Computers have become a part of architects’ lives, thanks to the latest developments in design and architectural modeling.
Finding the best laptop for architecture students will not only help you at school but will also give you a good machine when you start your career.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar
Specifications:
- 15.6″ FHD
- Intel Core i7
- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
Our Editor’s choice for the best laptop for architecture students is the ASUS ROG Strix Scar. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a high-end laptop from ASUS and it has all the hardware you can dream of to have the best architecture student experience.
Since you’re a student, you are better off with a laptop than with a desktop. It gives you more flexibility which is always nice to have. But you can settle for any laptop.
When you pick a laptop for architecture school, make sure you get a good one with impressive hardware. It should be able to run both design and rendering applications without any issues.
We know this whole process can be more challenging than you think, that’s why we’ve done all the research for you. We have analyzed more than 100 laptops and have selected a few that we think will be the best laptops for architecture students and architects.
Let’s dive in.
Best Laptops For Architecture Students
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
EDITORS CHOICE
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
RUNNER UP
 | MacBook Pro 16 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
TOP PICK
 | Surface Book 2 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
BEST COMPACT LAPTOP
 | ASUS ZenBook 13 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
BEST BUDGET LAPTOP
 | Acer Aspire 5 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
Best Laptops For Architecture Students in 2023
Let’s take a look at our best picks
- ASUS ROG Strix Scar (Editor’s Choice)
- MacBook Pro 16 (Runner Up)
- Surface Book 2
- ASUS ZenBook 13 (Best Compact Laptop)
- Acer Aspire 5 (Best Budget Laptop)
1. Editor’s Choice – ASUS ROG Strix Scar
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB GDDR6 with ROG Boost (Base: 1140MHz, Boost: 1380MHz, TDP: 115W)
- Latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H Processor
- 240Hz 3ms 15.6” Full HD 1920x1080 IPS-Type Display
Our Editor’s choice for the best laptop for architecture students is the ASUS ROG Strix Scar.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a high-end laptop from ASUS and it has all the hardware you can dream of to have the best architecture student experience. This laptop is equipped with hardware that can even support you even when you’re working on complex projects as a professional.
First things first, Let’s talk about the design of this notebook. By this time, you would have recognized this to be a gaming machine. The ROG series from ASUS is purely meant for gamers but I am sure we can use it for other purposes as well.
The device is well built and has nice durability to it. It is a premium laptop and it is built like one. It can handle a bit of abuse but we wouldn’t be too hard on it. The model also comes with liquid metal cooling which is very effective to keep the temperature from rising above an optimum level. As this is a gaming laptop, there is a lot of importance given to the cooling system and it works.
The display we have here is a 15.6-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that comes with full HD resolution. This is the resolution we usually suggest for architecture students as it gives you excellent clarity when it comes to images as well as text. The pixel density is decent and you do get excellent quality output from the display.
Being a gaming notebook, the display here comes with a refresh rate of 144 Hz. This is much better than the 60 Hz refresh rate we get any normal laptops. Even using the operating system and its elements are more fluid, thanks to this refresh rate. The response time of the display is also fantastic.
When it comes to working on your design, this display is a very good one. It gives you a huge screen real estate that you can use to your advantage. But thanks to the IPS panel, it comes with excellent viewing angles which makes it a very good one for making presentations and media consumption.
The keyboard we have here is a brilliant one. This is an RGB keyboard that comes with customizable backlighting which adds character to your laptop. The trackpad is also a very good one and is perfect for students. It takes every single hit and is very responsive which is nice.
The CPU that powers the model is an Intel Core i7 processor. This is a high-end processor from the ninth generation of Intel chips and it comes with a maximum clock speed of 4.50GHz which is quite powerful. The processor also has an Intel Smart cache memory of 12MB which is very handy when you deal with simple applications.
The memory department supports the processor brilliantly. It comes equipped with 16GB of RAM that is of DDR4 type. The RAM comes with a clock speed of 3200 MHz which is very powerful and will allow you to do some efficient multitasking to take your productivity to the next level. This RAM is also great when you’re working on rendering and modeling applications as well.
