Cannot run SketchUp smoothly and facing the interruption and sluggish performance in your current laptop or are you a beginner who wants a laptop that can run this software smoothly?
If yes, then after reading this article you will be able to make the decision for the best laptop for Sketchup.
To help you find the perfect laptop for 3D modeling, we reached out to more than 10 Sketchup Experts and interviewed them to know the system problem that occurs while using SketchUp and what they consider is most important when buying a laptop for 3D modeling.
Now the question will be in your mind.
What kind of system do I need for SketchUp?
Bear in mind that SketchUp is free but not ordinary! Not just Sketchup, all 3D modeling software cannot run on a regular laptop, they require a powerful laptop with a high-performance graphics card and a decent amount of RAM,
SketchUp itself has defined system hardware and software requirements in order to install and run the software easily and smoothly.
Table of Contents
System Requirement for SketchUp
Minimum Requirements
| Operating System (OS) | Windows 10, Windows 8+ and Windows 7+ |
| CPU | Intel i5 or AMD equivalent |
| Memory (RAM) | up to 8 GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| GPU | NVIDIA or AMD equivalent |
| GPU Ram | up to 2GB VRAM |
| Extra | 3-button, scroll-wheel mouse |
Laptop having these Specs is for students and basic 3D modelers to install and run it without problem but still we would advise you to go with recommended system specs for Good Sketchup experience.
Recommended System Requirements
| Operating System (OS) | Windows 10, Windows 8+ and Windows 7+ |
| CPU | Intel i7, i9 or AMD equivalent |
| Memory (RAM) | Up to 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | Up to 512 GB SSD |
| GPU | NVIDIA or AMD equivalent |
| GPU Ram | up to 4GB VRAM |
| Extra | 3-button, scroll-wheel mouse. |
Note: Using Sketchup for the sake of modeling, visualization, rendering, and simulations laptop having above specs are suggested by all Sketchup experts.
11 Best Laptops For SketchUp in 2022
1. Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
SPECS
| CPU | 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H Processor |
| RAM | 32GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GDDR6 |
| GPU RAM | 6GB VRAM |
| Battery | backup up to 7.5 Hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches Full HD |
| Weight | 5.51 pounds |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD) |
| Dimension | 24.6 x 35.9 x 2.4 cm |
PROS
- Massive 32 GB RAM Support
- Excellent GPU
- Vast & Speedy SSD
- 9th High Performance CPU
- 4K Display
- Good Battery
CONS
- less Portable
2. Gigabyte AERO 15
SPECS
| CPU | Intel Core i9-8950HK |
| RAM | 32GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GDDR6 |
| GPU RAM | 8GB Supports NVIDIA Optimus technology |
| Battery | last up to 8 Hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 4.4 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 14 x 9.8 x 0.74 inches |
PROS
- 8GB Professional Graphics Card
- Excellent Processor
- Speedy SSD
- Slim Bezel FHD Display
- Massive RAM Support
- Thunderbolt 3
- Good Battery
CONS
- Predictable Design
3. MSI GS65
SPECS
| CPU | Intel Core i7-9750H |
| RAM | 32GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX2080 Max-Q |
| GPU RAM | 8G GDDR6 |
| Battery | last 5+ hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 8.78 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 15.08 x 10.24 x 0.69 inches |
PROS
- Amazing GPU for Professional usage
- Vast amount of Connectivity options
- Brilliant CPU performance
- Massive Ram size
- Light Weight & Portable
CONS
- Battery backup could be better
4. Razer Blade 15
SPECS
| CPU | 8-Core 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super with Max-Q Design |
| GPU RAM | 8GB GDDR6 VRAM |
| Battery | 10 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 7.9 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 13.98 x 0.7 x 9.25 inches |
PROS
- Upgradable memory and storage.
- Eye Catching display
- Thunderbolt 3 Support
- Long Lasting Battery
- Lightweight
- 10th Powerful Processor.
