Best 3D Modeling Laptop (Ranked and Reviewed For 2023)

3D modeling is becoming more and more popular. Whether you are working on your own project or providing consulting services to clients, generating a 3D model is a powerful way to visualize your ideas and can be among the best design tools. Having a laptop that is able to keep up with your ideas, gives you the flexibility to work on your design anywhere and everywhere. In this article, we will look at the best 3D modeling laptops for you in 2023

Working as a professional engineer, 3D modeling and rendering is something I do on a daily basis. Here is a list of the best 3D modeling laptops you should consider for 2023.

What Is The Best 3D Modeling Laptop?

1. Alienware m15 R7 AMD 15.6” 

A true workhorse of a laptop that can power the most intense modeling and gaming programs. The Ryzen 9 chip is a top-tier CPU that can quickly process the largest models and give you lightening fast input response. 

Utilizing a 15.6 inch QDH screen and the NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, this laptop will provide you ultra crisp and clear images. This laptop can power you through many designs for the next few years.

Specs

• Screen Size – 15.6” diagonal
• CPU – Ryzen 9 6000 series 4.9 GHz
• GPU – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GDDR6
• RAM – 32 GB
• Storage – 1 TB SSD
• Display – QHD 2560×1440 – 240 hz

Pros

• CPU and GPU are the top tiers of available products. 
• Solid RAM size
• Screen resolution is great for modeling
• SSD storage allows for fast loading

Cons

• Storage may be limiting if you plan on modeling a ton of projects. 

2. ASUS ProArt Studio Book 16” Laptop

The ProArt Studio Book by ASUS gives you the power and function you need in your 3D modeling laptop. Equipped with a powerful CPU and GPU, this laptop will help you model your next project with a smooth and fast workflow. The OLED display will make the colors come to life and give you and your clients the eye-popping models you want to see. 

This computer also comes with an ASUS dial allowing you a tool for incredible precision and control. 

Specs

• Screen Size – 16 Inches
• CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 3.2 GHz
• GPU – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
• RAM – 32GB
• Storage – 1 TB SSD
• Display – 2560 x 1600 OLED HDR

Pros:

• The Screen Is Amazing
• The powerful graphics card will allow you, high definition models, with ray tracing
• RAM size is great for future proof
• The screen size is not too big, not too small

Cons:

• CPU may bog down in future software models. 

3. MSI Creator Z16 Professional Laptop: 16”

This laptop can take on the most robust programs without hardly blinking. Complete with a top-tier CPU and cutting-edge graphics card, this laptop has the power and speed you need to run your favorite 3D modeling programs. 

Take advantage of the touchscreen capabilities and easily manipulate your models while on the go. With a QHD display and 120 Hz screen, this laptop will provide your buttery smooth modeling abilities. Complete with 2 TB of storage, you can rest assured you have enough room for many projects in the future. 

Specs

• Screen Size – 16 Inches
• CPU – Intel I9 4.9 GHz
• GPU – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
• RAM – 32GB
• Storage – 2 TB SSD
• Display – 2560×1600 120 Hz QHD (Touch Screen)

Pros:

• Great CPU 
• Storage size is great
• QHD Touch screen is a nice touch

Cons

• A slim laptop may get hot to the touch if in the lap

4. Asus VivoBook Pro 16X OLED

The VivoBook Pro has all the features available to you for your 3D modeling requirements. The screen is as good as it gets with this pixel-dense OLED display. This laptop is equipped with the Ryzen 9 CPU which provides you with the best in processing power. The 16-inch screen is enough real estate to do your job without adjusting the screen so often. 

Specs

• Screen Size – 16 Inches
• CPU – Ryzen 9 4.9 GHz
• GPU – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 TI
• RAM – 32GB
• Storage – 1 TB SSD
• Display – 3840×2400 OLED

Pros:

• Great CPU 
• The screen resolution is as good as it gets
• RAM will be enough for quite some time

Cons

• Lower GPU on the list
• Smaller storage if your only source of storage

5. 2022 Dell Inspiron 15.6” FHD Touchscreen

The 2022 Dell Inspiron Laptop is a great budget-friendly laptop with some solid specs for 3D modeling. This laptop punches above its weight class with a powerful CPU boost and is plenty capable with the 16 GB of RAM included. Coming in with a 15.6” screen, this common laptop size is a happy middle ground of enough screen and not having something that is overly obnoxious to carry around. 

