The best laptops for interior designers: Knowing what specifications your next new laptop needs is very important if this will be your main tool when carrying out interior design projects. In this buying guide, we give you a broad perspective on what features your computer should have in order to use it in interior design in a professional manner.
If you like interior design, you will need a laptop that suits your needs. Fortunately, an interior design laptop doesn’t have to be expensive, as you won’t need as many advanced features. To help you, we’ve asked several interior designers for their recommendations on the best interior design laptops this year and the benefits of each.
From the processor to the resolution of the screen through the tools that every interior designer should consider, this guide brings together expert advice, good practices, and data of interest to you when considering investing your money in a new laptop.
The interior designer is responsible for making plans, elevations, and details, as well as illustrating the different conceptual elements of design. This includes the provisions and locations of the power line and other communications, the ceiling, the lighting design, the arrangement of the furniture, and the materials that will be used inside.
For this, a best laptop for interior design students is important. Because it must perform these actions in addition to many more related to the permits and contracts of the real estate and more, next, we will talk about the laptop focused on the use of an interior designer.
What is Most Important in a Laptop for Interior Design?
Interior design programs or applications are characterized by having 3D modeling, which is not supported by any computer that only has 2 GB of RAM and an Intel HD graphics card. Nothing of that.
When we refer to 3D modeling, rendering, or three-dimensional design, we are talking about certain level specifications that we must count on.
OS
The programs and applications that an interior designer requires are hardly executed at 100% capacity on laptops whose system is 32 bits. It is important that our laptop is 64 bits because the vast majority of the software is oriented and developed for this type of system.
And as for the system software, Windows and Apple are the two great developers. Either of the two operating systems is of good quality, what we must take into account when choosing is the software that we like the most or that we use.
Why? Because there are unique programs for MacOs and unique programs for Windows 10. Depending on the user, some may prefer one and others the other. I recommend you opt for Windows because it is more extensive in terms of brands that can be run in addition to having an excellent range of software. Windows 10 is the ideal choice.
RAM
The English Random Access Memory is the opposite of what its name implies. It is not random. On the contrary, it is the memory that stores the volatile data of our laptops. Call everything that is erased when the power supply is cut off volatile.
This memory is of the utmost importance because she is in charge of retaining all the data that the programs and applications that we will use will need. The bigger it is, the more data it can retain, and thus we can work with more momentary information.
The RAM memory is manufactured to a characteristic standard. DDR3, DDR4, and even DDR5 are the manufacturing standards currently available in the market. The newer the standard (DDR5 is the newer standard), the better our RAM will be.
I recommend that you opt for at least 8 GB of RAM with the best standard you can get. If you can afford a best laptops for interior designers with 16GB of RAM or more, welcome to it. But at least 8GB is the ideal amount for our purposes.
Processor
It is the most important part of the laptop because it is the one in charge of processing everything we do. It is the main unit of data processing, and new technologies are being developed year after year that increases the performance of laptops for arts that come onto the market.
For interior design, a good processor that is multicore, of the last generation and with a clock frequency of several hertz is very important. The best thing is that you choose a laptop with a processor of the best generation that you can get, that has at least 2 cores, and that has a frequency greater than 2 GHz.
Storage
As we are interior designers, we will need a good amount of available storage memory to be able to save the contracts, plans, and designs we make.
Interior design programs usually do not require more than a few GB free of storage memory. That is why having a good amount of storage is important not to worry about anything about it.
Currently, there are 2 types of storage hard drives: the HDD or Hard Drive Disk and the SSD or Solid-State Disk. The first type is the first type that was created and is nothing more than the old type of storage. The second type, also called a solid-state hard drive, is a new storage technology.
This technology is based on the concept of storing all information in packets, which allows faster access to information. This type of storage is more expensive, but it is much faster. I recommend that you lean towards solid-state storage because although it is more expensive, it offers us greater performance.
You can also opt for hybrid storage that is HDD and SSD together. The best of both worlds so you can save all your important data.
Graphics card
Also known as GPU for its syllables in English Graphics Processor Unity, it is responsible for us to see a solid image without green boxes or lost pixels. The graphics card is very important along with the resolution because, with it, we can get a clear view of the products we use when designing.
An NVIDIA or AMD brand graphics card that has a dedicated GRAM memory of at least 1 GB is ideal for interior design programs and applications. We recommend you pay attention to this part before disbursing your money.
It is important that our laptop has OpenGL 4.5 or higher technology. This is responsible for executing 3D animations, 3D design, and everything related to the three dimensions.
