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8 Best Laptops For Architects & Architecture Of 2021

Posted on the 24 November 2021 by Ricky Smith @TheTechLunch

Are you searching for the best laptops for architects or for architect students? If yes, then its great you are at the right place. Well, I have covered so many laptop buying guides and I have noticed that the latest laptops are improving a lot in terms of performance, features, and design.

Similarly, in today’s technology era, modern architecture designing and drafting are almost done on a desktop computer or a powerful laptop. But architects and architect students alike need to travel frequently such as for college, designing studio, construction sites, etc., and for that laptop is the best companion.

Being an architect or architecture student, you have to work on heavy software like AutoCAD, 3DS Max, Revit, Solidworks, Rhino, MAYA, and other powerful CAD applications. To run all these resource intensive CAD software you will need a powerful laptop because regular laptops can’t handle this kind of apps efficiently.

As a professional architect or entering into this architecture stream, you know that all the CAD applications is mostly depend on the dedicated graphics card and this is the reason we need a powerful GPU. Wait, not only this, but all the hardware configuration should also be compartively powerful, whether it is a CPU, RAM, or storage.

Well, after doing so many research and analysis we have got some of the best laptops for architects and students that can run these apps without any issue. Let’s dive into the list without further delay.

Also Read:- 8 Best Laptops For Solidworks

System Requirements For Architecture WindowsMacBook
  • Processor: Intel Core i7 or i9 processor
  • RAM: 16GB or 32GB RAM
  • Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia Quadro, Nvidia Geforce 1650, 2060, 2070, 3060, 3070, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M/5600M
  • Storage: At least a 500GB of SSD drive
  • Processor: Apple Silicon (M1 Arm CPU)
  • RAM: 16GB or 32GB RAM
  • Operating System: Mac OS 11
  • Graphics Card: Apple M1 GPU
  • Storage: At least a 512GB of SSD drive

Quick Overview Of Best Laptops For Architects & Architecture

PreviewProduct DetailsPrice

ASUS ZenBook 15ASUS ZenBook 15

  • Intel Core i7-10750H
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB
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Acer Nitro 5Acer Nitro 5

  • Intel Core i7-11800H
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB
Check Price

MSI GL66 11UGK-001MSI GL66 11UGK-001

  • Intel Core i7-11800H
  • 16GB RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
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Acer Predator Helios 300Acer Predator Helios 300

  • Intel Core i7-11800H
  • 16GB RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
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Razer Blade 15Razer Blade 15

  • Intel Core i7-11800H
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
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ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15

  • AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 8GB
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Lenovo ThinkPad P17Lenovo ThinkPad P17

  • Intel Core i7-10750H
  • 32GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA Quadro T2000 4GB
Check Price

MSI Creator Z16MSI Creator Z16

  • Intel Core i9-11900H
  • 32GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
Check Price

Best Laptops For Architects & Architecture – Top 8 Picks

1. ASUS ZenBook 15 – Best Ultrabook For Architects

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications ASUS ZenBook 15 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-10750H Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB
  • 15.6 Inch Full HD Touch Display
  • Up to 5 Hours Battery Life
View On Amazon

ASUS becomes a very popular and innovative laptop brand in the last few years by implementing new things on their laptops and this ASUS ZenBook 15 has proved that. Let’s talk about the innovative thing of this notebook first, so it has got a trackpad like other laptops but this one is a 5.65-inch of interactive touchscreen trackpad that works as a secondary display.

On the front, it features a 15.6-inch of full HD touchscreen display with ultraslim bezels that offers immersive viewing experience on its 88% screen-to-body ratio. Moving on, this asus laptop is powered by the Intel Core i7-10750H six core processor with turbo boost up to 5.0 GHz. Along with this, it has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of faster SSD drive. This plenty of storage space is good enough to store all your projects, multimedia files, games, etc.

Out of the box it runs on the Windows 10 operating system and interesting thing is that when Windows 11 is available you will get a free upgrade. In terms of graphics, it has 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti dedicated graphics card. And it is perfectly suitable for handling almost all 3D architecture designing software.

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2. Acer Nitro 5 – Best Laptop For Architecture Students

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications Acer Nitro 5 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-11800H Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB
  • 17.3 Inch Full HD IPS Display
  • Up to 8 Hours Battery Life
View On Amazon

If you are looking for the best laptop for architecture in around $1200 budget and you also like the big display size then Acer Nitro 5 is an ideal option for you. The laptop sports enormous 17.3 inches of full HD IPS display that supports 144Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it has narrow bezels on the sides which gives 80% screen to body ratio.