The graphics card we have here is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super. This is a high-end graphics card from the house of Nvidia and comes with a dedicated video RAM of 8 GB that is of GDDR6 type with a ROG boost. This is one of the most powerful graphics cards you can get in your notebook and you have it here.
The graphics card does a fantastic job and it comes to rendering models. If you are going to work on modeling, then this GPU will give you a seamless experience and will also reduce the strain on the processor which helps in reducing far less heat and enhances the performance on the whole.
The storage on this ASUS ROG Strix Scar is made up of a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. This is very generous storage from ASUS and is more than enough for pretty much any architecture student. The storage is also very fast and gives you excellent reading and writing speeds which is not something you see in all solid-state drives.
Overall, this ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a stunning gaming machine and comes with all the bells and whistles you need for an amazing architecture school experience. This laptop is not only a good choice for students but is also an amazing device for professionals who work on complex projects. If you are looking for one of the best laptops for architecture students, then this one would probably top the list.
- Exceptional performance
- Excellent graphics performance
- Solid design
- A bit expensive
2. MacBook Pro 16 – Runner Up
- Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
- Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
The MacBook Pro 16 is our go-to choice for architecture students who prefer having an Apple laptop. This is the flagship laptop from Apple and is probably the best hardware you can get on a mobile device in the Apple ecosystem.
The MacBook Pro 16 it’s a gorgeous looking laptop that comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect in a hurry and machine. However, do note that this is probably the most overpriced laptop out there. You can excellent performance but you will be paying a premium amount that you cannot justify.
The display of this laptop is one of its most prominent features. We have a 16-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that comes with retina resolution. Retina resolution is better than QHD resolution and gives you sharp images and text making it an excellent display for both official as well as personal use.
The IPS panel comes with an excellent contrast ratio and gives you fantastic colors. The true tone technology changes the color of the display depending upon the temperature around you to give you the best viewing experience possible. Without a doubt, this is one of the best laptop displays out there.
The processor that runs this MacBook Pro 16 is an Intel Core i7 processor with six physical cores and 12 threads. The processor absolutely kills it when it comes to benchmark tests and has a maximum clock speed of 4.50GHz which is quite useful if you’re going to work on complex modeling and rendering projects. Architecture students can run pretty much any software on this device provided they are compatible with macOS.
There are certain software applications that may not be compatible with macOS. If that is the case with you, then we recommend installing Windows operating system via Bootcamp so that you can use them over there. This advantage with MacBook is not available on Windows as you won’t be able to install macOS parallel with Windows operating system.
The memory department on this MacBook comes with 16 gigs of RAM which is more than enough for most architecture students. If you are going to work on some heavy architecture Project, then you might want to get the model with 32 gigs but that is only going to increase the price and in most cases, students won’t be able to justify it.
The storage on this laptop is a 512 GB solid-state drive. Apple is known to make the fastest solid-state drives and this one is right up there. With reading and writing speeds in upwards of 2 GB/s, this is one of the fastest SSDs out. You can move data in and out within a snap of a finger. The SSD also loads the operating system and even heavy applications within a few seconds which is awesome.
The MacBook Pro 16 also comes with probably the best battery life in a high-performance laptop. With simple use like my browsing and video streaming, the laptop can last for about 10 to 12 hours which is fantastic. This laptop has a higher resolution display, a high-end processor, and other heavy specs, and to make it last for 10 to 12 hours is just excellent engineering.
Overall, the MacBook Pro 16 holes his name as a flagship laptop. It comes with high-end specs and does an amazing job which makes it a great option and what is the best laptops for architecture students.
- Beautiful display
- Excellent performance
- Impressive graphics performance
- Very Expensive
3. Surface Book – Top Pick
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 Features a 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 Processor, 512 GB of storage, 16 GB RAM, and up to 17 hours of video playback
- Enhanced Graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 discrete GPU w/6GB GDDR5 Graphics Memory
- The fastest Surface Book yet, with 4x more power
Some of you might prefer a convertible laptop for its flexibility. Having a two in one laptop allows you to use either of the modes depending on how your mood is. for architecture students, the best convertible laptop out there is the Surface Book 2.
