Top 10 Laptops for AutoCAD – Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

Whether you’re an interior designer, engineer, or real estate developer, you’re highly likely to deal with high-end design and drafting software applications like AutoCAD. Not all powerful laptops can run AutoCAD smoothly. We understand how frustrating it can be to work with poor hardware, it can even affect your focus level.

Finding a laptop that can run AutoCAD efficiently can be challenging, especially if you don’t have much computer hardware experience. To make things easier for you, we’ve made a list of the best laptops for AutoCAD for all budgets in 2022.

Top Rated AutoCad Laptops

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Laptops for AutoCAD – Reviews

Now that you’ve thoroughly analyzed the specifications and technicalities of our top picks, it’s time for us to give you the ins and outs of why they made it to the list. Let’s dive right into it!

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1. ASUS TUF FX505DT – Best AutoCAD Laptop Pick

Top 3 Features

Starting off our guide with our favorite laptop for AutoCAD, the ASUS TUF FX505DT delivers the right balance between price, performance, and battery life, it may well be a good laptop for engineering students too.  

For starters, it boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H powerful processor that offers high processing speeds, which is likely to be the best processor for AutoCad. The laptop has 8 gigabytes of RAM, which should be enough to run AutoCAD with a few other background applications.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 may not be a high-end graphics card, but you can’t get anything better at this price point.

It’s worth noting that the ASUS TUF FX505DT has an RGB keyboard rated for 20 million keystrokes. The laptop is equipped with dual anti-dust fans that provide the laptop with sufficient cooling. Bottom line: This is by far and away the best laptop to run autocad.

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2. ASUS ROG Zephyrus S – Asus Laptop for AutoCad

Top 3 Features

Our second favorite workstation laptop on this list is the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S. With an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, the Zephyrus S beats the TUF FX505DT when it comes to performance. It has double the storage space of the TUF FX505DT.

Its battery life is about 50% of the TUF FX505DT, making it a less attractive option for those who need to use their laptops away from a power source.

As for image quality, both laptops have Full HD IPS displays with very close refresh rates. The Zephyrus’ display has a refresh rate of 144Hz, while the one on the TUF is capped at 120Hz. 

It’s worth mentioning that the ROG Zephyrus S is pricier than the TUF FX505DT, giving the latter an advantage when it comes to budget-friendliness. The ROG Strix G could also be a contender.

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3. Acer Nitro 5 – Best Value Pick

Top 3 Features

The Acer Nitro 5 packs an impressive spec sheet. It features an Intel Core i5 processor with 8 gigabytes of RAM, allowing you to use AutoCAD even with other applications running in the background. 

The Nitro 5 is equipped with a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card that makes running AutoCAD a walk in the park.

As far as battery life is concerned, the Nitro 5’s battery can last you up to 8 hours with regular usage, which is quite impressive. 

It has dual fans that keep the laptop’s temperature under control, allowing you to use AutoCAD for a prolonged time without overheating your device.

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4. Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Graphics Performance

Top 3 Features

By taking a quick glance at the Acer Predator Helios 300’s spec sheet, you can easily tell that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card is the star of the show. 

It’s one of NVIDIA’s high-end RTX graphics cards that deliver an uncompromising graphics performance for all applications, including AutoCAD drafting. It has an i7 processor and 16GB Dual Channel RAM that ensure consistent multitasking performance.

The display’s high refresh rate of 144Hz gives the Predator a smoother feel enhancing the overall user experience. We like that it has a 512GB SSD, which provides the user with plenty of storage space to store their files.

As for battery life, the Predator’s battery can last you for up to 6 hours before it dies, which is pretty decent.

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5. Microsoft Surface Book 2 – Best Premium Pick

Top 3 Features

The Microsoft Surface Book 2 combines performance and portability in a slim and lightweight form factor. Weighing a mere 2.38 lbs and measuring just 0.9” in thickness, the Surface Book 2 is as portable as a sheet of cardboard.

With an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, this laptop delivers exceptional performance for its size. You can even work on multiple AutoCAD projects at the same time with this beast.

The Surface Book 2 has an IPS display with a resolution that’s slightly lower than 4K, giving you the sharpness you need to create outstanding designs on AutoCAD. 

Not to mention, the keyboard is detachable, allowing you to use the Surface Book 2 in tablet mode with the touchscreen display.

