that’ll impress everyone out there. This laptop is fantastic for architects to use in their daily work.
13. MSI GP65 Leopard
The 13th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is MSI GP65 Leopard. When it comes to building quality, the primary material of the chassis is plastic. The lid of the laptop is made up of aluminum. For the measurements, the GP 65 leopard is a thick laptop, and it weighs 5 lbs, pretty decent for a gaming machine.
MSI sells this device with two options, a single color red and perky RGB by Steel series. The latter is what we’ve got. It’s great to see that you have so much customization. We like sleek units, so we would always prefer to set it to a white or light blue color. Still, it is entirely subjective, and we should not forget the presets it comes with. Some of which are designed to enhance your gaming experience depending on the type of the game. Its diagonal is 15.6 inches, and the resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. The screen ratio is 16:9 and a pixel density of 142 PPI. The screen turns into retinol when viewed at a distance equal to or greater than 60 centimeters or 24 inches. The laptop is packed with an Intel Core i7 10750H processor with 16 gigabytes of RAM and 512 gigabytes of SSD. With this price-performance ratio, MSI only gives you every reason to want this notebook only because it comes with a wide range of graphics card options.
12. Eluktronics Mag 15
The 12th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Eluktronics Mag 15. The Eluktronics Mag 15 is a fascinating design collaboration with Intel comprised of magnesium alloy, a light, sturdy material than aluminum metals. This 15.6-inch laptop weighs just 4.15 pounds. Every aspect of this PC use recent advancement over our extremely popular Mag 15 GTRX and is perfect for both gamers and content creators.
Eluktronics Mag 15 laptop is the world’s lightest gaming laptop because of its ultra-lightweight. Its entire build is made using the magnesium alloy material. The top and bottom panels are both designed with this magnesium alloy, making it the lightest gaming laptop. The Eluktronics Mag 15 is blessed with 15 inches of narrow bezel 144 hertz, full HD IPS 72 percent NTSC anti-glare display, 1920 x 1080, which makes your gaming clearer and vivid with Windows 10 operating system the lightest gaming notebook you ever see. The most important thing is its battery life of this mag 15 laptop combination of portability ultra-slim plus its long battery. It has a big 93-watt hour battery which is the second biggest battery on an online gaming laptop. Internally this Eluktronics Mag 15 is packed with the powerful 9th generation 6-Core Intel processor with Core i7 9750H Hexacore 2.6 to 4.5 gigahertz turbo boost and 12 megabytes L3 cache. Its processor is very powerful and recommended for gaming and heavy-duty processing work like designing, engineering, crafting tools, etc.
11. Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen2 OLED
The 11th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen2 OLED. Like the X1 Extreme, the ThinkPad P1 is now in its 2nd generation, with improvements ranging from new GPUs to brighter screens. The bare-bones base model features a Core i5 processor, Intel integrated graphics, 8 gigabytes of RAM, a 256-gigabyte solid-state drive, and a 1080 P display.
Users who are the opposite of power maniacs can consider a third 15.6 inch Lenovo mobile workstation, the economical ThinkPad P53 S, which is roughly the size and weight of the P1 but position well below the P53. It peaks with a Quad-Core Core i7 CPU and Nvidia’s 2 gigabytes Quadro P520. Clad in a variation on Lenovo’s matte black theme with an aluminum base and carbon fiber weave lid, the P1 measures 0.7 x 14.2 x 9.7 inches and squeaks under the 4-pound line at 3.99 pounds. That makes it more portable than the P53 or HP’s Book 15 G6. like other ThinkPads gets passed MIL-STD 810 G torture test for vibration, shock, and extreme temperature and humidity; there’s almost no flex if you grasp the screen corners or match the keyboard. On the left side, you get 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, an HDMI video output, mini ethernet ports, and an audio Jack. You’ll find SD and smart card slots, 2 USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and a Kensington security lock slot on the right edge. The P1’s touchpad is buttonless, but its track point keyboard pointing stick has nicely tactile. But buttons below the spacebar, including the middle button often used by computer-aided design and other independent software vendor apps. Both the stick and touchpad provide smooth, precise cursor control.
