Best Laptops For 3d Graphic Design

You are into 3D rendering and modeling and are looking to buy a laptop that can fulfill your 3D rendering and modeling needs perfectly. You started searching for options both online and offline. Tons of features pop up in front of you. Some from well-known brands, while others not so famous.

Then there is some crazy specs and numbers game with each laptop offering to outdo one another with amazing performance. If you are a layman who is unaware of the technical jargon and specifications, this could create even more confusion. You start to read reviews but still find yourself in a conundrum as to how to choose the best laptops for 3D modelling software and rendering. If all that sounds familiar to you, then you are at the right place.

In this article, you will learn the minimum and recommended system requirements your 3D rendering laptop should fulfill. Additionally, you will also learn about the ten best laptops for 3D rendering and modeling in 2021.

Minimum and Recommended System Requirements For 3D Rendering and Modelling Laptops

3D rendering and modeling are resource-intensive tasks. As a result, you need a powerful processor and graphic cards as well as spacious storage and a lot of RAM to get the best out of your 3D rendering laptops. Having a powerful processor will help you run high-demanding tools without any lags and stutters. Meanwhile having a powerful graphics card is critical when it comes to rendering 3D images. A good graphics card can also reduce the burden of the processor by sharing some of the workload and preventing the system from overheating.

The more RAM and storage your laptop have, the better. For more advanced and complex applications, you need more RAM. It will directly impact your user experience as more RAM allows your laptop to access information faster. Solid-state drive storage promises fast loading thanks to trailblazing read/write speeds. So, which specifications best laptop for rendering should have? Let's find out.

Here are some of the minimum and recommended system requirements that these laptops need to fulfill in order to be considered a good option for 3D rendering and modeling.

Minimum System Requirements

The minimum system requirements for a good 3D rendering laptop are:

9th Generation Intel Core i7 processor
Dedicated NVIDIA Graphic card
15.6-inch display
At least 16 GB RAM
512 GB of fast SSD storage
4-5 hours of battery life

Recommended System Requirements

The recommended system requirement for a 3D rendering laptop are as follows:

10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor
NVIDIA GeForce 2060 or higher
17-inch display with Full HD resolution support
32 GB RAM
1 TB of fast SSD storage
6-7 hours of battery life

Can Gaming Laptops Be Used For 3D Rendering and modeling?

Most gaming laptops are equipped with dedicated and powerful graphic cards, a fast processor, tons of storage space to store games, and a generous amount of RAM to run everything smoothly, making them be an ideal choice for 3D modeling and rendering. They also have large battery lives that allow them to provide 5-6 hours of continuous screen time. Since both gaming and 3D rendering laptops share similar characteristics and hardware, we can safely say that gaming laptops can also be used for 3D modeling and rendering.

There are instances when even gaming laptops fail to deliver the same level of performance as laptops for modelling and rendering can do for highly sophisticated 3D rendering. If you are working with professional-grade rendering software and running AI-assisted rendering, you are better off buying a laptop that is tailor-made for 3D rendering applications. That is why it is important to assess your needs and think about what applications you are going to run on the laptop before making the purchase.

10 Best Laptops for Rendering and 3D Modelling

Here are the ten best laptops that are worth considering for rendering and 3D modeling.

1. Asus Zenbook Pro Duo

If you are looking for a well-rounded machine for 3D rendering and modeling, look no further than the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo. While its reputation precedes it as a great workstation, it can handle anything you throw at it equally well. The real highlight of this laptop is its Intel Core i9 processor that delivers top-of-the-line performance even for the most demanding tasks.

With a lightning-fast 5GHz clock speed, this octa-core processor delivers unrivaled performance. It can run complex 3D applications such as Maya and VRay without breaking a sweat, which speaks volumes about its performance prowess.

Render 3D visuals in their full glory thanks to the Ultra high-definition screen capable of supporting 4K resolution. Throw in 1 terabyte of fast solid-state drive storage and 32GB of fast RAM and you will be hard-pressed to find a better laptop for 3D-rendering and modeling than this one. The only downside is its steep price which is justified in my opinion, especially when you look at the cutting-edge specs it is offering.

2. MSI P65 Creator

As the name suggests, MSI P65 Creator is designed with the creator's needs in mind and is also targeted towards them. If you are a creator who can't afford to splurge a fortune, this laptop should be on top of your list. With a comparatively lower price tag and powerful hardware, MSI P65 Creator never disappoints when it comes to running demanding rendering applications.

Although the 2.6 GHz clock speed doesn't work in its favor, the Intel Core i7 9750H more than makes up for the lag. Throw in a 15.6" 4K ultra high-definition ready screen, 32 GB RAM, and 1 terabyte of SSD storage into the mix and you can't get better performance at this price point. The powerful NVIDIA RTX 2060 comes with 6GB of dedicated memory allowing it to render everything faster. Even though the speakers leave a lot to be desired, but if you can look past this inadequacy, you will be more than happy with this laptop.

