Best Laptop for Engineers –The best laptop for an engineer requires specific parameters to be fulfilled to run engineering software without any hitch.
We have reviewed a diverse list of laptops for you to choose from, yet there may be others that you may prefer over these.
Mention what you look for in a laptop as a student in the comment section below.
OVERVIEW
Many of the programs engineering students rely on are also graphically intensive programs – especially CAD, MATLAB and Solid Works, which are used for 3D modelling and video rendering. This means that it’s crucial to have a laptop with a dedicated graphics card – rather than an integrated one powered by the processor.
This is why the best gaming laptops are also ideal choices for engineering students, since they offer that kind of graphic power, and the fact that they can handle games for unwinding after classes is just the cherry on top.
ROUND UP
Now that we have cherry-picked ten of the best laptops for engineering students, it is time to elaborate on the things you must be heedful of when buying the device most suitable for you.
back to menu ↑1.Acer AN5155470KK
Features
- Acer Nitro 5 An515-54-70Kk
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2.Dell XPS 15
Features
- 62% larger touchpad, 5% larger screen, and 5.6% smaller footprint
- 16:10 FHD+ edge to edge display equipped with DisplayHDR 400 and Dolby Vision
- Integrated Eyesafe display technology
- Quad speaker design with Waves Nx audio
- High-polished diamond-cut sidewalls
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3.Razer Blade 15
Features
- 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (6-Core, 2.6 GHz Upto 5.0 GHz, 12 MB Cache), 32GB DDR4 Memory 2933 MHz, 1024GB PCIE SSD
- 15. 6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Edge-To-Edge LED Display (144Hz Refresh Rate), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6
- 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet, WiFi 6 - 802.11 ax, Bluetooth 5.0, HD Audio with Stereo Speakers, Webcam
- 2 x USB 3.2 Type-C, 3 x USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 1 x Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out Jack, 1 x RJ-45
- RGB Backlit Keyboard, Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 45WHr 3-cell lithium_ion, 4.7lb, Black
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4.ASUS ROG Strix
Features
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6 (Base: 1455 MHz, Boost: 1590 MHz; TDP: 80W)
- Intel Core i5-9300H Quad-core Processor
- 120Hz 15. 6” 1920x1080 IPS Type Display
- 8GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM | 512GB PCIe SSD | Windows 10 Home | Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802. 11ac 2x2)
- ROG Intelligent Cooling thermal system with dual 12V fans, anti-dust technology, and adjustable fan modes
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5.Lenovo Legion
Features
- Processor Manufacturer: Intel
- Processor Type: Core I7
- Processor generation: 9th Gen
- Processor model: i7-9750h
- Processor speed: 2.60 GHz
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6.Asus TUF 15.6
Features
- 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (6-Core, 2.6 GHz Up to 4.5GHz, 12MB Cache), 16GB DDR4 Memory 2666 MHz, 512GB PCIE SSD
- 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED IPS Display, 144 Hz, 5ms Response Time, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB
- 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet, 802_11_AC, Bluetooth 5.0, HD Audio with Stereo Speakers, Webcam
- 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone/Speaker/Line-Out Jack, 1 x RJ-45
- Full-size Island-style RGB Backlit Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, Windows 10 Home 64-bit, 48WHr 3-cell lithium_ion, 4.85lb, Black
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7.MSI GE66 Raider
Features
- 15.6" FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 240Hz 3ms | NVIDIA GeForce RTX2070 8G GDDR6
- Intel Core i7-10875H 2.3 - 5.1GHz | Killer Wi-Fi6 AX1650 (2*2 ax)
- 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 3200MHz | 2 Sockets | Max Memory 64GB
- Killer LAN E3100 | Dynaudio Speaker with Passive Radiator*2 | 1080p FHD Webcam
- Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining | Multi Touch
- Connectivity technology: Mini DisplayPort
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8.HP Envy 17t-cg000
Features
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 1.30GHz Processor (upto 3.90 GHz, 8MB Smart Cache, 4-Cores) ; NVIDIA MX330 2GB GDDR5 Graphics
- 32GB DDR4 SODIMM RAM; 65W Power Supply, 2-Cell 55 WHr Battery; Natural Silver Color
- 17.3" 4K UHD (3840x2160) Display; Bluetooth 5.0, Webcam, Fingerprint Security System, Backlit Keyboard
- 128GB SATA SSD + 1TB HDD; 3 USB 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, USB 3.2 Type-C Gen1, SD Reader, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack.