10. MSI P65 Creator
The 10th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is MSI P65 Creator. It is crafted from aluminum instead of plastic, but its lightweight shows some noticeable flex if you press the middle of the keyboard or the area around the power button above it.
The left edge holds a security lock slot, an Ethernet port, 2 USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and separate headphone and microphone jacks. On the right, we have HDMI and mini Display Port, video output, another USB A port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, and the connector for the AC adapter. Digital photographers will miss an SD card slot. So photographers will find the webcam above the screen take shots that are average in brightness and detail. An option in MSI’s Dragon center system monitoring software lets you disable the camera if you’re concerned about Snoop’s. Sound from the bottom-mounted speakers can fill a mid-size room, but the overall character is slightly tinny and short on bass. The keyboard has a couple of layout quirks, two backslash keys, the Fn key to the right of the space bar but offers 3 level backlighting and dedicated home, end, page up, and page down keys. The travel is on the shallow side. It gives a quietly clicky typing feel and is reasonably comfortable. There’s a small fingerprint reader in the corner of the touchpad, which glides in tap smoothly but requires a slightly awkward press to right-click.
9. Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17
The 9th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17. It is a relatively new series of Asus laptops, desktops, and monitors for content creators and visual arts professionals. The Studio Book Pro 17s attractive display with an unusual 16:10 aspect ratio and 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution features a wide color gamut and color adjustment technology for precise color calibration.
The 6-Core Intel Xeon E-2276M processor, 32 gigabytes of memory, and two terabytes of new solid-state storage provide more than enough muscle to power through video editing jobs. 3D rendering tasks you can handle very easily with the Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 graphics. Like most mobile workstations, the Pro 17 is also built for heavier-duty multitasks. The system has passed MIL-STD 810 G military-grade tests for surviving stresses such as vibration, altitude, and temperature extremes. The dark magnesium alloy chassis that Asus calls turquoise grey measures 0.72 x 15 x 11.3 inches and is styled with angle diamond-cut edges. The workstation weighs just 5.27 pounds, a bit more than the 5.03 pound MSI WS 75 but considerably less than other rivals like the dell precision 7730. The Studiobook’s other components are awe-inspiring. You’ll be able to transfer massive video files in seconds thanks to 1 terabyte SSD. The Xeon E-2276M is a 6-Core, 12 thread CPU with a clock speed of 2.8 gigahertz, and system memory is expandable to 64 gigabytes of ECC DRAM. The Quadro RTX 3000 GPU carries more than 100 independent software vendor certifications for specialized and demanding apps optimized drivers to match. The new Wifi 6 wireless protocol and dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 are standard for Windows 10 Pro workstations.
8. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
The 8th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition. The Blade 15 Studio Edition is sold in a single configuration with a 3840 x 2160 pixel OLED touch screen.
The 6-Core 2.6 gigahertz Intel Core i7 9750H processor, the MaxQ Quadro RTX 5000 GPU with a whopping 16 gigabytes of GDDR6 display memory, 32 gigabytes of system memory, and a one terabyte solid-state drive with Windows 10 Pro preinstalled. The studio edition runs Nvidia’s studio driver, tested for compatibility and performance with creative applications. A complete list of which can be found on Nvidia’s download page. Besides the chassis color, the lid gets a professional-looking makeover replacing the backlit green Razer logo with one that’s printed on it doesn’t scream I’m a gamer. The studio edition model has a minimalistic look and is similar to that of the 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro. The two share design concepts such as an all-aluminum chassis, speakers that flank the keyboard, and a massive touchpad. The Razer nonetheless has an edgier look from its less rounded corners. While its keyboards per-key, RGB backlighting gives it more dazzle. The laptop feels hefty becomes an acceptable 4.9 pounds. Size-wise it’s as trim as a 15.6-inch notebook at just 0.7 x 14 x 9.3 inches.
