10 Best Laptops For Engineering (For 2026 Tools & Updates )
When students begin electrical, mechanical, computer, civil, software, chemical, aeronautical, or aerospace engineering programs, their first assumption is often:
“I’m going to need a very powerful laptop with the latest processor and graphics card.”
That’s usually not true.
Most engineering students only need a laptop with a decent CPU and 16GB of RAM.
Now…
I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, what about 3D modeling, CAD software, or other demanding programs?”
Listen…
As long as you buy a laptop with a recent dedicated graphics card, you’ll be able to handle virtually any 3D CAD project you encounter in engineering school. In fact, you might not even need dedicated graphics for smaller projects!
Here’s the breakdown:
In this post…
I will PROVE everything I just said with benchmarks, footage, and a look at the typical engineering curriculum.
During engineering school, there will only be a few occasions when you’ll need to run CAD software, and you can always use the computer lab when necessary. Most of the time, you’ll be using other software, such as:
Electrical & Computer Engineers: Programming languages like C++ and circuit simulators like SPICE.
Mechanical & Civil Engineers: Lots of programming too.
Laptop Specs for Engineering Students & Engineers
Since the CAD software you’ll use will be during your 3rd or 4th year and be limited to a few classes/projects. My advice is to not to focus on power but rather PORTABILITY.
You’ll spend your first two years slogging through introductory engineering and physics classes, plus some programming. For these, even a $400 laptop will get the job done.
By your third year, you’ll start encountering CAD software, but trust me, that’ll be the least of your worries. The advanced physics and math classes will take center stage and demand most of your focus.
How does a portable laptop help?
It ensures you always have it on hand so you can watch lectures, read materials, or program whenever you get a chance. It’s a lifesaver for staying productive and avoiding distractions like texting or endlessly scrolling through TikTok.
Q: OK, good point, Any portable laptop will be fine?
Of course not. You don’t want to grab a cheap $200 laptop from Walmart. You’ll want to avoid lag, especially when you’ve got a dozen programs running alongside 20 Chrome tabs.
Basically, make sure to pick a laptop with the recommended hardware outlined in the infographic. It’ll save you a ton of headaches!
Before diving into the best laptops for engineering in 2026 (I’ll include options with both ‘recommended’ and ‘best’ hardware in the table), let me elaborate a bit more on the hardware for those who are a little more tech-savvy. If you’re not interested in the nitty-gritty, feel free to skip ahead to the best laptops section!
3D engineers: mechanical, civil and aeronautical
GPU (Graphics Card)
2D engineer: No need for dedicated graphics. Integrated graphics (which come ‘integrated to the CPU’ so to speak) is good enough even for 3D work.
3D engineer: You either go for the latest ‘integrated graphics’ which should work (though with some lag) with SMALL 3D projects in AutoCAD, SolidWorks and ANSYS*.
Or choose a laptop with ‘dedicated’ graphics to get smooth performance (if you refuse to use computer labs or another computer besides your laptop):
For smooth performance with 3D work you only need a 2-4GB vRAM such as the following:
MX250, MX350, MX450, MX550, 1050GTX, 1650GTX, 2050RTX, 3050Ti, 4050 RTX, 3060RTX
Those in red have the same performance as the latest integrated graphics. Green ones are IDEAL and the blue is overkill but may become useful after you graduate.
What about ‘workstation’ GPUs? Like Quadro? FirePro?
They’re useful for actual working engineers. Even so there’s only a small chance an actual engineer will find it useful unless he/she works in the 3D modeling department. If so check out my 3D modeling posts on AutoCAD & Solidworks.
CPU (Processor)
2D engineer: Any recent CPU released within the past 5 years. Feel free to go higher if you can afford (without compromising portability & weight)
3D engineer: At least a Core i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU released within the past 3 years.
The more recent the CPU, the better. Why? Because newer CPUs come with higher clock speeds and significantly improved integrated graphics (iGPUs), which can compensate for the lack of a dedicated GPU if you go for a laptop without one.
That said, not all CPUs with integrated graphics are equal. Some of the older CPUs, particularly 6th and 7th gen Ryzen 3 & Ryzen 5 CPUs, are worth avoiding because their integrated graphics (e.g., Radeon 610M) are too weak for anything beyond basic tasks.
More information on which integrated GPUs are found on these CPUs and their performance is shown in this link.
RAM & Storage
8GB: If you follow my advice on CPU & GPU, you’ll automatically get 8GB or 16GB. Either is plenty to multitask with 3D modes, IDE for programming, Office, and all the internet tabs you’ll need.
256GB: Bare bone minimum and found on most laptops. If you’re specializing in 3D modeling & Cad design, you may want to do the upgrade to 512GB.
The SSD generation (PCIe 5.0 vs PCIe 4.0) doesn’t matter much for most users. The speed difference is only noticeable when transferring large files in bulk, like photos or videos. For engineering work or general use, PCIe 4.0 SSDs are already more than fast enough.
Top 10 Best Laptops For Engineering Students & Engineers
I KNOW this is a long list but I tried to cover all types of laptops for engineering.
I recommend you read at LEAST the first 3 reviews. Those are the THREE most important laptops of the list.
Also keep in mind the following icons before reading a review:
Ideal.
Overkill but useful.
MAY lack power for large 3D CAD projects. Read description for more details.
1. Lenovo LOQ Essential
Cheap Laptop For Engineering Students
Intel Core i5-12450HX
8GB DDR5 RAM
RTX 2050 4GB vRAM
512GB PCIe SSD
15.6” FHD 144Hz Display
Gaming laptop weight class
3 hours
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers
This laptop has more than enough power for pretty much any engineering student and the projects you’ll run into during school. It comes with a strong Core i5-12450HX and a 4GB vRAM dedicated GPU, which means it can handle both 2D and 3D work without problems.
If you’re an EE student or working mostly in 2D, this is overkill. You’re paying extra for GPU power you probably won’t use unless you also plan to play games.
Now… 3D Engineers, Listen Up
You don’t have to buy this exact laptop, but it’s one of the cheaper options with a dedicated GPU. If you can find something with a 1650GTX or 3050RTX for less, go for it.
For actual engineers working on massive 3D CAD projects, such as designing cars or machinery in SolidWorks, this laptop can get you started, but don’t expect it to handle huge assemblies with 500+ parts as smoothly as a laptop with a 6GB vRAM GPU or higher.
Performance: RTX 2050 4GB vRAM + Core i5-12450HX
Here’s what you can expect:
- AutoCAD: Smooth performance, even for 3D models.
- ANSYS & SolidWorks: Works well for assemblies under 500 parts. Viewports stay smooth, and rendering is faster thanks to the GPU’s CUDA cores and the CPU’s multicore performance.
If you’re looking to specialize in 3D CAD design, though, consider moving up to something with 6GB vRAM. You’ll have more room for larger assemblies later.
What about cheaper laptops with dedicated GPUs?
Can’t spend around $600 on this laptop? You can still get something with a weaker GPU that’s good enough for school-level 3D work. Here’s a quick rundown:
GPUs in red, such as the MX150 or MX250, are dedicated, but their performance is close to that of modern integrated graphics, such as Intel Iris Xe or RX Vega. If you’re going this route, you may be better off saving the money and buying a laptop with solid integrated graphics.
How Do These GPUs Handle 3D CAD?
Most of the GPUs I listed, except the red ones, can handle assemblies up to 200 parts in software like ANSYS or SolidWorks without much trouble. For engineering school projects, which rarely go over 100 parts, that’s more than enough.
Thinking About a Career in 3D Modeling?
