Read our reviews of the best notebooks for Architects to have the best laptops for Architecture students.
Are you an architect or an architecture student and are you looking for the best laptop? Do you want to give a gift to a new graduate in architecture and are you thinking of a notebook suitable for this activity? In this guide, we have compiled the best portable laptops for architecture students.
Finding the best laptops for architects and architecture students is no longer difficult. We have analyzed more than 35 laptop models to bring you the best computers for architects. It does not matter if you are going to study an architecture career, if you are a newly graduated architect or a professional architect, these laptops will be perfect for all the software you need.
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Best laptops for architecture students on the market
To find the best laptops for architects, we have analyzed all the available laptop/notebook models and have made a great selection of the current top laptops that are perfect for an architect to do his/her computer work smoothly. We have evaluated them according to the performance of their processor, operating system, RAM, graphics card, storage, and above all their price.
To choose the best architecture laptops, we have tested these laptops with programs such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite (now known as Adobe Creative Cloud), AutoDesk Suite, Rhino, Revit, Google Earth, Google Sketchup, and other widely used architecture programs.
These are the best-recommended computers for architects:
Apple MacBook Pro
You probably already know: the MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops on the market. Who does not want a MacBook? If the architecture applications you are going to use are compatible with Mac OS, the 512 GB version of the MacBook Pro is ideal and perfect for you.
We recommend this laptop as one of the best laptops for architecture and we are not the only ones, since Cornell University has also recommended it for architecture, art, and programming careers.
This laptop is extremely light, has a large screen, and is extremely fast. This version of 512 GB (with a 15.4-inch screen) has a 2.6 GHz Dual-Core Intel i7 processor that can be reached even up to 3.7 GHz.
The screen resolution is a very important factor in our analysis, so we loved the resolution of 2880 x 1800 offered by this laptop and its retina display, which offers clear high-definition quality.
Do you like the MacBook Pro but do not like its price? Visit our guide to buying a cheap MacBook Pro and the best alternatives to the MacBook Pro.
Microsoft Surface Book
This laptop combines everything an architect needs excellently. We recommend the Surface Book for its NVIDIA GPU with an SSD disk of at least 256 GB.
When testing it, we noticed that programs like high-intensity graphics such as 3DS Max and Rhino run without any delay.
Thanks to its processor Skylake 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-6300U dual-core, this laptop has everything you need to render even the most complex graphics.
With this dedicated graphics card (GPU) from NVIDIA, you will not have problems with graphics. Its custom GPU is based on the Maxwell architecture with 1 GB of GDDR5 and is capable of reproducing resolutions from 4K to 60 Hz.
What we like most about this laptop is that you can transform it into a tablet with the touch of a button. The tablet is equipped with the famous Microsoft touch pen. This is especially useful for students to take notes and for architects to design or draw.
The battery life is 12 hours, so you can work or take it to the university without having to worry about carrying the charger.
We also like that this laptop has a
Dell XPS 15
If you are looking for a Windows laptop that is perfect for architectural students, the Dell XPS 15 laptop will be one of the best options. We like it so much that we have included it in our list of the best laptops of the moment.
The Dell laptops have always been known for their performance and this time is no exception. This notebook has an impressive 1024 GB hard drive along with a 32GB SSD.
The SSD can be used to run Windows and other essential daily applications for architecture such as AutoCAD. The rest of the 1TB unit can be used to store files, save drafts, or even movies and music.
There is also another version with a 512GB SSD disk that comes with a clear screen resolution of 3200 X 1800. Regarding RAM, it offers 16GB and only weighs 4 kilos.
It also has an NVIDIA graphics card whose capacity is 2GB (GeForce GT750M). This is surely one of the best architectural laptops you will find in the market today.
HP ZBook 15u G5
One of the fastest architects’ computers on the market. This laptop comes with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor from 1.80 to 4.0 GHz and has a Quad Core CPU. You can choose between the 16GB, 32GB, and 8GB RAM options. There are also 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSD (Solid State Drive) options. In addition, all variants are packed with the latest Windows OS 10. This means that it will be super powerful.
We liked it so much that we have recommended it as one of the top-rated laptops for graphic design.
The screen is 15.6 inches and backlit with LED technology. The keyboard is also backlit, especially for working or doing night tasks. In addition, the keyboard is water resistant, so special for college students.
Thanks to its ample storage space, high-quality graphics card, DTS surround sound system, and backlit keyboard, this notebook is perfect for architectural work.
ASUS N550JX
We liked it a lot when we analyzed this laptop that ASUS brings us since we felt that writing is as easy as breathing with its bright and ergonomic keyboard. We have also recommended it among the best laptops for programmers.
Apart from all its features, we feel that this laptop is covered by the most complete warranty we have seen, as it includes accidental drops, damages, and even a 30-day insurance on your screen (something you will not find in other laptops).