Screen
A good number of inches, along with optimal resolution, is what we are looking for. The minimum size we recommend is 14 inches, more than that is sure profit. In addition to having a minimum resolution of 1320 x 768 pixels.
The best option would be a 15.6-inch screen with a FullHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and so we can make the most of our laptop.
Ports
This part of our laptop is important, and I will tell you why. Programs and applications for interior design require the use of a three-button mouse in addition to having a wheel. That is why it is necessary to have USB ports that allow us to connect our mouse.
Besides, the HDMI ports, SD card slot, and Ethernet are really useful. We recommend that you purchase a best laptops for interior designers that have at least 2 USB ports, an SD slot, an HDMI port, and an Ethernet port.
List of the Best Laptops for Interior Designers
Currently, there are many web applications used by professional interior designers. This relieves the performance load to a certain extent, although it does not limit it to having a certain minimum level to be able to work efficiently.
1. MSI PS42 Modern 8MO: Prestige and style
MSI has always been known for bringing powerful notebooks with processor and graphics cards to the market. And this is no exception.
The MSI PS42 Modern 8MO is a laptop that has very powerful specifications that allow us to do almost any job with it. Let’s see why.
With a 64-bit operating system and Windows 10 Home software, this laptop comes with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card. Not bad but not excellent, and it works for us to run the interior design programs we need.
In addition to that, a solid 512 GB disk is what ensures our speed of response. Adding its 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and an Intel Whiskeylake i7-8565U 4-core processor and maximum clock frequency of 4.60 GHz, this machine almost flies.
As for inches, the MSI PS42 laptop has an ultra-thin LED frame display of 14 with FullHD 1920 x 1080 resolution with a 100% RGB IPS panel. Perfect to see the real colors of our furniture catalog and more.
Its weight of 2 kg is not so light, but it is not an impediment. With the power it carries, that weight was expected. It also has the ideal number of ports for everyone: 2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0, and an HDMI port.
MSI does not disappoint with its high-mid-range laptops, and considering it to make our work more efficient is very important.
2. Acer Aspire: Economy for the novice and experienced designer
If you are looking for a cheap laptop but that still meets all the needs of an interior designer: Acer Aspire.
The Acer Aspire laptop is an option to consider if you are on a somewhat tight budget. It has quality specifications to execute interior design programs and all for a price not so high.
This laptop comes with 15.6 inches of LCD LED screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which are an explosive combination for our eyes. In addition to that, it includes an integrated Radeon RX Vega 10 graphics card that is sure to support image quality.
As for performance, it has an AMD Ryzen 7 2700U processor with 4 cores of 2.2 GHz base frequency and a maximum of 3.8 GHz along with 8 GB of DDR4 RAM fair and necessary to run the design programs.
And with hybrid storage, it has response speed in addition to a large amount of memory to save the designs you make. It has 128GB of solid hard drive and 1TB of classic hard drive storage.
Its weight is 2.82 kg, somewhat high, but due to its content, it is considerable. It has HDMI and USB ports in addition to having the Windows 10 Home operating system by default.
This laptop is a great option considering the price to pay. It offers security and speed when designing. Do not hesitate to keep an eye on when choosing a laptop to design.
3. ASUS ZenBook Pro: A laptop for professionals
The interior design professional must have the best tools at his disposal, so the laptop is very important that it is updated in terms of specifications.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 is a foolproof choice for the recent graduate or experienced interior designer, and all you need to do is check their specs to confirm it.
This laptop has an Intel Core i7-8565U processor with 4 cores of 1.8 GHz base frequency, as well as having no more and no less than 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. Guaranteed power in the processing and execution of programs.
It also comes with a 512GB solid disk storage, which gives us an ideal response speed. No more than 10 seconds can take ZenBook to start the operating system. And for graphics that design programs can ask for, a dedicated 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX1050 graphics card.
The screen has an ideal resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels that, together with its graphics card, will never let us down. Its weight is light, 1.8 kg, but when carrying it, it feels much lighter due to its material. Its factory operating system is Windows 10.
It comes with a sleek black finish, a backlit keyboard, and an auxiliary display on your touchpad so we can multitask seamlessly and as efficiently as possible.
This laptop is powerful, fast, and high performance perfect for the professional interior designer who seeks not to spare his main work tool.
4. Lenovo Ideapad 330: High performance for experienced designers:
If we are experienced interior designers, you know what we need to be able to work comfortably. The Lenovo Ideapad 330 laptop is a true option if we want to have everything, and that does not let us down.
With a 15.6-inch screen with FullHD resolution, we can see our work in an excellent definition. It is important to have a good video card for this. That is why this laptop has a dedicated 4 GB of GRAM NVIDIA GTX1050.