The laptop is running on the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H processor which has 8-cores and up to 4.6GHz of maximum clock speed. Further, this i7 CPU is coupled with 16GB of RAM and 1TB NVMe SSD drive. Frankly, both RAM and storage are enough to handle all the 3D apps or games smoothly and you can store all your data on internal storage.

Out of the box, if in case if you want to upgrade its memory and storage then you can do that as well via its empty slot. Being a gaming laptop, it features latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics with 4GB GDDR6 VRAM. This latest RTX 30 series GPU is capable enough to handle all the CAD software, and AAA titles for gaming.

What’s more, it includes Acer CoolBoost technology that keeps the system cool and enhance the performance under the intense work. As far as connectivity is concerned, it has all the required ports includes USB 3.2, USB 3.2 Type-C, HDMI, ethernet, and headphone jack. The only missing option on this notebook is the card reader slot.

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Related:- 9 Best Laptops For Animation

3. MSI GL66 11UGK-001 Gaming Laptop

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications MSI GL66 11UGK-001 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-11800H Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
  • 15.6 Inch Full HD Display
  • Up to 3.5 Hours Battery Life
View On Amazon

When it comes to gaming laptops, MSI doesn’t need any kind of introduction. This newest MSI GL66 11UGK-001 has a great combination of power and portability that must have in a laptop for professional architects. In addition, this laptop weighs ‎4.63 pounds and it is less than 1-inch thick. So I think this is not that much heavy and you can easily carry around with you.

Moving on, to power this gaming laptop it has Intel Core i7-11800H octa-core processor and under turbo boost technology it can generate up to 4.60GHz max clock frequency. Under the hood, it is coupled with 16GB of RAM and that is good enough to handle all your applications and multitask. On top of that, the storage part of this laptop has been done by the 512GB SSD along with a faster read & write speed.

Regarding the GPU, it is loaded with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics that belong to the latest RTX-30 series with a massive 8GB VRAM. While using architecture 3D design applications or rendering 3D files, you would get the next level of graphics processing. Other than that, it sports 15.6 inches of full HD 1080p display with a 144Hz of refresh rate and it is perfect for gaming.

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4. Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Value For Money

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications Acer Predator Helios 300 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-11800H Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 512GB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
  • 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display
  • Up to 6 Hours Battery Life
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If you are looking for a powerful laptop but at the same time don’t want an expensive one because of a restricted budget then Acer Predator Helios 300 is the best value for your money. To start with, it comes with a 15.6-inch of full HD IPS display which offers a 16:9 aspect ratio panel. If you have a gamer inside then its faster 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time will give you the best gaming visual experience.

This laptop accommodates with Intel Core i7-11800H processor coupled with 16GB RAM for optimum performance. With 2.30 GHz of base frequency, this 8-core CPU can go further up to 4.60 GHz through intel turbo boost. As far as graphics concerned, it arrives with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card combined with provided 6GB GDDR6 VRAM and it is powerful enough to handle almost all the intensive apps used by architectures.

Apart from this, it has Aeroblade 3D fan technology that keeps the internals at cool temperature even if you are doing heavy duty work and provides the best performance. Moreover, its fully customizable RGB backlit keyboard gives great feeling while gaming. And you can also connect an external monitor or other gaming devices by using the ports.

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5. Razer Blade 15 – Best Portable Laptop For Architects

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications Razer Blade 15 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-11800H Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
  • 15.6 Inch Full HD Display
  • Up to 3.5 Hours Battery Life
View On Amazon

Like MSI, Razer is also well known for its gaming laptops and many of you may know that gaming laptops are perfect for professional architects. This portable yet powerful Razer Blade 15 can handle all kinds of heavy architecture projects. Under the hood, 11th gen Intel Core i7-11800H processor and 16GB RAM make this notebook as an ideal choice for architects who also love to play games on their laptop.

Regarding storage, it is provided with a huge 1TB of SSD drive which is an ample amount of space to store all your files and designing software. Additionally, it has the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics that works very well with 3D architecture software while creating or rendering files. Further, if we talk about the display, it sports 15.6-inch of full HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution.

The highlighting thing of this screen is that it features ultra-fast 360Hz refresh rate which gives ultra-smooth visual experience. Another noticeable thing of this laptop is its CNC Aluminum outer body. Further, being a slim and sleek gaming laptop it is 0.62 thin and weighs 4.4 lbs, so you can easily carry this notebook around with you.

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6. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 – Overall Best Laptop For Architecture

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Processor
  • 16GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 8GB
  • 15.6 Inch Full HD IPS Display
  • Up to 2 Hours Battery Life
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ASUS’s ROG series is a renowned name in the gaming laptop industry just like their Zenbook and Vivobook series laptops are popular in business/personal laptops. And this is the reason we have added a second laptop from ASUS on this list. ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has top-notch hardware configuration that makes it one of the best options for architects.