If you’re planning to specialize in 3D modeling, such as designing cars, tools, or complex machinery, try to get at least a 4GB vRAM GPU. For 500-1000-part assemblies, you’ll need something stronger with 6GB vRAM or more. You probably won’t run into projects like that in school unless you take an elective or decide to make your senior project unusually complex.
This laptop is more than enough for engineering school, but there are cheaper options that can still get the job done if you’re just starting out.
| Lenovo LOQ Essential | |
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2. Surface Laptop Studio 2
Best 2 in 1 Laptop For Engineering
Intel Core i7 13th Gen
16GB LPDDR5 RAM
NVIDIA RTX 4050
512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
14.4” 2400 x 1600 2 in 1 Tablet-Laptop w/ Stylus
4.37lbs
5 hours
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers
Surface Series:
If you’ve been browsing around, you’ve probably seen the Surface lineup: Surface Pro, Surface Book, and Surface Laptop Studio. These devices can also convert into a tablet, which is a game-changer for engineering students.
Surprised they’re so popular? You shouldn’t be.
- Super portable
- Amazing displays
- Long battery life (except for the Surface Laptop Studio—more on that later)
- And most importantly, they let you write equations, take notes, and even do your physics homework right on the screen.
The best part? There are many configurations for Surface devices. That means you can choose hardware tailored to your field:
- 3D engineers can go for models with higher GPU and CPU power.
- 2D engineers can stick to cheaper configurations since they don’t need much GPU power.
Surface Laptop Studio 2: Performance
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 remains the most powerful Surface device with this convertible Studio design. If you’re a 2D engineer, skip this one and check out the next laptop: Surface Pro.
3D engineers, here’s the breakdown: You’ve got three GPU options:
- 4050RTX
- 4060RTX
- RTX 2000 Ada
Which one should you choose?
- If this is for school projects, the 4050RTX is overkill. It’s got 6GB of vRAM, way more than you’ll need for typical engineering assignments.
- Even a 3050RTX with 4GB vRAM will handle all your school 3D work smoothly, except perhaps an extremely complex senior project.
So, if you can’t afford the Surface Laptop Studio 2, grab the previous version or a Surface Book. They’re cheaper and still have solid GPUs for engineering work.
But… If you’re a working engineer or specializing in 3D CAD software, such as SolidWorks or ANSYS, you’ll want either:
- 4060RTX
- RTX 2000 Ada (this is a workstation GPU, theoretically more stable for software like SolidWorks and ANSYS).
Display & Design
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is one of the heaviest Surface devices, along with the Surface Book, due to its nearly 15” display. But that larger screen is worth it.
One of the standout features of Surface devices is the high-resolution display. Most Surface models offer QHD-like resolution, which is a game-changer for productivity. Why?
- More screen space means less scrolling and more windows side by side.
- Perfect for multitasking: Imagine having a tutorial open in one window while taking notes in another, or a website’s data alongside an Excel sheet.
Whether it’s the Surface Laptop Studio 2 or another Surface device, the high-resolution display will definitely boost your workflow.
| Surface Laptop Studio 2 | |
| PROS | CONS |
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3. Lenovo Ideapad 5i
Budget Laptop For Engineering
Intel Core i5-11300H
8GB DDR4
GeForce MX450 2GB vRAM
512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD
16″ QHD 2.5K
4.2 lbs
4 hours
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers
This is one of my top favorite budget laptops for two reasons:
- The power is just right: This laptop features a 2GB vRAM dedicated GPU, which is the bare minimum needed to run CAD and 3D models with SolidWorks/ANSYS in engineering school.
- For 2D engineers, this is overkill since you won’t need a GPU. I’d recommend avoiding this laptop if portability is your main concern because it’s a bit heavier than smaller ultrabooks.
- The display is fantastic!
Performance: Core i5-11300H + MX450
As I’ve mentioned several times, most engineers will primarily deal with coding assignments and circuit design. It’s only the 3D engineers who’ll need to run 3D CAD models, which might require a dedicated GPU.
With its 2GB vRAM GPU, this laptop can handle SolidWorks projects with up to 200 parts before experiencing noticeable lag. The MX450 is older in 2026, but it is still much more useful for 3D CAD than the weaker MX-series GPUs found in many cheap refurbished laptops.
Be cautious of older GPUs like the 940MX or MX250 you might find in refurbished laptops at a cheaper price. While these can also run 3D models in the same part range, they’ll start to struggle much sooner when you push the project complexity higher. You can compare these with newer integrated options in my integrated laptop graphics guide.
Display
The main reason I’m recommending this laptop is the display resolution and size. It has a 16” QHD display, offering some of the largest screen space you’ll find among budget options.
You can see the difference between QHD and FHD laptop displays in this post.
This extra screen space is a game-changer for multitasking, allowing you to comfortably work with multiple windows side by side:
- A tutorial + your IDE (programming software)
- A YouTube video + Office (for note-taking)
Even more importantly, the larger screen size and QHD resolution make viewing code or scripts much easier. When working on long scripts for assignments or projects, having a full view of the structure helps identify and fix bugs/errors more efficiently.
For 2D engineers: If you don’t need the dedicated graphics, there are versions of this laptop without a GPU. Look for models made by HP or Lenovo with the same type of high-resolution display.
| Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro | |
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4. Surface Pro for Business (2025)
Best Portable Laptop for Engineering
Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 16GB RAM
Intel Arc Integrated Graphics
256GB SSD
13” 2880 x 1920 Touchscreen Display
1.96lbs
Up to 14 hours
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers*
*ANSYS, SolidWorks, Civil 3D and Revit projects can run on the Surface Pro provided that they are undergraduate-level projects. *CREO and CATIA projects may require a laptop with dedicated graphics, although these programs are rarely used extensively during engineering school.
This is, in my opinion, an even better choice than the Surface Laptop Studio if you’re looking for a 2-in-1 tablet, despite the lack of dedicated GPU power. That doesn’t mean it’s useless for software that requires decent performance.
In fact, the Surface Pro is even more popular than the Surface Laptop Studio or the older Surface Book, which do have dedicated graphics. The reasons are pretty simple:
- Much lighter
- True 2-in-1 touchscreen design for note-taking, equation-writing and sketching
- Longer battery life due to the lack of a power-hungry dedicated GPU
- Cheaper
It gets significantly cheaper if you go for an older Intel-based Surface Pro model that still has the CPU and memory specifications discussed in the recommended specifications section.
Now the main question is: What kind of performance can you expect from a Surface Pro that doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card?
Performance
This Surface Pro does not have a dedicated GPU with its own 4GB or 6GB of vRAM. However…
It comes with a recent Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU, which also includes much stronger integrated graphics than the Intel graphics found in older Surface Pro models.
The integrated graphics can handle small 3D CAD projects, such as SolidWorks models with fewer than approximately 100 parts.
- You may encounter some lag, especially while rotating or navigating through more detailed models, but smaller undergraduate projects should remain usable.
- For engineering school, where you’ll only deal with 3D CAD projects a few times, this trade-off may be worth it considering the portability, note-taking features, display and battery life.
If you’re okay with occasionally using a computer lab or another computer for very complex 3D projects, the Surface Pro is still a fantastic choice for programming, circuit design, research, Office work and most engineering assignments.
Memory: 8GB vs. 16GB
It’s critical to make sure your Surface Pro has at least 8GB of memory, especially if you plan to run CAD software.
- For most engineering students, 16GB is enough for programming, circuit-design software, AutoCAD and undergraduate-level 3D projects.
- Older Surface Pro models with only 4GB of memory should be avoided because that amount is insufficient for modern engineering software.
More memory helps the integrated graphics and multitasking, but it does not turn the Surface Pro into a replacement for a laptop with dedicated graphics when working with massive CAD assemblies.
