The 5 Best Laptops for 3D Modeling Reviewed

3D modelling is quite the task, and whether you’re doing it to make components, or are just making models for fun at home, and you want it to be done right.

It would be a huge shame if, after spending all that money on a 3D printer you were let down by your laptop.

If you’re going to do your 3D modelling on a laptop, you will need to ensure that said laptop is up to the job. You’re not going to be able to get away with a cheap browser laptop.

Luckily there are many laptops out there that are up to the job.

We’ve been going through them and have handpicked our favorites to show you. Our reviews on them are coming up very shortly. We were careful to select one for every budget.

After that we’ve got a handy buying guide for you which walks you through everything you need to think about before you buy.

And following that is yet another handy section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

Best Laptops for 3D Modeling

1. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop

This is the laptop that all 3D modellers are raving about at the moment. And for very good reason too.

This is the laptop to go for if you’re interested in getting one of the top laptops out there, rather than settling for one with the minimum app requirements.

It’s also a really good laptop if you intend to use web based 3D modelling software, since it has a superior internet connection, with its 4 times better throughput.

It has a 15.6 inch screen, which is medium to large for a laptop. And the screen has a Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080). The screen also boasts an IPS display (more on that in our buying guide).

It’s CPU is phenomenal. It is an all important 64 bit CPU, but better yet this multi-core processor is 6 core altogether, and is one of the latest models out, a 9th Generation Intel Core i7, no less.

The only way to enable such a fast CPU to run without overheating is with the special cooling technology they use.

There’s 16 GB of RAM available which is fantastic if you tend to have several apps open at a time.

And there’s plenty of storage for your finished designs, a whopping 512 GB, and in SSD too (more on that in our buying guide).

We also love that it has a HDMI port (along with all your usual ports) which means you can display all of your 3D modelling images on your TV if you want to.

It runs on the Windows 10 operating system, which gives you the most options in terms of what apps you can download, including your 3D modelling apps.

We’re also suckers for backlit keyboards!

And of course, being a gaming laptop you can use it for that too. And being a gaming laptop this means it comes with a top of the range 6 GB graphics card already integrated inside.

However, you should also check if you need a specific graphics card for the specific 3D modelling apps you want to run.

2. New Apple MacBook Pro

If money were no object, this would hands down be the laptop to go for.

It runs on the Apple operating system, which has some significant differences to Windows and Chrome OS, so it may take some getting used to.

However, most people once they go Mac, don’t go back. And that’s high praise indeed.

You can get MacBook Pros in a range of different sizes, but we figured the 16 inch one would be best suited for your 3D modelling, as most of the other sizes are smaller.

It’s a great display with a wide color gamut and true to life images.

The MacBook Pro has far better specs than other laptops. So much so that there isn’t really any competition.

You can even select some of the specs, for example you can go for one with an Intel Core i7 processor or with an Intel Core i9 processor.

And you can select from a 512 GB storage space or 1 TB (which is 1000 GB) on ultrafast SSD (more on SSDs in our buying guide). This does of course affect the price.

You also get an impressive 16 GB of RAM, which is great news if you tend to have lots of apps open at the same time.

It also comes with a great integrated graphics card, the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, no less.

It’s battery life is really impressive too, up to 11 hours on a full charge.

We also like that it comes with Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, so convenient.

And we love the Touch ID function which, using your fingerprint ensures that it’s only you carrying out particular functions, like making payments online.

You don’t have quite the same range of apps that run on Macs, but you won’t have any problems finding some really good 3D modelling software for it.

3. Lenovo ThinkPad P52s

Here’s another truly great laptop. Not quite as fancy as the MacBook Pro, but considerably more affordable. (If you think it’s not that affordable, don’t worry, we’ve got some much more affordable ones coming up very shortly.)

You know it’s going to be a good laptop for 3D modelling when you see 3D modelling software being used in the product’s photo!

It has a nice size screen, coming in at 15.6 inches, and better yet it has a Full HD resolution, coming in at 1920 x 1080, together with IPS technology in the display (more on that in our buying guide).

It has a fast multi-core CPU, namely the Intel 8th Gen i7, which comes into the realm of preferred specs for 3D modelling, rather than minimum requirements.

It’s available with different levels of RAM memory, 16 GB or 32 GB, which is great. It’s also available at different levels of storage space, starting at 256 GB, and going all the way up to 2 TB (which is 2000 GB).

And better yet all the storage space is SSD (more on that in our buying guide) so it’s both speedy and reliable. Please note the option you choose to go for will affect the price.

It runs on Windows 10 Professional, so if you’re like most people, you won’t run into any problems using it and getting all the apps you want.

It comes with a great graphics card already integrated, the NVIDIA Quadro P500, which is good for 3D modelling.

We also like that it has a HDMI port (along with all your usual ports) which means you can display all of your 3D modelling images on your TV if you want to.

And it has some other handy features like an integrated webcam and microphone.

4. 2019 New Dell Inspiron 17

For those of you who just don’t have $1000 or $2000 lying around, (perhaps because you’ve just bought a good 3D printer) then is a laptop that can do the trick without breaking the bank.

We like this laptop for 3D modelling because of the large size screen, coming in at 17.3 inches.

Handy if you’re looking at a large image, and you have a sidebar taking up a chunk of the screen at the same time.

The screen also has a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080, so your images will always be crisp and clear. It also sports an IPS display which is great (more on that in our buying guide).

You’d think that being 17.3 inches, more than 2 full inches larger than a standard laptop, that you’d struggle to get a good laptop bag to carry it in. But luckily that’s not the case (pun intended!) at all, we found loads on Amazon.

