if you are an architecture engineer looking for a laptop that can run AutoCAD in 2021 let me tell you one thing very clear.
You need a powerful laptop; a laptop that holds up heavy processing of commercial 2D, 3D projects rendering, 3D modeling, blueprints preparations, drawing and designing. To help users get a smooth run of AutoCad we have drafted a list of best laptops for AutoCAD.
AutoCAD is largely taken onboard for 2D and 3D designing and modeling. It is among one of the finest tools that come integrated with lots of other tools to help users smoothly pass through any job of 2d, 3d in hands.
To get all of the aforementioned tasks run without a single tad of freezing, your laptop should rightly be optimized. Optimized in the sense, it should come integrated with the required configuration.
AutoCAD is CPU throttling software; it will be hard to commence commercial-grade projects without Steller configuration onboard. You require immense ram, dedicated graphics, a powerhouse processor, and the bulk of SSD storage.
It is not just about configuration, there should be a package that could be optimized to your CAD software. So without further ado, here are the 10 best laptops for AutoCAD.
Best Laptops For AutoCAD
IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Apple MacBook Pro |
| Check Price | ||
Razer Blade Pro 17 |
| Check Price | ||
Dell XPS 15 |
| Check Price | ||
Lenovo ThinkPad P53 |
| Check Price | ||
Acer Predator Helios 300 |
| Check Price | ||
ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro |
| Check Price | ||
Lenovo ThinkPad P73 |
| Check Price | ||
HP ZBook 15u G6 |
| Check Price | ||
MSI P65 Creator |
| Check Price | ||
Dell G5 |
| Check Price |
1. Apple MacBook Pro
- Stunning Retina Display
- Powerhouse of processing
- Long battery
- Ideal configuration for CAD
- Elegant looking
Apple is one of the most refined laptop ever produced on God’s green earth. The laptop offers unmatched users experience, smooth processing, got the power to hold-up bigger and larger projects, and other than that, the creature looks so stunning that users love to grab this powerful machine even when they really do not require this device.
The laptop is the finest option for AutoCAD running, comes installed with macOS, a different user experience compare to Windows. For those who are tired of working on Windows, MacBook Pro 16 got your back.
The laptop is the right package, accumulations of essential configuration, productivity, versatility, and longer battery life. It is expensive and comes in hands at a big price but for professional this price worth every penny.
It comes powered by 9th Gen Core i7 8-core processor, joins hands with 16GB dual-channel DDR4 RAM to help users get a cakewalk out of the heaviest tasks going to throw on it. The powerhouse processor, gets you sort-out 3D modeling, drawing, and designing projects, and makes you enjoy superior calculation power.
It comes with 1TB SSD storage. You get to need a bigger storage option to store bulky professional projects. If you see the storage is not sufficient for you, the extra slot is also given. For memory and storage, both the options are upgradable.
AutoCAD consumption is largely graphics throttling work, and to get the graphics and heavy load sort-out, you require dedicated graphics, which is rightly given with Apple MacBook Pro. Here you get to see, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M Graphics with GDDR6 memory.
One of the finest creatures comes fitted with a 16-inch retina display. The screen is crisper, smoother, brighter than any screen you ever gazed at. The retina display screen offers 4 times in-depth information compare to any other screen. The reason is, the screens are filled with 4x higher pixels per inches. The retina display supports 500 nits brightness and delivers brilliant true to life images and videos.
It also comes with a smooth ergonomic magic keyboard. The keyboard has share scissor technology with improved key travel speed to render a responsive and comfortable typing experience.
Additionally, the laptop supports a Touch ID that gives instant and secure logging-in without recalling hard remembering passwords.
All in all the laptop is a great thing to go with for AutoCAD professionals. It integrates almost anything a professional ever requires to get his job professionally done.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i9 |
Ram | 16 GB |
Storage | 1TB Ultrafast SSD |
Graphics | AMD Radeon Pro 5500M |
Display | 16-inch Retina / True Tone |
2. Razer Blade Pro 17
- Can play AAA titles
- 17-inches display
- Innovative cooling chamber
- Long battery runtime
The Razer blade brand is synonymous with gaming laptops. The brand has produced stunning machines for running the highest titles. They know how to put up a great laptop for gaming and other graphics-oriented tasks. In other ways, we can rely on the brand for a laptop to run AutoCAD and other related software such as 3Ds Max, Blender, and others much more in the row.
