Best Laptop For Interior Design (Ranked and Reviewed For 2024)
Interior designers of today have to juggle a lot of hats. Having the best laptop for interior design is not only a convenience, its a necessity. On any given day, you might find yourself giving client presentations, waste deep in project management tasks, pulling together bids and construction documents, oh and you might even do some interior design after when everything else is out of the way.
Your computer is an important tool for an interior designer. Laptops are becoming more popular among everyday designers for their flexibility and their ability to do design work on the go. There are a lot of things you should consider when you are looking for the best laptop for interior design.
In this article, we will cover the best laptop for you and more.
Let’s get right into it.
My Top Picks
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What Is The Best Laptop For Interior Design?
Best Overall Laptop For Interior Design: Apple MacBook Pro (16-Inch)
As you consider a laptop for interior design, think about the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro sits on the list of best laptops for interior design because of its processing power, screen quality, battery life, and attention to detail for creators and designers alike. Easily run interior design software like AutoCAD.
The new and improved M3 processor and graphic card series provide powerful performance. Powerful performance translates into less loading and processing time, more fluid modeling, and an overall better user experience. These traits are sure to help you as you build complicated models for your favorite clients and their design projects.
The 16-inch liquid Retina XDR screen provides great detail and will make any 3D rendering pop off-screen. A perfect way to add a wow factor to your next presentation.
Product Pros
Product Cons
Specs
- Screen Size – 16.2” diagonal
- CPU – M3 Pro
- GPU – Integrated
- RAM – 36 GB (Thats a lot)
- Storage – 512 GB (1 TB Upgraded)
Best Beginner Laptop For Interior Design: Dell Inspiron 15 3511 Laptop
The Dell Inspiron is a solid machine for the entry-level interior designer or interior design student. The large storage capacity, powerful CPU. and plentiful RAM size will allow you to work on many design tasks at one time for years to come. The SSD memory lets you access information quickly.
Don’t forget this laptop is touch screen compatible which can be helpful if you are giving a presentation. The high-definition screen will help your designs pop and allow you to see everything in great detail. This Dell is a great choice for interior design work, 3D design, and other architectural design projects that you may run into.
Benefits
- With a large amount of storage, you can securely store your projects on your PC for a while
- 32 GB of RAM is a lot of power and will help you run multiple hungry design programs
- The touch screen gives you the chance to add some flair to presentations and discussion
Cons
- It would be nice to see the screen and graphics card a little better for the price point.
Specs
- Screen Size – 15.6” diagonal
- CPU – Intel Core i5 3.6 Ghz
- GPU – Integrated
- RAM – 32 GB
- Storage – 2 TB SSD
- Display – QHD 1920×1080
Best Laptop For Heavy 3D rendering: Alienware m15 R7 AMD 15.6”
If you are going to be developing large and complicated 3D models or developing high quality 3D renderings, you should consider a powerful laptop built for 3D rendering. The Alienware m15 is a top choice for this list. If you already know you are going to be doing some demanding design, you need a capable laptop. The Alienware m15 is a great choice.
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.
Benefits
- 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.
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
Best Budget Laptop For Interior Design: ASUS Vivobook Laptop 17.3”
The Vivobook Laptop is a great choice for the budget-conscious interior designer. This laptop has some high-quality features at a solid price point. The CPU, RAM, and storage are really a great value for the price point.
This laptop also has a really large screen which is helpful if you are using it for presentations or detailed and complicated modeling projects. ,
Finding a laptop with these specs at this price point is a great deal.
Benefits
- Lots of storage.
- SSD Card helps with fast loading times
- Large Screen
- Great CPU and RAM for the price point.
Cons
- Larger screen size might be cumbersome sometimes
Specs
- Screen Size – 17.3” diagonal
- CPU – Core i5-1035G1
- GPU – Intel UHD Graphics
- RAM – 20 GB
- Storage – 1 TB SSD
- Display – 1600×900 HD LED Display
Honorable Mention: 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.
Benefits
- 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.
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
What Types Of Technology Do Interior Designers Use?
Interior designers have a variety of tools available to them to help them bring their ideas to life. The most notable pieces of technology used by interior designers are
- 3D modeling technology
- 3D visualization technology
- 3D capturing technology
What’s In the Best Computer For Interior Designers?
The interior designer uses a lot of different programs and tools throughout any given day. These programs can range from a simple email to complicated rendering and visualization programs. Having a computer that has the right parts for the job can save you time and money in the long run.
Here are some of the things you need in the best interior design laptop:
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. With the rapid advancement in computer technology, there are numerous options available for computer processing units (CPUs) from various manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, and others. When choosing a CPU, it is important to consider factors such as the number of cores, clock speed, cache size, and power consumption.
For tasks such as building large models, you will want to prioritize a CPU with a higher number of cores and a higher clock speed to ensure faster processing of complex calculations. Additionally, a larger cache size can also contribute to better performance for demanding tasks.
It’s also important to consider the power consumption of the CPU, especially if you are building a system for tasks that require continuous, high-performance computing. A more power-efficient CPU can help reduce electricity costs and heat output, which can be beneficial for maintaining system stability.
Ultimately, finding the most advanced and powerful CPU for your price range will require research and comparison of different models to determine which one best suits your specific needs. It’s also a good idea to consider future upgrade paths and compatibility with other system components when making your decision.
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 – For 3D Modeling
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 – For Design Software
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, and other software, and how fast models can take up, having at least 2T of storage available is recommended.
Battery Life – To Keep Your Design Workflow, Flowing
Laptop battery life is super important in today’s fast-paced and mobile world. Having a long-lasting battery can make a significant difference being able to run design applications and work on interior design projects while on the go. A longer battery life means users can work in their design software without having to find an outlet to recharge.
It also enables designers to work on the go, whether they’re on a commute, traveling, or simply moving from one meeting to another. Meaning you can make those last minute changes before that meeting or run that demanding design software in the lobby.
The Wrap-Up
Interior design is becoming more and more technical and designers of today are wearing more hats while doing more for their clients. It’s important to have the right tools to help convey your sense of professionalism and organization.
A laptop that doesn’t give you fits will save you time and headaches. Think about the laptops of this list as you look for the best laptop for interior design.
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 and that your computer can incorporate these types of programs.
