Finding the right laptop for creative tasks such as 3D modeling and rendering can be challenging. If you are new in the field and do not have experience and familiarity with the latest tools and applications, it can create even more confusion.
You must take laptop system requirements of popular 3D modeling, rendering, and animation software like Revit, AutoCAD, Blender, 3D Max, Moto lightwave, 3D Maya, and Solidworks into consideration before buying the best laptop.
Each of the mentioned applications and software handles 3D modeling and rendering perfectly.
Suppose you want to perform most 3D modeling and rendering tasks with ease. In that case, it is necessary to choose a laptop that comes with an excellent GPU, a powerful CPU, and a visually empowering display.
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Recommendations for Best Laptop For 3D Modeling and Rendering
Looking to involve yourself in the world of 3D design, or are you trying to render massive projects faster to increase your work rate but need assistance finding the right laptop that excels at it.
We have done hours of research and gone in-depth to explore the best laptops for 3D animations, modeling, and rendering for you.
Let’s check out the reviews of the 10 best laptops for 3D modeling and rendering.
| IMAGE | PRODUCTS | FEATURES | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Lenovo IdeaPad 5 | Display: 14" RAM: 16 GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | Dell G7 Gaming Laptop | Display: 17.3 Inches RAM: 32GB Storage: 1TB SSD Battery: Up to 5 hours | |
 | Acer Predator Helios 300 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD Battery: Up to 6 hours | |
 | Razer Blade 15 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | ASUS Dash F15 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16 GB Storage: 512GB SSD GPURTX 3060 6 GB | |
 | Lenovo Legion 5 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | HP Pavilion Premium | Display: 16.1 Inches RAM: 8GB Storage: 512GB SSD Battery: Up to 5 hours | |
 | Dell Gaming G3 15 | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD | |
 | Acer Nitro 5 Laptop | Display: 15.6 Inches RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD Battery: Up to 9 hours | |
 | Asus TUF F17 Gaming Laptop | Display: 17.3" RAM: 16 GB Storage: 1 TB SSD GPU GeForce RTX 3060 |
How to Select the Best Laptop for 3D Modeling and Rendering? – A Complete Buyer Guide
If you have the right skills but not the right equipment, then it would be disastrous for you in professional life. You have to select the right equipment to maximize your performance.
Rendering and 3D modeling are quite technical tasks, and you should know the following differences between rendering and 3D modeling.
3D Modeling:
It is a process of creating different 3D models, objects, and surfaces using 3D software that involves complex calculations by the CPU, dealing with different shapes, like polygons, manipulating edges, vertices, deforms, blend objects in a simulated 3D space.
3D Rendering:
The process of creating a 2D image from a digital, three-dimensional scene is known as 3D rendering. There are 2 types of rendering, CPU and GPU rendering, executed by the same hardware.
Technical Hardware Difference between 3D Modelling and Rendering
When creating a 3D model using any 3D graphics software, it uses only one core of CPU.
Why is it so?
Due to the hierarchy in which the scene is constructed. A CPU must proceed step by step or systematically through this hierarchy.
There is no way it can skip or offload certain steps to another core, since most of them are interdependent!
So technically, you need a CPU with a high clock speed to speed up your work, even if it has fewer cores.
On the other hand, 3D rendering uses all the cores of the CPU to distribute its workload and speed up the process. The 3D software’s rendering engine assigns a rendering pack called “bucket” to each core.
When a core finishes a bucket, it gets another bucket, and so on.
So, for rendering, you need a laptop with more cores and a maximum clock speed. But the tricky part is that CPUs trade off between cores and clock speed.
According to CGDirector, high core count processors have slow clock speeds.
That means you have less clock speed when buying a multi-core CPU and vice versa.
Processor
3D modeling, animation, and rendering projects need a fast and strong processor. So, try to choose a processor with the latest generation, more cores, and a high clock speed.
You should go for Intel’s latest generation processors like the 10th Gen Core i5/i7 or i9. You may go for 9th to 12th generation processors as well. While talking about AMD, the Ryzen and ThreadRipper series are the best matches for 3D rendering.
For example, the Intel Core i9-12900H, Intel i9 12900K, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X are quite popular processors for 3D modeling and rendering.
These processors can easily handle 3DS Max, Blender, Revit, AutoCAD, Maya software, etc.
