The Best Laptops for AutoCad in 2020
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AUTOCAD can be a power hungry program, demanding massive graphics capabilities and processing power from any machine it runs on.
ogram, demanding massive graphics capabilities and processing power from any machine it runs on.
For people who have to use it every day, including engineers, architects, and graphic designers, working with this program can be quite stressful when it is run on a machine that is not suited to handle it.
If a laptop is not meant to handle the demand that Autocad can place on the processor, it will significantly reduce it’s overall lifespan. Therefore, you need a machine that packs a punch when it comes to processing power.
To help you figure out the best laptops for Autocad so you can eventually make an educated buying decision, I have compiled this extensive list of various laptops at different price points and performance capabilities.
They are all great in their own way, while at the same time having something that sets them apart from the rest in the group. In the end, it always comes down to personal preference, so the decision on what to get is all up to you.
Let’s begin.
| No. | Image | Name | Processor | GPU | Storage | RAM | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Lenovo Thinkpad P72 | Intel Xeon E-2186M | Nvidia Quadro P5200 Max-Q 16GB | 512GB SSD PCIe-NVME | 16 GB | Check Price |
| 2 |  | HP Zbook G5 15 | Intel Core i7-8850H | NVIDIA Quadro P2000 | 512GB SSD NVMe | 32 GB | Check Price |
| 3 |  | Dell Precision M5510 | Intel Xeon CPU E3-1505M | Nvidia Quadro M1000M 2GB | 512 GB SSD | 8GB | Check Price |
| 4 |  | Lenovo Y7000 Legion | Intel Core i7 8750H | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB | 1TB SSD | 16 GB | Check Price |
| 5 |  | Asus Vivobook S | Intel Core i5-8250U | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | 256GB SSD | 8 GB | Check Price |
Lenovo can't seem to stop amazing tech enthusiasts.
They have come with yet another beast laptop for autocad that is here to leave a mark, it is not just another laptop, it is a powerhouse featuring a powerful Nvidia Quadro P5200 Max-Q GPU, some bleeding edge security features, a world-class keyboard, packed into a compact chassis.
Overall, the ThinkPad P72 offers great graphical capabilities, however, you will have to deal with the dull 17.3-inch display.
Spec Overview
CPU:
Intel Xeon E-2186M processor
RAM:
16 GB
Internal Graphics:
Nvidia Quadro P5200 Max-Q 16GB
Display:
17.3in 3840 x 2160p HD
Storage:
512GB SSD PCIe-NVME OPAL2.0 M.2 type, 1TB secondary HDD
Design
While the ThinkPad P72 (7.7 pounds, 16.4 x 11.1 x 1.0~1.2 inches) did slim down a little bit from the ThinkPad P71 (7.95, 16.4 x 10.8 x 1.2 inches), it's still quite a thick machine, which is exactly what you would expect it to be looking like, all macho and powerful. The hood is soft to the touch and is home to steel ThinkPad logo and a red LED light. When opened, two grey hinges are visible from the back that expose two steel hinges that hold the chassis in place.
The display is surrounded by thick bezels, with the webcam occupying the usual position, the top bezel.
The speaker vent is carved into the deck just above the keyboard. The keyboard features a number pad with backlighting.
You should check out our 17 inch laptop guide as well, If you are looking for a bigger laptop with a 17.3 inch screen.
Performance
This Lenovo is fitted with the Intel Xeon E-2186M processor and 16GB of RAM, so it can handle more than you can throw at it. On the Geekbench 4.1 performance test, scoring 18,176, which falls below the 20,161 workstation average.
On the HandBrake benchmark, however, the ThinkPad P72 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in just 10 minutes and 25 seconds, blowing past the 11:36 category average.
Lenovo's 512GB SSD took 9 seconds to copy 4.97GB of data, translating to a 565 megabytes per second transfer rate. That's a bit slower than the 635 Mbps.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The Thinkpad P72 is no doubt a great laptop if you are running on a not so tight budget. For its price, you get strong graphics performance, a world-class keyboard and awesome security features. It is definitely worth checking out.
This laptop has got you covered, the raw power that comes from its 8th Gen Core i7 processor and Nvidia Quadro P2000 GPU, enough to handle all your computer’s heavy lifting.
Everything, from the chassis to the keyboard, those epic Bang & Olufsen speakers and the battery, has a premium quality look and feel. The touchscreen display is also a nice touch. This laptop is guaranteed to get you value for your money's worth.