Actually, all the high end gaming laptops are perfect for architects because gaming also required similar hardware configurations just like the architecture designing apps needs. This laptop features a 15.6-inch of full HD display with an IPS panel and it delivers better viewing angles. On top of that, the color on this screen is accurate with a 100% sRGB gamut and also it has 300Hz refresh rate that is perfect for creators.

Moving on, it packs a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX octa-core processor which has 3.3GHz of base clock speed and max clock speed generates up to 4.6GHz. In terms of memory and storage, this ASUS gaming laptop offers 16GB of RAM coupled with 1TB of faster NVMe SSD. Further, both specs are upgradable such as RAM is up to 64GB while storage is up to 2TB.

Alongside, this unit is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU along with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM. This set of hardware can handle any kind of huge 3D project and you won’t face any lag issue with rendering any 3D model. Moreover, other notable feature of this laptop is its cooling thermal system, RGB Keyboard, and will get free Windows 11 OS upgrade.

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7. Lenovo ThinkPad P17 – Best Workstation Laptop For Architects

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications Lenovo ThinkPad P17 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i7-10750H Processor
  • 32GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA Quadro T2000 4GB
  • 17.3 Inch Full HD IPS Anti-glare Display
  • Up to 3 Hours Battery Life
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So now we are moving towards the high end workstation laptop for architects. So, if you are a professional and looking for a workstation then this Lenovo ThinkPad P17 is one of the most recommended options from our side. This workstation features stunning 17.3 inches of full HD display with 300-nits brightness that delivers accurate colors.

Along with this, it is an IPS panel screen with anti-glare coating which gives sharp and clear visuals from wide viewing angle. The performance of this notebook is powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor which has six-core and 12 Threads. Under the intel turbo boost, it can go further up to 5.0GHz of max clock speed.

In terms of memory, it has got a massive 32GB of DDR4 RAM with 2933MHz speed and 1TB of a whopping SSD drive is pre-installed. All these specs make it a perfect cad workstation laptop for professional architects that can easily handle multiple apps without any issue. As far as GPU is concerned, this Lenovo ThinkPad has a powerful NVIDIA Quadro T2000 graphics card with 4GB memory.

Moreover, for better security, it has an in-built fingerprint reader and it works very well. Being a workstation laptop it weighs 7.7 pounds which is heavy and I think it is a common thing for any workstation.

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8. MSI Creator Z16 – Most Powerful Workstation

Quick Overview Of Hardware Specifications MSI Creator Z16 - Best Laptops For Architects
  • Intel Core i9-11900H Processor
  • 32GB RAM
  • 2TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
  • 16 Inch QHD Touch Display
  • Up to 2.5 Hours Battery Life
View On Amazon

If you are looking for a powerful workstation laptop which has better display quality also then no one can match this MSI Creator Z16 machine. It features a vibrant 16-inch of QHD touch display with 2560 x 1600 pixels of resolution and a 16:10 aspect golden ratio. And the best thing about this screen is that it supports P3 wide color gamut and factory calibration that offers better color reproduction and accurate color details.

Hence, the screen is perfect for professionals who require color accuracy such as for CAD, 3D animation, video editing, etc. Moving on, this workstation leaps in performance by adding an 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900H processor and a massive 32GB of RAM. There is a huge 2TB of faster NVME SSD for storage, so you can store tons of files on this machine. And it also provides faster read/write speed than SATA SSD.

Normally, all the laptops come with Windows 10 Home but this workstation is pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro OS. Regarding the GPU, it has packed inside NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of video RAM. Performance wise, it can handle the most demanding creative tasks without any lag issues. Moreover, its Cooler Boost Trinity+ feature provides the best multitasking performance by enhancing maximum airflow even if you are doing it for a long time.

In terms of connectivity, the workstation has got all the major ports, such as 2 x USB Type A ports, 2 x Thunderbolt ports, audio jack, and Micro SD card reader. If you like to work on the go then this workstation is the best companion for you because it weighs 5.07 pounds. If we compare this workstation with others then this is not that much heavy.

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Final Verdict

Finally, we have done our work best from our side for providing you the best laptops for architects or architect students. In this list, we have tried to keep laptops from different budgets so that anyone can choose as per their budget.

If you would ask me personally which one is my favorite workstation laptop then it would be the Lenovo ThinkPad P17 for its top-notch specs and bigger display which the laptop offers. My second laptop of choice would be the MSI GL66 11UGK-001 because in mid-budget it offers powerful specs which is perfect for architecture.

So, tell me which is your favorite laptop? Do let me know in the comments section down below.


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