You can explore the latest processors launched here. Choose a processor with
- Latest Intel Processors List (Core i3, i5, i7, i9 and X series)
- Latest AMD Processors List (AMD Ryzen, Athlon Thread Ripper/Pro Series)
- Check comparison of CPUs with performance / $ ratio here.
Even if you are low on budget, don’t get a low performing CPU, as it is the core component for your rendering tasks.
If you have a high budget and need a laptop with high-end specifications, then the 10th or 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor will be the one for you.
What about cheap CPUs?
Sometimes there are cheaper CPUs available and you might be attracted towards it. Before buying it, keep in mind that
- Wouldn’t you have to buy an expensive motherboard for a cheap CPU?
- Wouldn’t you have to buy a separate and expensive CPU cooler for a cheaper CPU?
- Aren’t you getting a cheap CPU and a stuck/frozen laptop?
RAM
RAM is highly important for 3D modeling and rendering projects. It will decide whether you’ll get a responsive, smooth work experience or not? RAM holds all the rendering data on each stage.
If you have a complex scene to render that surpasses RAM, it’ll utilize hard disk storage, which is slow, of course, when compared to RAM.
It is more likely that files will open up faster and render without experiencing any lag during the process, the more memory you have. Your working speed will be increased, and things will get faster.
Moral of the story is to get more RAM to get hassle free rendering and 3D modeling.
That means buying a laptop with a minimum of 16 GB RAM will be sufficient for your mediocre projects. If you have a high budget, go for 32 GB of RAM to deal with complex scenes.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
A normal graphics card is perfect for normal computational purposes. But when it comes to 3D modeling and rendering projects, you need a high-end graphics card. The GPU plays a vital role when rendering scenes, and it will handle all graphical operations.
After the CPU and RAM, the GPU is the primary hardware component for 3D models to render. An excellent GPU is dedicated/discrete and not integrated/shared with CPU.
You should choose a GPU with more VRAM and the latest generation. NVIDIA and AMD Radeon are producing excellent GPUs. The NVIDIA RTX series is powerful for all graphics processing with models
- NVIDIA RTX 3070,
- RTX 3080 Ti
- RTX 3080
- RTX 3090
Pro Tip: A higher number means faster and higher prices. NVIDIA supports more rendering engines compared to AMD.
While talking about AMD models, some of the best GPUs are
- Radeon RX 5600 XT
- Radeon RX 5700 XT
- Radeon RX 5700
- Radeon RX 590
You should buy a laptop with 4 GB- 6GB VRAM,as more VRAM means you can render larger scenes easily. Remember, investing in GPU won’t’ be regretful. Rather it will make your working smooth and fluent.
Storage
When working with 3D models and complex scenes to render, you need more storage than before. Not only simple magnetic storage but fast storage to speed up work and avoid tons of wait.
When talking about speedy storage, it works like (high speed from left > Right)
Storage Speed: Hard Disk Drive (HDD) > Solid State Drive (SSD) > NVMe SSD Storage.
Why storage is important in 3D modeling & Rendering?
Storage is responsible for the following tasks
- Launching your 3D modeling Software, and Operating System
- Loading and saving scene files
- To store and load Textures, References, Assets, Rendered Frames, etc.
- Loading Assets and Textures into VRAM and RAM while Rendering
- Switching to disk storage when RAM is full
So, like RAM, more storage is good for your professional work. The 3D modeling and rendering tasks need fast and sizable storage. So, we suggest you buy a machine with a storage capacity of 512GB SSD at least while 1TB SSD or more is recommended.
Pro Tip: In order to save money, go for hybrid storage i.e. HDD + SSD. You can store finished projects on HDD and work on SSD to speed up and smooth work.
Battery life
All 3D modeling and rendering tasks need great battery life. The irony is that these tasks consume battery more than normal operations. Plus there are a lot of factors upon which the battery life of a laptop depends.
Laptops tend to fail the hype of battery life, but Apple seems a winner for this purpose. But it does not fit in the 3d modeling bracket.
If battery is important for you then just go for higher battery life when choosing a laptop.
If budget is not an issue then go for a battery life of up to 6 – 8 hours. In case you are on a low budget go for a battery life of up to 4 hours.
Display
When working as 3D modeler, display is a primary concern as you have to stare display screen for whole day or longer time.