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6. ASUS UX550GE-XB71T Zenbook Pro – Best Image Quality

Top 3 Features

The ASUS Zenbook Pro has arguably one of the best displays ever on a laptop. At 4K resolution, this display blows everything else out of the park when it comes to sharpness and clarity. It provides you with a tremendous amount of details, so you can view and edit your designs on AutoCAD professionally.

That’s not the whole story; the Zenbook Pro has an impressive set of internals that allow you to run AutoCAD flawlessly. It features an Intel Core i7, a whopping 16 gigabytes of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics card.

The Zenbook Pro has an impressive battery life, reaching up to 9.5 hours on a single charge. This should easily last you a day or two, depending on your usage. This laptop features fast charging, allowing you to charge 60% of the battery in just 49 minutes.

The Zenbook Pro runs on the Pro version of Windows 10 for additional features and perks like the enhanced security system.

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7. Acer Aspire 5 – Best Budget Pick

Top 3 Features

This is the go-to laptop for AutoCAD users who are on a tight budget. With a Full HD display, a dedicated graphics card, and an excellent battery life, the Acer Laptop Nitro 5 offers a lot for the price.

It boasts an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor, in addition to dedicated Vega 3 graphics and 4 gigabytes of RAM. These are low-end internals, but they’re capable of running AutoCAD at a decent level of performance.

The Aspire 5 excels in the battery compartment, averaging 7.5 hours with regular usage. The laptop weighs just a little shy of 4 lbs, making it less challenging to move around with it.

The Aspire 5 relies on a 128GB SSD for storage. We recommend getting an external hard drive for more storage space, as 128GB won’t likely be enough for most users.

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8. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – Best Portable Pick

Top 3 Features

Introduced as a more affordable version of the Surface Book 2, the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is designed to be as portable as possible. 

At just 1.70 lbs, this hybrid laptop for web designers and engineers who need to move around with their laptops frequently.

And it doesn’t just end there; the Surface Pro 7 has a beautiful 2736 x 1824p IPS display that can make your designs come to life with extra sharp details and outstanding color accuracy. The touch-sensitive display is perfect for taking notes about your designs and ideas.

Performance-wise, the Surface Pro 7 is equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor coupled with 8 gigabytes of RAM, which is pretty impressive. 

It doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card. It relies on Intel Iris integrated graphics instead, but that’s a tradeoff you’ll have to make if you want a portable laptop. Nevertheless, you should still be able to run AutoCAD at a decent speed.

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9. Lenovo ThinkPad P52s – Best for Large Storage Space

Top 3 Features

One of the most remarkable features of the ThinkPad P52s is its extra-large SSD. It provides you with 1TB of storage space, which is quite impressive, considering that most other laptops in this class are limited to 512GB of storage capacity at most.

Another feature that’s worth mentioning is the whopping 32 gigabytes of RAM inside this laptop. Running AutoCAD on this machine will be as smooth as it can get.

The ThinkPad P52 boasts a powerful Intel Core i7 processor capable of delivering fast performance.

It has a dedicated NVIDIA Quadro P500 graphics card, ensuring that the laptop is able to process high-demanding tasks like AutoCAD efficiently.

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10. Dell G5 15 – Best Versatility

Top 3 Features

We’re finishing our list strong with the Dell G5. This is the only laptop on the list that sports a dual storage system with a 1TB SATA drive along with a 256GB SSD, giving you a good balance between speed and storage capacity.

As for performance, this beast features an Intel Core i7 processor in addition to 16 gigabytes of RAM, providing a buttery smooth performance. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is what the G5 uses to handle graphic-intensive tasks like AutoCAD, and it does a great job at it.

The G5 has a great battery life, lasting for up to 7.5 hours of continuous usage. You don’t even have to bother taking the charger with you when on the go.

The G5 is lighter than many other laptops in this class, weighing just 3.79 lbs. You should have no problem moving around with this laptop for prolonged periods.

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Guide to Buying A Laptop for AutoCAD

This guide will help you find the best ultrabook for autocad and a smooth experience using the software.

Performance 

A laptop’s performance is probably the number one thing you should consider when getting a laptop for AutoCAD. High to turbo clock speeds are a must, a backlit keyboard is optional but a nice to have.

