These days, modern ingenuity has taken over some of our oldest professions with technological advances and new methods of fulfilling those tasks. Many industries which used to rely on physical pen and paper have all but moved on to digital platforms and software. I mean, it was the most obvious course of action if you ask me. Some professions which have taken this in stride includes engineering, architecture, designers, and artists among countless others.
Nowadays, there are so many various types of software and tools that makes our daily lives that much simpler. One of these tools is the critically acclaimed, internationally recognized AutoCAD.
Today, we're going to be going over some of the very best laptops for AutoCAD to get users across the globe well equipped in their creative and practical visions. But before we get to that, let's take a moment to better understand who AutoCAD is for, and what you can expect out of the software.
What Is AutoCAD?
AutoCAD is one of the leading computer-aided design programs available in the market today. It's no surprise that AutoCAD itself is so prevalent in so many industries that universities even include the CAD software in their curriculum. One of the most prevalent uses of AutoCAD would be its ability to draft up blueprints and designs for buildings and other various systems.
But that's not all it's capable of, considering that it's a very versatile software. AutoCAD is used for a number of designs including things like roads, bridges, buildings, interior design, fashion, 3D model printing, and more.
AutoCAD is capable of creating, annotating, and designing both 2D drafting as well as 3D modeling with a variety of solids, surfaces and mesh objects. There are also plenty of built-in features that helps optimizes your workflow with various specialized toolsets for things like architecture, electrical, 3D modeling of maps, etc.
Add in a bunch of extra features specifically built for whatever you need, and you've got an all encompassing, CAD program. It's really no surprise why AutoCAD is on the forefront of the CAD game. But it ain't that easy to get started as the best laptop for AutoCAD will need quite a bit of firepower to get things running smoothly.
With that in mind, let's take a look at both the minimum and recommended system requirements for the best laptops for AutoCAD.
Minimum System Requirements
Now, whether you'll be using AutoCAD 3D or just use it for the normal 2D and 3D modeling and drafting features, these are going to be the bare minimums of what the best laptops for AutoCAD will be equipped with. If you were in anyway inclined to tech specs and laptops, you'll notice this is a pretty high base spec sheet. Considering that AutoCAD is definitely meant for professional design use cases rather than casual use, it's expected. Let's take a look at the specs and see what we'll need to equip the best laptops for AutoCAD with.
Display
The display your laptop for AutoCAD comes with is a very important feature mainly because you're looking at it 90% of the time, if not more. To ensure you have accurate 2D and 3D drafts in AutoCAD or AutoCAD 3DS Max, they've mentioned you should have a minimum of a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution which equates to a Full HD resolution. Luckily enough, a Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution is basically the norm at this point for most laptops. Which means, it's much easier to look for the best laptops for AutoCAD without necessarily breaking the bank. A Full HD resolution with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution is one of the most cost effective, vibrant and clear displays you'll find.
In regards to the display size, you're pretty much able to choose your poison. The display size won't have too much of an effect on your performance so it's up to your personal preferences and usage patterns. Most often, the display size you'll see is the 15.6-inches which is a good mid-way point against bigger and smaller display size. For a more compact, portable experience, you cant opt for slightly smaller than 15.6-inches with a 14-inch of 13.3-inch display size. It really is up to you, but personally, 15.6-inches is pretty manageable without sacrificing that extra screen real estate. God knows you'll need it in AutoCAD if you were planning on making detailed, intricate 3D modeling or drawings.
Processor
The processor is an integral part of any laptop, even more so for the best laptops for AutoCAD. Your processor is responsible for running basically every task you could do on your laptop, and as such, it's probably a good idea to deck out this spec sufficiently for use in AutoCAD or 3DS Max. AutoCAD mentions your laptop for AutoCAD should have at least a 2.5-2.9GHz processor as a minimum. Again, not too high for your base specs, but you should try and aim for more if your budget allows.
These kinds of processors often equate to older Intel Core quad-core processor like the 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H, 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H, etc. While something like the Intel Core i5-9300H is great for everyday tasks, you're going to want a little more power than that. Since AutoCAD is quite a resource intensive software, the Intel Core i5-9300H will give you less bang for your buck in terms of performance compared to better equipped processors with a higher number of cores and clock speed. Most of the Intel Core i7 processor lineup fits the description very well, so that should be the goal for your mobile workstation laptop.
