Are you an architect or an interior designer looking for the best laptop for SketchUp? Which laptop is better for using SketchUp? Choose the best computer equipment to install and use with SketchUp.
Certainly some professions such as architecture, interior design, urban planners, landscapers, industrial designers, etc. They require laptops with very specific characteristics and to be able to carry their computer equipment with them.
So we are going to see a wide selection of laptops that combines mobility with power in equal parts.
In the following article I recommend which laptop to buy in 2022 for the use of SketchUp and VRay, most of them with great exclusive discounts and prices from $ 300 to $ 4,000.
It is important to do a preliminary search to help you choose one team or another according to the use that you are going to give it. If you use apps and applications like AutoCAD, SketchUp, VRay, Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya 3D, Revit, 3D Studio Max, Rhino, Blender, etc. it is important that you know which is the best
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Best Laptops for SketchUp
When it comes to laptop selection, SketchUp requires high-end computing resources, including a powerful processor with exceptional single-core performance, reliable GPU (preferably with Ray-Tracing support), considerable RAM to maintain and handle better workflows. , and decent storage support for managing projects, 3D designs, migrations, warehouses, and renders with ease. Apart from that, an excellent screen with a slimmer bezel is perfectly suited to the most expressive and conceptual 3D modelers.
Minimum and recommended laptop requirements For SketchUp
The system requirements entered by our expert take into account the basic and optimal features. However, in most cases, the minimum set of specs caters to students or basic 3D modelers, while the recommended specs take modeling, visualization, rendering, simulations, and official system requirements into account.
Minimum system requirements | Recommended system requirements | |
---|---|---|
Cpu | 7th Gen Intel Core i7 | 9th Intel Core i7 or higher |
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
Storage | 256GB SSD | 512GB or larger SSD |
Monitor | 13.3-inch HD (1920 x 1080) | 15.6-inch FHD Touch (1920 x 1080) |
Graphics | 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | 4 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or better |
Battery | Up to 4 hours | Up to 6. Hours |
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Best Laptops for SketchUp | Comparison Table 2022
Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
Dell XPS 13 9310 Touchscreen 13.4 inch FHD Thin and Light Laptop - Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB LPDDR4x RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 2Yr OnSite, 6 months Dell Migrate, Windows 10 Pro - Silver | Dell | Check Price | |
HP Chromebook 14 Laptop, Intel Celeron N4000 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC, 14” HD Display, Chrome, Lightweight Computer with Webcam and Dual Mics, Home, School, Music, Movies (14a-na0021nr, 2021) | HP | Check Price | |
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display, AMD Ryzen 3 3200U, Vega 3 Graphics, 4GB DDR4, 128GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 in S Mode, A515-43-R19L, Silver | Acer | Check Price | |
Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop, 11.6-Inch HD (1366 x 768) IPS Display, MediaTek MT8173C Processor, 4GB LPDDR3, 64 GB eMMC, Chrome OS, 81HY0000US, Blizzard White | Lenovo | Check Price | |
MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop: 15.6" 144Hz FHD 1080p Display, Intel Core i7-11375H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 6, Win10, Carbon Gray (A11UEK-009) | MSI | Check Price | |
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 13.5" Touch-Screen – Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB Solid State Drive (Latest Model) – Platinum with Alcantara | Microsoft | Check Price | |
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop | Intel i7-11800H | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU | 15.6" Full HD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB SSD | Killer WiFi 6 | RGB Keyboard | Acer | Check Price | |
Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 15.6" 4K UHD NanoEdge Bezel Touch Intel Core i7-9750H 16GB RAM 1TB PCIe SSD GeForce RTX 2060 Innovative Screenpad Plus Windows 10 Pro UX581GV-XB74T Celestial Blue (Renewed) | ASUS | Check Price | |
Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop 2020: Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 15.6" FHD 1080p 120Hz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, CNC Aluminum, Chroma RGB Lighting, Black | Razer | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Laptops for SketchUp | 2022 Products Overview
1. Dell XPS 13 9310 Best Laptops for SketchUp
- 13.4-inch FHD (Full HD 1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit Display
- 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1185G7 Processor (12MB Cache, up to 4.8 GHz)
- 16GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x , 512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics with shared graphics memory
- Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2 x 2) Bluetooth 5.1
- Including 2 Year On-Site and 6 months Dell Migrate easily move your files and settings from your old PC to your new Dell
- Using Alexa on your PC is as easy as asking a question. Just ask and Alexa can check your calendar, create lists, play music, answer questions, read the news and more.