By all means, it looks like a gaming laptop, its specs support AAA titles games and other high-ended things running. It shares a black metal polished chassis with a backlight keyboard. The RGB backlighting of the keyboard settles the ambiance for gaming, no doubt but other use of it could be to continue working on your project even in a dim light environment.
It comes powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H 8-Core processor. The processor got the power to help you smoothly pass through the graphics-oriented tasks at hand without witnessing a single glitch. The Hexa-core processor, on the other hand, is world-famous for their multitasking powers, get hands-on multiple things without halting working on your project.
The other essential specs this beast comes along include 16GB DDR4 dual-channel memory. The bulk of memory is there at your disposal, to help you get things sorted-out without facing any hassle.
The storage section is entertained with 512GB SSD storage. The storage option is expandable, get the storage extended up to 2TB SSD if you feel the available space might not be sufficient for your bulky projects.
To help you do heavy 3D modeling, designing, and drawing projects, the laptop offers Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card. The added GPU offers smooth visual processing, rendering heavy 3D models, and get things sorted out without any fuss.
To enjoy the smooth visual processing, there comes a 17-inch FHD screen with 300 Hz refresh rate support. Enjoy wide 17-inches display without any added bulk, the screen measures 15-inches wide.
The laptop adheres to cutting-edge thermal mechanisms. It is engineered with a Vapor Chamber that ensures smooth air-flow without halting your gaming or creating performance.
It comes with a bigger battery to help you carry it along. It helps you work all-day without getting dead in a single charging. The battery gets a cutting-edge charging mechanism, the latest technology helps users to get the battery 60-percent charged in less than 50 minutes.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | intel Core i7-10875H |
Ram | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA RTX 2070 MAX-Q |
Display | 17.3 FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS 300Hz |
3. Dell XPS 15
- Premium look
- Excellent battery
- Infinity edge display
- Improved cooling System
Dell XPS 15 is one of the finest creatures to help you smoothly pass through the AutoCAD workload. The laptop checks all the right boxes and makes things happen quicker and faster. Its features make you push the artwork to the edge. Yes, it cost more than the others, but its specs make it worth the high price.
It comes powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor to help you accelerate in performance and see a boost in your artwork.
The processor is paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM to help uplift the multitasking. You would not see a lag even when running more than one application. You can open as many tabs as you want, and without buffering witness a smooth switching. More than that, the ram size can further be enhanced up to 64GB. The extra slot is there to help you extend the ram size.
From the storage upfront, it comes decorated with 512GB SSD storage. The latest SSD storage is faster than traditional and makes you get things sorted quickly. The storage mere not serve the storage purpose, it affects the overall efficiency of your system including booting time.
The dell production adorns itself with all the essential tools required for the creative work. With NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics card of 4GB dedicated memory, you get an instant rendering of the highest level of graphics without getting slowed down. The added graphics card helps users to run their CAD software like never before.
The tiny beast has to share 15.6 inches FHD display. The immersive display offers 4K resolution and helps you enjoy a brighter, sharper display without hurting your eyes. The display offers an infinity edge, with a 40-times brighter viewing experience. You get stunning visuals productions on the screen and get to watch your favorite web series for a long time.
The dell XPS 15 shares cutting edge cooling mechanism. It comes with dual fans that spread the heat areas to lower the impact on the internal organs. Due to the exhaust pipes and venting system through the hinges, you get to enjoy the cooling performance even after running heavy apps for hours.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-10750H |
Ram | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ti |
Display | 15.6 4K Ultra HD |
4. Lenovo ThinkPad P53
- Optimized GPU for CAD work
- Workstation equal power
- Stunning viewing experience
- 32GB RAM
To get heavy processing such as AutoCad projects smoothly done, you require a workstation equal power. You need a powerhouse to help you smoothly sail through processing. If that’s the scenario, Lenovo Thinkpad P53 comes with the right power and smoothly helps you to pass-through any amount of workload. The configuration of this laptop caters to the heaviest workstream needs and makes you stand out in the immense crowd.