Spec Overview
CPU:
Intel Core i7-8850H vPro
RAM:
32 GB
Graphics:
NVIDIA Quadro P2000
Display:
15.6-inch 3840 x 2160 HD
Storage:
512GB SSD
Design
At 5.7 pounds and 14.8 x 10.4 x 1.0 inches, the ZBook 15 is a giant compared with its fellow workstations. Unlike its stylish sibling, the ZBook Studio x360, the ZBook 15 is a meaty grey brick. It is a thick and bulky laptop for autodcad, but with its own unique design quirks. The HP slash logo on the hood, for instance, looks undoubtedly good I must say. The grey on this laptop is a bit too much.
The machine has a fingerprint reader on the right-hand side just below the keyboard. The Bang & Olufsen speaker vent is found above the keyboard. The thick bezels above and below the screen are one of the biggest design flaws the machine has.
Performance
The ZBook compensates for its design flaws with its amazing performance powered with the Intel Core i7-8850H vPro processor with 32GB of RAM.
On the Geekbench 4.1 overall performance test, the ZBook 15 scored 22,013, sailing past the 20,598 workstation average.
On the HandBrake benchmark, the ZBook 15 converted a 4K video to 1080p in 9 minutes and 53 seconds, finishing over 5 minutes faster than the workstation average (15:01).
The ZBook 15's 512GB SSD copied 4.97GB of data in 10 seconds, for 508 megabytes per second, which just misses the 564-MBps category average.
With Nvidia's Quadro P2000 GPU, the ZBook 15 scored 6,121 on the 3DMark Fire Strike graphics benchmark, and while that's below the 6,732 workstation average, the ThinkPad P1's Quadro P2000 GPU (6,044) and the Precision 3530's Quadro P600 (3,860) did even worse.
The ZBook 15 wrecked shop on the Dirt 3 benchmark at 235 frames per second, soaring over the 187-fps category average.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The HP ZBook 15 G5 is a monster that tears through anything you give it. It is an absolute beast featuring a military grade chassis, very strong performance and the 9-hour battery life that will never fail to amaze. For all these great features, you only have to make a few compromises that you can easily live with, such as the chunky bulky build, the narrow viewing angles and the blotchy webcam.
This laptop is one for mistaken identities with its premium look-and-feel, aside from its blazing fast SSD and discrete graphics. The 2.8-GHz Intel Core Xeon E3-1505M processor, 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia Quadro M1000M GPU with 2GB of graphics memory give this laptop a snappy performance.
Dell managed to use the right combination in every aspect to create a laptop for autocad that is worth taking a crack at. The slim chassis, a bright infinity display with almost no bezels, give this laptop beauty that always comes in handy when choosing a laptop for yourself.
Spec Overview
CPU: Intel Xeon CPU E3-1505M v5
RAM:
8GB
Graphics:
Nvidia Quadro M1000M
Display:
15.6in 3840 x 2160p HD
Storage:
512 GB SSD
Design
The 5510’s lid and bottom are made of dark silver aluminium. Inside, there is a premium carbon-fibre deck with a soft finish.
The infinity display is included in the design, with an unnoticeable bezel that has the webcam to the bottom of it.
The laptop is light and slim as it rightly looks. If tapers down toward the front.
Performance
With a 2.8-GHz Intel Core Xeon E3-1505M processor, 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia Quadro M1000M GPU with 2GB of graphics memory and a 512GB PCIe SSD, this machine gives a snappy and responsive performance.
The Precision 5510 scored 14,136 on Geekbench 3, a synthetic test that measures a computer's overall performance. That's higher than the category average of 11,329.
The SSD in the 5510 is insanely fast, taking just 9 seconds to copy 4.97GB of mixed media files, for a speed of 565.48 MBps.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The 5510 is a great all-around laptop that has everything you need; a fast super responsive CPU, great graphics and a rocking body, not forgetting DELL's infinity display. The minor flaws like the webcam placement are a compromise you can live with when you think about all the great features you will be getting with it.
From a first look, the Lenovo looks fancy with the curves and all, looking like something from science fiction films you’d say. The laptop also has one of the best keyboards around giving you one of the best typing experiences you can get around. The display is also on point featuring a 15.6 inch wide 1920 by 1080, meaning it comes with a standard HD display that looks great but it could be better.
