Modern architectural design and drafting are almost exclusively done on a computer nowadays. At the same time, architects and architecture students have to make frequent trips between construction sites, designing studio, school, and, needless to say, back home. Therefore, it's quite important to have a reliable laptop to make sure your workflow is not interrupted in any way; but not just any laptop will do.
Today's architecture involves using several resource-intensive software and tools that require powerful machines with the right configurations. As such, companies are producing mobile "workstations" (essentially super-powerful laptops), which can handle whatever heavy-duty architectural processes are thrown at them. In this guide, we'll present our top picks for the best laptop for architects, solid machines that push the limits of what you can possibly create.
But before we get started, we'll take a sneak peek of what's important in the best laptop for architecture?
1. CPU - 4Ghz+ clock speed for drafting and drawing; ~5Ghz is the ideal clock speed.
- 6-8 cores, or more if you're rending at home or using the cloud
2. GPU - 1050/1050Ti GPU for students.
- 1060GTX/1660Ti for professional architects.
- Quadro/Firepro for special plug-ins in 3ds Max or Revit
3. RAM - 8GB for students
- 16-32 GB for professionals.
4. Storage Space - 256GB SSD for students.
- 512GB or 256GB and 1 TB HDD for professionals.
5. Display - 15" full HD is the sweet spot between sufficient screen real estate and weight.
Before we dive in, check out the best laptop tables you can use on your bed.
1. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
We recently tested the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, and its performance level cannot be argued. The Intel Core i7-13650HX processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 allowed for seamless multitasking whether we were working on architectural engineering designs or streaming content in high definition. The laptop was able to handle complex programs smoothly, which made it ideal for our needs and loads.
The visuals are also worth mentioning and include a 16-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS panel display. With our designs being bright, colors are bold and clear which enhance the appearance of our designs. Amidst it, the 165Hz refresh rate coupled with NVIDIA G-SYNC ensured almost negligible tearing when dealing with any graphical demand. It is especially fulfilling to the architects who otherwise love gaming or media engagement.
There was a strong cooling system installed in it and hence there was no problem of overheating of the device when used for extended durations. The all-metal AeroBlade fan technology does its job to keep performance where it needs to be. Of course it is heavier compared to some ultrabooks, but the boost in power and features that it offers in the Helios Neo 16 are easily worth this additional weight.
For those architects who are interested in the combination of performance, mobility, and well-defined design, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 deserves to become a truly worthy addition to their arsenal.
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2. MALLRACE AX17 Laptop
Altogether, using the MALLRACE AX17 we can mention that it is a multifunctional laptop and it has a number of strengths. The body looks classy and fancy while the framework is also light, which is fantastic for our rushed schedules.
Brightness and contrast are another fascinating feature of the display; the The display has 17.3-inch diagonal FHD – first of all, it provides a very clear and bright image. Having this much screen estate makes it easy to edit big documents such as architectural designs. Due to the 12th generation Alder Lake processor, there is easy transition from one application to the other or when handling load demanding tasks.
Battery performance is one more feature that we like. The battery capacity of 6000mAh means that we don’t have to worry about a low charge for several hours, which increases our productivity. The laptop also has different ports which mean that we can easily connect to other devices whenever we need to.
However, there are still flaws such as a relatively low construct quality. However, in general the AX17 is superb for architects and all sorts of professionals. This model would best suit anyone looking for a workhorse that will not be too much of a drain on the pocket.
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3. ApoloSign 15.6" Laptop
It has been quite interesting to work with the ApoloSign laptop, and it is a good tool for architectural use. This is due to the fact that the 15.6 inch full HD Screen offers clear, sharp and lively color display, which is ideal when working on designs or sorting through images. That being said, being able to join multiple accessories and switch between tasks wirelessly is a plus.
The laptop is loaded with 12GB of RAM and 512GB SSD, but it may lag a bit on heavy software. This might be an advantage when you are often running demanding programs parallel to other programs. The addition of a TF card slot for storage expansion is the best, especially for persons who deal with large files often.
Concerning ease of use, the organization of the ports such as USB as well as HDMI for the display of monitors and other devices is convenient. It has an easy to navigate design layout and we really like the incorporation of Bluetooth and WiFi. In conclusion, the ApoloSign laptop can be used for average activity and employment, but it can pose challenges in complicated computational tasks.
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4. Apple 2024 MacBook Air
The Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip creates a perfect combination of power, portability, and precision that architects may need. Its standard, a 15-inch Liquid Retina configurable display with rich and clear colors which helps when revising CAD diagrams and images. It features Apple’s new M3 chip, and runs complex architecture software such as AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, and SketchUp without compromising battery life.