The latest addition to the ThinkPad series comes adorned with a stunning processor; Intel Core i7-9750H. The Hexacore processor comes optimized with the type of processing CAD software throws and smoothly pass through them without showing a tad sign of tiredness. The Hexacore processor is known for multitasking and they when pairs with immense memory options make users witness the fastest processing and calculations.
Here, in the memory slot, you get to see 32GB DDR4 dual-channel memory, enough for the AutoCAD work, by the way. The laptop also offers extra space to help you expand the memory and storage option. In terms of storage, this laptop comes with 1TB SSD storage, more than required for the AutoCad things.
In terms of the graphics card, the laptop comes integrated with NVIDIA Quadro T1000 Graphics of 6GB dedicated memory. The mentioned graphics card is designed for the CAD workload and helps users enjoy optimized performance. The graphics card is recommended by the top CAD experts, due to its special and unique construction, it makes things easier for the AutoCAD working.
The latest addition to the Thinkpad P series comes fitted with 15.6 inches FHD display. The display offers an improved viewing experience as it comes integrated with sharp and wide viewing angles, anti-glare panels, and other things that adhere to make your viewing experience splendid. For AutoCAD work, you have to stare at the screen for hours, even after working for extended hours, you would not feel pain or restrain.
Now comes the final attribute to make a laptop stands out for AutoCad; battery. It comes with a stunning battery backup, enough good to let you continue doing the projects important to you. It withstands as much as 10-hours in single charging, so from now on, to show your clients the latest building blueprints, you have no need to get anxious, just take this tiny beast around, and things will go smoother for you.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H |
Ram | 32GB DDR4 |
Storage | 1TB SATA SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA Quadro T1000 |
Display | 15.6 FHD (1920 x 1080) |
5. Acer Predator Helios 300
- Powerful process
- Four-zones backlit keyboard
- Sharp display
- killer Double Shot pro feature
Acer Predator is one of the finest laptops to run CAD software. The package comes with all essential tools for editing, modeling, drafting, rendering, and drawing. You know the above-mentioned things rely major on Processor, and the reviewed laptop shares 10th Gen Core i7 processor, so you will not feel bottlenecked due to the low performance of the CPU. The CPU touches 5GH and has to share six cores, in other words, it is among one of the most powerful processors that come integrated into laptops in 2020.
It comes integrated with 16GB DDR4 dual-channel memory which can be upgraded up to 64GB. But, for the job in hand (AutoCAD) I do not think you will need this much of ram. Added ram is more than enough to help you smoothly pass through any AutoCAD project.
Additionally, the laptop also integrates a discrete graphics card. It comes powered with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card of 6GB dedicated memory. The addition of such a powerful GPU makes this laptop a beast for visual processing. Heaviest tasks could be pushed on the side of the edge in no time. This makes the laptop one of the finest options to play games; you can run any game of your desire without thinking twice.
The laptop comes adorned with a stunning display. It has to share 15.6 inches FHD display with maximized resolution and 144 Hz refresh rate. The added display helps you enjoy crisp and clear high graphics image production on the screen without buffering, lagging, blur motion, or ghost image issues. The refresh rates are on par, with 3 MS responsive time you always stay ahead in the game.
It also comes with a backlit enabled keyboard. The illuminated four-zone backlit enabled keyboard helps you achieve the next level in gaming. The see-through illuminated concave-shaped keys offer an illuminated gaming experience and let you roll hands on any game in a dark light environment.
The predator Helios 300 has to share a killer Double Shot pro feature. This feature helps you choose an application to spend your bandwidth. In other words, it is under your control now which applications to get what power.