Which display screen is better and why? Here are some reasons
- Choose at least a Full HD (1920×1080) while 3K (2560×1440) or a 4K (3840×2160) screen is recommended.
- Get an IPS or VA panel screen with high color accuracy and max color gamut .
- Go for 17” screen size while smaller size is not recommended (attach external monitor for optimal working)
- Refresh rate should be 90 Hz at least with 16:9 aspect ratio, but higher is recommended.
- External monitors are always best for 3D modeling and rendering with 27” or larger size and with a WQHD or 4k Resolution.
What Minimum and Recommended Specifications are Required?
Are you searching for the best laptops for 3D modeling and rendering, or want to give your laptop a good upgrade? If yes, then the minimum and recommended specifications are for you. Have a look.
| Features | Minimum | Recommended |
| Operating System | Windows 7 | Windows 11, Windows 10 PromacOS 10, 11 or higher |
| RAM | 16 GB RAM | 24 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB RAM |
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processor | 10th or 11th Generation Intel Core i7 or i9 processor |
| Screen Size and Resolution | 15.6” – 17”1280×768 | 17” display screen with Full HD resolution support1920 x 1080, 3K Or 4K |
| Storage | 512 GB of fast SSD storage | 1 TB SSD or higher storage |
| External LCD/LED Monitor | 24-28″ LCD monitor | 34 ” LCD monitor |
1. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 – Best Budget Laptop for 3D Modeling and Rendering
The Lenovo Ideapad is a pretty great source of achieving effective results in 3D modeling and rendering. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 3-3200U processor and an AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics card with shared video memory.
Most high-end professionals use the laptop for graphics-intensive tasks like 3D modeling and rendering.
The 8 GB RAM and 512 GB PCIe SSD is another plus point. You can play games, run multiple programs and save all the animation models, projects, and other essential documents related to projects.
Also, the bright 15.6 display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution makes it an ideal choice for 3D modeling and rendering. The entire keyboard with a 10-key numeric keypad offers a comfortable typing experience. It measures 14.3 x 10 x 0.8 inches and weighs about 4.10 pounds.
With a good battery life of 8 hours, the Lenovo Ideapad is undoubtedly one of the best budget laptops for 3D modeling and rendering.
2. Dell G7 Gaming Laptop – Best Notebook for 3D Rendering
The Dell G7 Gaming Laptop is a powerful device that is perfect for 3D rendering in almost all relevant softwares. It comes with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor, which is good enough to carry out heavy 3D rendering tasks quickly.
The price is also reasonable for its substantial high bandwidth RAM and 1TB SSD. You can run games, applications, and multiple programs effortlessly.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Card is good enough for performing an extensive range of 3D rendering activities. It runs on the Windows 10 operating system, has a well-composed RGB keyboard, superior connectivity, and excellent graphics.
The laptop has a stunning 17.3-inch display and an average battery life of up to 5 hours. It measures 15.7 x 11.4 x 0.76 inches and weighs about 7.14 pounds.
With faster data access, no noise, and reduced heat production, it is one of the best notebooks for 3D rendering.
3. Acer Predator Helios 300 – Best Laptop for Blender 3D
If you are looking for a well-rounded laptop for Blender 3D then Acer Predator Helios 300 is an ideal option for you. It comes with a fast Intel Core i7-10750H processor and a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
This amazing laptop has all the high-end specifications that go well with software like Blender 3D. You can create animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, motion graphics, interactive 3D applications, virtual reality, and computer games effortlessly.
The 16 GB RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD are good enough to handle all the required tasks. It is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop with a Full HD IPS display. The 144 Hz refresh rate offers fast response times and decent color reproduction.
The laptop measures 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.9 inches and weighs about 5.07 pounds. With excellent performance and a decent battery life of 6 hours, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is one of the best laptops for blender 3D.
4. Razer Blade 15 – Best Laptop for Maya 3D
If you are looking for a laptop that is good enough to run 3D applications like Maya then look no further. It comes with an Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card which ensures great performance throughout the day.
The 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD lets you use Maya and other 3D animation softwares without any interruption. It has a 15.6-inch display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1920 x 1080 resolutions.
The well-built, thin, and compact design makes it a great laptop for traveling and graphics-intensive tasks. It runs on Windows 10 operating system and has a battery life that lasts up to 7 hours.