Surface Book 2 is easily the most flexible convertible laptop out. It has a sleek design and it doesn’t weigh a lot which makes perfect students. In addition to that, Surface Book 2 also gives you the option to completely detach the keyboard leaving a full-fledged tablet in your hands. Not many convertible 2-in-1 laptops can do this so you do have an advantage here.
The Surface Book 2 has an excellent 15-inch display that comes with pixel sense resolution which is 3200 x 1800 pixels. This is an excellent resolution and you get stunning images on the screen. It is very hard to find individual pixels on the display regardless of where you are sitting. The display is excellent for running applications like AutoCAD, Maya, Revit, and other modeling and rendering applications.
Surface Book 2 is also a champion when it comes to battery life. With regular use, so Facebook too can last for about 17 hours which is mind-boggling. With a battery life of 17 hours, you can easily last an entire day and a half in your college without charging. But, we have to take it with a grain of salt as the same battery life will not be there when you’re working on complex projects. However, you will get around 5 to 6 hours of battery life when your modeling and rendering which is pretty good.
You also get a dedicated graphics card in the form of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060. This graphics card comes with a dedicated video RAM of 4GB which is pretty good for most modeling and rendering applications. As an architecture student, you will appreciate how fast rendering is with a dedicated graphics card on your laptop. Even though integrated graphics cards have improved a lot, they cannot match the performance of a dedicated GPU.
The processor that runs things in this convertible laptop is an Intel Core i7 processor. This is a high-performance chip from the ninth generation of Intel processors and it does a fantastic job and it comes to handling heavy applications that are specialized for architecture students. With a maximum clock speed of 4.50GHz, this is one amazing processor that can go above and beyond when you need it.
The Levana department does a fantastic job and it comes to handling modeling and rendering applications. 16 gigs of RAM is perfect for architecture students and also allows you to do some amazing multitasking which can take productivity to the next level. The storage on this laptop is also 512 GB all state drive which is fast and also provides you enough space to play with.
Overall, Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a brilliant laptop that can also double up as a tablet. If you seek the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device, then this Surface Book 2 is one of the best convertible laptops for you in the market.
- Excellent design
- Detachable keyboard
- Awesome performance
- Limited ports
4. ASUS ZenBook 13 – Honorable Mention
- Powerful & fast for effortless on-the-go computing: 8th generation Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD & 16GB RAM
- Durable & reliable: meets the ultra-demanding MIL-STD-810G military standard for reliability and durability, undergoing a punishing testing regime
- Long battery life: powered by a high-capacity battery that won’t let you down
As a student, it is perfectly fine to go for a portable laptop. Having a portable laptop does give you a lot of advantages. It is easy to carry around, and you will be easy to fit it into your backpack without having to get a bigger one. If you are an architecture student looking to get yourself a compact laptop, then the ASUS ZenBook 13 is the best choice for you.
This ASUS laptop is a fantastic device when it comes to design and execution. You can find the slim profile which makes it easy to slide this into any backpack. The laptop also weighs around 2.47lbs which makes it one of the lightest laptops out there. The materials on this device are also quite durable making it a good one for outdoor use as well.
For an architecture student, the next thing you want to take care of besides performance is battery life. This model is exceptional when it comes to battery life. With light use, this device can last for about 11 hours which is awesome. You can use this notebook in college for an entire day without having to charge it in the middle of the day.
The processor that powers this ZenBook model is an Intel Core i7 chip. This is a 9th generation processor from Intel and has 6 physical cores and 12 threads. The processor has a normal clock speed of 2.60 GHz which is perfect for architecture students. This gives you a good working clock speed without even having to use a function like Turbo boost.
When you need more power, the processor boosts its clock speed to a maximum of 4.50 GHz which is a lot of power. You can run pretty much any modeling and rendering application on this laptop without any issues, thanks to this processor. Being a small laptop, heating can become a problem when you’re blasting from all guns. We recommend this laptop for small and medium-sized projects as more complex projects could make this an oven.