RAM/ Storage
While the processor is important for your laptop for AutoCAD, your RAM and storage are also important for day-to-day performance. In fact, as many AutoCAD users can attest to, RAM is one of the biggest bottlenecks for the software. AutoCAD mentions that your laptop for AutoCAD should come equipped with at least an 8GB RAM capacity which is pretty high for a base RAM spec. You will also need at least 10GB of free space on your hard disk, which should be easy enough to match up to.
How much RAM you have on your laptop for AutoCAD 3DS Max will dictate how fast your computer loads things up. The lesser RAM, the longer it would take for things to load, as well as having an impact on your multitasking capabilities.
The storage space on your laptop is also important, especially so for projects on AutoCAD. Since you're probably using AutoCAD in a professional capacity, you're going to want to ensure your laptop has enough storage space to house all your projects. You're going to need just 10GB on the base installation, so it's probably a good idea to find upwards of 256GB SSD for your hard disk slot. This will optimize both your storage space as well as the speed during startups and loading things off the local storage space.
Graphic Card
Arguably one of the most important specs for CAD programs like AutoCAD is going to be your graphics card. The graphic cad on your laptop dictates how well it can render and display images, 3D models, and video on the display. This is especially so if you were planning on using AutoCAD 3DS Max for 3D model drafting and rendering for animations, models or games. AutoCAD mentions you're going to need a graphic card with at least a 1GB GPU and DirectX 11 compliant. In this case, we should note that it's probably best you stick to a dedicated graphics card rather than a lower powered integrated graphic card unless you really have a tight budget. Based on my experience, you should look for a NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU or better to have the best performance, but more on that later.
For use of CAD programs and AutoCAD, you're going to be looking at a genre of laptops known as the workstation laptop. These laptops are specialized for use in graphically intensive software like CAD, graphic design, 3D modeling and more. This will also be helpful if you were using programs like Revit, SolidWorks, or Photoshop. A workstation laptop also more often than not is accompanied by a very powerful, hexa-core processor or better. This makes it the ideal companion for those who need the extra power, but keep in mind that these laptops will cost you a fair bit more than a standard gaming laptop.
Recommended System Requirements
The above specs are going to be a mix between what AutoCAD recommends users find in a best laptop for AutoCAD and our own personal recommendations. This will be our guideline to finding the best laptop for you but depending on your budget some may be pretty flexible. Let's get straight into it to get a better understanding of what we're going to be looking for.
Display
The display your laptop comes with is going to be pretty much similar to the base recommendation of a Full HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels. Though, if you do have the budget for it, AutoCAD supports up to 4K display resolutions so that's another option for those with a little extra capital. It's not entirely necessary, but I can't see how it would negatively affect your drafting experience so it's going to be in our recommendations for now. But for those looking for a truly budget laptop, you should stick to the Full HD resolution for now.
In terms of the display size, again, it's really up to your personal preferences. But based on the types of laptops we'll be seeing like gaming laptops, or the workstation laptop genre, you're most often going to run into the 15.6-inches display size. This isn't a bad thing considering that these days, manufacturers are creating 15.6-inches displays with smaller, thinner bezels, resulting in the same 15.6-inches screen on a smaller body. This gets you both a bigger 15.6-inches form factor without sacrificing too much in terms of weight, portability, and graphical fidelity. I know some users do struggle to see smaller elements on screens like a 13.3-inch or 14-inch so the 15.6-inch display size may be a solid middle ground.
Processor
As I mentioned earlier, the processor your laptop comes with dictates pretty much how much performance potential it has. The slower, and less cores the processor has, the less performance it can dish out at any given time resulting in slowdowns, lag, crashes and freezes. As such, AutoCAD mentions your laptop should come with a processor with at least 3GHz or more clock speed. This translates to plenty of quad-core processors and hexa-core processor lineups such as the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor, Intel Xeon hexa-core processor, etc.
In all honesty, most gaming laptops come equipped with the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H, making it one of the best choices for most users. Gaming laptop lineups always come with a capable spec sheet, making the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor of choice thanks to its performance and reliability. Also, it was released fairly recently meaning you'll be able to use the laptop for longer without worrying about any drops in performance. Another piece of advice I can give is at this point, if you were looking for a laptop, it's best to stick to the 8th Generation Intel Core lineup and above. Any older than this and you may run into issues with performance in the long run.