For connectivity, you will get the Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 3, and USB type-C and type-A ports, with a HDMI port. It is lightweight and is easy to upgrade.
Overall it is one of the most powerful, premium-looking, and best laptops for Maya 3D in the market.
5. ASUS Dash F15 – Best Laptop for 3D modeling and Animation
The ASUS Dash F15 has everything you need to perform 3D modeling and animation. The laptop has a 15.6-inch display with 4K (4096×2304) resolutions that is quite lucrative for animators or 3d modelers. It measures 14.17 x 9.92 x 0.78 makes it thin and lightweight means it weighs about 4.4 pounds, plus it has a battery life of 9 hours.
The design is thin, light, and well built with the superb build quality. For connectivity, it has Bluetooth, DisplayPort, USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and Thunderbolt.
The keyboard is excellent, possesses an extensive volume of key travel, and offers a great typing experience. So, it has a set of features that will make your 3D designs and animations look more comfy and magnificent.
The Asus Dash has an Intel Core i7-11370H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. The 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD is good enough for 3D modeling, editing, and animation. It is the best combination for rendering projects.
Altogether the laptop performs exceptionally well for its price and is one of the best laptops for 3D modeling and animation.
6. Lenovo Legion 5 – Best Laptop for 3D Modeling and Rendering Reddit Suggestion
Lenovo Legion 5 is another ideal choice for 3D modeling and rendering. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 7-4800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
The Legion 5 is well-built and comes with a bright screen and an excellent cooling system. If you need a convenient, fast, and smooth gaming laptop for your 3D designs then this laptop is for you.
The laptop measures 17.75 x 14.25 x 6 inches and weighs about 10.33 pounds. It runs on Windows 10 Home operating system and has a battery life of up to 8 hours.
Overall, with amazing performance and great features, it is one of the best laptops for 3D modeling and Rendering Reddit Recommendations.
Further, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD are good at handling all the 3D modeling and rendering projects but obviously storage is not enough. It has a 15.6 -inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. For connectivity, it offers Bluetooth, Solid State Drive, USB, Ethernet, Micro-HDMI, HDMI, and Bluetooth 5.
7. HP Pavilion Premium 16” – Best HP Laptop for 3D Modeling
The HP Pavilion Premium is one of the best HP laptops for 3D modeling in the market today. It comes with an Intel Core i7-10750H processor and NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti graphics card. The 8 -32 GB RAM and 512GB – 12 TB SSD are more than enough for 3D modeling. It has a 16.1 -inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution.
For connectivity, it comes with Bluetooth, Solid State Drive, DVD-RW, DisplayPort, USB, HDMI, Headphone, and media card. The device also features a 144 Hz screen refresh rate, 720 HD webcam, and a backlit keyboard.
It measures 14.59 x 10.35 x 0.93 inches and weighs about 4.78 pounds. The laptop runs on Windows 10 Home operating system and has a battery life of up to 5 hours. These amazing features make it an excellent laptop not only for 3D modeling but also for almost everything you throw at it.
So, if you are looking for an HP laptop for 3D modeling then this machine will not disappoint you at any level.
8. Dell Gaming G3 15 – Best Laptop for Rendering Video
The Dell Gaming G3 15 is a great budget-friendly, beginner’s gaming laptop. Dell G3 comes with wonderful specs like an Intel Core i7-10750H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
The 16 GB RAM and 512GB SSD are good at handling video rendering. It has a 15.6 -inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Also, the anti-glare backlit display is vibrant, brilliant, and exquisite.
For connectivity, it comes with a USB 3.1 Type-A, Ethernet, HDMI, USB 2.0 Type A, Thunderbolt, Bluetooth 5, Secure Digital Card. The laptop also features a 144 Hz screen refresh rate, a dual-fan cooling system, and an island-style keyboard.
It measures 10 x 14.39 x 0.85 inches and weighs about 5.18 pounds. The machine runs on Windows 10 Home operating system and has a battery life of up to 6 hours.
Lastly, it is not only a great laptop for business and personal use but also one of the best laptops for video rendering.
9. Acer Nitro 5 Laptop – Best Laptop under $1000 for 3D Modeling and Rendering
The Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop is a nice-looking laptop mainly designed for gaming, 3D modeling, and rendering. It comes with a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics card.