There are 16 gigs of RAM in the memory department. This Ram is perfect for students as it gives you complete freedom to run as many applications as you want at the same time. You can take your multitasking to the next level and improve your productivity. This is Ram also plays a huge role when it comes to the smooth running modeling and rendering applications.
The model does not come with a dedicated graphics card. This is probably the most disappointing area of the laptop but most Ultrabooks do not come with me to get a graphics card. When it comes to design, the laptop does a pretty good job as you don’t have a lot of GPU dependency on it.
But the graphics card plays a significant role when it comes to modeling and rendering and those to really suffer on this laptop. The integrated graphics card does a pretty good job but it doesn’t even come close to a dedicated graphics card which is what you really need here.
The storage on the laptop tries to make it for the absence of a dedicated graphics card. It helps in learning applications really fast and also helps in rendering speech as well. With a capacity of 512 GB, you will be happy when it comes to data storage.
Overall, the ASUS ZenBook It’s a fantastic compact laptop that does not compromise when it comes to performance. It comes with very good hardware and delivers excellent performance making it one of the best laptops for architecture students for the year 2023.
- Lightweight and compact
- Good performance
- Awesome battery life
- Lack of dedicated GPU
5. Acer Aspire 5 – Budget Choice
- System Ram Type: ddr4_sdram
The Acer Aspire 5 is the best budget laptop for architecture students.
If you’re on a budget, and if you want a laptop for your architecture school, then this Acer laptop is probably the best choice for you. It comes under $600 and offers excellent performance when it comes to dealing with regular classroom activities as well as running some heavy applications.
Let’s talk about the display. The display is proof that Acer has not compromised anything when it comes to this budget laptop. we have a 15.6-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that comes with full HD resolution. This full HD resolution helps us see things clearly whether it is pictures or text. The color quality is not the best but for the prize, you’re getting a very good value.
Another surprising thing here is that we have an IPS display on this laptop instead of a TN panel. An IPS panel comes with a very good contrast ratio and delivers deep blacks and bright lights. You also get fantastic viewing angles which makes this Acer model a good choice for making presentations and also for media consumption.
The Acer Aspire 5 model also comes with excellent battery life. For a budget laptop, the expectations of battery life are usually very little. But this device manages to squeeze out 9.5 hours of battery life with light and regular use. If we are going to spend your time taking notes, streaming videos, browsing the web, and a little bit of social media, then this one can last you an entire day without having to recharge in the middle of it.
The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor from the 10th generation of Intel chips. This is a quad-core processor from Intel that comes with a maximum clock speed of 3.7 GHz. With an Intel Smart cache memory of 8 MB, running everyday applications with this processor is a breeze.
When it comes to running heavy applications like AutoCAD or Revit, then this processor does a very good job. When you are working on simple projects, the processor doesn’t even use the Turbo boost functionality. Only when you need a lot of processing power, turbo boost kicks in and gives use that additional processing power. This means the model does not get hot just for the sake of it. This is also very good for battery life as well.
For memory, we have 8 gigs of RAM that does a fantastic job when it comes to multitasking. You can run several applications simultaneously without compromising the performance of the laptop. For both simple and medium-sized projects, this memory will be fine as it can handle modeling and rendering applications to an extent. But if you want to work on complex projects, then this laptop may not be the best bet for you.
Overall, the Acer Aspire 5 is a very good laptop that comes with an affordable price tag and delivers exceptional performance for the price. The lack of a dedicated graphics card definitely has its limitations but if you just need a notebook in a budget, then this Acer Aspire 5 is the best laptop for architecture students.
- Very affordable
- Good performance
- Incredible battery life
- Lack of dedicated GPU
What To Look For In The Best Laptop For Architecture Students?
There are a lot of factors that determine the right laptop for architecture students. One of the primary factors is the software you will be using for the most part of your college life.