RAM/ Storage
How much RAM and storage space your laptop comes with is as important to your daily performance as both the graphic card and processor. Lacking in any of these integral core specs may result in a less than stellar performance. Since AutoCAD intrinsically is very demanding program, they've mentioned a pretty high standard for your RAM capacity at a 16GB DDR4 RAM. In actuality, based on AutoCAD users experience, even 16GB DDR4 RAM may seem too little when dealing with huge designs, making it an easy spec to bottleneck.
There's sometimes just too much going on at the same time while you work, so even though the recommendation is a 16GB RAM capacity, if you can afford more RAM, it'll be useful in the long run as you get more and more projects on AutoCAD and other design software.
For the storage space, you're going to need just 10GB for the base installation. A pretty low barrier to entry but that doesn't tell the whole story. We're going to recommend users find a laptop with at least a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD to optimize your workflow. There are also a bunch of add-ons and specialized toolsets on AutoCAD that can take up to 20GB of space for only one installation. Therefore, a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD is still a pretty modest storage space option if you think about it. However, for those looking for a budget laptop option, you can opt for at least a 256GB SSD in your hard disk slot.
Also, don't even think about getting a HDD (hard disk drive) and opt for the faster, more capable SSD (solid state drive). Just trust me on this one.
Graphics Card
Last, but certainly not least, we're going to be recommending the types of graphics cards you should be on the look for in your AutoCAD optimized laptop. Again, as I mentioned earlier, you really should be looking for a proper dedicated graphics card if you were looking to use AutoCAD. Anything less like an integrated GPU will not be up to the task long term and you may find yourself running into issues. As such, you're going to need a GPU with at least a 4GB VRAM and needs to be DirectX12 compliant.
Most dedicated graphics units these days fit the description so you don't need to worry too much on that front. There are several tiers of performance for GPUs, starting with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX lineup. Some of these graphic cards include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, NVIDIA GeForce 1660Ti, etc.
Then, taking things up a notch in terms of performance you've the NVIDIA GeForce RTX lineup. This includes cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, etc. Next, for those looking for a properly decked, design oriented workstation laptop will be met by a specialized GPU lineup called the NVIDIA Quadro series. These NVIDIA Quadro cards include the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000, NVIDIA RTX 5000, etc.
There are plenty of capable dedicated graphics cards to choose from. Mostly any of the ones I've mentioned above (or similar) will get you performing your best.
Other Useful Features
Now that we've gone through all the main specs to look for, let's take a look at what other useful features you can expect out of your laptop.
Battery Life
The first spec you should consider is the battery life on your laptop. A long lasting battery life is quintessential for those of you who work on the go. It's also very helpful if you were the type to be away from your office/workstation and are more versatile in how you work. Battery life often gets ignored, but trust me, once you use a laptop with a battery life that can last consistently over 3-4 hours of work, you'll never look back. It's one of those life changing features that once accustomed to, you're not going to want to compromise.
Useful Peripherals
If you were looking to work with CAD and design software, there's a bunch of great extra peripherals that can enhance and optimize the experience. Some of these peripherals include and external keyboard, a wired mouse for accurate inputs, a high resolution monitor, and drawing tablets among other things. You should look into these great hardware pieces if you wanted up the ante, but at the very least, consider finding a good external mouse.
Extra Ports
Lastly, working with such design software it's probably a good idea to find a laptop with a full array of ports. These can include both USB-Type A and Type-C ports, LAN connector, HDMI ports, and more. This will make it much easier to adapt with newer peripherals and hardware, as well as being essential if you were the type to connect your laptop to an external monitor. You'd be surprised that some laptops don't have the same versatility as some others, so be mindful of how you're going to work and figure it out accordingly.
Best Laptops For AutoCAD
1. ASUS ROG Strix G 15
The first laptop we'll be featuring on the list is going to be a capable gaming laptop, the ASUS ROG Strix G15. This gaming laptop comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS anti-glare display with some razor thin bezels both the top and sides of the display frame. Having an anti-glare display is great for when working in brightly lit conditions, with less reflections on screen. You'll also notice the patented gamer laptop aesthetic with the AuraSync light bar at the bottom as well as the metal black chassis.
For its internal specs, the ASUS ROG Strix G15 comes packed with a pretty admirable lineup of specs including a Core i7 processor, the 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H. To support the processor, the ASUS ROG Strix G15 features an 8GB RAM capacity and 512GB SSD storage space making for a pretty well rounded spec sheet. Handling all your graphics on the laptop is going to be the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with a 4GB GDDR5 V RAM setup.
There's a few more attractive features you'll find on boar the gaming laptop including a RGB backlit keyboard, SmartAmp audio, a full array of ports, and up to 10 hours of battery life.