It measures 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.94 inches and weighs about 2.65 pounds. The laptop runs on Windows 10 Home operating system and has a battery life of up to 9 hours. The 8GB RAM and 256GB NVMe SSD are a perfect combination for handling 3D modeling and rendering tasks effortlessly.
It has a 15.6 -inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. For connectivity, it comes with USB, Ethernet, and HDMI. The device also features a 144 Hz screen refresh rate, Acer Cool Boost technology with twin fans, and a backlit keyboard.
In short, it is a gaming laptop but the bright display, fast processor, and good battery life make it one of the best laptops under $1000 for 3D modeling and rendering.
10. Asus TUF Gaming F17 Laptop – Best Laptop for CAD and 3D Modeling
The Asus TUF Gaming Laptop is a powerful and one of the best laptops for architects of 3D modeling and CAD users. It comes with an AMD Quad-Core Ryzen 5 3550H processor that goes up to 3.7Ghz with turbo boost, and a dedicated Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 with 4GB memory is there to wonder CAD & 3D modelers.
Further, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD make this laptop a budget choice for smooth and fast performance. It has a 15.6 -inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution.
For connectivity, it comes with a Solid State Drive, USB, Headphone, and Bluetooth 5. Also, the RGB Backlit keyboard enhances the user experience and makes it ideal for typing. It measures 14.17 x 10.31 x 1.02 inches and weighs about 4.85 pounds.
The laptop runs on Windows 10 Home operating system and has a battery life of up to 5 hours.
So, the Asus TUF Gaming Laptop is not only a budget-friendly laptop but also one of the best laptops for CAD and 3D modeling.
FAQs
1. What is the role of GPU and CPU in 3D rendering?
In recent years CPU has less importance for rendering, but still, rendering is performed by the CPU only, and it uses its full potential. Some renderers like V-Ray use GPU for rendering.
2. What is the best laptop CPU for 3D modeling and rendering?
A laptop with a 9th Generation Intel Core i7 CPU or 10th Generation Intel Core i7 CPU is perfect for 3D modeling and rendering.
The Dell G7 Gaming Laptop, Acer Predator Helios 300, and ASUS Dash F15 come with i7 CPU and are great at handling 3D modeling and rendering tasks.
3. What is the best laptop under $1000 for 3D modeling and rendering?
The market is full of high-quality laptops under $1000 for 3D modeling and rendering. We recommend Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop. It is capable of handling all the 3D modeling and rendering tasks with ease.
4. What is the best 2-in-1 laptop for 3D modeling?
The 2-in- 1 laptop needs an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD for handling 3D modeling projects. You can try 1-Lenovo Flex 5 , 2- Dell XPS 13, 3- HP – Spectre x360
5. Which is the best laptop for 3D modeling for Architects?
Architects need a solid GPU for 3D modeling. We suggest you buy the Asus TUF Gaming Laptop. It comes with Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650 4GB Graphics card and is ideal for 3D modeling for Architects.
6. How good a graphics card is recommended for 3D modeling?
A good CPU and the best graphics card are all you need for 3D modeling. We suggest you buy a dedicated graphics card instead of a shared system memory card having at least 4 GB VRAM, but higher memory is recommended.
You can try the NVIDIA GeForce series or AMD Radeon Graphics with this memory size.
7. What is the best laptop configuration for 3D modeling and rendering?
We suggest you buy the Razer blade 15. It comes with an i7 processor, 8 GB NVIDIA RTX 3070, 24 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD storage, and 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display which is the best laptop configuration for 3D modeling and rendering.
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Conclusion
It is a well-known fact that every single laptop on the market cannot handle software like CAD, Maya, and Blender 3D. That is why it is important to invest in a laptop that can handle all the required 3D tasks properly.
All the laptops on our list are good in their respective ways. They have all the required features, such as a high-quality processor, a bright display, a sound graphics card, sufficient RAM, and fast SSD storage.
All laptops are best and deliver best, and you can pick the most suitable laptop according to your needs, requirements, and budget. They all vary in price, performance, and features.
We hope that our list of the 10 best laptops for 3D modeling and rendering will help you choose the right one for you.
Harry Harris is passionate tech explorer and writer. He loves to PC build (pre-built and custom), gadgets, hardware component studies. He uses his knowledge to guide naïve users to purchase best-ones. Currently holding Bachelors degree in Computer Science from University of the Punjab.