It is easy to say that this laptop for autocad is all about looks but is the furthest thing from the true potential of the Lenovo. It is a beast performance wise with better than average battery performance. Under the hood, it features a 2.2-GHz Intel Core i7-8750H processor, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 1TB 7,200-rpm HDD. This machine can get the job done and it is serious about it.
Spec Overview
CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H
RAM:
16 GB
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU 6GB
Display: 115.6 in 1920x1080p HD
Storage:
1TB SSD with secondary HDD
Design
At 5.3 pounds and 14.2 x 10.5 x 1.0-0.9 inches, the Legion Y7000 is lighter and thinner than the Acer Predator Helios 300 Special Edition. Lighter means that it is more portable than its counterparts, which I must say is a plus for extra convenience.
The Lenovo features an iron-grey aluminium good that curves down to an angled hinge. The vent with grills makes this laptop look and feel like a sports car, with the logo on top of the hood driving the point further home. The keyboard looks and feels good to the touch, with backlighting enhancing the experience of using the said keyboard.
The laptop also has a very nice, colourful HD display gag will blow anyone’s mind. The 15.6-inch display is crowned with thin bezels all around, however, this comes at a cost for the webcam which has been placed at the bottom bezel which means awkward video call angles.
Performance
The 2.2-GHz Intel Core i7-8750H processor coupled with a whopping 16 gig RAM means that this beast of a machine can tear through layers of tasks just to work up an appetite.
On the Geekbench 4.3 performance test, the Legion Y7000 nailed 22,474, leaving the mainstream gaming laptop average (20,748) far behind.
On the HandBrake benchmark, the Legion Y7000 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in just 9 minutes and 24 seconds.
Lenovo's 256GB SSD copied 4.97GB of data in 8 seconds, for a blazing-fast transfer rate of 636 megabytes per second that nearly doubles the 328 Mbps category average.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The Y7000 is a pretty decent laptop. Apart from the audio quality and the webcam, there is little else to complain about. It is an OK laptop for its price point, having a lot of processing power under its sleek hood and chassis.
This laptop proves that you do not need a lot of money to get yourself a laptop that performs surprisingly well thanks to the Intel Core i5-8250U CPU and 8GB of RAM that manages to put a smile on your face every time you use it. It has cool new features like the new Ergolift hinge that raises your laptop at an angle that cares for your hands each time you type.
It also comes in several striking colour schemes like the gorgeous turquoise green and blinding yellow.
Spec Overview
CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U
RAM:
8 GB
Graphics:
Intel UHD Graphics 620
Display:
15.6 in 1920x1080p HD
Storage:
256GB SSD
Design
VivoBook S15's five colour options: star grey with yellow trim, and firmament green. The other three finishes are gunmetal, silver blue, and star grey with red trim.
The ErgoLift, the clever elevated hinge introduced on the ZenBook S, makes a comeback. This time, the back of the keyboard tilts upward at a 3.5-degree angle. This offers a more comfortable typing experience and improves audio and heat management.
At 14.2 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches, the VivoBook S15 is relatively compact for a 15.6-inch laptop.
Performance
The S15 also did well, its score of 12,163 on the Geekbench 4 overall performance test edged out the mark from the Lenovo Ideapad 530s (Core i5-8250U, 11,966).
The VivoBook S15 needed only 25 minutes and 38 seconds to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution using the HandBrake app, comfortably beating the 28:39 mainstream-laptop average.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The colourful Asus VivoBook S15 is one of the most visually stunning laptops this year. It is also much more affordable than you’d expect. Furthermore, the laptop has very good performance, speakers that output clear audio and the Ergolift Hinge that angles the keyboard toward you. The only flaws the portable 15-inch laptop has are the dull display and the unfortunate amount of bloatware.
Final Thoughts
Although working with AutoCAD can be a little tasking sometimes, it can get a little easier when you have a powerful machine by your side.
All the laptops in this list will beautifully handle the demands made by AutoCAD on their processing power, so you will be able to enjoy working smoothly without any lagging or crashing.
It is my hope that at least one of these laptops for autocad will be the perfect fit for you and your projects.
About the Author Arpad Balogh
I'm a tech geek from Hungary. Latest laptops? I got em. I love testing and breaking things, although most of the time I fail putting them together, but that's another story...
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