Display & Design
The Surface Pro for Business has a 13-inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen with a resolution of 2880 x 1920.
- Resolution: The display has a higher resolution than a standard QHD panel, which is usually 2560 x 1440.
- Size: The 13-inch display keeps the device compact while still providing enough space for notes, programming and multitasking.
This high-resolution display compensates for the smaller screen size and gives you plenty of usable screen space.
- You’ll have no problem keeping multiple windows open side by side, whether it’s a tutorial and your IDE or a browser tab and your notes.
- For programming, the high resolution helps by allowing you to view more code at once and reducing the need to scroll.
Portability:
- The Surface Pro weighs less than two pounds without the keyboard, making it far more portable than the Surface Laptop Studio 2.
- It is an excellent option for slipping into your backpack alongside textbooks without adding much extra weight.
2-in-1 Note-Taking Features: Like all Surface Pro models, this is a true tablet and laptop with highly accurate pen and note-taking capabilities. This makes it a useful replacement for notebooks and some textbooks.
- While engineers may still need a physical notebook for working through equations and practicing physics problems, the Surface Pro is perfect for lectures, digital notes and sketching out ideas.
Older and Newer Models: Worth It?
Older Intel-based Surface Pro models are still good options if you’re on a budget, while the 2026 model is worth considering once prices become more competitive.
- 2026 Surface Pro for Business: This model moves to Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and offers faster integrated graphics. However, it currently costs considerably more, and the performance improvement is not essential for typical engineering-school assignments, programming or digital note-taking.
- Surface Pro 10: Still one of the safest lower-cost Surface choices for engineering because it uses an Intel Core Ultra processor rather than Snapdragon. It retains the tablet design, high-resolution display and broad compatibility with traditional Windows engineering software.
- Surface Pro 7 and 8: These have weaker CPUs but still offer good performance for programming, circuit design and lighter engineering tasks. Make sure you buy a version with at least 8GB of memory.
| Surface Pro for Business (2025) | |
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5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Best Lenovo Laptop For Engineering
Intel Core Ultra 7 165U vPro
32GB 6400MHz RAM
Intel Integrated Graphics
1TB Gen 4 Performance SSD
14” WUXGA 100% sRGB Touchscreen
2.4lbs
10+ hours
Electrical, Chemical, Software and Computer Engineers
Mechanical, Civil, Aerospace, Aeronautical
Lenovo ThinkPads are the most popular “TRADITIONAL LAPTOPS” among engineers. ThinkPads are almost always one of the first choices for engineering work.
They’ll remain useful even AFTER engineering school (let’s hope you graduate!) due to the following reasons:
- Myriad of extra ports: ThinkPads, especially the T and X1 Carbon series, usually come with more ports than most modern ultrabooks. This cannot be said for many newer thin laptops, which prioritize portability by removing ports with each new version.
- Rock-solid design: ThinkPads are built like tanks. They can withstand serious working conditions and the everyday stresses of commuting and traveling. They’re durable enough to survive a few drops thanks to their sturdy construction. On average, they can last about eight years if you avoid serious accidents.
- Top-of-the-line keyboard: This is probably the number one reason why they’re so popular. While the previous laptops mentioned might not be ideal for those who program and type reports all day, ThinkPads are among the BEST for that. The keyboard is extremely well-designed, with good key travel and high responsiveness. It feels like a typewriter that doesn’t require much force to register keystrokes—perfect for heavy typists.
- TrackPoint and Trackpad: The iconic red TrackPoint, the small red dot in the middle of the keyboard, acts like a small mouse, and the spacious trackpad includes three clickable buttons. It’s useful when working on the move or in cramped spaces.
- Linux compatibility: This is not a huge deal for most engineers unless you specialize in data science or fields that require frequent use of programming packages. ThinkPads are highly compatible with Linux distributions, which means most of the hardware works without major problems. Other laptops sometimes have one or two features disabled due to a lack of Linux drivers.
Performance
Of course, this recommendation applies mainly to engineers, whether 3D or 2D, who don’t specialize in large-scale 3D CAD modeling. These are typically 2D engineers—like electrical, computer, chemical, etc.—who spend their time programming, designing 2D or small 3D models, and testing devices through a computer.
Unfortunately, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptops don’t typically come with dedicated graphics cards. So they aren’t ideal for professional 3D CAD engineers working on large-scale models. However, if you’re a 3D engineering student and want to use a ThinkPad during school, it’s still a great choice.
Pro tip: Make sure you pick a model with a recent CPU. This will allow you to run the smaller 3D CAD models you’ll encounter in engineering school. Also, make sure it has at least 16GB of RAM if you’re a 3D engineering student. The 32GB configuration shown here is more than enough.
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 | |
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6. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
Cheap Laptop For Engineering
Intel Core i5-1335U
16GB RAM
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
256GB SSD
15.6” FHD Anti-Glare Display
Portable 15.6-inch design
Long-lasting battery with rapid charging
Electrical, Chemical, Software and Computer Engineers
Mechanical, Civil, Aerospace, Aeronautical
Performance: Core i5 13th Gen (or Older Generations)
Core i3/Ryzen 3: If you’re shopping for very cheap laptops because you’re on a tight budget and plan to leave the 3D projects to the lab computers, you don’t have to buy this exact model. You can go for slower but much cheaper laptops with a Core i3 or Ryzen 3.
Now, when I say they’re slower, that’s relative. Those laptops, as long as they have recent CPUs, are still multicore and have decent clock speeds to make multitasking a BREEZE. They’re a fantastic choice for 2D engineers since there’s no need for powerful integrated graphics. Another advantage is their longer battery life and lighter weight.
Core i5/Ryzen 5: I chose this model as the cheapest laptop for engineering on the list because the Core i5-1335U ensures it’s useful for all types of engineering and projects during engineering school. That’s right, even 3D engineering students can use this laptop to run small 3D models in SolidWorks, CATIA and ANSYS. As long as the number of parts and complexity of the projects remain small, as expected in introductory 3D modeling courses, this laptop should handle them with only minor lag in the viewport.
8GB vs. 16GB RAM: Remember, for the integrated graphics to work best, you need enough RAM. These budget laptops often come with only 8GB, and some cheaper models still have just 4GB. You should have at least 8GB for programming and non-3D CAD design, and ideally 16GB for 3D CAD modeling in ANSYS, CATIA and SolidWorks.
This configuration already comes with 16GB RAM, so there’s no need to upgrade it for engineering school.
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | |
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7. MacBook M5 Pro Chip
Best MacBook For Engineering School
M5 Pro 15-Core CPU
24GB Unified Memory
16-Core GPU
1TB SSD
14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3024-by-1964
3.5lb
Up to 22 hours
Electrical, Chemical, Software and Computer Engineers
Mechanical, Civil, Aerospace, Aeronautical
You’re probably thinking I’m crazy to even suggest a MacBook, but you’d be surprised to see how many students, including engineering students, use MacBooks. So are they a NO-NO or a YES-YES?
It depends.
They’re a YES-YES if you are willing to compromise on a few things. It’s a NO-NO for any engineering student or professional focusing mainly on 3D CAD work.
What’s the Catch?
The main problem with MacBooks is the operating system. While MATLAB and AutoCAD can run on a Mac—as well as pretty much any software for coding and programming—many of the most popular 3D CAD and engineering programs, such as SolidWorks, CATIA and ANSYS, do not have full native macOS versions.
Ports? That’s not a major issue with the latest MacBook Pro. It has Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot and MagSafe. However, it still does not have traditional USB-A or RJ-45/Ethernet ports, so you may need an adapter.