Whether you are going to work on modeling, 2D drawing, animation, rendering, or whatever that’s on your course curriculum, you are going to need an excellent laptop that can handle some heavy stuff.
Before you buy the next thing you see, here’s a list of factors you should consider in your laptop. These factors range from extremely important to not that important so make sure to use your best judgment.
Operating System
There is a good chance that your school will ask you to get a Windows laptop. This has been the case with many schools as they think that compatibility won’t be a problem with the Windows device.
They aren’t wrong completely. Most software is more compatible with the Windows operating system done with macOS. But if you truly like the Mac, then you can still use one as you will be able to install windows on it without any problem.
There are two ways to install the Windows operating system on your MacBook. The first way is to dual boot Windows operating system on your Mac. You will install windows as a second operating system which means when you turn on the computer, you will be asked if you want to enter macOS or the Windows operating system.
The second way to get this done is by installing a virtualization software. You can make use of a popular software called parallels and use windows within macOS. You can launch parallels like any other application and run Windows and other applications inside it. This may not look like the best solution, but it does work well.
Do note that parallels might be a good option for simple stuff. But when you want to do a lot of heavy lifting, it may not be the most elegant solution. So we would recommend you to use Boot Camp than trying to use virtualization software like Parallels.
Some schools do not have any preference when it comes to the operating system. In this case, you are free to choose whatever operating system you want and it is more of your personal preference than anything else.
With the recent development of ARM MacBooks, you are not going to be able to use Boot Camp as Apple has said that they are not going to directly but a competitor. This means you will have to use parallels which may not be a great solution for complex projects. So if Windows is what your school prefers, then it is probably best to go with a Windows machine.
This transition in MacBooks will happen over the next few years, so if you get a MacBook with an Intel processor, you can use boot camp without any issues. It is the one with Apple’s own silicon that you should be concerned about.
Regardless of the operating system you pick, it is the quality of the software that will decide your output. And, both operating systems are very mature and you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
Design
The design of your laptop plays a very important role when it comes to sustaining peak performance over a longer period.
As an architecture student, you are going to be using applications that will push the limits of your laptop. You will be running hexa core or even octa-core processors that will produce a lot of heat.
If you get a laptop that does not handle it well, then you are going to have a throttled performance which is not that great. If a processor can give you a maximum clock speed of 4.5GHz when throttled it might give you only around 3 to 3.5 GHz which is a loss in performance. To make sure this doesn’t happen, the laptop should come with a design that handles heat effectively.
One way of doing this is by having a good cooling system inside your laptop. Most gaming laptops come with a good cooling system as they are built for heavy use. A cooler for the CPU and GPU can definitely help in maintaining the optimum temperature over a longer period.
As a student, you might favor a portable laptop. But when you go for a portable laptop, you are not going to get the same power as you would in a 15.6-inch laptop. Most 13.3 inch laptops are very portable but only a few can give you the performance is your need and they will cost a ton.
Apart from cooling and portability, the laptop should also be durable. There might be situations where you have to take your laptop to outdoor visits. Only normal for us human beings to drop the laptop once or twice. It should be able to handle a certain level of physical abuse before giving up which is possible in a laptop with good design.
Processor
When you pick a laptop for an architecture student, make sure that it comes with an excellent processor. The processor is the single most useful component in an architecture student’s laptop.
In this case, it is better to avoid dual-core processors. These processors are mostly entry-level and they may not be a good use when it comes to architectural design and rendering.
Always go for a quad-core or a hexa-core processor. These processors have more power in them and can do a lot more than entry-level processors. Having multiple cores definitely give you an edge over others.
But more than the number of cores on your laptop, the clock speed of your processor is more important. Having a good clock speed will directly affect the performance of your laptop when it comes to architectural software.
We always recommend getting a processor with a minimum base clock speed of 1.8 GHz or 2.0 GHz. The processor should be able to clock upwards of 4.0 GHz which is a good amount of power. The reason for recommending this minimum base clock speed is that the laptop can do a lot of work before using the Turbo boost which will produce a lot more heat at higher clock speed.