2. HP Chromebook 14 Laptops for SketchUp
- REMOTE WORK READY - Work efficiently from the comfort of your own home office using the HP 14 Chromebook.
- CLEAR IMAGING - Images appear crisp with the 14 HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge, anti-glare (1) display.
- LIGHTNING FAST PROCESSING - Games, music, and binge watching are taken to new heights with Intel Celeron N4000 (2) processing power and Intel UHD Graphics 600 (3).
- SECURELY SAVE YOUR WORK - With 32 GB eMMC storage (4), saving important documents is made simple. Plus, quickly access your documents with 4 GB of RAM.
- LONG-LASTING BATTERY LIFE - Enjoy up to 13 hours and 30 minutes of wireless streaming (5) depending usage.
- MODERNIZE YOUR WORLD - Navigate seamlessly through tabs and programs with the Chrome operating system. Also, rest easy knowing your investment is protected with HP’s 1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty.
- BE SEEN & HEARD - HP’s Wide Vision HD camera (6) with integrated dual array digital microphones lets you video chat with vibrant clarity.
- CONNECT SMOOTHLY - Your connections are rock solid with the Wi-Fi 5 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.0 combo (7).
- TAKE WORK WHEREVER YOU GO - The Chromebook is 3.24 lbs (8) so you can take your work and entertainment wherever you need it.
- ENERGY-EFFICIENT - Do the environment a favor by working with an HP ENERGY STAR certified (9) and EPEAT Silver registered (10) laptop computer.
3. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptops for SketchUp
- 【15.6 Non-touch FHD Display】15.6 Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit IPS Display,
- 【AMD Ryzen Processor】AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-Core Processor 2.6GHz with Precision Boost up to 3.5GHz (Up to 4MB L3 Cache),
- 【RAM and Storage】8GB DDR4 Memory, 256GB Solid State Drive, Back-lit Keyboard
- 【Operating System and Ports】Windows 10 Home in S mode 64-bit, English (Free upgrade to Windows 10 Home); 802.11ac Wi-Fi featuring 2x2 MIMO technology (Dual-Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz), 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port), Bluetooth 4.0, Back-lit Keyboard, HD Webcam (1280 x 720), 1 - USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port, 2 - USB 2.0 Ports, 1 - HDMI Port with HDCP support, Lithium-Ion Battery, Up to 7.5-hours Battery Life, 3.97 lbs. | 1.8 kg (system unit only)
- 【Included in the package】Bundled with Oydisen Cloth
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4. Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 Convertible
- Get high performance when you need it – The Chromebook C330 boots up in seconds and features easy-to-use Chrome OS, plenty of memory and storage, and so much more
- Sleek, stylish, and secure, this 360⁰ convertible laptop is less than 1-inch thin and about the weight of a hardback book, with an 11-inch touchscreen display thats perfect for day-to-day computing and multimedia, on or offline
- The Lenovo Chromebook C330 is easy to use, offers built-in virus protection and keeps going with long battery life. No setup needed – Just login with a Google account so emails, maps, documents, and photos stay with you via cloud storage
- Built to connect, this laptop computer includes a variety of USB ports for effortless connectivity. Plus, stay in touch with the built-in camera. Bluetooth 4.2
- Users love it; High end features for a low price, says one happy reviewer. Another adds, This Chromebook has far exceeded my expectations. The speed is snappy and the device responds quickly to gestures and commands.
5. MSI Stealth 15M
- Visual Performance: The 15.6” 144hz display delivers true-to-life images with a high refresh rate so you can see every frame of the game.
- Redefined Power: The 11th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor, delivers high performance with cores, take on any games and applications with ease.