CONS
- gets hot and loud
5. Alienware AW13R3
SPECS
| CPU | 7th Generation Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 1060 |
| GPU RAM | GDDR6 memory |
| Battery | 6 to 7 hours long lasting battery |
| Screen Size | 13.3 Inches |
| Weight | 5.8 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 10.59 x 12.99 x 9.44 inches |
PROS
- Powerful & Fast Processor
- IPS Display
- Thunderbolt 3 Support
- The Newest Graphics Card
- Vast SSD and Fast RAM
CONS
- Less Portable
6. LG gram Thin and Light Laptop
SPECS
| CPU | Intel 8th Generation Intel Core i7 8565u Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB PCIE SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 610 |
| GPU RAM | 16 GB GDDR6 |
| Battery | Up to 5 to 6 Hours Battery Life |
| Screen Size | 17 Inches |
| Weight | 2.95 pounds |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 Pixels |
| Dimension | 15 x 10.5 x 0.7 inches |
PROS
- Portable & Lightweight
- Innovative Backlit Keyboard
- Massive 17” Display
- Speedy SSD and Fast RAM
- Good Battery life
- Variety of Ports
CONS
- No Fingerprint Sensor
7. Dell XPS 15
SPECS
| CPU | Intel Core i7 10th Gen |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB Solid State Drive |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti |
| GPU RAM | 4GB GDDR6 |
| Battery | 6 to 7 hours |
| Screen Size | 15 Inches |
| Weight | 8.58 pounds |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2400 Pixels |
| Dimension | 21.73 x 15.71 x 3.78 inches |
PROS
- 4K UHD Display
- Thunder 3 Support
- 10th High Performance CPU
- Huge SSD and Fast RAM
- Decent Battery life
- Professional Level Graphics Card
CONS
- Weird Webcam Placement
- Bit Heavy
8. Microsoft Surface Book 2
SPECS
| CPU | 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 Processor |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Professional |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
| GPU RAM | 6 GB |
| Battery | up to 17 hours |
| Screen Size | 15 Inches |
| Weight | 4.2 pounds |
| Resolution | 3260×2160 Pixels |
| Dimension | 12.3 x 9.14 x 0.9 inches |
PROS
- Huge 1 TB SSD Storage
- Powerful & Newest GPU
- Convertible (Tablet/Laptop)
- Thin & Lightweight
- Amazing Battery
CONS
- Lacks a Pen
9. Acer Predator Helios 300
SPECS
| CPU | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| GPU RAM | 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM |
| Battery | last up to 6 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 5.07 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.9 inches |
PROS
- Expandable and Fast SSD storage
- 10th Generation high-end CPU
- BIG vents
- RGB zoned keyboard
- elegant look
- affordable price
CONS
- lacks speaker
- battery Could be better
10. HP OMEN
SPECS
| CPU | Intel i7-9750H |
| RAM | 16GB RAM DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| GPU RAM | 6 GB GDDR6 dedicated |
| Battery | last up to 6 hours |
| Screen Size | 17.3 Inches |
| Weight | 3.21 Kilograms |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 40.4 x 27.9 x 2.8 centimeters |
PROS
- Excellent 10th Generation Processor
- RGB keyboard
- Eye Catching look
- 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Good Battery Life
- Brilliant Cooling System
CONS
- lacks speaker
- Less Portable due to weight
11. ASUS TUF
SPECS
| CPU | Intel Core i5-9300H |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 |
| GPU RAM | 4GB with ROG Boost |
| Battery | last up to 4 to 5 hours |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Weight | 4.85 pounds |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
| Dimension | 14.2 x 10.3 x 1 inches |
PROS
- Excellent Processor
- Powerful GPU
- Amazing Display
- Innovative Keyboard
- Lightweight
CONS
- Fewer ports
Buyer Guide
How much RAM does SketchUp use?
Let’s start with one of the most crucial components, the Ram of your computer, Random Access Memory It is one of the most useful innovations in the computing world. For 3D modeling, by using Sketchup you will need a decent Ram like an 8 Gb of Ram but it will be considered as a mid-range so for a high-end system we recommend 16 Gb of ram.
Which processor is best for SketchUp?
Threads and the Clock Speed (GHz) are the most critical part of the Processor and the several things which everyone looks but when it comes to Processor, Threads & Clock Speed mattered a lot so for using Sketchup many folks are choosing i5 processor with a clock speed of 3.0 GHz speed but for getting more better experience professionals to recommend i7 or i9 processor with clock speed up to 4.0 GHz.
Graphics Card:
In the 3D modeling field Graphics Card is like sugar the more you add the more you see your project furnished and we recommend a laptop to have a minimum of 2 GB VRAM of NVIDIA or AMD equivalent and for a maximum, the most authentic for using Sketchup is a 4 GB VRAM of NVIDIA or AMD equivalent
Storage
3D modeling projects need large memory space to save them and picking SSD would be a good choice for giving you the benefit of fast booting and loading speed, so if you want to store and access your large projects smoothly you will need a 256 GB SSD but if you want to pick our recommended for using Sketchup then go for up to 512GB SSD.
Frequently Ask Questions
What is the best way to learn SketchUp?
There are many ways through which you can learn Sketchup in the best and fastest way some of them are given below:
- Through Online Courses: There are tons of courses on Udemy and courser and many other learning websites from where you can learn Sketchup from basics to masters level.
- Through any 3D expert: Many civil engineers, mechanical engineers, and countless other professionals are working on Sketchup for making 3D designs so you can find any expert and take classes from them.
- Through Reading Books and Guides: While surfing Ableton Website I have found that they have provided many guides and resources for learning this software but there are also many books for learning 3D designing through Sketchup.
But the most important aspect for learning not only Sketchup but everything is being consistent and practice so during learning we recommend you practice this software.
Is google SketchUp free?
Yes, you have listened to the right news, all you need is a good Internet connection for downloading and using Sketchup, no credit card or any type of amount is not required.
But if you want to experience and use the best functionalities of SketchUp then you need to get Sketchup Pro and the bad news is that this pro version of this software is not free, and you have to pay for this.
Which SketchUp version is best?
The most compatible with any operating system such as Mac OS and windows, the latest and the best version of Sketchup is Sketchup Pro because it is the most refined version of Sketchup which is free from all the problems and issues which was present in previous versions.
Note: Article is checked once a month by our team and replaces a model with a newer one if a better one is available on the market.
In A Nutshell
When it comes to selecting a laptop for SketchUp, it is not as easy as it seems, you need to take care of system requirements before moving ahead to selection. As per experts all the above listed laptops specs are fulfilling the SketchUp requirements and having varying budgets. So, you can pick any model from the list according to your area of interest and budget, but make sure to check out the technical specification on Amazon.
Request
In case if you are still having any query, please do not
hesitate to leave your questions or thoughts in the comment section below.
Your feedback can help other people make an informed buying decision, so make sure you leave a comment after buying a machine so that other people stuck in your shoes can make a decision easier!
Or
If you have better model suggestions for Sketchup, please let us know in the comment section!