Most 3D modeling software like Revit, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks won’t run on your average laptop, as they’re quite heavy on your laptop’s CPU and GPU. Even if you manage to get it up and running on a low-spec laptop, you’ll encounter tons of issues and sluggish performance.
Revit requires your laptop to offer up some serious power to run smoothly. You won’t only need a powerful CPU, but you’ll need a fast SSD, a fair amount of RAM, and a high-end GPU. We recommend having at least 8GB of RAM, a dedicated graphics card, and a large PCIe NVMe SSD.
If you’re running Revit, you’ll probably be running other programs alongside it, such as Photoshop or Lumion, which is why we’ve recommended those specs above.
Let’s hop right into the best laptops for Revit.
Contents
5 Best Laptops for Revit Compared
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
Dell XPS 15 | ||
Acer Predator Helios 300 | ||
Asus TUF FX505DT | ||
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s |
Best Laptop for Revit Reviewed
1. New Dell XPS 15 9500
Specs:
The Dell XPS 15 is a fantastic option for creatives and designers looking for a higher-spec laptop to keep with current trends, that still offer the power and performance needed to run 3D software like Revit. It’s got tons of power with a sleek and stylish design for users looking to design in style.
Benefits for Revit
The Dell XPS 15 has a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 hexacore processor that can go up to speeds of 2.6GHz and can be overclocked. Your laptop won’t have any issues running your design software, and the Dell can handle just about anything you throw at it.
Having more RAM also means you get to do more on the Dell without worrying about lag or crashing your laptop. The XPS 15 offers 32GB of memory, giving you more than enough RAM to run your software with multiple browsing tabs and other miscellaneous programs like Spotify.
The Dell XPS also has the most amount of storage to offer, with a 1TB solid-state drive. It’s sturdy and speedy, so booting the laptop and loading up Revit and your other programs, applications, and files will be quick.
With a 4K ultra-HD display, the Dell XPS 15 outshines the rest of the laptops in terms of their display quality. You won’t miss even the tiniest display on this screen with over 400-nits of brightness, near-perfect color replication, and crisp images.
Other Benefits
The XPS 15 boasts quite an impressive battery life, lasting up to 8 hours long on a single charge. This outclasses the other laptops on this list, making the Dell XPS one of the more portable laptops on this list despite being about 4.5lbs heavy.
You won’t hear any creaking or rattling on this device. It’s got a sturdy build, and the hinge doesn’t wear easily. The lid is made of solid aluminum, and the palm rest, along with the spaces around the keyboard, is made of carbon fiber.
Downsides
There weren’t any downsides we could find with the Dell XPS 15. It’s a fantastic mid-range choice for users looking to run Revit, though there are much better laptops suited to creators and designers as well.
Pros
- Powerful CPU
- A huge amount of memory and storage
- GPU good for quick/real-time renders
- Ultra-HD 4K Display
- PremierColor to adjust colors
- Up to 8 hrs battery
- Aluminum lid, carbon fiber palm rest
Cons
- Suited only for professionals
- On the expensive side
2. Acer Predator Helios 300
Specs:
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is one of our staple choices for creating 3D models, and it’s no exception for users who prefer using Revit.
Benefits for Revit
The Acer Predator Helios 300 packs a punch with its 10th Gen Intel Core i7 hexacore processor. It can handle all your CAD needs. This is one of our top laptops for 3D modeling software, and Revit is no exception.
With 16GB of memory, you’ll be able to create your models with ease, while browsing the internet or running other software alongside Revit. There isn’t much you can do to cause any crashes on this laptop, as it’s built to handle lots of programs and heavy loads.
Paired with the 512GB SSD, the Predator Helios 300 becomes an absolute beast. It boots quickly and doesn’t slow down at all. The SSD in this laptop is a PCle NVMe SSD, making it one of the best and fastest on the market as of now.
When it comes to 3D modeling, you’ll know how important your laptop’s GPU is. Gaming GPUs render models well, so the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is perfect for the job. Rendering your models in real-time won’t be an issue at all.
Just like the other gaming laptops up for grabs on this list, both the memory and storage are upgradeable. The Predator has two M.2 slots and a SATA bay for any upgrades you may want to make.
The 15.6-inch display is no joke either. With a 144hz refresh rate, you won’t be able to go back to just any ordinary screen. It’s got a full-HD display that reproduces colors well and offers a clear and crisp picture when working (or playing your favorite games).
Other Benefits
The AeroBlade 3D fan keeps the Helios 300 quite cool when working or rendering complex assemblies, so there’s no risk of overheat on your laptop thanks to its thermal management system.
We don’t normally expect gaming laptops to last over 4 hours at the best, so the fact that this laptop lasts up to 5 hours on a single charge is quite impressive, especially when considering how powerful the Acer Predator is.