- Supercharged Graphics: The MSI Stealth 15M is powered by a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, take on todays most popular games with these performance graphics.
- On the Go Gaming: Designed to be thin and light for gamers to carry around every day for games, study, or work.
- Cool and Powerful: MSI’s exclusive Cooler Boost Technology ensures optimal thermal dissipation. Featuring state of the art fans and heat pipes, get the airflow you need for gaming.
- Versatile Connections: The Stealth 15M features a wide range of I/O ports, Thunderbolt 4 supporting power delivery and up to 40Gbps of data transfer and USB 4.0.
6. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
- Clean, Elegant Design: Thin and light, starting at just 2.79 pounds, Surface Laptop 3 is easy to carry
- Choose from rich tone-on-tone color combinations: new Sandstone, plus Matte Black, Cobalt Blue, and Platinum
- Improved speed and performance to do what you want, with the latest processors: Surface Laptop 3 is up to 2 times faster than Surface Laptop 2
- More ways to connect, with USB-C and USB-A ports for connecting to displays, docking stations and more, as well as accessory charging
- All day power on the go, with up to 11.5 hours of battery life, Plus standby time when you’re away, Go from empty to a full battery with fast charging up to 80 percent in about 1 hour
- Free Upgrade to Windows 11 when available (see below).
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7. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
- Extreme Performance: Crush the competition with the impressive power and speed of the 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H processor, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads to divide and conquer any task or run your most intensive games
- RTX, Its On: The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is powered by award-winning Ampere architecture with new Ray Tracing Cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate for the ultimate gaming performance
- Blazing-Fast Display: This 15.6 Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LED-backlit display with 16:9 aspect ratio features an incredibly fast 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms Overdrive response time for the gamers who demand the best visual experiences
- Internal Specifications: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz memory (2 DDR4 Slots Total, Maximum 32GB); 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots/1 x 2.5 Hard Drive Bay Available)
- Prioritize Your Gameplay: Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro with Ethernet E2600 and Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i lets you use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time, and have total control over priority traffic to maximize speed, throughput, and control
- Cooling Perfected: Acer Helios 300 uses a 5th Generation AeroBlade Fan with 89 blades designed to increase air intake and keeps your system at a nice, cool temp. Also, allowing you to maximize your performance by reducing throttling for better sustained performance.
- Using Alexa on your PC is as easy as asking a question. Just ask and Alexa can check your calendar, create lists, play music, answer questions, read the news and more.
- Superior Sound: DTS:X Ultra enhances your favorite games, movies, and music with high-end surround sound through the dual speakers, and an authentic audio experience when you use your favorite headphones
- Ports For All Accessories: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (Thunderbolt 4 and USB Charging), 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Power-off Charging), HDMI 2.1 with HDCP support, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, Headphone/Speaker/Line-out Jack, Ethernet (RJ-45), DC-in for AC Adapter
- The Right Fit: 14.31 W x 10.04 D x 0.90 H; 5.07 lbs; One-Year International Travelers Limited Warranty (ITW); Up to 6 hours Lithium-Ion Battery Life (Battery life was tested using video playback)
8. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581
- ScreenPad Plus: 14 inch 4K matte touchscreen, giving your endless way to optimize your multitasking experience by extending the screen or split windows and apps on both displays
- 15.6 inch 4K UHD NanoEdge touchscreen glossy main display
- Latest 10th generation Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (12M Cache, up to 5.0 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Detachable palm rest and ASUS active stylus pen included
- Fast storage and memory featuring 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD with 16GB DDR4 RAM
- ZenBook Pro Duo and the bundled stylus — or your favorite active stylus — you can really let your creativity flow. Both multitouch displays support stylus input, but ScreenPad Plus gives you a superbly ergonomic and stable platform for writing or drawing.