3. Asus ROG Strix Scar

If you are a gamer, you might be familiar with the ASUS Republic of Gamers. It is basically a sub-brand that makes hardware for gamers and does a great job at it too. If you have ever used any of their product, you can understand what I mean. From gaming-centric smartphones to gaming laptops, they deliver industry-leading gaming performance. Asus ROG Strix Scar continues the legacy.

Even though the screen only supports full HD resolution, it is pretty outstanding at 17.3 inches when compared to most competitors. What really makes this laptop screen stand out from the crowd is its 300 Hz screen refresh rate for a much smoother experience. You will not notice any delays while interacting with the screen. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 GPU not only keeps pace with the high refresh rate screens but also delivers impressive performance when rendering animations and graphics.

Just like their other gaming hardware, there is also an integrated cooling system in place to keep everything running without heating too much. The fast solid storage drive is another plus but it's only 512 GB which is lower than most competitors are offering. Another trait this laptop shares with other ASUS ROG products is its weight. It is a heavy and bulky machine and if you can live with that, this is the laptop to get.

4. Razer Blade 15

For those looking for a slim and lightweight laptop without compromising on performance, Razer Blade 15 is an ideal choice. Not only does it look elegant, it is also easy to carry around thanks to its slim and lightweight profile. This makes it a great option for people looking for a portable and lightweight machine that delivers great performance.

Thankfully, Razer has not made any compromises when it comes to the specifications of this laptop. This makes it the best laptop for 3D modeling without being too bulky. Even though it packs a great display and spacious storage, it lags behind in terms of graphical performance as its graphic card is not as powerful as some of the other options on this list. The battery is not bad either, lasting 5-6 hours of intensive use.

5. MSI GL65 Leopard

MSI made a name for itself by creating laptops that deliver superior gaming performance at an affordable price. With MSI GL65 Leopard, they are continuing this tradition. At first glance, you can think of this laptop as a gaming laptop but the power under the hood makes it capable of rendering 3D visuals. Despite just having a 15.6-inch full HD screen, it is color accurate and capable of displaying 100% of the sRGB color gamut.

There is no compromise on performance as you get the perfect combo of 10th generation Intel Core i7 with NVIDIA RTX 2070. This makes rendering complex 3D animations a breeze. One area where the laptop falls behind competitors is its battery life, which only lasts four hours on a single charge.

6. Acer Predator Helios 300

Another company that is famous for delivering the best value for money is Acer and their Acer Predator Helios 300 is one of the best gaming laptops you can find in the market. The Intel Core i7 processor might be a bit old but it comes with Turbo Boost Technology, allowing you to push the CPU to its limits by overclocking it. The same goes for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. The 256 GB of solid-state drive storage might be a tad low for many but the 16GB of RAM keeps everything running smoothly. The battery can last anywhere from six to seven hours, which is not bad at all.

7. Dell G7 17 Inch

G stands for gaming and Dell G7 17" laptop is also a gaming-focused laptop. Powered by an eight-generation Intel Core i7 processor, the six-core CPU can be pushed to 3.9 GHz for great performance. The laptop comes preloaded with a 256 GB solid-state drive but gives you the option to add one terabyte of additional hard disk drive. The NVIDIA GTX 1050 does a fantastic job at rendering 3D objects.

8. Lenovo Ideapad L340

If you want to run computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD, then this laptop from Lenovo is worth your money. With a 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, a massive 17.3" full HD screen display, and 512 GB of SSD storage space, you not only get more screen real estate but also more storage space and power under the hood to run and store your creations in their full glory. The battery life is exceptional too, lasting anywhere from 6-7 hours, which is unexpected from a laptop with a 17.3-inch display.

9. HP Zbook 15 G5

For those looking for more storage, HP Zbook 15 G5 is the way forward with a dual-storage option. The laptop comes with one terabyte of SSD storage and you can also add an extra terabyte of HDD storage on top of that. You also get 32 GB of RAM as well as a powerful eight-generation Intel Core i7 processor. If you want exceptional performance and a lot of memory and storage, then this laptop is for you. Sadly, the battery life is just average, lasting for five hours on a single charge.

10. Asus ROG Zephyrus M

Another laptop that delivers on the performance front is the Asus ROG Zephyrus M. The ninth-generation Intel Core i7 processor combined with 1 terabyte SSD, 16 GB RAM and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 leaves no stone unturned when it comes to delivering unmatched performance. Disappointingly, the battery life disappoints at just four hours. When you push this laptop harder, it will heat up.

Which of these laptops would you buy for 3D rendering and modeling? Share it with us in the comments section below.

Xavier Jinan

Xavier Jinan is a Community Specialist at HostNOC Inc., Reliable and super-efficient dedicated windows and linux based servers provider. If you have any questions or would like to say hello, connect with Xavier on Twitter.