In a nutshell, the finest beast offers an amazing range of features to make peace with your AutoCAD work and play any AAA title without any issue.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-10750H |
Ram | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 512GB NVMe SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
Display | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS 144HZ |
6. ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro 17
- Optimized GPU
- Military-grade construction
- Cutting-edge cooling mechanism
- Powerful specification
If you are looking for a professional-grade, sturdily built, top-notch laptop for running CAD applications, get hands-on ASUS’ Studio Book. The laptop comes with everything integrated that can help professionals to get get the flow of their work continued.
It is one of the sturdily made laptops that withstand the highest level of ruggedness and passes through the roughest punishing regime. It meets military-grade standards and offers enhanced reliability and durability. Other than that, the laptop also garners professional certification from different professional software including Adobe, AutoDesk, and many more others in the row.
We know for CAD application running the biggest contribution is from the processor. The laptop offers an Intel Core i7-9750H Hexa-core processor and touches 4.5 GHz clock speed. The processing power of the machine is on par and helps professionals to get Autocad and other similar software running without witnessing a single drawback.
To help ease your visual processing, the laptop takes power from pro-grade Quadro RTX 3000 graphics. The added GPU helps you create creations and have hands-on multiple projects at one time. The added graphics card is specially designed for pro software and help creatives render multilayered files without slaughtering the speed of the system.
To achieve the highest level of multitasking, the beast comes integrated with a 16GB DDR4 dual-channel memory. The added memory could also be expanded up to 64. There is an extra slot to help users extend the memory up to the mentioned limit to get their workflow continued without any impediment.
To help store lots of files, the laptop comes filled with a 1TB SSD storage. The added storage is more than enough for the professionals as well as average users. You can store your files, folders, movies, and other files without slowing down the overall speed.
This laptop comes fitted with a 17-inches display in a 15-inches screen. The display is vibrant, clearer, immersive, and helps users to stare at the screen without harming the eyesight. The display of this machine is awe-inspiring and helps you to gaze at the screen without skipping out a single color.
Integration of an innovative cooling mechanism that improved the overall air-flow within the chassis. The added cooling system enhances the overall life of your laptop, and makes you enjoy the superior performance without pauses.
In a nutshell, the laptop makes an ideal option for AutoCad. It comes integrated with every possible feature that CAD users would demand from its next purchase.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H |
Ram | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 |
Display | 17 FHD (1920 x 1080) |
7. Lenovo ThinkPad P73
- 4k display
- Powerful processor
- Premium construction
- 32GB RAM
Lenovo Thinkpad P73 is a beastly configured laptop under a good price range. The laptop due to its exceptional configuration and performance makes an ideal laptop for AutoCAD and 3D, 2D modeling. It offers a stunning 4K display, and withstand the long-run in a single charging.
The laptop comes powered with Intel Core i7-9750H Hexa-core processor that touches up to 4.50 GHz clock speed. The processing power is more than required for AutoCad running and high-graphics projects rendering. The paired 32GB bulk memory is going to help you witness a smooth walk away from anything thrown at it. The added memory is more than what the hardest AutoCad projects require.
From the storage front, it comes equipped with 1TB SSD storage to help you store anything you wish. The storage amount exceeds your expectation, in rare cases, users require this much storage.
The latest model on the P-series comes with a stunning 17.30 inches IPS type display with anti-glare panels, a larger viewing angle, and an enhanced viewing experience. From any angle, you will be able to view the screen without distorted information.
The model comes with a six-cell 99 Whr battery that runs as long as 6-8 hours in single charging. The battery backup might not be that good compare to our other models, but overall performance in on par and make you get the highest performance achieved.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H |
Ram | 32GB DDR4 |
Storage | 1TB SATA SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA Quadro P620 |
Display | 17.3 FHD (1920 x 1080) |
8. HP ZBook 15u G6
- Optimized Graphics card
- Bulky 32GB RAM,
- Preferred by frequent travelers
- Powerful processor
If you are the one who always on-the-go and needs something that you could travel along without feeling too much weight, get a hands-on HP designed ZBook workstation. The laptop is one of the finest picks for architects who are on the go, still prefer buying a powerhouse of processing. The laptop offers superior configuration, processing power, mobility, and long working hours due to its immense battery backup.
