Sketchup is one of the handiest modelling software of the current times, whether you are an Architect or a designer. To have the software running smoothly without any glitches or crashing files, one must have a good laptop with the appropriate specs that support sketchup and its plug ins. Having said that you do not need to buy a very expensive laptop to acquire a strong processor, you need the knowledge to find the laptop that is just right for your use. There are many 3D modelling soft wares available for architects, designers, engineers etc. but sketchup’s learning curve and accessibility make it easier to use.
Your laptop should have a powerful GPU and a single core processor with RAM that is enough to handle the load.
Some basic requirements you need to look for are as follows:
- 8+ GB RAM ( 16 or more is ideal)
- Processor 2+ GHz (the more the better)
- Dedicated graphics card in addition to the integrated card (2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 and above is recommended)
- 7th generation or above Intel Core i7
- Battery up to 6 hours is recommended for optimum performance
- 512 GB SSD ( the more the better)
Choosing the best option could be tricky as you need to know the program preferences and the performance efficiency you require from your laptop. Preferring screen resolution over the size is always advisable as it allows you to see all the details, however finding a middle ground is not that bad of an idea but portability must be taken into consideration as that is the whole purpose of having a laptop in the first place. You would need a decent processor if not the best one, laptops for design and creative individuals are assembled to provide best performance. Intel Core i7s and above or Ryzen 5 and above work best for sketchup.
Although RAM in most cases is upgradeable but it is apt to have 16GB of RAM with an additional advantage to fix in more. 8GB works but it might not accommodate under all circumstances of heavy and detailed modelling. It is also very important for creative individuals using sketchup to acquire a laptop that comes with a dedicated graphics card as relying on the integrated graphics card would not just make it for you.
Top picks for Sketchup
Here is the list of the top laptops best for sketchup use with the latest specs and features in 2021. From top to bottom you can choose the one that fits your budget and performance requirements.
Pro tip: Don’t get swamped away with the design of high end laptops, be realistic and look for what you really need.
- Asus Rog Strix G15
- HP Omen 15
- MSI GF63
- Dell XPS 9560
- Acer Aspire E 15
- ASUS TUF
- HP ENVY 13
- Apple MacBook Pro 16
- Asus ZenBook 13
- Lenovo Legion 5
- Acer Nitro 5
The top five picks are given below:
  | ASUS ROG Strix G15 Display: 15.6" FHD 3ms IPS CPU:Intel Core i7-10750H Storage:1TB PCIe SSD | |
  | HP Omen 15 Display:15.6” 144Hz IPS CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H, 6-Core, 2.6 GHz Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 | |
  | Lenovo Legion Display: 15.6" IPS LCD with LED Backlit Anti-Glare FHD 120Hz CPU:AMD Ryzen 5 3.0GHz 6-Core Processor Storage: 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive + 1 TB Hard Disk Drive Graphic: NVIDIA RTX 2060 6GB | |
  | Acer Predator Helios 300 Display: 15.6" Full HD LED Back-lit CPU:IIntel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | |
  | Acer Nitro 5 Display: 17,3" Full HD 144Hz CPU:Intel Core i7-11800H Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD Graphic: GeForce GTX 3050 Ti |
Let discuss the above-listed laptops in detail.
1. Asus Rog Strix G15
ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop is one of the best available optionss that creative individuals/designers/architects can opt for. The streamlined design is not only a good-looking fix for the eyes but also allows multitasking, a crisp and fast display with a powerful GPU. It also has Intelligent Cooling features and systems to provide quality performance, a well-ventilated exterior with lesser noise levels will make your life easier and the design process much smoother.
CPU
The core being one of the most important features cannot be just compromised, ASUS ROG Strix offers you an Intel Core i7-10750H chipset with 5GHz speed. For sketchup you require a single-core high-performance processor to handle detailed and heavy modelling.
GPU
ROG comes with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with 8GB of VRAM along with the integrated graphics card which makes photorealistic 3D visualization and modelling more efficient and speedy. The results will be sure worth the money. This gaming laptop really beats its competitors with crazy specs and gives a few high-end gaming laptops quite a run for the money.
Display
Its IPS panel with 1920×1080 pixels of resolution is there to make your visualizations and 3Ds perfect and crisp. The 15.6inch HD color accurate display will make sure of that.