Three main factors affect a laptop’s performance: CPU, GPU, and RAM. For the CPU and GPU, you can check each component’s benchmarks to see how they fare against the other models.

RAM is quite simple; having more RAM will almost always result in better performance, especially if you run multiple programs at the same time. These three factors will ensure you find the best laptop for AutoCAD and Revit, along with most other high-demand tasks.

Size

Unlike an autocad notebook, bigger-sized laptops ensure a better user experience since they have larger displays, making the overall AutoCAD experience much more pleasant.

It’d be nice if the best laptop for cad had slim bezels, which allow for larger displays with smaller form factors. As a general rule of thumb, a display size of 12” is the bare minimum for AutoCAD.

Keep in mind that a laptop’s size affects its portability. Smaller laptops are usually easier to carry around and fit into bags. Weight plays a huge role here. Most laptops weigh anywhere from 1.70 lbs up to 5.5 lbs. Ideally, your laptop should be as lightweight as possible.

Storage 

While hard disk drives are cheaper and offer more storage capacity than solid-state drives (SSDs), they’re very slow. 

SSDs are a much better option for modern laptops due to their high speeds and smaller physical sizes. Most SSDs have a storage capacity of anywhere from 128GB up to 512GB, but some can have a storage space of up to 1TB.

Resolution

Interior designers and artists need a high-resolution display to execute their designs on AutoCAD properly. That’s why you need to make sure that the laptop’s display has a minimum resolution of 1920 x 1080p. 

Your laptop’s display can have a significant impact on how you judge your designs before printing them. You don’t want to waste time and ink on designs because they looked different on the laptop’s screen.

Battery Life 

If you spend most of the time on your laptop at home or in the office, then battery life may not be that important to you. On the other hand, if you’re always on the go or even enjoying working outdoors, try to get a laptop with a battery life that can last you through the day. Long battery life is always a welcome addition!

Operating System

All of the laptops we’ve reviewed run one of these two iterations of Windows 10: 

• Windows 10 Home: The mainstream release of Microsoft Windows.
• Windows 10 Pro: A more advanced version of Windows 10. 

There are several advantages that Windows 10 Pro has over Windows 10 Home. The main difference between these two versions is that Windows 10 Pro has several enhancements in the security and business compartments. We’ve included an article with some tips on using Autocad on your laptop, which may be of interest.  

Both versions of Windows are almost identical. Windows 10 Pro would be nice if you want to have an extra layer of protection for your designs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Laptop Specs Do I Need for AutoCAD?

Autocad laptop requirements are as follows

• Graphics card: A mid-range NVIDIA GPU should get the job done.
• RAM: A minimum of 6GB RAM for AutoCAD.
• Processor: An Intel Core i5 processor would be a safe choice for most users.
• Display: To deliver a good level of detail, accurate colors, and high brightness.

Is AutoCAD a CPU or GPU-intensive Process?

AutoCAD is a very graphic-intensive task, and you need a powerful GPU for it to run smoothly. The CPU is the least important PC component for running AutoCAD, but you still need to have a good one.

How Much RAM Do I Need for Optimal AutoCAD Performance?

For 2D models, AutoCAD will take up 2GB of your computer’s RAM. That number goes up to 4GB for 3D models. 

As a general rule of thumb, get a laptop with a minimum of 6GB RAM to run AutoCAD with no performance drops.

Which CPU Works Best When It Comes to Advanced AutoCAD Usage?

AutoCAD doesn’t require lots of processing power to run smoothly. A recent generation Intel Core i5 processor would be good enough for AutoCAD. You can get an i7 laptop processor if you want to future-proof your laptop for future releases of AutoCAD.

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Conclusion

We’ve come to the end of our guide and hope you’ll find a laptop good for autocad. This is where we give you some recommendations that you can take as a reference to make the ultimate decision.

We just love the ASUS TUF FX505DT. It offers a nice blend of performance and price, making it one of the best laptops for AutoCAD you can get for the money. If you want a laptop that can run AutoCAD smoothly, it’s our top AutoCAD laptop recommendation.

If you want a portable laptop with great battery life, get the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. It’s very small and lightweight, making it super easy to carry around. You’ll have to sacrifice a bit on performance since it doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card.

If you’re on a strict budget, consider getting the Acer Aspire 5. It has a Full HD display, dedicated Vega 3 graphics, and good battery life.