By having this laptop, you can choose the option of having a 1TB hard drive with 8GB of RAM or 256GB of SSD with 16GB of RAM. We recommend the option with the SSD because it not only comes with extra RAM, but also this disk will be much faster and more reliable.
The minimum requirement of the graphics card for the architects is 1GB, but this laptop offers 2GB of the specialized unit of the GPU-NVIDIA GTX950M.
MSI P65 Creator 8RF
If you are looking for the fastest laptop for an architect, this will be your best option. The only problem: its price can be high, as you would expect from the best MSI laptops.
We are sure that architectural students and professionals will appreciate the power of this computer.
With its Intel Core i7-8750H 2.2 – 4.1 GHz processor, this laptop can run demanding programs at ultra-fast speeds.
Its 8GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX1070 graphics card makes it an ideal PC for architectural software. In addition, its exclusive double cooling system prevents overheating.
We found that its 15.6-inch FHD, Anti-Glare screen shows great detail and has a clear resolution. Students of architecture and architects will be able to work late into the night without problems thanks to their backlit keyboards.
It also comes with a 512GB NVMe SSD for fast processing, but if you think this is not enough to store large files and architecture jobs, then you can add HDD.
Dell Inspiron i7559
If you are looking for the best cheap laptop for architects that is worth it, you will have no better option than the Dell Inspiron i7559. This laptop offers the perfect balance between price and performance.
It has an Intel i5-6300HQ 2.3 GHz processor. At a lower price than other brands, this is one of the best laptops for this price in the market. It is one of the best laptops to produce music.
Finding a computer with a powerful graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M 4GB GDDR5 under this price is something that makes this laptop especially attractive. This graphics card is powerful enough to run any intensive graphic software that is offered for jobs and tasks for architects.
Meanwhile, double cooling fans, three leaks, and large vents help prevent the laptop from overheating. In addition, its 8GB RAM is perfect for multitasking and running heavy software.
We liked its 15.6-inch screen. This offers a wide viewing angle, impressive image quality, and anti-glare protection.
We note that this laptop offers up to 10 hours of battery life with a single charge. With a thickness of 1 inch, it is one of the thinnest and
What is the best laptop for architecture?
What are the functions and minimum characteristics to find the best laptop for architects? We recommend a laptop with these functions:
- Intel i7 Quad Core processor or better
- Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
- 8 GB of RAM (minimum), 16 GB will be better
- Dedicated graphics card (examples: NVIDIA Quadro K2100M, Nvidia GeForce 750M)
- 500 GB of storage (solid state disk SSD is better)
These are the minimum functions you will need to have a good architecture laptop that is really durable and so you can get the most out of it.
How to find the best laptop for architecture?
Many users have asked us for a detailed guide on the functions you need when choosing a good laptop for architects, so in this section, you can find everything you need to know about the components that are part of the best laptops for architecture and how to find the best for you:
Processor
Architecture students must have at least the fourth generation i7 of the Intel processor. Intel is already testing a fifth-generation series of i5 and i7 processors, so anything less than the fourth generation will be a waste of money for this 5-year university career.
The minimum processor speed recommended for a computer for future architects is 1.8 GHz.
Hard drive
Due to the massive volume of software architecture software and the many files that you will have to save, the more space you have, the better. A disk with a capacity of 500GB is the minimum recommended.
It should also be noted that if money is not a problem, you will get much better performance with an SSD as the primary hard drive. SSDs are much faster than traditional magnetic hard drives and these few times suffer data loss.
Hybrid units that come with a disk part and a part SSD drive in a laptop are also recommended.
Screen size
Since architectural students have to constantly work with designs and graphics, a large screen is recommended. However, too large can be a portability problem.
Therefore, the most recommended measures are 15 to 17.3 inches. If you look for it bigger, your laptop will be heavy and if you look for it smaller, it will be very difficult for you to concentrate when working.
It is also important that the screen resolution should not be less than 1360 X 768 pixels.
RAM
8 GB is the minimum, although we strongly recommend a 16GB RAM laptop. Currently, you rarely need more than 16 GB, so if you want to improve something else, invest in a good graphics card.
Dedicated graphic card
The vast majority of students of architecture and design recommend a graphics card with a minimum of 1GB. The architecture and design programs are heavy graphics and require a lot of power. Therefore, the graphics cards recommended for architecture students are usually the NVIDIA GeForce 750M and QuadroK2100M.
Laptops for architecture: Operating system
The Mac OS (10 +) or Windows 8 or 10 operating system is recommended.
Best laptops for architecture: Opinions
We hope that our guide on the best laptops for architects will help you find the perfect laptop for your career.
What is the best laptop for architecture? What are the best computers for architects? We want to know your opinion. If you are an architecture student or an architect and would like to recommend a laptop, tell us in a comment and we will analyze it to add it to the list.