If you can get more work done using your base clock speed come on, then you will have excellent performance over a longer period. The higher clock speeds will not kick in unless you absolutely need it which is perfect.
There is always a question of whether I should go with Intel or AMD. Most people prefer Intel because it is a household name and they do make excellent processes. But AMD is also a powerhouse when it comes to making high-quality processors. In recent times, AMD has been challenging Intel and even has won a few battles.
If you want to save some cash on the processor, then it would be smart to go for a laptop with an AMD processor. Just make sure that the processor can give you excellent performance without generating a lot of heat which is something AMD is known for.
RAM
Having adequate RAM on your laptop can make your experience as an architecture student much more streamlined. Most laptops that run applications like Revit and 3DS max are well-equipped when it comes to memory.
If you are a student, who is going to be dealing with simple and small projects, then 8GB of RAM should be enough for you. Make sure that RAM is of DDR4 type and has a good clock speed. Anything around the 2433MHz mark and above is more than enough.
But if you are a student who wants to run some amazing applications that are resource hungry, then you need a minimum of 16GB of RAM on your laptop. This is pretty much the case when you want to run modeling and rendering applications on your device.
You may even want to upgrade to 32GB of RAM once you move to professional life. This is why it is important to pick a laptop that will allow you to upgrade the memory at a later stage. If you’re looking for a Mac, then make sure you get the best memory as you won’t be able to upgrade it later.
Storage
Storage plays an important role when it comes to running heavy applications. More than the amount of storage space you need, it is the type of storage that makes the most impact.
Additionally, laptops used to come with mechanical hard drives. These drives how moving parts and are very slow when it comes to reading and writing. These days are not very expensive and can give you a lot of storage with minimum money.
But if you want the best performance on your laptop, you should stay away from these mechanical drives. We always recommend architecture students to go with solid-state drives as your primary storage device. These do not have any moving parts and are very fast when it comes to reading and writing data.
Studies have shown that solid-state drives are at least 14 to 17 times faster than the slowest mechanical hard drive which is a huge jump in speed.
The problem with SSDs is that they are a bit expensive. If you want a 1TB solid-state drive, then you will have to pay a lot of money which is not something every student can do. This is why we recommend starting with a 256GB solid-state drive. This is not a lot of space but at the same time can cater to your needs at least until you finish college.
If you are on a budget, you can always go for hybrid storage devices. These are a combination of both a solid-state drive and mechanical hard drives. It will come with the 128GB solid-state drive and a 512GB or a 1TB mechanical hard drive. The combination is completely under your control so you can tweak it to get the best for your needs.
In addition to your primary storage, we also recommend getting secondary storage purely for backup purposes. Here, we suggest you get a cheap external hard drive. This can be a mechanical hard drive as speed is not our concern here the idea is to back up all your data regularly to a secondary hard drive so that you won’t lose it in case of a hardware failure on your laptop.
Display
For the display, you need a 15.6-inch screen. As an architecture student, you will be making designs and models that need a lot of detail. Working on a 13.3-inch screen might not be the worst idea but a 15.6-inch screen will give you much better detailing and you don’t have to squint often.
Let’s talk about resolution. This is often a very big topic when it comes to picking a display for your laptop. We usually suggest going with a 1080p resolution so that you get good clarity when it comes to images as well as text. Full HD resolution is slowly becoming the minimum a lot of industries so it only makes sense to have it on your laptop.
If you have the money, then you can even upgrade your laptop display to QHD or 4K resolution as well. Having a higher resolution display is always an advantage and will give you an edge over your competitors. As a student, you may not use your display to its full extent but it will surely come in handy when you’re a professional.
Sometimes, students will go for a display that has a TN panel. This panel has an advantage when it comes to the price. It is very cheap and you can get even QHD panels at a decent price. But you will suffer when it comes to viewing angles and color accuracy of a TN panel.
Always go for an IPS panel when it comes to a laptop for architecture students. These panels bring excellent color accuracy and deliver amazing viewing angles which makes your laptop a perfect solution for both entertainments as well as presentations.