Despite being a gaming laptop, the Acer Predator Helios 300 looks quite professional. It doesn’t take on the typical gamer red accents most other gaming laptops have, and opted for a more subdued blue color, alongside its all-metal chassis.
Drawbacks
While it does have the AeroBlade fan installed to keep it cool, the fans are quite noisy, particularly when you’re doing any task that’s considered to be processing or graphics-intensive. It’s best to purchase noise-canceling earphones to use while you work if you’re easily distracted by the sounds.
Pros
- Powerful CPU
- Upgradeable memory and storage
- GPU ideal for quick/real-time renders
- Stays cool even with heavy tasks
Cons
- Noisy fans when under heavy load
3. ASUS TUF [Best Laptop for Revit Students]
Specs:
The ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop is a fantastic choice for students looking for a powerful yet affordable laptop to run Revit and other 3D software. What else might appeal to engineering, architecture, or design students is that you can play some of your favorite games on this laptop too, for less than $1000.
Benefits for Revit
What we love about having AMD components in a laptop is that their mid-tier processors are much more affordable than their Intel counterparts. The ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, which turbo boosts up to 3.7GHz.
The ASUS TUF also has 8GB of memory, giving you enough memory to run a couple of things while you create your models on Revit. It runs Revit alongside other programs and multiple browsing tabs without any hiccups or lag whatsoever.
It also has a 256GB solid-state drive, which provides quick boot times for the laptop and the programs installed and also gives you a safe place to store your files. SSDs are safer and speedier than HDDs, making them much better options for your laptop.
While 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage are enough, students who are looking to use this laptop for quite a while or looking to take it with them into work when they need to run Revit can opt to upgrade both to give it more power and storage.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 can handle any graphics-intensive task you throw at it, like rendering your assemblies in real-time or playing your favorite games. Paired with its 15.6-inch full-HD display, you won’t have any graphical issues when creating and rendering your models.
Other Benefits
The ASUS TUF Gaming Laptop has a very sturdy build, despite being made entirely of plastic. The hinge doesn’t wear easily, the screen doesn’t wobble, and you won’t hear anything in this laptop creak or rattle when you pick it up.
It also stays quite cool. The laptop has a great thermal management system to keep it cool even when running at its best performance. It also comes with ROG Armory Crate preinstalled, which helps you manage the CPU and GPU performance of your laptop.
Downsides
We’ve mentioned how this laptop has an extremely sturdy build. But some users might find an issue with the body being made entirely of plastic. It feels much cheaper than the other laptops listed here made with aluminum.
The battery life of the ASUS TUF also doesn’t impress, lasting only about 3 hours on a single charge. While you might be able to adjust some of the power consumption settings of the laptop, this battery life isn’t as good as the other laptops here.
Pros
- An affordable processor that can handle Revit
- Upgradeable storage and memory
- GPU good for quick/real-time renders
- Good build quality
- ROG Armory Crate to adjust CPU and GPU power
Cons
- Completely made of plastic
- Up to 3 hours
4. Lenovo ThinkPad P52s
Specs:
Professionals who need the best laptop to run Revit don’t have to look any further than the Lenovo ThinkPad P52s. This powerful workstation was built to run 3D software, among other intensive programs, and give you the best performance possible.
Benefits for Revit
While it has a slightly older processor, the 8th Gen Intel Core i7 quadcore processor is a reliable CPU, clocking in speeds of 1.8GHz, turbo-boosting up to 4.0GHz. It can handle your 3D models and assemblies with ease.
There’s more than enough room to store your models and other important files on the Lenovo ThinkPad P52s. The 512GB solid-state drive keeps your files safe and secure and lets you boot your laptop and programs quickly.
This laptop also sports the highest RAM capacity, with 32GB of memory on the ThinkPad. Creating models while loading browser tabs and other design software won’t slow your laptop down whatsoever.
The most impressive spec of the Lenovo ThinkPad P52s is its dedicated graphics card. The NVIDIA Quadro P500 offers 2GB of VRAM, making it perfect for users who need to create and render extremely complicated models on Revit.
You’ll easily spot even the smallest errors on the ThinkPad’s 15.6-inch full-HD display. The images are clear and crisp, and the colors are produced near perfectly. It’s also got good brightness, so working in brighter areas or sunlight won’t be too much of an issue.
Other Benefits
The battery life of the Lenovo ThinkPad is pretty impressive, lasting up to 8 hours on a single charge. This, plus the laptop only weighing about 4lbs, makes it extremely portable and easy to carry around.
No matter how heavy or intensive your software is, whether it’s Revit, Photoshop, or other CAD software, the Lenovo won’t overheat. It’s got a good thermal management system with enough ventilation to keep your laptop cool as you work.