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
The 7th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Microsoft Surface Laptop 3. The Surface Laptop family is expanding, originally comprising alone 13.5-inch model with the unique soft Alcantara fabric covering its palm rest. The line now includes multiple sizes, color options, configurations, and material choices.
The laptop we are reviewing here is a sandstone metal version with a 13.5-inch touch screen and an Intel Core i7 processor. Other chassis color options at this screen size include black, platinum, and cobalt blue. The laptop is also available in a larger 15-inch version which only comes in the first two color options. The sandstone finish looks handsome and understated. Its color changes to a slightly pinkish hue under bright light. But it’s not nearly as flashy as the rose gold color option available on the Apple MacBook Air. Other than the new color options, the Surface Laptop 3s physical design remains nearly identical to that of the first and 2nd generations. It’s a traditional clamshell form factor. You won’t find a detachable keyboard or 360-degree hand sheer designs. Microsoft has championed partnerships with other manufacturers and used its own Surface Pro line to present windows as a viable tablet operating system. The Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent laptop that can fulfill all your architect needs.
It comes with supremely sturdy unibody construction giving up a bit of weight and size. They’re lighter and smaller laptops with 13 and 14-inch screens, such as the Acer Swift 7, but they often sacrifice build quality, typing comfort, audio quality, or sometimes all three to achieve their sleekness. The Asus Zenbook 13’s vanishing thin screen borders make it a member of the ultraportable laptop measures 0.7 x 11.9 x 7.5 inches and weighs 2.83 pounds. But even with thicker bezels and some extra screen real estate, the Surface Laptop 3 comes in not far above those measurements at 0.57 x 12.1 x 8.8 inches. It also weighs the same.
6. Acer Aspire 5
The 6th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Acer Aspire 5. One of Acer’s popular budget lineup’s mainstays is the Acer Aspire 5 series that receives frequent updates and tweaks.
The Acer Aspire 5 is a sleek, portable 15-inch notebook. The cheapest Aspire 5 around gets you AMD Ryzen 3 processor and Vega 3 graphics card. The more money will get you an Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce MX250 graphics card, and tops all 512 GB of SSD storage. At just over 3.9 pounds and 0.7 inches thin, the Acer A515 43R190 is quite like for budget-price 15-inch laptop. Most laptops with this price range are often heavy pieces of equipment molded from black plastic.
In contrast, Aspire 5 exterior is made of silver aluminum, meaning this notebook is light and sport a sleek modern look. With 3.2 pounds, it will not weigh you down with your backpack. When you open the lid, you are greeted by a 15.6 inch full HD 1920 x 1080 P display alongside the new standard LED backlight and in-plane IPS technology. The screen is of excellent quality with clear and vivid colors when the backlight is set to its optimum level. The screen achieves this quality using a matte finish that reduces glare from ambient lights. Overall, with the Acer Aspire 5, you are getting more than what you are paying. It offers a combination of crisp 1080 P display, lightweight profile, and price, while most of the budget architects will appreciate it.
5. Dell XPS 9570
The 5th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Dell XPS 9570. This laptop from Dell is made from a single aluminium unibody and has a carbon fibre made keyboard. This laptop is very durable and great build quality.
The Dell XPS 9570 is very lightweight, handy, and having a slim body. It weighs only 4 pounds making it a super portable laptop with a 4K Ultra HD display powered by an 8750 hertz Intel Core i7 processor.
The Dell XPS 9570 can perform much architectural design and rendering tasks you throw at it without any problems. It also holds 32 GB RAM Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti MaxQ GPU helping you multi-task and play all the high-end games without any issues.
The infinity display comes with anti-glare functionality making it comfortable for your eyes. This laptop is powered with complete requirements of the Adobe RGB colour gamut. It’s a full touch screen display allowing users to take full control of the computer using the fingers.