The real issue lies with DAQ boards and circuit-design software, which often have better support on Windows. This can make it difficult to complete certain circuit-design tasks on a MacBook, as some of the required programs, drivers and hardware utilities are written only for Windows. You might find macOS alternatives, but there’s no guarantee your class or department will use them.
Hold Up, There’s a Solution!
You can also run Windows on a MacBook. Here are two ways to do it:
- Install Parallels: Parallels lets you run Windows alongside macOS whenever you need Windows-only software. Keep in mind that Apple Silicon MacBooks run the ARM version of Windows, so compatibility with specialized programs, drivers and hardware is not guaranteed.
- Buy a pre-2020 MacBook: Older MacBooks with Intel processors support Boot Camp, which lets you install Windows natively. You can switch between macOS and Windows by restarting the laptop.
Why Go Through All This for a MacBook?
While some engineering students buy MacBooks to look cool, there are actually good reasons to consider one:
- Extremely portable and thin
- Some of the longest battery life on any laptop
- Excellent keyboard for programming and writing reports
- Large and responsive trackpad—you may not even need a mouse
- Superb high-resolution display that lets you see more content at once
- Extremely solid build quality
- macOS has strong built-in security
And most importantly:
They’re built for coding and programming, making them one of the top choices for computer engineering students.
They’re also useful for other engineers since most software used during engineering school involves programming and light 2D or 3D modeling, which MacBooks can handle easily when the required software supports macOS.
How Are MacBooks Built for Programming?
The Terminal is one of the most widely used programming tools after IDEs. Most programming languages and packages are natively available on macOS and easily accessible through the Terminal. This can improve workflow efficiency, especially for students working with Unix-based tools, servers and programming packages.
Performance
What about performance for engineering software like AutoCAD?
3D Engineers: As long as you buy a MacBook Pro released within the past eight years with at least 8GB of memory, you’ll be able to run compatible versions of AutoCAD, MATLAB and IDEs without major performance problems.
Some older MacBook Pro models came with Radeon GPUs with dedicated vRAM. The newer M-series chips—M1, M2, M3, M4 and now M5—use Apple’s own GPU and unified memory. They work well with compatible 3D modeling software as long as the projects remain at school-level complexity.
2D Engineers: If you’re a 2D engineer, you don’t need to limit yourself to MacBook Pros. Even a MacBook Air, whether new or old, will be sufficient for most programming, writing and general engineering work.
| SoC | CPU Cores | GPU Cores | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 4 Efficiency + 4 Performance | 7-8 | 8-16GB |
| M2 | 4 Efficiency + 4 Performance | 8-10 | 8-24GB |
| M1 Pro | 2 Efficiency + 6-8 Performance | 14-16 | 16-32GB |
| M1 Max | 2 Efficiency + 8 Performance | 24-32 | 32-64GB |
| M2 Pro | 2 Efficiency + 8-10 Performance | 16-19 | 16-32GB |
| M2 Max | 4 Efficiency + 8 Performance | 30-38 | 32-96GB |
| M3 | 4 Efficiency + 4 Performance | 8-10 | 8-24GB |
| M3 Pro | 4 Efficiency + 7-8 Performance | 14-18 | 18-36GB |
| M3 Max | 4 Efficiency + 10-12 Performance | 30-40 | 36-128GB |
| M4 Pro | 4 Efficiency + 8-10 Performance | 16-20 | 24-64GB |
| M4 Max | 4 Efficiency + 10-12 Performance | 32-40 | 36-128GB |
| M5 Pro | 15-18 CPU cores | 16-20 | 24-64GB |
| M5 Max | 18 CPU cores | 32-40 | 36-128GB |
macOS: Unix System – Computer & Electrical Engineers
I’ve mentioned that MacBooks are especially good for programmers in computer and electrical engineering, and that’s particularly true if you’re interested in machine learning, data science or related topics. If you’ve never used a MacBook, the learning curve will be quick. However, mastering the Terminal and relying on it for more of your work will take time, but it’s one of the most valuable skills to have if you want to become a top programmer in the industry.
Cost
Many people want a MacBook and are willing to compromise on software compatibility, but the price can be a significant issue because they are notoriously expensive.
But there’s a way to get one cheaper: buy an older model. Performance-wise, at least for engineering school, there may be no noticeable difference between the newest MacBook Pro and a less expensive M1, M2, M3 or M4 model. Just keep the following in mind:
2D Engineer: You can use virtually ANY M-SERIES MODEL. Even a base MacBook Air will be sufficient. Older Intel MacBooks from 2015-2019 may also be worth considering if you need native Windows through Boot Camp and traditional USB ports.
3D Engineer: You can also use an older model as long as you’re willing to use computer labs for incompatible or demanding 3D CAD work. If you choose an Intel MacBook, the main advantage is the option to install Windows natively through Boot Camp.
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | |
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8. ASUS ZenBook 14 14X
Best Windows UltraBook for Engineering Students
Intel Core i5-13500H
8GB DDR5 RAM
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
512GB SSD
14.5” 2.8K OLED Display
3.44lbs
10 hours
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers*
I keep posting about the ASUS ZenBook every year, and 2026 is no exception. They’re a great alternative to MacBooks and much cheaper. You still get ALL the superb qualities:
- Super high-resolution display
- Super fast CPU
- Very good portability
- Super thin
- Long battery life
At a much cheaper price!
Performance: 2D & 3D CAD Engineering
This is a laptop that’s ideal for 2D engineers. It has the right CPU and RAM with all the useful features mentioned above and doesn’t waste power on a dedicated graphics card, which would make the laptop much more expensive.
However…
3D engineers will have to deal with some lag when using the viewport for those occasional 3D CAD design projects in SolidWorks, ANSYS or CATIA.
Nonetheless, if I were a 3D engineer, I wouldn’t think twice about it. If I know 3D CAD modeling isn’t going to be my primary focus, but rather research, OR if I plan to rely on AutoCAD, which isn’t as GPU-demanding, for my senior project, then I’d go for this laptop—or even a cheaper portable laptop with less CPU power.
Note: Unlike other budget portable machines, this laptop has a very long battery life and includes a numpad integrated into the trackpad. Since 13” or even 15” portable laptops usually don’t have space for a dedicated numpad, this is a very useful feature—especially for number crunching in reports, spreadsheets and tables. These can later be read by programs such as Python to create graphs.
| ASUS ZenBook 14 14X | |
| PROS | CONS |
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Laptops for Working Engineers 9-10
The following laptops have too much power for engineering students. They are reserved for engineers who are either about to join a 3D CAD modeling department at a company or plan to do so very soon.
If you’re a student, you may find the following laptops useful, but under no circumstances should you consider laptop #10. Don’t even look at it—it’s far too powerful. It’s only listed here for the small group of 3D CAD engineers reading this, and even for them, it might be overkill.
You’re welcome to read about it for informational purposes, though.
9. Acer Nitro V 17 AI
Best Laptop For 3D CAD Engineering
AMD Ryzen 7 260
16GB DDR5 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU
1TB Gen 4 SSD
17.3″ FHD 180Hz IPS Display
Large 17.3-inch gaming laptop
Limited battery life under heavy use
Electrical, Computer, Chemical, Software
Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineers
This is a powerful gaming laptop equipped with a recent 8GB vRAM dedicated GPU. Of course, we’re not choosing this laptop because it can play games at high settings and frame rates, but because the vRAM and CUDA cores inside the GPU are incredibly useful for GPU renderers and the viewport in 3D CAD modeling software.