- Windows 10 Pro-64, 1 Year Manufacturer warranty from MichaelElectronics2 (Professionally upgraded by MichaelElectronics2)
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9.HP Spectre x360
Features
- Newly Launched HP Spectre x360 13T Cutting Edge GEM CUT Design - 10TH GENERATION QUAD CORE CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7 (1.3 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz, 8 MB cache, 4 cores) four-way processing 1.30 GHz to 3.9 GHz with 8 MB SmartCache, high-efficiency performance with Intel Turbo Boost Technology WINDOWS 10 HOME 64 BIT PRE INSTALLED BY HP, NEW Features - Web Cam Kill Switch, Mic Mute Key, Fingerprint reader
- UNMATCHED AUDIO PERFORMANCE with QUAD Bang & Olufsen speakers: The partnership between Bang & Olufsen and HP brings premium sound to your personal computing device. With HP Quad Speakers, HP Audio Boost, and custom tuning by the experts at Bang & Olufsen, entertainment comes to life with sound you can feel.
- SUPERIOR SPEED and NETWORKING: Fast Data Access with 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 Combo. Security management Mic Mute key; Webcam kill switch, 1 headphone/microphone combo; 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge)
- IMPRESSIVE HD PANEL with HD Active Stylus Pen and Thunderbolt Support: Experience exceptional colors and clarity with 13.3" Full HD touch screen (Resolution: 1920 x 1080) for hands-on control and IPS technology for wide viewing angles. 13.3" diagonal FHD IPS micro-edge WLED-backlit touch screen with NBT, HP Active Stylus Pen, USB-C port, Thunderbolt support & SD card reader
- 16GB SDRAM(ONBAORD), Bang & Olufsen Quad Speakers, HP Audio Boost, Fingerprint Reader, ALSO includes a Super Sleek, Super cool, 64GB ULTRA SLIM Tech Warehouse LLC USB Flash drive. A speedy little performer with a great look! Please see picture illustrations for more information
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10.ASUS ProArt
Features
- 17.0'' WUXGA 16:10 ratio panel (1920*1200) NanoEdge matte display; 97% DCI-P3 wide color gamut; Pantone validated color accuracy; Delta E
- Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.5GHz) with Windows 10 Professional
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM - RTX Studio Ready
- Ultra fast storage and memory featuring 512GB + 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (RAID 0) and 32GB DDR4 Memory (upgradable up to 64GB)
- Extensive connectivity with HDMI 2.0, USB-C Thunderbolt 3, SD card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 2 (*USB Transfer speed may vary. Learn more at ASUS website)
- Gig+ Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) latest Wi-Fi standard + Dual-band Bluetooth 5.0
- MIL-STD 810G military grade durability, includes a 180-degree hinge for collaborative work
- 18.4mm z-height and only 5.27 lbs for comfortable portability
- USB 3.0 to RJ45 cable included
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BUYER’S GUIDE
back to menu ↑CPU
The CPU or the processor is at the heart of any laptop, and while gaming machines usually pay more importance to GPUs, laptops for engineering students tilt the relevance back to CPU. Engineering software is more iterative and hence benefits from multiple core performances that the Core i5 and Core i7’s of this world offer.
It is better to have more cores, as the computational performance increases with the number of cores, hence we recommend at the very least a Core i5 processor, and if you have got the bucks to invest in a higher one. A Core i5 works well for all engineering disciplines.
Graphics Card
As mentioned above, the GPU plays second fiddle to the CPU when it comes to the requirements of engineering students. Most engineering students will require just an integrated graphics card for their work. It is especially true for electrical, software, and chemical engineers who do not work on 3D simulations.
Fields such as mechanical, civil, and aeronautical, on the other hand, require 3D rendering and software that require higher graphical processing power. To achieve this, an entry-level or mid-tier graphics card by Nvidia would do the trick.
Similarly, GPUs vary according to their functionalities. While some are good for gaming, there are dedicated GPUs that handle software, 3D rendering in a better way. You can get such a GPU like the Nvidia Titan or the M2000 or higher ones.
RAM & SSD Storage
The RAM on a laptop is an essential feature that all engineering students will utilize during the course of their degrees. How much RAM? Though, this is the question. Students with a background in electrical, software, and chemical can work well with 4GB RAM at their disposal.
