The best laptops for architects

With the best laptops for architects, you'll be able to run resource-intensive design software such as AutoCAD, 3DS Max and SketchUp when you're on your commute, travelling abroad, or just kicking back on the sofa. That means they have plenty of processing power, strong battery life, and enough storage to back up your work. 

Our experts have tested an array of devices, over several weeks, in order to pick out the very best laptops for architects, at a variety of price points. Most of these are Windows laptops, because a lot of tools for architects, such as Revit, can't be run on Apple kit. However, in case your software of choice does, we've also included the best MacBook for architects on our list.

For more options, see our guide to the most powerful laptops. And to fully complete your office setup, don't miss our guides to the best office chairs and best L-shaped computer desks too.

Quick list

The best laptops for architects available now

The best laptop for architects overall

We found the ASUS ProArt Studiobook to be an absolute powerhouse, and it keeps things running cool thanks to some nifty new cooling tech. It delivered great results in our benchmark tests, and was easily able to handle working across multiple programs at the same time. 

The 3.2K 120Hz OLED touchscreen also impressed in our tests, with a Delta-E of less than one for excellent colour accuracy (the ProArt Creator Hub has a whole section for tweaking this). We also tested 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. For architects who use a stylus, the screen has 4,096-pressure-level stylus support. And an additional boon is the glasses-free 3D display tech, which could help provide a more tangible experience for architects working in 3D.

As well as being our pick as the best Windows laptop for architects, this laptop breezes through 4K video, games, image processing and looks good while doing it, although inevitably all that power did have an impact on battery life in our tests. It's also fairly good value compared to some other laptops on our list, so it could also be an option as a laptop for architecture students. Read our ASUS ProArt Studiobook review for more details.

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The best MacBook for architects

There's a reason that all the entries above on our list run Windows. Historically, there has been a much smaller range of software available for Mac, and that includes architecture software. That's started to change, but even today, popular programs including Revit and Microstation don't run on Apple laptops. 

That said, if the software you use as an architect is compatible with Mac, and you're a big fan of Apple, the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) is the one we'd go for. We found it offers excellent performance for handling demanding software, and you can upgrade to as high as 64GB RAM and 8TB storage. 

The 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is one of the best screen we've seen on a laptop, and there are multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports and a full-size HDMI port. And, of course, it's Apple, so it looks impeccable for meeting clients. See our MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) review for more details.

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The best 2-in-1 laptop for architects

Want a laptop that turns into a tablet? We found the Surface Laptop Studio 2 to be super versatile. It boasts a gorgeous design and a premium build quality, with a PixelSense touchscreen that's a pleasure to use. 

But best of all, it has a useful form factor that allows you to slide the screen forward into an easel-like position, or lay it completely flat over the keyboard, effectively turning the laptop into a large tablet with a touch screen that's compatible with a stylus. 

Overall, this is a great choice for design work, sketching and note taking. Our reviewer was also impressed with battery life, and the keyboard was a joy to use. This laptop is also somewhat cheaper than the other we've mentioned so far. See our Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 review for more information.

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Best battery life

The Dell Precision 5470 held up to all manner of tasks in our tests, producing results comparable to a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro chip - something that costs more than Dell’s offering.

Despite its understated appearance, the device delivers exceptional power, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, dedicated NVIDIA RTX A1000 graphics card, and ample storage. Its lightweight yet robust build, combined with an outstanding battery life of over 12 hours, even when running multiple tools at once. This makes it an ideal choice for architects who require a powerful machine for demanding tasks.

You can read more in our review of the Dell Precision 5470 to learn more about why it’s a worthy purchase. Note that it's also been updated very recently by the Dell Precision 5480, which we'll be testing very soon.

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The best value laptop for architects

On a tight budget? The ASUS Vivobook Pro 16 is an affordable yet capable laptop that boasts a gorgeous 3.2K OLED display with excellent colour accuracy, vibrancy, and a 16:10 aspect ratio. Powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core H-series CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, it also delivers ample processing power for demanding applications and handles complex projects with ease.

Admittedly battery life is a strong point, lasting only 2-3 hours under typical workloads, and requiring frequent charging. Additionally, the lack of a touchscreen display may disappoint some. Despite these drawbacks, it offers a compelling combination of features for the price, including a premium metallic build, a comfortable keyboard, and a decent selection of ports.

Best laptop for portability

If you're primarily looking for something easy to carry, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED is our top pick. Weighing just 1kg and measuring barely over a centimetre thick, it's remarkably compact yet sturdy, thanks to its recycled aluminum and magnesium-aluminum alloy construction. And yet it punches above its weight in terms of performance and display quality.

This laptop boasts a stunning 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED display with incredible sharpness, vibrant colors, and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, making it an excellent choice for architectural software. Powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, it delivers solid performance for general productivity tasks and photo editing. And while port selection is limited due to its slim profile, the inclusion of Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.1 port provides versatile connectivity options.

How to choose the best laptops for architects

Laptops for architects need to have some serious computing power, because so much of the software regularly used by architects can be quite demanding. So you should be looking for a laptop with a modern multi-core processor and graphics card. To be safe, 16GB of RAM (or more) would be ideal, but you could get away with 8GB at a push. Also check that the software you need to use is compatible with the laptop: for example, Revit and Microstation are not compatible with macOS.

The screen size is also important, to reduce potential eye strain and ensure you (and your clients) can easily see your work. It’s important to think about peripherals you might want to use too. You’ll want an HDMI port to connect an external monitor if you regularly give presentations, as well as enough USB ports for peripherals like a mouse, touch pads and external hard drives. 

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How we test laptops

Creative Bloq's team of hardware experts bring with them many years of experience using, testing and benchmarking laptops with a focus on running creative applications. All the laptops in this guide have been tested either by using software used by architects or benchmarked to ensure the CPU and GPU are capable of the most intensive architecture jobs around. We run different benchmark tests on each device depending on its intended use by its maker, but the benchmarks we've run all the laptops in this guide through include the following:

• Cinebench R23/2024 - this assesses the performance of a computer's CPU and GPU using real-world 3D rendering tasks

• Geekbench 5/6 - this tests the CPU's processing power, both by using a single core for a single task at a time as well as all the CPU's core to see its ability to multitask

• 3DMark - this assesses a computer's ability to run graphic rendering tasks, which is necessary for architects

• PCMark 10 - this test assesses a computer’s ability to run all everyday tasks from web browsing to digital content creation, testing app launch speeds, 3D rendering and even battery life

But perhaps more importantly than benchmarking, we evaluate machines in real-world scenarios, pushing them to the limit with multiple applications running to see how they perform in real project-like conditions. Power, speed, flexibility, and what a computer looks and feels like to use are all criteria in our reviewing process. We do much more than simply unpack a test unit, run some benchmarks and then pack it up again; we have lived and worked with all of the above laptops, running them in real-life scenarios and completed projects relevant to the subject of this guide, otherwise we wouldn't recommend these models to you. For more details, see our article on How we test. 

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FAQs

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