The laptop should also have a decent maximum brightness. We recommend getting a laptop with a maximum brightness of at least 400 nits so that you can work outdoors whenever you want. Having good brightness on your display will also help if you’re working on a glossy display.
Graphics Card
Having an able graphics card on your laptop is a great way to work on the design, rendering, and modeling for architecture students.
If your laptop does not have a dedicated graphics card, then you can be sure that graphics is going to be a bottleneck later. Integrated graphics cards have come a long way but they are still not good enough to single-handedly support the needs of an architect.
Most modern Nvidia graphics cards be a good fit for architecture students. Both the 10th generation as well as the 20th generation graphics cards are very good as they come with good architecture. They are faster and can get more things done without costing a lot of money.
The dedicated video RAM you get in your graphics card also plays a significant role. Make sure you get a GPU with at least four gigs of dedicated video RAM so that you have a stellar performance when working on your models.
There is a myth that you need workstation graphics cards like Quadro or FirePro to get the best experience. This is absolutely not the case and you will be fine with regular consumer-grade hardware as they can do a lot of heavy lifting which is perfect for students.
Connectivity
Your laptop needs to have good connectivity options to work with accessories.
One of the most common scenarios would be picking a laptop that has a 13.3-inch screen but you want to connect it to a bigger external display so that you can work with more detail. In this case, you want your laptop to have a Thunderbolt port or an HDMI port or at least a DisplayPort.
You also need a USB type C port for fast data transfer. It can also help you in recharging the laptop If it is enabled. Give me also want to have type A USB ports just in case you have devices that still work with these ports.
In addition to physical ports, the laptop also needs to have good wireless connectivity standards. It will be perfect if your laptop comes with Wi-Fi 6 as it is the latest and the greatest in the world of Wi-Fi. It will get you the best internet speeds and reduce the latency to a minimum so that you have an amazing web browsing experience.
Having Bluetooth 5.0 is also a huge advantage as it gives you a much better range when compared to its predecessors and is perfect for external connectivity without the help of wires.
Input Devices
A lot of people don’t talk about this but having a good keyboard and trackpad on your laptop is as important as any other complaint.
The number of people who have come crying to us because of a bad keyboard is quite high. having a good keyboard would give you a pleasant typing experience which makes using the laptop quite easy. With the right key travel, you will have a great typing experience without losing speed or accuracy.
When it comes to design, the trackpad plays a major role. You need to make sure that the trackpad is very responsive and has a smooth surface so that you can glide your fingers on it without any friction.
If you are going for a MacBook, then you can be happy about the fact that you are going to Have probably the best trackpad that is. The Mac trackpad is at the best, and they give you the most amazing track experience. In a Windows machine, just make sure that you get a Windows precision trackpad and it has full support for all the Windows operating system gestures.
Battery Life
The life of your laptop is important when you are at school. Unfortunately, without 15.6 inch laptop, you are not going to get excellent battery life. This means you might have to charge your laptop in the middle of the day so make sure you find a charging point that is not busy all the time.
If battery life is very important to you, then you should go for a 13.3-inch ultrabook. Most Ultrabooks these days have excellent battery life and you may not have to charge your laptop in the middle of the day.
There are certain 15.6 inch laptops that give you excellent battery life regardless of the size and specs. Examples, the MacBook Pro 16 is a high-performance laptop that has a huge display, but it still manages to give 8 to 10 hours of battery life with light use which is fantastic.
Budget
This is probably the most underrated factor when it comes to choosing the best laptop for architecture students.
You can only have a laptop that fits in your budget. There is no arguing about this. Even if you have a tight budget, we recommend going through our budget laptop section so that you can get a decent laptop that can last you a good time.
We do recommend upgrading your laptop to a more powerful one once you had enough money. Getting a budget laptop is to give you a device that helps you to be on track and not fall behind but that shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all.
Conclusion
For the time being, that’s all we have for this post.
We are certain that this recommendation is sound for anyone seeking for the Best Laptops For Architecture Students. Hopefully, you were able to choose the most suitable model for your needs.