It runs on Windows 10 home 64 bits, so you’ll have no problem finding compatible 3D modelling apps.

It has plenty of processing power with its multi-core CPU, the 7th Gen Intel Dual Core i3. There’s also a nice 8 GB of RAM, for when you’re trying to do everything at the same time.

There’s a whole 1 TB of storage space (that’s 1000 GB). And there’s an integrated Intel high definition graphics card.

We’re also suckers for backlit keyboards!

Amazon occasionally has really good deals on this laptop – worth checking out.

5. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop

And we haven’t forgotten those of you who are really squeezed when it comes to your laptop budget.

This is the most affordable laptop we could find that we felt would handle your 3D modelling software.

Though, that said it will more easily accommodate freeware, and you may have to get a special graphics card for some of the more high tech 3D modelling apps.

You get a great screen – it’s 15.6 inches wide and has a HD resolution of 1920 x 1080, so your images will always be crisp and clear. And better yet it even has an IPS display (more on that in our buying guide).

The CPU isn’t an Intel, but it’s still very good. It’s an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual Core Processor, which can go to speeds of up to a speedy 3.5 GHz.

It has Windows 10 in S mode built in, which means you can surf on Microsoft Edge knowing you’ve got advanced security features that are built right in.

But if you prefer you can easily upgrade to Windows 10 Home in a few simple steps. And then running all the apps you’re used to will be no problem at all, and finding compatible 3D modelling apps will be a breeze.

It’s got plenty of RAM, 4 GB, so you could possibly have other apps running while you’re doing your 3D modelling.

And there’s plenty of storage space too, 128 GB, and it’s all in SSD (more on that in our buying guide).

We also like that it has a HDMI port (along with all your usual ports) which means you can display all of your 3D modelling images on your TV if you want to.

There’s also a good graphics card already integrated, namely the AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics.

And for voice assistant enthusiasts, it’s also Alexa enabled to boot.

We’re also suckers for backlit keyboards!

Laptop for 3D modeling Buyer’s Guide

As promised, here’s our buying guide for you, all prepped to inform you and help you decide which laptop to get for your 3D modelling.

What Software

If you have already decided what software you want to use for your 3D modelling, then you could base your laptop choice around that.

For the purposes of this article, we’re going to concentrate on Autodesk minimum system requirements, which is a paid 3D modelling software, and Blender, which is freeware.

Autodesk Maya 2020 runs on most operating systems and can be used with most web browsers.

You need a 64-bit Intel® or AMD® multi-core processor with SSE4.2 instruction set, a special Maya graphics card, 8 GB of RAM (preferably more) and 4 GB of storage space for install.

The Blender minimum requirements are a little easier to find laptops for.

You need a 64-bit dual core 2Ghz CPU with SSE2 support, 4 GB of RAM (preferably more), and a graphics card with 1 GB RAM (preferably more).

A 3 button mouse is also recommended for both of these applications, which you’ll have to buy separately from your laptop.

Display

We would argue that the display of your 3D images before you send them to print is very important. We recommend that you go for a laptop with a screen that’s at least 15 inches big, if not bigger.

And seeing as there are so many laptops out there with a Full HD display, you should look for that too. Full HD displays typically have a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 or better.

We also recommend that you go for a display with IPS panel technology. It gives better color and contrast, wider viewing angles, outstanding color accuracy and screen consistency.

CPU

So, looking at our two examples of 3D modeling software, you can go for either an Intel CPU or an AMD one, so long as it’s multi core and has a decent speed.

As for the SSE2 or SSE4.2 support, that may require a little more digging.

RAM

The more RAM you have at your disposal the better. This is the spec that determines how much your laptop can do at any one time.

We would recommend that you for a laptop with at least 8 GB of RAM.

Storage

You will need some storage space to install your 3D modelling software, and even the freeware app Blender requires at least 4 GB of storage.

Sometimes you are able to store your finished designs in the cloud, but if you want to keep hold of them offline, then that would require storage space as well.

This storage does not have to be on a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD) would be a better, more preferable option.

Graphics Card

Typically, today’s laptops come with an integrated graphics card, which is fine for most laptop use.

However some 3D modelling apps will require a dedicated graphics card, like Autodesk Maya for example.

If however, you’re working with freeware like Blender, then you may be able to get away with the laptop’s own integrated graphics card.

For more information on the hardware requirements for 3D modeling, watch this video:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good laptop for 3D modeling?

So, there are some key features to look out for in your laptop for 3D modelling.

A screen that you’re happy with, we recommend at least 15 inches and a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), a fast multi-core CPU, plenty of RAM, at least 4 GB, and a good graphics card.

For a really good laptop for 3D modeling you can usually expect to pay over $1000, but some of the more affordable laptops may be able to do the job with free 3D modelling software.

Our Number 1 pick was the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop, but if money were no object we’d have gone with our number 2 pick, the New Apple MacBook Pro.

Are gaming laptops good for 3D modeling?

Glad you asked. Gaming laptops are great for 3D modelling, because they are designed to provide graphic intensive imagery, and they work at great speed too.

They also come with better integrated graphics cards, which is usually an important piece of kit to run your 3D modelling apps.

In fact, we included a gaming laptop in our top 5 picks, namely the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop. It was our number choice.

How much RAM do I need for 3D modeling?

As a general rule, the more RAM you have the better.

Using the two examples referred to earlier, you need at least 4 GB for freeware Blender, but 8GB minimum for Autodesk Maya.

Please ensure you check the requirements for the particular apps you want to use.

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