And what is inside the laptop is almost worth gold. An Intel Core i7-8750H processor, together with extensive 16 GB of RAM, assures us that performance will not be lacking. And neither does storage since this Lenovo computer comes with hybrid storage of 256 GB of SSD memory and 1 TB of HDD storage.
Its presentation comes in a strong black color that, together with its weight of only 1.46 kg, is ideal for the designer who does not stay static. You should consider this laptop if you are looking to invest your money very well in your main work tool.
5. HP 15: Work with elegance and speed
HP brings us a laptop like none that meets quality specifications. The HP 15 laptop has an AMD Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics card that is an excellent choice for our interior design purposes.
In terms of processing, this machine comes with an AMD Ryzen 5-3500U 4-core processor and a maximum clock frequency of 3.7 GHz with 2.1 GHz base frequency. It is a high-level processing unit to run the applications we need.
It has two slots of 4 GB of RAM for a total of 8 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 256 GB SSD storage along with 1 TB of HDD storage. Speed and capacity are what this laptop brings us.
It comes with 15.6 inches of screen with 1920 x 1080 FullHD resolution that is optimal to visualize all our work perfectly. It comes in a light silver color, which transmits a lot of styles and is light with 1.8 kg of weight.
It has USB 2.0, 3.0, HDMI, and Ethernet ports. With an autonomy of around 6 hours in basic work, this HP 15 laptop is an excellent option to consider. Everything we could need is here.
Do the laptops of the comparison include the programs for interior design?
The programs for interior design do not come by default installed on the laptop. To have them we will have to download them directly from the developers’ website or use the easily available web tools.
What are the recommended executables for interior design?
One of the programs most used by professionals is pCon.planner, which has many tools and an extensive catalog. There are also IKEA Home, FloorPlaner, and Homebyme that are web applications.
How much RAM is recommended for interior design programs?
The developers of the executables to design interiors recommend having 16 GB of RAM to be able to fully enjoy the tools. Although they also consider that 8 GB are optimal.
Do comparative laptops support 3D designs?
Yes, we only considered laptops with graphic capacity that support 3D design, rendering, and vivid colors that allow us to visualize well the items in the furniture catalog or others.
Will my laptop does not hang while I make a design?
Not at all. These notebooks that we consider have been tested with all interior design programs in various settings. We recommend you run one design program at a time.
Minimum requirements on a laptop for interior design
Even if you don’t know much about hardware and software, it’s just as important that you understand where on the computer you need to spend your money.
We recommend these basic requirements for an interior design laptop:
- Processor: Intel multicore (known as multicore)
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Hard Drive: 500GB hard drive (preferably an SSD )
- Integrated graphics card or a dedicated video card with 512 MB and support for OpenGL 2.1 or later
Apple / Mac laptop:
- 4GB RAM
- 5 GB of free hard disk space
- Mac OS X 10.10 or later
Hardware / Software
In this case, the computer users are divided into two categories, the first is Windows users, and the second is Mac users. We have listed some of the minimum hardware requirements, which are mandatory for the job.
Windows
- It should have a multicore processor. (i7-6300HQ / i7-6500U / i7-5500U / i7-6567U / i5-6200U)
- Must have at least 10 GB of free hard disk space
- At least 8 GB of RAM. (DDR3 / DDR4)
- It must come with a graphics card or a dedicated graphics card with at least 512MB.
- Must have a Full HD screen (1920x1080p)
Mac / iOS
- Multicore processor (i7-6300HQ / i7-6500U / i7-5500U / i7-6567U / i5-6200U)
- It must have at least 8GB of RAM. (DDR3 / DDR4)
- At least 10 GB of free hard disk space.
- You must have the operating system version of at least Mac OS X10.10.
- Full HD screen (1920x1080p).
The job of an interior designer is to invent and improve the architecture of any building or room, not only making it beautiful but also spacious to fit all the necessary things.
We have focused on finding the best laptops for programs like Revit, AutoCAD, and 3D Max.
Opinions
The interior design has to be a flexible field, so, depending on your needs, you can easily adapt your budget to the laptop you really need.
However, it is in your best interest to remember that interior design computers are essentially much simpler graphic design laptops since they do not need such heavy components or functions. This means that you will be able to find fast and cheap models that will help you to do interior design.
This is why we have tried to make a list of all laptops for interior designers with variable budgets. If you are an interior designer, we hope this list will be of great help to you when buying a new laptop.
If you have questions or concerns about the recommended laptops or are thinking of buying a laptop, leave us a comment below and we will do our best to help you.