Storage & Battery
ROG’s sizeable battery lasts upto 6 hours depending upon the usage. Also the storage in this one is as good as it gets with 1TB SSD that saves tons of troubles.
RAM
For sketchup users it is advisable to not go below 8GB of RAM, in this scenario 16 GB RAM of ROG Strix is a stellar choice.
Design
The design is edgy, sporty yet streamlined, and handy. Though it might be a little chunkier for some people the overall specs and price make it a whooping choice for Designers and Architects. The display and ultra-fast storage with high-performance rendering will sure convince the buyer.
2.HP Omen 15
HP Omen has been part of the buzz for quite a while now in the creative industry but the upgrade from Omen 17 to Omen 15 will surely surprise you. Omen is a gamer’s choice laptop but it handle design and 3D software very well. It comes with a stronger processor as compared to before with a GPU that is going to upgrade your delivery time.
CPU
The processor for this one is again a perfect choice for design and architecture students and even professionals, Omen 15 offers you Intel Core i7-10750H processor with 5GHz turbo clock speed. For sketchup you require a single-core high-performance processor but Omen takes care of multicore performance as well.
GPU
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU comes packed with 8GB of VRAM on-board and of course the integrated graphics card, you hardly need more than this for even complex modeling and 3rd party plug-ins.
Display
Omen 15 offers you a 15.6inch HD color accurate and vibrant display that will make sure you get crystal clear display with 1920×1080 pixels resolution.
The screen has anti-glare properties with its micro-edge panel to provide technology with style. One design feature is the RGB keyboard with N-key rollover technology.
Storage & Battery
Omen’s battery lasts upto 7 hours on moderate usage. Also the storage in this one is 512GB SSD ultra-fast unit.
RAM
For sketchup users it is advisable to not go below 8GB of RAM, Omen brings you 16 GB RAM dual-channel perfect to handle heavy business. You are also free to upgrade the RAM any time you want.
Design
The design for this one is again chunky and bulky but very well balanced with the aesthetics. Omen also has a cooling features and thermal control based on “Tempest cooling’ Technology”. The metallic finish and dual speakers with the keyboard setting make it a cool pick for your design and gaming demands.
3. Lenovo Legion 5
The Lenovo Legion 5 brings you a whole package of latest features with a great display of 15.6-inch that can potentially up your modelling and rendering game. The processor and GPU make a good in fact strong combination to ensure quality performance with Windows 10 Home, 64-bit operating system. The processor in this one sure beats i7- 10850H of the Intel series.
CPU
Among the other options where processors are mostly 2 GHz single core Intel processors, Legion offers you AMD Ryzen 5 4600H 3.0GHz with 6-Core Processor. It’s 11MB Cache, up to 4.00GHz sure beats Intel Core i7-10850H in performance and efficiency.
GPU
In Lenovo Legion you get top of the line NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti with 4GB of on-board RAM. This combined with the integrated graphics gives you pretty much a solid combo for smoothly running sketchup with its various plug-ins.
Display
Legion brings you 15.6-inch screen. Its IPS LCD with LED Backlit Anti-Glare FHD gives a clear crisp and vibrant display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 120Hz. Along with this you get a built-in HD Webcam of 720p with additional feature of privacy shutter.
Storage & Battery
Lenovo Legion will last up to 6 hours on a fully charged battery. The storage for this one stands great at 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State also 1TB Hard Disk Drive included.
RAM
16GB DDR4 SDRAM for sketchup and many other programs you want to run on your laptop should be enough. 16GB is the right and reasonable number between 8 and 32.
Design
When talking about the design and aesthetics of the top picked gaming laptops Legion really has advantage of being sleek, stylish with handy features and specs. Weighing 5.5 pounds, the display quality and its size is a handy grab.
4. Acer Predator Helios 300
Acer Predator Helios with its display and high power GPU would make your 3D dreams come true. The features and specs of this particular laptop from Acer are a no-brainer if you are looking for a high-performance gaming laptop in this price range.
CPU
Helios takes the processor game up a notch with its Intel i7-10750H 10th Generation 6- Core Processor which is not up to 4 in fact 5 GHz. Be ready to work quickly and efficiently if you go for this one.