The HP workstation comes powered with 8th Gen Intel i7-8565U processor with 4-cores and reaches up to 4.60 clock speed to make you match the AutoCad workload comes through your ways. The processor renders immense power, enough to cater to the load.
The tiny beast comes along with a mammoth of memory. You get to see 32GB DDR4 dual-channel memory to help ease your multitasking. Run as many tabs as you wish, listen to your favorite song, open browse to have an over soccer match, and edit your 3D project that is going to be delivered tomorrow without witnessing a single glitch. Furthermore, the memory can be expanded using the extra slot given.
From the storage point of view, the laptop might not fall right on your expectations. It comes adorned with 256GB PCIe SSD with the option to extend the storage. So, if you feel like having more storage, get the extra slot rightly used and enhance the storage up to the level of your expectations.
The model has to share one of the finest displays. It comes integrated with 15.6 inches FHD display with anti-glare panels, wider and sharper viewing angles, and maximized resolution. The laptop offers a stunning viewing experience, without skipping a single color to help you enjoy crystal, clearer and vibrant images and video productions.
The attribute that makes this laptop stand heads and shoulders above the rest is its GPU. It comes powered with one of the finest dedicated GPU for the artwork. It has to share an AMD Pro WX 3200 graphics card of 4GB dedicated memory. The added graphics card helps you match the workload you are going to experience in your next CAD project.
The laptop also comes with a good keyboard. The keyboard comes with a good key, widely spaced, ergonomic with impressive travel speed to help type for hours without any turbulence.
Yes, the battery backup is also on par for the job we are going to explore. You get around 8-10 hours of battery runtime to get things sorted out. And one more thing, the battery gets charged quickly due to cutting-edge battery charging mechanism integration.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-8565U |
Ram | 32GB DDR4 |
Storage | 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Graphics | AMD Pro WX 3200 |
Display | 15.6 FHD (1920 x 1080) |
9. MSI P65 Creator
- 1TB SSD storage
- Powerful processor
- 32GB mammoth ram
- Ideal candidate for AutoCad
MSI is known for producing top-notch laptops in the gaming world. The brand is a leading name in laptop production; their produced laptops have set a bar higher for others.
This particular model we chose is one of the finest products for AutoCad. The elegant looking laptop is going to get the gaze of most of the professionals around you. Its white metal body captivates users, feels more like a white painted wall.
The model comes powered with 9th Gen intel core i7-9750h Hexa-core processor that reaches up to 4.5 GHz clock speed to make you achieve the highest level of performance.
Additionally, to make your laptop achieve the highest level of multitasking, it comes integrated with a gigantic 32GB DDR4 dual-channel memory.
The storage department is entertained with 1TB Teton Glacier SSD storage. The section is managed and taken care of well by the brand, you would not have more storage as you already got more than what requires for the job.
MSI made this machine to match the needs of dedicated gamers, that’s why the device adheres to NVidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card of 6GB dedicated memory. The added graphics makes this machine powerful to filter and process graphics without facing any issue. You can even play AAA titles and fulfill your gaming ambitions along with doing bulky AutoCAD projects.
The MSI P65 comes with a 15.6 inches FHD IPS type with anti-glare panels, larger and sharper angle, and render maximized resolution to help you enjoy 4K display. The laptop got all the guts to provide vivid color images without skipping out a single color to make you have an immersive viewing experience.
The reviewed model comes with a good battery runtime. It offers as much as 8 long hours of battery backup to make you achieve the highest level of mobility without any bounds. It offers you the flexibility to roam around and do things on the go.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-9750H |
Ram | 32GB DDR4 |
Storage | 1TB SSD |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
Display | 15 6″ Uhd (3840X2160) 4k |
10. Dell G5
- Powerful GPU
- Ideal for AutoCad
- Stunning Storage option
- Sharp, clear display
The best laptops for the AutoCAD list could never be completed without adding Dell’s G5. The model has gained lots of praise and won many accolades due to unrivaled performance and stunning configuration. You can take it as an education laptop, gaming beast, business model, or a laptop for AutoCAD. It goes through smoothly from the tasks you throw at it without seeing a single glitch.