Performance: RTX 5060
Since GPU renderers are not commonly used by engineering students, the most significant advantage of this laptop is its 8GB vRAM. Having 6–8GB of vRAM is an excellent starting point for achieving high performance in the viewport of very large models. Below is a list of several 6GB and 8GB vRAM GPUs:
| Name | Cores | vRAM | Speed |
| 1060 | 1280 | 6GB | 1670 |
| 1660 Ti | 1536 | 6GB | 1590 |
| 2060 | 1920 | 6GB | 1680 |
| 3060 | 3584 | 6GB | 1780 |
| 4050 | 2560 | 6GB | Varies |
| 4060 | 3072 | 8GB | Varies |
| 5060 | Newer CUDA design | 8GB | Varies by TGP |
Now…
There are more powerful GPUs, like the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, with even more vRAM. While those are excellent options, it’s incredibly rare for someone in engineering to work with models that require that much graphics power. Even the 8GB vRAM of the RTX 5060 will be more than most people need. However, since this laptop combines the RTX 5060 with a large display and a recent Ryzen 7 CPU, it’s a better long-term choice than buying an older RTX 3060, RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 laptop at a similar price.
Design
Why did I choose this laptop over other RTX 5060 models, and why should you?
Primarily for the display size. This laptop features a 17.3-inch FHD display. Although it does not have the QHD resolution of the previous Acer Nitro 17, the large physical screen still gives you plenty of room to view code, 3D models and toolbars. The FHD resolution provides less workspace than QHD, but it also places less demand on the GPU.
Large laptops have another advantage: better heat dissipation. With more physical space, they can manage high temperatures more effectively because there is more room for the cooling system and hot air to move. The 16GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB Gen 4 SSD are also enough for engineering school, so there is no immediate need to upgrade them.
If you’re a student, this is a great laptop for power-intensive tasks. However, be aware that it’s very, very heavy—not ideal for frequent transport. This laptop is best suited for staying in one place. If you need portability, consider getting a smaller lightweight laptop for schoolwork and programming while reserving this laptop for power-hungry software at home.
| Acer Nitro V 17 AI | |
| PROS | CONS |
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10. Dell Precision 7780 – RTX 3500 Ada
Best Workstation For Engineering
Intel Core i9-13950HX
32GB RAM
NVIDIA RTX 3500 Ada 12GB vRAM
1TB NVMe SSD
17.3″ FHD Display
Heavy mobile workstation
Limited battery life under heavy use
This laptop features the famous workstation graphics card you’ve likely heard so much about. However, before purchasing a workstation GPU, you need to be very, very well-informed, as they are expensive and might be overkill—even if you work in the 3D CAD design department.
Hardware
First…
You need to be cautious of workstation GPUs that are too weak to justify their high price tags. It is very common to find overpriced workstation GPUs, and some of them even perform worse than budget gaming laptops with good old 4GB vRAM GPUs.
For example, it’s not unusual to find a workstation GPU like the P1000 on a laptop costing more than a laptop with a 1650GTX, despite the latter offering more GPU power for 3D modeling tasks.
Below is a very useful table to compare the hardware in workstation laptops and understand their price-to-performance ratio. You can do this by noting the closest consumer GPU equivalent. For instance, RTX 3000 workstation laptops can sell for around $2,000–$2,500, yet you can find laptops with 6GB vRAM gaming GPUs like the RTX 2070 or RTX 4050 selling for around $1,000.
| Workstation GPU | Consumer Equivalent | Cores/Shaders | Clock Speed | vRAM |
| RTX 3000 | RTX 2070+ | 1280 | 1380 | 6GB |
| RTX 4000 | RTX 2070/2080 | 2560 | 1560 | 8GB |
| RTX 5000 | RTX 2080+ | 3072 | 1350 | 16GB |
| RTX A2000 | ~3050Ti | 2560 | 1200 | 4GB |
| RTX A3000 | ~RTX 3060 | 4096 | 1560 | 6GB |
| RTX A4000 | ~RTX 3070 | 5120 | 1560 | 8GB |
| RTX A5000 | ~RTX 3080 | 6144 | 1695 | 16GB |
| RTX A5500 | ~RTX 3080Ti | 7424 | Varies | 16GB |
| RTX 3500 Ada | ~RTX 4070 | 5120 | Varies | 12GB |
| RTX 4000 Ada | ~RTX 4080 | 7424 | Varies | 12GB |
| RTX 5000 Ada | ~RTX 4090 | 9728 | Varies | 16GB |
Does this mean all workstation GPUs are useless because their gaming GPU equivalents are cheaper? Not necessarily. To understand the real difference, let’s check out their performance.
The newer RTX PRO Blackwell series continues the same workstation idea with newer hardware, more performance and professional drivers. However, the same buying rule still applies: do not pay for an RTX PRO 4000 or RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell laptop unless your models and workflow are complex enough to make use of it. For many engineers, a discounted RTX Ada workstation like this Dell provides a much better price-to-performance ratio.
Performance
While it’s true that workstation GPUs are tailored for 3D modeling work, most engineers—especially 3D CAD engineers—may not find them particularly useful. It’s a very broad topic that might require a dedicated post, but in summary, they are only beneficial when working with very, very complex and large 3D models.
To give you an example, take a look at the picture below:
The model above can be handled by the Acer Nitro V 17 AI with its 8GB vRAM gaming GPU, although you might experience some lag and occasional artifacts while using the viewport. The difference is that a workstation GPU like the RTX 3500 Ada can provide greater stability while drawing and navigating the viewport. There should be less lag compared with many gaming GPUs, fewer visual artifacts and better support for professional software features.
That said, you don’t need to purchase a laptop with an RTX 5000 Ada or one of the newer RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell GPUs, which are excessively expensive. The RTX 3500 Ada with 12GB vRAM featured here already provides more than enough workstation GPU power for most professional CAD engineers.
A higher-end RTX 5000 Ada or RTX PRO Blackwell GPU only becomes necessary when working with models that are significantly more complex and larger than the one shown above. But let’s be honest—that’s a rare situation for most engineers.
In summary, here are the instances where you should consider buying a laptop like this one:
- When working at a company with a consumer GPU, even one with 16GB vRAM, but still experiencing lag while using the viewport.
- To minimize lag as much as possible when dealing with very large models containing 1,000–5,000 parts.
- To eliminate errors and artifacts for a smoother and more accurate design workflow.
- To unlock plugins and features that are only supported with workstation GPUs. For a complete list, check your software’s official website.
| Dell Precision 7780 | |
| PROS | CONS |
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How To Buy The Best Laptop For Engineering
In this section we’re going to go over a typical engineering curriculum, take example projects, revisit the software used for said project and talk about the hardware required for it.
Before we get to that though..
The Engineering Department
Check your engineering department’s website and head over to the IT section for the following:
Computer Labs
Chances are, no in fact, I am 100% sure there is at least TWO labs which have dozens of computers with powerful hardware and all the engineering software you’ll need already installed in your school.
I would 100% recommend you use the labs for those ‘hardware demanding’ projects which as you’ll see in this section is limited to perhaps ONE per year. Then buy and use ANY laptop of your liking for homework, programming, designing. Since those tasks do not require anything more than a cheap laptop you can focus on laptop’s form factor and weight.
Note that im not saying you use the labs only and not use a laptop while in school. You will obviously need a laptop to write papers, program, design, research, do homework. Just don’t focus on power so much.
Remote Access
Did you know, you may not even have to go to the lab when those ‘hardware core engineering projects’ show up? A lot of departments now have the remote access feature which as the name implies will let you access these computers remotely.
All you need is a laptop that has an internet connection. Yes, you can even run and design 3D models through remote access.
As for the internet connection, a good basic internet connection should give you NO LAG when hovering over the tools or dragging polygon lines to draw. If your project requires a LOT of precision when drawing, then if your internet connection isn’t good enough you may just have to head over to the lab.