4. Asus VivoBook S15 S510UN
The 4th Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Asus VivoBook S15 S510UN. The Asus was known as the brand for budget-friendly laptops only. However, with the innovations, the company has started offering high-end laptops for consumers of all types.
The Asus VivoBook S15 has a series of ultrabooks that are compatible with all the available designing software. The Vivobook S15 from Asus is currently the best laptop available in the market for architecture. This laptop comes with awesome features and the required system configuration.
The laptop features two USB ports and an SD card reader on the left side. On the right side, you will get a DC charging ports with a USB 3.0 port, a USB 3.1 type C port, and the standard 3.5 millimetres audio Jack.
The super-slim Nano edge 15.6 inch full HD display takes care of everything. The Asus VivoBook S15 has a wide-angle IPS display that is more powerful than the other Asus models.
It’s a wide-angle IPS display which is more powerful than other ordinary models of the brand.
The powerful processor backed by 16 GB of RAM provides all the power that you need to run the advanced software with a high system configuration.
The laptop looks pretty good, portable, and very comfortable, making it the best laptop for architects.
3. Microsoft Surface Book 2
The 3rd Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Microsoft Surface Book 2. Due to its new Surface series, Microsoft has recently gained massive popularity in the market. It is the best laptop for those students who are looking for a handy laptop.
The huge key selling point of Surface Book 2 because of its 2-in-1 display. It lets you use the standard 15-inch pixel sense display that offers vibrant colour combinations.
It also features a 13.5-inch touchscreen that lets you use it as a tablet. This laptop is compatible with both the display with pen and Surface dial.
SSurface Book 2 is powered by the latest Intel i7 8th generation processor backed by 16 GB of RAM and a battery life that runs up to 17 hours with a single charge.
This laptop has a high system configuration which is required to run all types of designing software. Surface Book 2 is simply an awesome 2-in-1 hybrid laptop.
Its power is unmatched with the build quality is first-rate—the quality and accuracy of its enlarged 15-inch touchscreen top draw.
2. Apple MacBook Pro
The 2nd Best Laptops for Architects on our list is Apple MacBook Pro. It’s not true that only windows PC’s can run all the latest designing software. Apple’s MacBook Pro fulfils all your demands and needs to the maximum.
If you are a big-time Apple fan, then MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops for architects in this competitive market.
The 15-inch Retina display suits all of your designing requirements and lets you design a full 3 DS Max design using the compatible software.
The clock speed is quite high, and it comes with 16 GB of RAM that makes it work faster than other editions. With 512 GB of SSD is more than enough to store all of your files and a battery life of up to 10 hours.
Apple’s MacBook Pro is the best laptop for architects students as they can work for longer without the need for charging.
The display of this laptop is also very premium, offering a 2K screen resolution. This laptop enables you to smoothly run all the latest designing software without any issue, making it the best laptops for architects.
1. Lenovo ThinkPad P71
The 1st Best Laptops for Architects on our list is the Lenovo ThinkPad P71. The ThinkPad P71 is the latest edition of Lenovo’s ThinkPad smart computer series. For years, Lenovo has been providing quality laptops with excellent performance and service.
The ThinkPad P71 is the best computer for architects students who can install and run all the latest designing software on the Windows-powered system.
The laptop boasts all the advanced features and suits the high configuration requirements of the latest software. This laptop is the perfect and best laptop for architects as it has 17.3-inches of full HD display designed with the latest IPS technology.
All the good connectivity ports are present on the sides of this laptop. On the laptop’s right side, you will find three USB 3.0 ports, a headphone Jack, an SD memory card reader slot, three Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port are located at the backside. One more USB 3.0 port is placed on the left side of the laptop.
The laptop is powered by a high-end i7 processor and is backed by 16 GB of RAM, making it the best laptop for rendering. You can install and run high-end designing software with ease. It is one of the best laptops for architects you can buy this year.
Suppose you find this review helpful and looking for affordable and best laptops for architects. In that case, you can select and buy one from the above list suiting your budget, usability, and necessity.
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