It comes powered with the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H Hexa-core processor. The processor touches 4.5 GHz clock speed to make you achieve the highest level of processing. For the task we are hunting a laptop for, the processor is more than enough. It would not show any buffer, freeze, rendering, or slowing down the issue and make you smoothly sail through any amount of work.
Further, the laptop comes paired with 16GB of dual-channel memory to make you things easier for your professional life. It supports the highest level of multitasking and lets you enjoy entertainment in the middle of project rendering.
This machine shares a stunning storage option. It comes decorated with SSD plus HDD storages to get fast speed without losing the stamina. You get 1TB HDD storage to stuff things you like the most or are important for your professional career. And on the other hand, get faster loading time, booting time with 256GB SSD storage.
Now comes the finest specs of this laptop. It also has to share a discrete graphics card of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card of 4GB dedicated memory. The added graphics card is more than required to smoothly run AutoCad and software similar, still having dedicated graphics gives you peace of mind. And due to the added GPU, you are free to play any game of your desire, without facing any debacle.
All in all, the laptop makes a good option for running software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and 3Ds Max, and others.
Hardware Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-10750H |
Ram | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 256 SSD + 1TB HDD |
Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti |
Display | 15.6 FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS |
Autocad Laptop Recommendation – Buying Guide
What makes a laptop suitable for a particular task, purpose, or niche? Obviously the hardware configuration it comes integrated with. In other words, if you could come up with the hardware configuration optimized for a particular task, you are going to achieve the desired results.
So, the task in hand is AutoCad running; we are after the best laptops that help us professionals carry out AutoCad projects as well as aid in preparing AutoCad assignments for a student.
If you are not aware of the hardware configuration required to stand out in AutoCad work, we are here to help you out. Read through this coming guide, and it will make you learn the things important for running AutoCad and getting commercially grade projects done.
Processor
The processor invariably is the single most dependent attribute that can make or break your laptop for CAD. For CAD applications running such as AutoCAD, AutoDesk, TurboCad, QCAD, and others in the rows processor play a vital role.
So, have a close eye on choosing a processor to get things going in a straight line.
For AutoCAD i5, i7 processors are more than enough. They can get professional-level projects done without showing a single problem. But, for i5 and i5 processors, look to have a hexacore and quad-core processors rather than dual cores. The Hexacore and quad-core projects can handle multilayered projects easily compare to dual cores.
I would suggest opting with Intel processors because up till now, AMD processors got no near competition to Intel. Although AMD’s Ryzen series has given tough competition, still there is a lot to do to get closer to Intel.
RAM
RAM is another most important aspect to have a special look at. The physical memory, or random access memory of a laptop determines the programs or apps you can switch through simultaneously. For bigger ram you will have more breathing space, will be able to switch through the programs without freezing.
As today’s apps and programs have grown complex, the more RAM has become a vitally important aspect even for average laptops.
As we are going to run 2D, 3D projects, here we require more ram than an average business laptop.
If you are about to run 2D Cad projects, the minimum breathing space you should have is 8GB, less than this could lead to a series of problems. Here as well, for a recommended ram, you should try getting 16GB.
For 3D CAD project rendering, experts recommend having 32GB RAM.
If you are running short of money, and could not raise the budget to match the RAM requirement of running 2D, 3D projects, then you will have to install software that lets you use the storage space as a ram virtually.
Storage
For the best laptop for AutoCAD, Storage plays a significant role. It is not merely storage, you install your operating system over there, the project copying speed, and data loading speed depends on the storage.
There are two types of drives available on the market right now. Traditional storages aka HDD storages are clunky, noisy, and less reliable besides offering the slowest loading, booting, and copying speed. They are cheap and comes in hands at an affordable budget compare to the other type of storages; SSD.
SSD (Solid-state drive) is fast, reliable, convenient, and secure. They offer improved copying speed, and your booting time shrinks to a few seconds. They have further two categories; SATA and PCIe.