The Engineering Curriculum
With that said let us see how the typical curriculum looks and dig in deeper into each of the classes that require an engineering software.
We won’t be able to do this for every engineering field so we’ll just pick one.
I’ve decided to pick the MECHANICAL curriculum because it is the MOST versatile in terms of software.
In other words, mechanical engineers have to run circuits, program , design with different types of 3D CAD software and so on.
If you are interested in knowing what your curriculum looks like, check the following links.
Aerospace & Aeronautical
Chemical
Civil
Electrical
Computer
Software
Mechanical
| MECHANICAL ENGINEERING | |
| Freshman Year | |
| Fall Semester
Chemistry I Calculus I Social Science Core Class English Core Class Linear Algebra |
Spring Semester
Physics I Calculus II Introduction to Programming Engineering Graphics English Core Class II |
| Sophomore Year | |
| Fall Semester
Physics II Calculus III Creative Decisions and Design Engineering Materials Statics |
Spring Semester
Circuits and Electronics Differential Equations Computing Techniques Dynamics of Rigid Bodies Social Science Elective |
| Junior Year | |
| Fall Semester
Instrument & Electronics Lab Mechanics of Deformable Bodies Thermodynamics Fluid Mechanics Economics Humanities Elective |
Spring Semester
System Dynamics Heat Transfer Experimental Methods Lab Engineering Economics Statistics and Applications Social Science Elective |
| Senior Year | |
| Fall Semester
Machine Design Design, Materials and Manufacture ME Systems Lab Elective Elective |
Spring Semester
Senior Design Project ME Elective Humanities Free Elective Free Elective Free Elective |
The following are the most commonly used software for EACH of these classes. How do I know? I’ve taken these classes but if you still don’t believe me you can download the curriculum of each of these classes by heading over to your professor’s website for the course.
I know this is the mechanical engineering curricula but as you’ll find out sooner or later. Electrical , Aeronautical , computer engineers will use a combination or variation of the following too.
It’s only civil engineers and chemical engineers that ones not usingLabView & Mobile Studio/DAQ Board software because those are for circuit design and testing but will definitely use all the rest (especially CAD Software).
| Course | Software |
| Introduction to Computing | MatLab |
| Engineering Graphics | CAD Software (Ex: AutoCAD) |
| Calculus III | MatLab |
| Creative Decisions and Design | Optional 3D design software |
| Circuits and Electronics | LabView |
| Computing Techniques | MatLab |
| Instrument & Electronics Lab | Mobile Studio / DAQ Board software |
| Experimental Methods Lab: | C++, Matlab, Excel |
Additional engineering software for each field
If you go a step further like I recommended, these are basically a summary of very niche software for each engineering field.
| Major | Software |
| Electrical & Computer | CAD Electrical, SPICE, LabView |
| Chemical | MatLab, Excel, MathCad, ChemCad |
| Aeronautical & Aerospace | CATIA, SolidWorks, ANSYS, MatLab |
| Civil | Civil 3D, Revit |
| Mechanical | SolidWorks, Inventor, ANSYS, MatLab |
Hardware Requirements For Engineering Student Software
Finally, here are the hardware requirements. If you are a beginner in computer terminology check my posts on beginner guide to laptop/computer specs.
| Software | CPU | RAM | GPU | Comments |
| MatLab & Mathcad | Any Intel or AMD | 8GB RAM | Integrated. Dedicated is optional |
A dedicated GPU will speed up extremely intensive simulations. However only graduate students or researchers run those projects. |
| Mobile Studio / LabView | Any CPU even celeron & pentium | 1GB RAM | —- | You will need to buy a USB to serial port adapter so you can plug in a data acquisition system. |
| Programming languages (C++) | Any CPU | 8GB RAM | — | High-end CPUs are only useful for very intensive data science calculations and such. |
| Excel | Any CPU | 8GB RAM | — | You only need to add more RAM if you have to process a lot of data, again only grad students and researchers MIGHT come across this issue. |
| ASPEN, ChemCAD, Electrical CAD
|
Any CPU | 8GB RAM | — | No need for dedicated (discrete) GPU. Even 3D models run fine with integrated graphics. |
| 3D CAD (Revit, Civil 3D, SolidWorks, Inventor, CATIA) | Quad Core CPU | 8GB RAM | 4GB vRAM GPU |
4GB vRAM GPUs would be the maximum for engineering students. |
| CAE ( ANSYS ) | i5 or i7 processor 8GB RAM 1GB vRAM |
Workstation GPU | Although the site says workstation GPU that’s only required for working engineers. Students can use a simple discrete GPU and may not even run into ANSYS while in school. |
Now let’s talk about each computer spec and how it relates to 3D modeling & engineering software. Please keep in mind that the following needs a bit of computer knowledge. Be sure to read my guide on computer specs for beginner.
1. CPU (Processor)
You’ve seen above most engineering software have no special requirements for a CPU.
That’s because most of the software are basically about 2D graphcs which are just simple low-data images that even your phone can display images. Programming is just basically typing text (code) for calculations which your phone can do as well.
3D Modeling CPUs
The issue starts when you deal with 3D models and graphics. Those are going to be significantly more hardware demanding because rendering objects with all physical laws means there’s a LOT of data to be calculated.
That doesn’t mean you have to get a CPU from NASA because your phone can ALSO render 3D objects, that just means you need to a slightly faster than average CPU.
Windows 11 & 12
Also take into consideration that Windows 10 or Windows 11 and Windows 12, takes a lot of resources too. In fact, that is an equally important consideration when picking up a CPU. NOT ALL CPUs can run Windows fast enough to have a decent workflow!
All of the following listed CPUs work equally fast for the full version of Windows. The difference between these is their performance for engineering software:
Intel CPUs
CPU
Base (P)
Turbo (P)
Cores (P/E)
i3 8130U
2.2
3.4
2
i3 8145U
2.1
3.9
2
i3 1050G1
1.2
3.4
2
i3 10100U
2.1
4.1
2
i3-1115G4
3
4.1
2
i3 1215U
3.3
4.4
2/4
i3 1315U
3.3
4.5
2/4
i5 8265U
1.6
4.9
4
i5 8250U
1.6
3.4
4
i5 1115G4
2.4
4.2
4
i5 8300H
2.3
4
4
i7 8550U1.844
i5 1235U3.34.410
i7 1165G72.84.74
i5 1240P3.34.412
i5- 9300H
2.4
4.1
4
i5- 10300H
2.5
4.5
4
i5-11300H
2.6
4.4
4
i5 11260H
2.6
4.4
6
i7 8750H
2.2
4.1
6
i5 12450H
3.3
4.4
8
i5 12500H
3.3
4.5
8
i5 13420H
1.5
4.6
8
i5 13500H
1.9
4.7
6+8
i5 14500H
1.9
4.5
6+8
i7 9750H
2.6
4.5
6
i7 10750H
2.6
5
8
i7-11375H
3.3
5
4
i7 1260P
3.4
4.7
12
i7-11370H
3.3
4.8
4
i7-11800H
3.3
5.0
6
i9 8950K
2.9
4.8
6
i9 9900K
3.6
5.1
8
i9-11900H
2.5
4.9
8
i9 10890K
2.4
5.3
8
i9-11980HK
3.3
5
8
i7 14700HX
3.9
5.5
6+8
i9-14900HX
4.1
5.8
(8P + 16E)
Core Ultra 5 225U
1.5
4.8
2/8+2
Core Ultra 5 225H
1.7
4.9
4/8+2
Core Ultra 7 255H
2.0
5.1
6/8+2
Core Ultra 9 285H
2.9
5.4
6/8+2
Core Ultra 7 265HX
2.6
5.3
8/12
Core Ultra 9 275HX
2.7
5.4
8/16
Core Ultra X9 388H
2.1
5.1
4/8+4
*P=performance Core E=efficient Core
AMD CPUs
| CPU | Max Speed | Cores(Threads) |
| Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | 5.1 | 16 – 32 |
| Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 | 5.2 | 12 – 24 |
| Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | 5.1 | 12 – 24 |
| Ryzen AI 9 365 | 5.0 | 10 – 20 |
| Ryzen 9 8945HS | 5.2 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 9 7940HS | 5.2 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 9 6980HX | 5 | 8 – 16 |
|
Ryzen 9 6900HS
|
4.9
|
8 – 16 |
| Ryzen AI 7 450 | 5.1 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen AI 7 350 | 5.0 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 8845HS | 5.1 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 7840HS | 5.1 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 7745HX | 5.1 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 6800HS | 4.7 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 6800H | 4.7 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 9 5900HX | 4.6 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 9 4800HS | 4.4 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen 7 5800H | 4.4 | 8.- 16 |
| Ryzen 7 4800H | 4.2 | 8 – 16 |
| Ryzen AI 5 340 | 4.8 | 6 – 12 |
| Ryzen AI 5 430 | 4.5 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 5 7535HS | 4.55 | 6-12 |
| Ryzen 5 6600H | 4.5 | 6-12 |
| Ryzen 5 5600H | 4.2 | 6 – 12 |
| Ryzen 5 4600H | 4.0 | 6 – 12 |
| Ryzen 5 3550H | 3.7 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 5 7530U | 4.5 | 6-12 |
| Ryzen 5 3500U | 3.7 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 5 7320U |
4.1 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 3 5300U | 3.8 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 3 4300U | 3.7 | 4 – 8 |
| Ryzen 3 3300U | 3.5 | 4 – 8 |
Pink & Orange: Overkill for engineering students unless you want to play games at very high settings. Useful for graduate school projects and working engineers though.