There are plenty of options to upgrade the specs on this laptop also if you wish to add some more power in some areas. 

Specs

• Screen Size – 15.6 Inches
• CPU – Intel i5 2.4 GHz – 4.2 GHz boost
• GPU – Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM – 16GB
• Storage – 512 GB SSD
• Display – 1920 x 1080 – Touchscreen

Pros:

• Great Price Point
• CPU has a powerful boost function
• A great amount of RAM for the price
• The touch screen is great

Cons:

• Some may be disappointed by the screen display
• Plan on some additional storage

Can You 3D Model On A Laptop?

The answer is yes, you certainly can do 3D modeling on a laptop. This list of the best 3D modeling laptops shows that you can model on a laptop. The biggest thing to keep in mind is the specs of the machine you are using. With the right specifications for the programs you want to use, 3D modeling is perfectly achievable from a laptop. 

Using a laptop affords you the ability to work on your projects anywhere. This is particularly helpful if you are in consulting and meeting with clients at various locations. Being able to access your 3D models while on site proves useful to edit and show clients design changes in real-time. 

Is A Gaming Laptop Good For 3D Modeling?

Gaming laptops are typically very good for 3D modeling. 3D modeling and video games typically have similar system requirements. It is easy to make the connection between 3D modeling and video games, graphics are important to both categories. A good graphics card can make the most of your gaming and modeling experience. 

What Do You Need A Laptop For 3D Modeling?

3D modeling can require a lot and a little from your computer. The application you are running and the complexity of your model can dictate the power you need out of your laptop. However, if you plan on running some of the workhorse products like Autodesk Inventor or Fusion 360, it is probably worth noting that you will need a laptop with some power. 

CPU – Computer Processing Unit

The computer processing unit is the brain of the computer. This chip will dictate how fast your computer can process information. Building large models will require power chips. You should be looking for the most advanced and powerful chip for your price range. 

GPU- Graphics Processing Unit

Commonly referred to as the graphics card of your laptop. This card will be the workhorse for the visual images you see on the screen. Like the CPU, getting the best graphics card in your price range will help you as programs require more and more power to run in the coming years.

If you want to run things like ray tracing of 8k modeling, you should plan to have a powerful graphics card. 

RAM – Random Access Memory

RAM is another component to consider for the best 3D modeling laptop. The amount of RAM you have will dictate the amount of immediate memory that is available to you. A good baseline for your 3D modeling laptop is at least 16 GB of RAM. 

Display Size and Quality

Laptop displays have come a long way. Today you will find HD displays on most computers. If visualization is important to you, you may want to consider a higher-tech display. Premium displays like the OLED 4K and Retina can make your models pop. 

The size of your laptop screen can also make a difference. Screen size can hurt or help your eyes after a long day of modeling. Sizes of at least 15 inches can be a good place to start

Storage

Cloud-based storage is helping system requirements. If you plan to work offline a lot like in the car, plane, or even on-site, finding a computer with sufficient storage is important. Considering the bulk of modeling programs, other software, and how fast models can take up, having at least 1T of storage available is recommended, but 2T is recommended

The Wrap Up

A good laptop can take you a long way in your professional and personal life. Having a laptop that is strong enough to perform 3D modeling can give you the opportunity to work in various places whenever convenient for you. 

The best 3D modeling laptop on our list is the Alienware m15 because of its impressive spec sheet. This laptop will give you the power to work on the most complicated and intricate designs. 

No matter what laptop you choose, keep in mind that finding the right system specifications will help you in the long run.

Looking for the best GPU, CPU, and RAM at your price point will help you now and in the future. Keeping up with technology that is ever-changing and improving starts with being as close to the cutting edge as you can. When buying now, make sure you are planning for the future.