SATA SSD storages have limitations of 600mb/S data transfer; on the other hand, PCIe offers around 2500mb/s data transfer speed. So, it is obvious which one is better. And for CAD work, get hands-on an SSD because you will need to copy bigger and bulky projects at the same time will have to load them. So, have hands-on an SSD of size 1TB to get things running smoothly.
Graphics Card
There is a myth in the AutoCad community that to run this CAD application and to render bulky 2D, 3D modeling projects, you are required to have a good size GPU. Not, not like this.
There is CAD software which particularly relies on Graphics card, but not AutoCAD.
This particular AutoCAD software uses CPU for the calculations, and mostly uses GPU for storing textures and visual processing. Yes, it is good to have a good size GPU if you got money and love to play games along with using CAD applications.
For the safe side, as you never know which CAD software you may have to run, get Nvidia GeForce 1650 graphics card onboard, it is good to handle even CAD apps which rely on GPU.
Display
For a laptop best suited for AutoCAD projects, bigger is better. It is a crucial thing to have a check on before buying a laptop for CAD. The screen should offer clear, vibrant, anti-glare, and sharper results with full of colors. The viewing angle should be larger, and color gamut should be accurate.
For AutoCAD laptops, look for an IPS display. The resolution should be at least FHD, experts recommend 4K display though.
Battery Life
For the best laptop for AutoCAD, battery runtime plays a vital role. As you never know, where your clients could call you, you might have to visit the construction site to provide blueprints of the buildings, so a laptop with good battery life is essential. And for the Architects who are always on the go, the attribute holds great significance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AutoCAD a CPU or GPU-intensive process?
AutoCAD is a resource-intensive computer-aided designing and drafting application. It involves 2d/3d drawings and designs. If you are into AutoCad just to render 3d designs and drawings. It is better to save off your money by not buying a graphics card.
For 3d models and other intensive operations, it is better to have a graphics card. For 2d models, a basic GPU with a solid processor can get the job done. For 3d it will be hard to get going without a discrete graphics card.
How much RAM is needed for optimal AutoCAD performances?
AutoCAD can be run on a laptop with 4GB RAM. But you would not enjoy the optimal performance as it involves some memory-intensive operations.
From beginner to professionals who handle light to complex designing and drawing operations, it is good to have 8GB to 16GB RAM. For someone handling commercial-scale building and architectural projects, 16GB to 32GB is good to go memory.
What is the role of GPU in AutoCAD?
AutoCAD is a CPU-Intensive application. It requires a super-fast high clock speed processor. With a good memory and a super-fast processor, you might not have to get a bulky graphics card onboard even for complex operations.
For 3d modeling, it is recommended to have a discrete graphics card of 2GB. For AutoCAD, it handles complex 3d models and helps the processor process through them swiftly.
Which CPU works best when it comes to advanced AutoCAD usage?
AutoCAD requires a good processor. As it handles heavy operations and requires a powerful processor due to AutoCad CPU-intensive nature.
It is recommended to have a core i7 to core i9 processor for optimal operations. Or get AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 to handle easy to complex AutoCad operations.
The Bottom Line
AutoCAD is one of the most consumed software in the drawing, architects, modeling, and designing world. It is power-consuming software that takes lots of processing power to carry out using it for various purposes. So, there should be a right balance of configuration to help you get improved performance.
We have recommended the best laptops for AutoCAD in 2021. These are the finest laptops you can have hands-on. In the later section, we also narrated a buying guide that leads you to make a better decision.
We can hope that this guide serves its purpose rightly. And make you find a laptop as per your needs and desires to get cater to the workload your project is going to throw. If you think, the guide helped you in making a better decision, share this guide with others.
- Best Laptops For GIS
- Best Laptops For Excel
- Best Laptops For Revit
- Best Laptops For Zoom
- Best Laptops For Skype
- Best Laptops For Blender
- Best Laptops For Solidworks
- Best Laptops For Fusion 360
- Best Laptops For 3D Modeling
- Best Laptops For After Effects
- Best Laptops For Microsoft Office
- Best Laptops For Adobe illustrator
- Best Laptops For Adobe Premiere Pro
- Best Budget Laptops For Adobe Photoshop