12 Best Laptops For Engineering Students & Engineers 2021

As an engineer or engineering student, it is often necessary to look for the best, powerful and flexible laptop endowed with a lot of computing power and capable of handling complex tasks and running demanding applications. While some will favor the fixed workstation, others will prefer the portability and flexibility of a laptop.

However, finding the right laptop for our needs is not always easy.

Laptops for engineering students as well as professionals need to be fast, efficient, and versatile.

Given the investment that this implies, it is important to have all the cards in hand to make the best possible choice.

How to choose a laptop suitable for engineering work? What are the important criteria to know? What are the best laptops for engineers right now?

These are the few questions you will find answers to in this guide.

Best Laptops For Engineering Students & Engineers 2021

I’ve put together a selection for you of what I consider to be the best engineering laptops on the market today. I will suggest five to 12 models based on the above criteria as well as on my personal experience.

Best Laptops For  Engineers | Comparison Table 2021

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Best Laptops For Engineering Students | Products Overview  2021

Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to Pick the Laptop For Engineering Students 2021

The power of the processor 

The processor is the main element of a computer. It is in a way the heart of the PC. The CPU is all the more essential when it comes to a laptop computer whose primary function is to run engineering software.

Whether it is essential software such as Autocad, Matlab, Solidworks, STAAD Pro, or Primavera, the speed of your processor will have a heavy impact on their performance when performing the tasks you entrust to them.

To be sure that you are not limited by the capabilities of your laptop, opt for a Core i5, but if your budget allows it, a Core i7 is still the best choice.

In the case of a tight budget, you can fall back on a core i3. Forget about dual cores.

When choosing, pay attention to the denominations of the different processors. Processors whose names end in “HQ” perform better, while those ending in “U” perform less well but are more battery efficient.

So it’s up to you to decide what matters for you between performance and autonomy.

Hard Disk Size

CAD software like AutoCAD, Catia, ANSYS, Solidworks along with the files they generate consume space, so you need storage for all of that.

500 GB is a reasonable amount, but if you are also going to use your computer as a multimedia device, 1 Terabyte is the minimum.

Fortunately, most laptops today come with a high-capacity hard drive.

Having an SSD can also be interesting for a laptop computer intended for engineers because of the massive gain in speed it offers. It’s more a choice of comfort than anything else but personally, since I discovered the SSD, I can not do without it.

The amount of RAM

How Much RAM is Required for an Engineers Laptop?

In engineering, we often have to use a multitude of programs, each performing specific tasks, sometimes at the same time.

This is where RAM shows its importance. Each program launched on a computer consumes RAM, the more it is limited the fewer margins there are for multitasking.

Your laptop should therefore have the correct amount of memory. The recommended capacity is 8 GB, although 12 GB and 16 GB are also good.

It is possible to work with 4 GB but at the cost of multiple concessions. As the RAM is expandable, nothing prevents you from opting for 4 GB and expanding it to 8 GB thereafter.

However, in some cases, it is better to have a good graphics card rather than a huge amount of RAM.

Dedicated Graphics Cards

Often used engineering work solutions such as CAD software, MATLAB, and Solid Works are used for 3D environment applications and video rendering.

These types of applications require a dedicated video card because integrated graphics cards (like Intel HD) cannot meet the power requirements to run them properly.

Opting for a DDR5 graphics card with 2 GB of video memory will be sufficient for the majority of the software you will use. If you have to use 3D modeling software extensively, going up to 4 GB of video memory is recommended.

A small bonus, if like me you are a fan of video games, you can also play your favorite games in good conditions.

Mac or PC?

The eternal debate in the computer world. But what about in the world of engineering?

Well, there is no real debate in this specific case.

Of course, Mac devices are incredibly well designed, and their workmanship is impeccable not to mention their fabulous Retina displays. Like architecture, some flagship software used in engineering runs only on Windows.

Of course, you can still use a Mac, but that means you will be installing Windows in Bootcamp especially for certain software, which can be tedious and sometimes annoying in the long run.

These are things to keep in mind if you are looking for a laptop for engineering purposes.

Personally, I can only recommend a Windows laptop. First of all for the compatibility with the various engineers’ software but also the prices significantly lower than the Apple brand computers.

However, if you are used to Macbooks, don’t want to leave your comfort zone, and don’t mind using virtual machines, then choose a Macbook.

Screen size

Screen size isn’t really a major parameter when it comes to engineering laptops. The choice of one size or another will depend above all on your affinities and the comfort you are looking for.

In general, a 14 or 15-inch laptop is fine. For work related to technical drawings, a 17-inch laptop is a must.

Also, it is important to keep your portability needs in mind. A 17.3-inch screen won’t be as portable as a 15-inch or 14-inch screen.

Connectivity

When it comes to an outdoor display or a USB stick, most laptops will need to connect to something. Adapters are well in a pinch, but it’s easier if you buy a laptop that has a lot of connectivity choices.

We recommend that you get a laptop with some USB 3.0 interfaces. This is useful for connecting a hard drive if you want to save your documents. SD card slots can also be fantastic, especially if you are an image editor as it makes transferring photos easy.

Battery:

FAQs

What are the essential laptop features for engineering students in 2021?

The laptop should have at least 7 hours of battery life and preferably a 15-inch screen. Most students should also opt for a laptop with an integrated AMD graphics card or an Nvidia graphics card to support graphically intensive processes such as CAD.

Can I install Windows 10 64-bit or Linux if needed?

Some laptops come preinstalled with Windows 10 64-bit, but if they’re Home Edition, you can choose to upgrade it separately. Linux is open-source software and should be easy to install if you follow the guide available online.

How to replace the battery in case of failure?

Depending on whether you purchased your laptop from Dell, HP, Lenovo, or other brands, you should contact their support center to get officially authenticated products.

Can I install all my engineering software on these laptops?

The answer is yes and no! No one can guarantee that every software would work, as many programs require multiple cores, increased RAM, and specific operating system requirements to run efficiently. Compare your laptop’s specs with the software’s recommended requirements to find out.

Can I connect Bluetooth mice, a keyboard, and a drawing pad for engineering studies?

Yes. Most modern laptops support Bluetooth connectivity. You can also use the Wi-Fi dongle supplied with the wireless mice to connect. Drawing tablets generally work best on the USB port.

How do I connect my laptop to an external display?

You can use the VGA port to connect to an external display, but an HDMI port is found in newer models and should allow you to push your display limit to large 25- or 27-inch monitors.

Is the software used in engineering courses free with any laptop?

In most cases, you won’t find them bundled together unless it’s a specific student deal. You need to purchase them separately and install them to start using them for your studies.

Which laptop is best for mechanical engineering students?

Ans- You can read our in-depth article on this question, We have covered everything regarding the best laptop for mechanical engineering students.

Is the gaming laptop good for engineering?

Ans – Yes, gaming laptops are good for engineering students because gaming laptops come with high processors and heavy graphics which help engineering students run their software very easily.

Which brand of laptop is best for engineering students?

Years – We have selected the best-branded laptop for engineering students, you can check the above list, according to our research, Apple, HP, Dell, Asus, Lenovo are the best laptop brands.

Conclusion

We’ve done our research on the best laptop for engineering students that you can buy in 2021. We’ve added laptops in different price ranges and made sure each has good performance and decent battery life. battery so that you can enjoy working on the laptop even when using heavy programs. We also kept durability in mind when putting together our list, as students would want something that is durable enough to last throughout their college without having to take them to the store too often for repair.