Green: Fine choices for all degrees. If you want to run 3D modeling software, then make sure you pick a Ryzen 5 or Core i5 from this group (Avoid 7th generation Ryzen CPUs due to lower graphics performance).
Blue: These are usually found on laptops that have more ‘GPU power’ (discrete graphics) hence I’d only recommend these to engineering students who want to focus on 3D modeling projects (electives and such). We’ll talk more about this in the next GPU section.
2. GPU (Graphics Card)
The most important hardware of this entire post and the reason why most of you are even reading this section.
Q: Who needs discrete GPUs? Should I spend money on them?
Short Answer: Mechanical, Civil and Aeronautical engineering students MIGHT need a dedicated GPU. The rest only need to focus on CPU.
Long Answer: As you probably know there are two types of graphics cards: integrated and dedicated GPUs, the integrated comes by default on every laptop and the dedicated is an additional piece of hardware that usually adds hundreds of dollars to the overall cost.
Both can run 3D modeling software. However, the 3D models that “3D Engineers” like Mechanical and Civil work with are a bit more complex AND bigger thus there MAY be a need for dedicated graphics if they want a quicker workflow with such projects (integrated graphics can run them too but viewport will be slow).
Keep in mind, though, that there’s only a few times during your five years in engineering school you’ll come across these projects and you have the option to use the LAB!
Thus whatever your engineering field is investing money on a dGPU for engineering school is ALWAYS optional.
Q: What about workstation GPUs? Are they better?
Below you can see a regular “consumer” or “gaming” graphics card running one of the most hardware demanding 3D CAD Software: Solidworks.
In fact,
Integrated graphics from recent and powerful CPUs can run Solidworks just fine too as shown below:
The model below above is quite big and yet there seems to be no issues. You will see models below that level of complexity, much less complex probably, in engineering school. This is why Im telling you over and over workstation GPUs or even spending too much money on computer power is just a waste of time and only OPTIONAL.
Recommended Graphics Cards
Now if you do want to run 3D modeling simulations on your laptop with ZERO LAG during your stay in college (which is understandable if you are a mechanical or civil engineer), then discrete graphics do become somewhat useful. You should avoid those in red because their performance is too low despite being dedicated GPUs:
| NVIDIA | Cores | vRAM | Speed |
| MX 350 | 640 | 2-4GB | 1354 |
| MX 450 | 896 | 2-4GB | 1580 |
| 1050 | 640 | 2GB-4GB | 1493 |
| 1050 Ti | 768 | 4GB | 1620 |
| 1650 | 1024 | 4GB | 1560 |
| 3050Ti | 2560 | 4GB | 1485 |
| 2050 | 2048 | 4GB | 1477 |
There are far more GPUs useful from other brands like AMD and older versions of the ones presented here but they’re all rare to find. The ones on the table are the most popular ones.
Who needs a Workstation laptop then?
Probably nobody reading this.
If you are going to graduate school or eventually work in the field , the chances that you’ll need a workstation laptop or GPU are very very low.
Most engineers dealing with 3D work (civil, mechanical) will still be fine with a 4GB vRAM dedicated GPU.
You will only need a workstation GPU or laptop IF your job is focused on 3D modeling products , objects , carc, etc, for simulation and testing purposes. In fact, even then you will probably do just fine with a 6GB vRAM dGPU such as the ones shown below:
| Name | Cores | vRAM | Speed |
| 1060 | 1280 | 6GB | 1670 |
| 1660 Ti | 1536 | 6GB | 1590 |
| 2060 | 1920 | 6GB | 1680 |
| 3060 | 3584 | 6GB | 1780 |
| 4050 | 2560 | 6GB | 2370 |
Only a small subset of actual engineers will need the workstation GPUs such as the NVIDIA Quadro and AMD FirePros mostly because they need to unlock special features only available on workstation graphics or because they need to work with MUCH MUCH bigger objects (think about a simulation that has 1000-10 000 parts all interacting with each other) and not just any workstation GPU but rather a workstation laptop with lots of vRAM.
3. RAM (Random Access Memory)
FAR more important than graphics card (since most modern processors are way too fast & graphics cards are not a concern for engineering projects since is school).
RAM is where SOFTWARE, the operating system and everything else running in your computer will be temporarily stored. Since speed is rarely an issue, it is RAM the most common bottleneck especially for 3D CAD software.
If you don’t have enough everything will be slow. A slow computer means a slow workflow and you don’t want that during finals week or just before finals where it’s more likely to lack RAM due to the amount of chrome tabs + software you’ll have open all at the same time .
4GB: This is not enough for the simple reason that Windows 10 and Windows 11 take at least 3.5GB that means you will only have 500MB left for the the engineering software running in the background in a typical day (an IDE for programming + LabView) and let’s not forget you’ll probably be using youtube and browsing around the web too.
8GB: This is the bare bone minimum for a fast workflow, there’s almost zero chance you’ll need more. Even 3D modeling, the most hardware demanding software, will run just fine with 8GB RAM again because engineering students only work with small sized models .
16GB: I like 16GB RAM because the amount of programs I run simultaneously can get pretty insane. Good news is that you don’t need to get 16GB on a laptop, you can just get 8GB (which most modern laptops have) then upgrade it to 16GB later. I have a tutorial here on how to upgrade RAM here, it’s quick, cheap and easy.
4. Storage (SSD vs HDD)
Im sure you’ve heard of the term SSD and HDD. The former stands for Hard Disk Drive and the latter for Solid State Drive. I’m pretty sure you also know that Solid State Drives are the fastest storage devices now. What you probably didn’t know is that….
1. SSDs are available virtually on EVERY single modern laptop made within the past 3 years
2. SSDs are x5 aster than HDDs
3. There are different SSD types but they’re all equally fast for engineering student purposes.
It is pretty redundant to talk about ALL the advantages that come with a fast storage drive because you will get one anyways.