Next up, we've got another impressive gaming laptop and this time it's going to be one of the most highly regarded in the industry, the Razer Blade 15. The Razer Blade 15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD Edge-to-Edge display with a speedy 144Hz refresh rate. Contrary to other gaming laptop aesthetics, the Razer Blade 15 enjoys a muted, minimalist design with a striking matte black look. Definitely my favorite gaming laptop in terms of aesthetics alone.
For its performance, the Razer Blade 15 features the industry standard 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor with up to 5.0GHz clock rate. The laptop also comes with a massive 32GB RAM capacity and a well sized 1TB SSD for all your storage needs. In terms of graphics, the laptop features a performance beast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB of GDDR6 V RAM. This laptop has everything going for it including the massive RAM capacity, storage space, and processing power for both CPU and GPU.
The laptop has a few more great features such as the RGB Chroma backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 support, a full array of ports, HD audio stereo speakers and up to 6 hours of battery life.
Our next laptop we'll be featuring is another dependable gaming laptop, the Acer Predator Helios 300. The Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop comes packed with a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate for a smoother display experience. You'll also notice the almost daunting aesthetics of a gamer laptop all around with an almost alienlike design language. Not bad, but might not be everyone's cup of tea. Otherwise, the 15.6-inch display is a looker but with a slightly noticeable chin on the bottom of the display frame.
Under the hood, the Acer Predator Helios 300 features a familiar lineup, but still very impressive. The laptop comes with the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor with up to 5.0GHz clock speed. On the RAM and storage side of things, the gaming laptop features a respectable 16GB RAM capacity, and a sizable 512GB SSD storage. For the graphics, you'll be met with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with a 6GB GDDR6 VRAM.
A few more notable features you'll find on the laptop includes a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi support, advanced cooling tech, DTS:X Ultra audio, and up to 6 hours battery life.
Taking a step into the pricier, more professional workstation laptop genre, the next laptop we're featuring is going to be the ASUS ProArt StudioBook Pro 15. Quite the mouthful huh? The laptop comes with a stunning 15.6-inch 4K UHD NanoEdge display and a 100% Adobe RGB and Pantone validated color accuracy. This laptop is definitely a proper, workstation laptop with both the aesthetics and features to match. But that also means you'll be paying quite the premium for this laptop, so this definitely is built for the consummate design professional looking for a stunning display and optimized internals.
For the performance, the laptop comes packed with a stacked spec sheet starting off with the familiar 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H which features up to 4.5GHz of performance. The laptop also features a fantastic RAM and storage capabilities with a staggering 48GB RAM variant and generous 2TB SSD storage space. You'll also be met with a professional, design oriented GPU the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 with a massive 16GB GDDR6 dedicated VRAM.
There are a few more outstanding features you'll find on this laptop including the operating system, Windows 10 Pro, Delta-E<1.5 color accuracy, magnesium alloy chassis, a full array of ports and up to 5 hours battery life.
The last laptop we'll be featuring today is going to be from the familiar gaming laptop genre, the MSI GE66 Raider gaming laptop. This laptop is built to impress and features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with almost non-existent bezels on both sides and top of the display frame, with a slight chin at the bottom. Overall, a very eye-catching display with a silky smooth 240Hz refresh rate. Besides the display, the laptop features a sleek, minimalist design aesthetic with a RGB enabled light bar at the bottom.
For the performance, the MSI GE66 Raider gaming laptop comes with the all too familiar 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor. For the RAM and storage, the laptop features a massive 32GB RAM capacity and a 1TB SSD storage capability. Last, but certainly not least, the laptop comes with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super which is an upgrade from the previously mentioned NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. You can expect quite a step up in graphical performance with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super with better scores in almost every category.
There's a few more great features to marvel at on this one, including the SteelSeries RGB backlit keyboard, MysticLight bar, a full array of ports, Wi-Fi 6 support, and up to 6 hours battery life.
Conclusion
We've gone through some of the very best laptops for AutoCAD, and now we're going to be picking just one as the champ.
This time around, our winner is going to be none other than the ASUS ProArt StudioBook 15!
Really, a straightforward pick considering that it's one of the only workstation laptops featured on this, making it the most optimized for AutoCAD and other design-centric software. There's a lot to love but in particular is the powerful performance and impressive internal specs that shine on this one. Yes, it may be pricier that some of the other options on the list, but that's the price you'll have to pay to get the very best AutoCAD performer around.