This laptop comes with 18 hours battery life, 8-core CPU, 10 core GPU, up to 24 GB Unified memory and up to 2 TB SSD. The MacBook air retains its signature sleek design and no fan operation means it does not make any noise even when working hard. The machine also supports new forms of multitasking for macOS Sonoma alongside MagSafe charging and two Thunderbolt ports that make the machine ideal for both studio and on-the-go work.
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5. HP EliteBook 845 Business Laptop
The HP EliteBook 845 Business Laptop (14” FHD, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is the beautifully designed, workhorse device that it needs to be for any professional type work, but is especially suitable for any type of architect. At just under thirteen pounds, it is lightweight yet durable, so it provides the mobility needed for moving through and between large architectural projects, and the power that allows complex architectural software and multitasking.
The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U processor that came standard with this laptop outperforms the Intel i5-1145G7 when it comes to multitasking and computational load. Plenty of memory with 16 GB of RAM to handle programs like AutoCAD and Revit, and 512 GB SSD enough for large files with fast access time. It also comes with 14-inch FHD screen, which provides clear and bright pictures which are essential when making designs and making presentations. Standard security features consist of a fingerprint reader and an HP Sure View privacy layer for additional security for critical work.
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Factors to Consider in the Best Laptop for Architects
A couple of key factors have to be considered to find the perfect laptop for your specific needs, and preferences, by extension. The following specs should help you narrow down to an ideal fit, whether you're an architecture student, a budding architect or a seasoned practitioner.
1. CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Every architecture student and professional architect has to run powerful CAD and modeling software. Therefore, we always recommend getting a laptop with a multi-core processor, at least an Intel Core i7 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 7 processor. With a capable CPU, your working experience and workflow will always be smooth and fluid.
2. GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)
You'll also be running some hardcore graphic software, suchlike ArchiCAD, Rhino, 3ds Max, Vectorworks or Revit. All these programs require robust graphic processing to run smoothly. Therefore, the ideal laptop for architecture students and practitioners should have at least a 4GB vRAM graphics card for fluid processing.
4. RAM
Architecture software will definitely take up a huge chunk of your RAM, especially when you're multitasking heavy applications and producing high-quality renderings. Therefore, you'll need a laptop with at least 16 GB RAM (although a student can probably get by with 8GB RAM). But if you really want to get the best performance from a computer, we recommend spending a bit more on 32GB RAM laptops for architects.
5. Storage
You'll certainly need significant storage space for your architectural design files. In that case, the higher the storage, the better off you are.
- Solid State Drive (SSD) is faster and fairly more reliable than their counterpart mechanical hard drive, but they also tend to be more expensive.
- Hard Disk Drive (HDD) might not be as reliable as SSD but offers more storage at a cheaper price.
- Hybrid Drives give you the benefits of both SSD and HDD. You can opt to install your operating system and architecture software in the SSD and the rest of your files in the HDD for optimal performance.
6. Screen Size and Resolution
Attention to detail is immensely crucial when it comes to the best laptops for architects. Ideally, we recommend a 15- to 17-inch screen size to get the best out of your display, especially for architectural rendering. That being said, if portability is a factor for you, a 13.3- to 14-inch display can more than suffice most everyday architectural design tasks.
Typically, a full high definition (FHD) should be just fine for the work involved. However, higher resolutions, like UHD or 4K, ensure that you future-proof your laptop display.
7. Weight & Battery Life
Ideally, we would all want a lightweight, portable laptop that can last us the whole day on a single charge. However, laptops that come with dedicated graphics cards and powerful CPUs tend to weigh around 5lb. You can still find models that fall within the preferable 3lb, but these are also more expensive.
Battery life is just as important when looking at the best laptop for architects. However, most of these laptops are geared towards high-performance, meaning they are very intensive on the battery. Be it the case, you can still expect above-average battery life from our picks.
8. Other Considerations
a). Mac vs. Windows
The choice of the operating system comes down to your personal preferences since both OS'es are well-equipped to handle all the requirements of architectural software. On the one hand, Windows is fairly more user-friendly, with an extensive array of programs and applications, but it's also more prone to viruses than Mac. On the other hand, Mac has a flattering reception from and by professionals but is also arguably overpriced.
b). Ports and Peripherals
You also have to consider how many ports you'll need, from USB and ethernet to specialist ports. This also extends to peripherals you might want to use, such as computer mice, touchpads or external hard drives. Ultimately, this varies depending on your preference for wired or wireless connections.