Now if you followed my advice at the start of this post and want to use your current old laptop for engineering you can do that too! If it’s too slow for you now if you can upgrade its RAM & Storage (have 16GB RAM and an SSD) it will probably be fast enough for everything even small models in 3D CAD software.
How much storage do you need?
I’d say ~256GB which is what most laptops have. If you want to install games on your laptop then you will run out of space pretty quickly but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to pick another laptop. Again you can just upgrade yours, check my tutorial on how to upgrade storage to see how easy it is.
6. Weight & Display
Weight is EXTREMELY important and you MUST find a laptop that’s lightweight if you have a high budget (they’re usually expensive).
Buying something that’s heavy only means not bringing to school and collect dusk back at your house or dorm.
Although not always the case , weight is pretty much related to how big your display is.
| Size | Weight |
| 13” | 2.5lb-3lb |
| 15” | 3.5lb-4.5lb |
| 17” | 5lb-7lb |
| 16” | 5lb |
Exceptions to the above rule are ultrabooks like the LG Gram, MacBook Pro & Surface Series. But if you want low weight on a budget machine, start looking for 13” laptops first then 15” laptops.
Display Size vs Workflow For Engineering
13”: If you are a mechanical, electrical, chemical or any type of engineering student. I would strongly advice you to invest your money on a 13” laptop. It’s going to make ALL the difference for your productivity. Laptops with the CPU & RAM size I’ve recommended that are still 13” can be very expensive though.
15”’: These laptops are way cheaper and still have the CPU & RAM size recommended. Most laptops with dedicated GPUs are this big, you are not going to find a 13” laptop with a dedicated GPU because there’s no space to fit in a dedicated GPU.
17”: Strongly advice to buy a laptop this big if you’re an actual engineer since chances are you’re not going to move around a lot and the extra screen space will massively improve your workflow as you’ll have more toolbars available and you’ll be able to see larger chunks of code at a time to follow code logic and spot bugs.
FHD vs QHD vs UHD: Resolution
Resolution will also give you extra screen space. Since high resoluton means more pixels, size of objects can be scaled down in size thus giving freeing up more screen space.
FHD: is the bare minimum for CAD work and this is virtually present on any laptop above 450 dollars or any laptop with the specifications we have talked about. It’ll be very rare for you not to get a FHD. Be sure to double check because it isn’t that uncommon to find HD or HD+ laptops which are cannot handle multiple windows as well.
QHD or UHD:They are 2k and 4k resolutions respectively. (QHD = 2x FHD ). Both will massively expand the screen space available but unfortunately they are QUITE expensive and they are RARELY found on laptops under 800. There is one model I have listed that has a QHD display around 600-700 dollars called the Lenovo Ideapad Pro 5i above.
7. Connectivity & Ports
You don’t really have to worry about what ports your laptop has because today there are adapters for just about every connection you need. You’ll need the following ports during your engineering school:
Serial port: No laptop made within the past 10 years will have this port but they are useful to connect DAQ systems (Data Acquisition Systems) which are used for circuit design & labwork. If you come across a DAQ system that only uses a serial port, you’ll just have to get this adapter.
HDMI port: These are useful to connect to external display. If you are giving a presentation you’ll need an HDMI port, most projects , if not all, only work with HDMI or ‘mini’ display ports. Again you don’t have to worry about it, just buy an adapter too.
Bluetooth: this is very very useful for engineering purposes. You can connect to many engineering devices via bluetooth and you can also share files between co-workers or colleagues with the bluetooh function. All laptops have bluetooth now.
5. Operating System
Windows vs Mac
If you are an engineering student, it doesn’t matter because although engineering software has been written for Windows the most basic ones that are used in engineering school (like AutoCAD) have a Mac Version and all programming languages work even better on a Mac.
It’s only going to be a problem for circuit design and lab software for which you may have to use Parallel’s or BootCamp. Bootcamp can be used only on older models (Pre-2020).
Comments?
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc, please leave a comment below. I will reply as soon as I can. I apologize for being absent for so long but I promise I will reply ASAP now.
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- I am physicist and electrical engineer. My knowledge in computer software and hardware stems for my years spent doing research in optics and photonics devices and running simulations through various programming languages. My goal was to work for the quantum computing research team at IBM but Im now working with Astrophysical Simulations through Python. Most of the science related posts are written by me, the rest have different authors but I edited the final versions to fit the site's format.
good detailed information for laptop shopping. Thanks for your information
Here i have a blog i started after purchasing a laptop after reading your guide Technology-tutor
Would you recommend the Acer E15 as a suitable alternative to the E5?
That was a typo, I fixed it thanks. Yes, the Acer 15 is fine. Make sure it has a dedicated graphics card from 940MX onwards. I have that GPU myself on one of my laptops.
what if I want to prepare for my professional career afterwards, should I go all out for laptop? Or desktop would be more preferable?
Not every engineer out there uses heavy programs like AutoCad SolidWorks Catia, etc. And if your
job requires you to do so, the company will provide you with computers far more powerful or even go as far as giving you money to buy your own set up. I know this from experience.
But if you do want to become an expert with any of these programs and start practicing with CAD/CAE programs right now a desktop would be more preferable. A laptop is useful for the small projects you’ll have to do during engineering school.
What If I was going into mechanical engineering and was going to buy the new Razer blade stealth 8th gen i7 with 16gig ram and integrated hd 620 graphics, but I also bought the eGPU with a GTX 1070 that I can have in my dorm room that I can plug into the laptop and have a dedicated gpu? Would this work for heavier solid works projects or is it over kill?
That’s not a bad idea at all ! if your choosing the razer blade for portability you are better off with the Surface Book 2 (unless you plan on gaming with the razer).
GTX 1070 is overkill pretty much for anything….I dare to say even gaming.
I doubt you’ll see “heavy solidwork projects” as an undergrad and even if you do, you’ll be better off heading to the lab. You don’t want to work on a huge project with thousands of parts on a 12” screen.
This is a good advice, but i’m quite doubtful on my program. I am studying electrical engineering. In my autocad we were taught to make a 3d model. Btw, electronics is separate in my program. I was planning on getting laptops with gtx series because of the possibility of using autocad in my majors and the 3d model. But after reading your advice, i’m now thinking of getting ultrabooks with the mx150 and i5 8****u or i7 8****u other than the i5 8300h with gtx1050. The mx150 ones are quite light than the i5 8300h which has gaming in their name. Thinking of getting the dell g7 before but now thinking of inspiron 15 or asus s15.
AutoCAD is the weakest 3D modeling software out there, you could even get away with an integrated card. The MX150 is more than sufficient for undergrad courses and you can even use it after you graduate.
As for me, I’m steering away from engineering and starting my phD in Physics this spring and I’m all for the surface Pro 4. You can use AutoCAD in it no problems plus you get to take notes (this is super useful for me) and share your notes/solutions on discord/whatsapp/web etc in a flash.
If you have the cash get the surface pro, this is enough for an EE student (you get portability + power). If you can’t afford the Pro, definitely get the MX150 laptop if you are dealing with autocad in 3D.
Thanks for the reply. I took your advice. I aimed for something light. Surface devices are scarce in my market. I bought the hp envy 13, i5 8250u with mx150, 8gb ram. Just going to have a dongle with me when i’m in need of hdmi or vga port. I’d say the cad is not much important at the moment or will not. Currently dealing with matlab.
Hi, I want to say a big thank you for this article. It is both elaborate and thoughtful in content, which is helpful for me as a first-generation college student planning on doing CE. Navigating everything on my own is quite challenging already, but your advice and extensive knowledge have made it a bit easier for me.
No problem!