Drawbacks
The only real downside to the Lenovo P52s is its webcam. It offers grainy images, at around 720p, which isn’t too much of a deal-breaker since this doesn’t affect the laptop and Revit.
Pros
- Powerful workstation ideal for Revit and other 3D software
- NVIDIA Quadro GPU will render models quickly
- A huge amount of memory and storage
- Decent battery life
- Good thermal management system
Cons
- Poor webcam
5. HP Omen
Specs:
The HP Omen 15 is a great choice for running Revit and other design software. Though it isn’t as powerful as the other devices we’ve listed down here, it still offers great specs for running your work software,
Benefits for Revit
The HP Omen comes with a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 hexacore processor. The CPU goes up to speeds of 2.6GHz and can be overclocked up to speeds of 4.5GHz. It offers the highest turbo speeds and can handle all your software and programs.
It offers 8GB of RAM, which is enough to handle multitasking with Revit without any bumps at all. Though it doesn’t offer as much as the other laptops, 8GB is more than enough to run Revit without any lag at all.
The 256GB solid-state drive should be able to boot your laptop quickly, as well as your programs and files. You can be sure that your files are safe and sound on this SSD, as it’s not likely to breakdown.
Of course, if neither the memory nor storage impress you and you plan on using this laptop for a much longer time, you can easily upgrade both. Opening the back panel of the HP Omen will make upgrading much more convenient for users looking for a cheaper way to upgrade.
As we said, gaming GPUs work well for 3D rendering. The NVIDIA GeForce 1660Ti is a step up from the regular GTX, giving you quicker rendering times as well.
The 15.6-inch display offers high-definition picture and color quality and paired with the micro-edge technology that HP implements with their laptops, you’ll easily be immersed in whatever tasks (or games) you’re doing.
Other Benefits
The HP Omen 15 has a great build as well, with a mix of both plastic and aluminum components. The hinge is sturdy and isn’t likely to wear down over time. The plastic bottom is also what helps the laptop disperse more heat than it would with an aluminum bottom.
Speaking of heat, the HP Omen 15 has much larger cooling fans integrated into its cooling system that helps manage heat, so it isn’t at risk of overheating or damaging itself when you run heavy tasks and programs.
Downsides
The Omen is the heaviest laptop on this list, weighing in over 5lbs, and doesn’t last very long, only up to 3 hours. It seriously takes away from the portability of the laptop.
Pros
- Powerful CPU
- Upgradeable memory and storage
- GPU good for quick/real-time renders
- Classy design, black metal lid, but a plastic body
Cons
- Not very portable
- Lasts only 3 hours long
Best Laptop for Revit: FAQ
Q1. What are the minimum system requirements I need for Revit?
While these aren’t the bare minimum system requirements for Revit, these are the minimum specs you’d want your laptop to have to balance out both performance and cost.
- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, or 10, 64-bit
- CPU: Multicore i3 or Ryzen 3 processor
- Memory: 8GB
- Display resolution: 1680 x 1050
Q2. Is Revit better than AutoCAD?
That boils down to personal preferences. AutoCAD is a computer-aided design software, however, Revit is much more complex. Revit uses building information to create intelligent 3D models of buildings. Whether you are looking for a laptop for AutoCAD or Revit to create 3D designs, these laptops we’ve listed down work well for both.
Q3. Are there significantly cheaper laptops that can run Revit?
Some of the laptops we’ve listed down here might be out of budget for some users, particularly students who need a more affordable laptop to get through university. Fortunately, as long as the laptop you’re looking at meets the minimum system specs we’ve listed above, they’ll be able to run Revit just fine.
Q4. What are the system requirements for Revit?
The most important specs to focus on when looking for a Revit-compatible laptop is the RAM and the GPU. Provided that your CPU is a multicore processor, it should be fine, and you wouldn’t choose a laptop with a tiny display to design on Revit.
Q5. Can I use MacOS for Revit?
MacBooks don’t offer enough power at similar price points to other Windows systems. You’ll most likely have to install other programs and make adjustments to your Mac just to run it, making it much more inconvenient to use.
Conclusion
These are our top 5 choices for the best laptop for Revit. Like we’ve stated in our FAQ, as long as you pick out a laptop from this list, or based on the minimum system requirements we’ve mentioned, you won’t have an issue with Revit at all.
The best laptops out on the market might not be the most affordable, so look at gaming laptops or high-powered notebooks to run Revit. Of course, these laptops might still seem steep in price, but they’re worth it in comparison to cheaper, low-powered laptops.
Use our FAQ, and compare some of our choices on this list to of laptops that support SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and other 3D modeling software to give yourself more variety, and let us know down below in the comments on which laptop you ended up choosing!