On the other hand, students requiring 3D modeling during their coursework will want to invest in at the very least an 8GB of RAM. More RAM is always recommended, hence upgrading to even 16GB will be preferential, however not required.
Always look for a laptop with an SSD in it as it ensures faster bootup times, a lag-free environment to work in, and excellent multitasking capabilities. Similarly, when running full software, and SSD performs exceptionally well compared to the HDD, which is limited by its revolutions per minute. Software such as CAD produces humongous output files that require a lot of memory, processing power, and storage to open. An SSD will go a long way to operate these files smoothly.
Display
If you’re looking for a 4K screen on your laptop, then you should re-evaluate the purposes for which you are buying the laptop. It is safe to assume a 1080p IPS panel will be more than enough to suit your needs, and going beyond that would be an overkill.
Most engineering students require a powerful CPU and decent display to work their calculations. Hence a 1920 x 1080 resolution will work perfectly fine, and if you can manage higher, that will be a bonus. Screen size should be around a 14-inch mark and preferably 15 inches as it will increase the display area for multitasking operations.
Moreover, a touch screen is not the necessity and, in some cases, may become a hassle for smooth performance. Most engineering students don’t require to draw and use a stylus per se and hence should look for a traditional display setup.
Operating System
Most software for engineering students requires Windows as their operating system.
You can run a number of programs on the MacBook Pro, but running them requires some sacrifices. Hence, a Windows operating system will be your best companion on a laptop, while for programming or coding purposes, you may wish to install and learn Linux.
Peripherals Required
Although laptops for engineering students differ from that of pure gaming laptops, the latter can ably run engineering software. A high processing power, superior RAM, SSD storage, and dedicated GPU are the hallmarks of a gaming laptop and hence will favor the engineering students.
So, as gaming laptops may require some peripherals, these engineering laptops may also need one. The following few recommendations may come in handy for you.
Laptop Cooling Pad
A cooling pad becomes a necessity with thin form factor laptops that do not have the required heat dissipation mechanisms.
Even with dedicated thermal dissipation, the underside of laptops tends to heat; hence a cooling pad such as the Kootek Laptop Cooling Pad with its five fans can help solve the problem.
This cooling pad has an adjustable height, adjustable number of fans that can be turned on, and caters to laptops between the 12 to 17-inch size range.
Display Monitor
Engineering students who wish to use the full power of their GPUs and render 3D models may look towards using an external monitor for better results.
The AOC G2460PF is an excellent monitor that you can attach to your laptop for maximum efficiency when using modeling software.
Keyboard
An ergonomic keyboard is a must for programming or coding; hence such students look for a sturdy and responsive keyboard.
If your laptop doesn’t offer such a keyboard, an external keyboard will surely help. The Havit Gaming Keyboard may do the trick for you with its affordable price and a blue backlit that will help you use the keyboard in dim lights.
It is convenient to use as well as carry around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight do you recommend for a laptop?
The weight of the laptop should be such to make the laptop a portable machine as students need to move around a lot. Wight of the laptop should ideally be between 3 to 4 pounds.
How much RAM would you recommend for 3D rendering and modeling?
Most 3D software can run on 8GB of RAM, but as they say with RAM, more is always better. Always look for a laptop with more RAM, and 16GB is a good place to start.
Do I need a 4K resolution to run modeling software?
No. A 4K resolution may be too much as a 1080p screen does the trick for running most engineering software.
Should my laptop get warm when subject to intensive applications?
Yes, the GPU and CPU functioning together at their peak may cause the laptop to heat, and it is reasonable to experience such scenarios. You can use a cooling pad for such purposes to cool the laptop.
Do I pay heed to the brand of the laptop?
Yes. The brand of the laptop is an important consideration as some manufacturers have a better record of producing devices that are sturdy, durable, and provide powerful performance. These include MSI, Dell, Asus, and Acer, amongst others.
WRAP UP
These days, many laptops are released every other week and their specifications also seem to overlap with each other. In this ever-evolving times, it’s very easy to make mistakes on this expensive investment. Computers and gadgets are expensive; and for engineering students, they’re even more expensive.
If I had purchased my laptop based strictly on price and not focused on any other features, I would have made a huge mistake in purchasing a gadget that was going to be with me for at least four years. Below, the article should help you avoid that kind of fate.
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