GPU
When it comes to GPU, Predator Helios 300 is on another level with its Overclock able NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics card that comes with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Dynamic Boost 2.0, and NVIDIA GPU Boost. Seriously it cannot get better than this. Opting for this one means you are set good for a couple of years with no upgrade needed.
Display
As of display, you’re again in for a treat with a 15.6-inch Full HD Widescreen which is LED-backlit. The IPS in this one allows 144Hz Refresh rate which is a total kill with 3ms Overdrive Response time and 300nit Brightness with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.
Storage & Battery
With a battery that lasts up to 6 hours, the storage that Helios offers is also great standing at 512GB NVMe SSD additionally it has 2 x M.2 Slots one of them is open for Easy Upgrades and for future proofing. There is also a Hard Drive Bay available.
RAM
And once again with the 16GB DDR4 RAM Predator Helios 300 offers, it becomes the perfect fit for all the modelling and rendering needs for students and professionals in Architecture and Design and also for the high-end gaming purposes.
Design
The design that Helios 300 offers is again not just for aesthetics but also durable and sturdy. Its 4-zone RGB Backlit Keyboard is an added feature along with its 4th Gen All-Metal AeroBlade 3D Fan which ensures your heavy machine can handle heavier business and does not have heating issues.
5. Acer Nitro 5
Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-77KG with its killer display and high power GPU would most definitely cut it for you especially if you are on a budget. The features and specs of this particular laptop make it a worthwhile investment.
CPU
Nitro is upping the game with its Intel i7-11800H 8- Core Processor up to 4.6GHz, 16 threads and 24 MB Intel Smart Cache. Your workflow with this one is going to be crazy good.
GPU
Talking about the GPU, Nitro 5 stands at a solid NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti what is better is that it has 4GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM.
Display
Nitro 5 offers a 17.3-inch Full HD Widescreen which is LED-backlit. The IPS display with 1920×1080 pixels resolution and 144Hz Refresh rate comes with screen to body ratio of 80%.
Storage & Battery
With a battery that lasts up to 6 hours, the storage that Nitro 5 offers is also great standing at 1TB NVMe SSD additionally it has 2 x PCIe M.2 Slots. There is also a Hard Drive Bay available.
RAM
16GB DDR4 RAM and 3200 MHz memory with 2 DDR4 Slots make it perfect for the modelling and rendering needs for students and professionals in Architecture and Design and also for the high end gaming purposes.
Design
Nitro 5 has a decent design and finish with upgradable internals. Its powerful hardware makes it ideal for powerful softwares and gaming. The high-end heavy specs and bulky body is well balanced with streamlined design that has you in for a good bargain.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which is the best processor if you are a student of Architecture?
Being an Architecture student you would require many software for the modelling and high-end rendering needs. Sketchup comes with a couple of 3rd party plug-ins that needs high performing Processors single-core preferably. For that you must go for Ryzen 5 and above or Intel Core i7 series. Choose the ones that come with Turbo Clocking speed.
Why do I need higher RAM for sketchup? Is less than 8GB of RAM workable?
For sketchup you must have at least 8GB RAM, the more the better. Working with 3D models and render engines can be very stressful if you do not have enough of it as they take a lot of your system memory. In this scenario, 16GB is the ideal ground.
How much does the screen resolution matter while working with sketchup?
If you are using sketchup, you are basically doing modeling in 3D which is a detailed domain in itself. This also implies that you will most likely be using rendering engines and plug-ins as well. Most high-end and photorealistic render tools will require a better display and screen resolution and it will definetly affect your end product.
Buyer Guide:
Being a student or a professional if you are using sketchup, it is most likely that you must be using or planning to use other softwares and also extensions for sketchup that are available. Keeping the range of usage in mind and considering the performance of various laptops in market, you must carefully pick the one that fits your needs the best.
- Do not go for a laptop that just looks visually appealing to you.
- If you use AutoCAD, Sketchup, Maya, Cinema 4D and BIM then you should definetly go for ASUS ROG Strix G15. The hardware of this laptop will allow you to work freely and smoothly without and lags or crashing files.
- If you are on a budget Acer has very decent options with great specs. Nitro 5 is available in variants that might just be the perfect grab for you.
- If you are new to 3D modelling and want a good laptop but do not want to spend a lot of money either then Lenovo Legion 5 is more than perfect.
- HP Omen series is widely used and appreciated, works best with most software, and is a good gaming laptop for the price.
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