9. Razer Blade 15 Base
- GeForce RTX 3070: NVIDIA’s 2nd gen RTX—with new RT Cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors to give the most realistic ray-traced graphics and improved performance
- More Power: The 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor provides the ultimate level of performance with up to 5.0GHz Max Turbo and 6 cores
- QHD 165Hz: The high-resolution QHD display delivers blazing fast 165Hz refresh time and a wide color range covering 100% of the DCI-P3 space for gaming and content creation
- Thin and Compact: The CNC aluminum unibody frame houses incredible performance in the most compact footprint possible, while remaining remarkably durable and just 0.78 thin
- Ready To Connect: Fully loaded with Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet, Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A and Type-C ports, and HDMI, for a desktop-class experience
- Make It Yours: Customize the backlight color of the keyboard with Razer Chroma, and expand the memory and storage, making the Razer Blade 15 uniquely yours
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Things to Consider While Choosing Laptop For SketchUp | Unrivaled Guide 2022
SketchUp with SketchUp Pro is done through a set of processes that must be able to be supported by our pc or mac. We are going to see what options the market offers us since there are no computers created specifically for architects, but we will be able to know, based on their technical specifications, if they will be useful or not to carry out our daily work.
Below we explain the different parts (components) that directly affect the performance of our computers. Understanding these components will make it easier to see which are the specifications that we must prioritize when choosing our equipment.
Processor:
Even though graphics acceleration is important, the CPU (processor) is still the center of everything. Current processors perform very well but for 3d designs, 6th generation Intel Core i7 processors are the ideal proposition, both for desktop and laptop. We recommend a processor, to be able to be from the INTEL house of its i7 range.
The power of this element is essential since it is the brain of the computer. We recommend Intel because from our experience they are more durable and you get better performance. And more specifically, the Intel® Core ™ i7-7700HQ Processor, which thanks above all to its 4 cores, is capable of working as if they were 8 in design and calculation programs, provides a very high working speed.
Why Intel? Because after many years of working with multiple computers, I have found that Intel products are more durable, have fewer problems, and generally perform better.
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RAM:
Another fundamental component. We can install a respectable amount without breaking our budget. For SketchUp and design applications, a recommended amount is 16 GB, without going below 8 GB in any case, and preferably installing more if possible up to 32 GB. It will be of the DDR4 type if it is accompanied by sixth-generation Core i7 processors. RAM memory, which allows the computer to handle a greater number of tasks simultaneously. Thanks to DDR4 RAM, we make sure to be at the forefront of technology, being these the latest modules manufactured. And with machines capable of hosting up to 64 GB of this type.
To clarify ourselves, this is the memory that allows us to do several things at the same time without the computer suffering a lot, that is why it is vital and we will look for the more RAM the better, but as long as it is economically viable, that is, that the RAM does not cost us more than the equipment.
Screen:
it is important that it has a good resolution. First, because it will offer us a larger desk area, useful to have the tools and work window without getting in the way. Secondly, we can see in more detail how it is being without having to use the zoom (both to zoom in and out).
In laptops, it is convenient that the screen size is sufficient to comfortably access all the menus, options, and windows.
It is also possible to use external screens to have multi-screen configurations, or to improve the one that comes by default with the laptop or All In One in aspects such as the precision of the colors or the range of tones that it can display, including the possibility of making a custom calibration.
Important for laptops that are going to be used for many hours, that has a matte screen, that is, that does not have reflections, this not only alters the quality of the images that are seen in daylight but also does not allow the eye to focus well on the screen with consequent fatigue.
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Keyboard:
A keyboard-type chiclet (or chocolate), is the most comfortable because they simulate the separation of the keys of traditional desktop keyboards.
Graphics processor (graphics card):
The graphics card is in charge of drawing everything you design on the screen, therefore, the higher the powers and features, the higher the quality of the presentation, and the speed of rotation of the element modeled in 3D with SketchUp Pro.
Having a dedicated graphics card, from AMD or NVIDIA, will allow you to speed up some graphic operations in applications such as SketchUp, VRay, Photoshop, etc. Not all functions are accelerated by the GPU, but the trend is to improve the integration between the GPU, CPU, and applications for optimal performance.
The graphics card in a computer for an architecture professional is something important, but not vital, let me explain, we are not going to play ultramodern games in which very powerful graphics cards are necessary, we are going to limit ourselves to modeling in 3D buildings, to make use of BIM and in specific cases to render 3D images, for all those cases, the computer uses the processor more than the graphics card, it is usually a mistake to think that to model and render we need graphics: It is rendered with the processor, not with the graphics card.
Autonomy:
Let’s be honest, we are only going to need autonomy when we go to the copy shop to print some plans and we have forgotten to put one of them in the pen, we take out the laptop in the store, show off the wallpaper and turn off the computer, to the rest of the uses will generally be connected to the current, so it will not be necessary to focus on autonomy.
In addition to that, it is important to emphasize that never (or only rarely and under very controlled environments) the autonomy expectations stated by the manufacturers are met.
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Video outputs:
This is important since with two screens the performance is notably higher, especially in professions like ours, in which while we are consulting the regulations on one screen, we are drawing on the other, now time and effort and it translates into higher productivity.
This is why it is important that the computer has a video output, but almost all computers do, so this should not be a problem.
Operating system (Mac or PC):
This is one of the most important questions that 3D design professionals ask and can be answered more from the experience itself, it is true that with Mac you will have a greater visual experience since its hardware offers great graphic quality for creative work, however, It must also be said that the vast majority of 3D design programs have proven to be more compatible with PCs with Windows operating systems, so each one has its pros and cons.
In terms of specific technical software for architecture in Spain, there is only one Windows option. Although SketchUp, VRay, and PhotoShop have versions for macOS, most of the specific programs for the field of architecture (Revit, 3dMax, Cype, Presto, Arquimedes) are not supported by Apple equipment.
Can’t I have a Mac then? Yes, but you will have to install parallels and install a virtual Windows image to run certain technical software or partition with Bootcamp (it is the option that I use).
And Linux? If you are able to handle Linux, you may be more interested in this website with alternative programs to Windows than reading this article. In any case, you would have to use a Windows partition or virtual machine to be able to work with certain proprietary software.
Once we have assimilated that we are going to stay with Windows, the question is, what version? We always recommend the last one that we have good references from, now Windows 10.
Our recommendation is that if you want to optimize your money, not have software compatibility problems and that the repairs are cheaper, choose a computer with Windows 10.
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USB ports and Connections:
Minimum 3 USB connections, one for the external mouse (mandatory for SketchUp Pro) and another two to connect a Pendrive and charge the mobile at the same time. Less than three can be problematic, or so experience dictates.
Should you have a card reader? I think that with an SD card slot that is the standard for cameras (Canon EOS type) is more than enough.
HDD:
It is highly recommended that the system hard drive is of the SSD type. Solid-state drives are great at streamlining operating system operations, such as opening and closing applications, while allowing applications to streamline data usage. They are usually accompanied in desktop computers, with conventional HDD units with 1 TB or 2 TB capacity. In the case of having a laptop, there are external SSD drives, recommended in order to have a fast and reliable storage space that complements the system disk.
The project delivery time will largely depend on the speed of the disk, because every time you execute any action that is not purely computational, it is the disk that comes into play. With the new solid-state drives, the access time is minimal, and the speed is very high.
SSDs differ from HDDs in that they do not have moving parts, and are better in everything, read and write speed, consumption, failure rate, noise level, heat emission, etc … They can be a little more expensive than traditional ones, but the difference is noticeable, and quite, for what it is worth. If it becomes too expensive for us, we can buy a system with an SSD of about 120 GB for the operating system and a 1TB HDD to use as storage.
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Accessories:
In addition to the computer itself, it can also be useful to get a graphics tablet, a mouse that is comfortable, as well as a keyboard with a touch and precision that allows you to work long hours without causing hand or wrist fatigue.
Conclusion:
Selecting the best laptop for SketchUp will not be an easy task. First, you must have complete knowledge of 3D laptops. If you read this article, it will be easy to select the best laptop for SketchUp from the list.
After reading this article, you will not lose money on a useless laptop. Buy the best laptop for SketchUp according to your needs and requirements. It will be worth your money.
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