7 Best Laptops for SketchUp in 2023

We understand that as a 3D designer or architect, you are busy trying to finish your projects and don’t have a ton of time for extra research on the best laptops for SketchUp — plus, you want to avoid buyer’s remorse.

Don’t worry, that’s exactly what we’re here for! 

In this article, we’ve gathered and reviewed the top laptops for SketchUp. And guess what? There’s one for every category, and you’re likely to find your dream laptop in a matter of minutes.

So, let’s dig right into it!

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements

Before choosing the laptop that fits you best, it’s good to understand the system specs needed to run SketchUp to avoid performance throttling or system crashes. 

Note that the specs in our table may vary from the ones on the official SketchUp page. This is because we make recommendations based on real-life scenarios and our standard testing criteria. Anything close to the official minimum system requirements may lead to performance issues.  

So, here we go: 

Top 7 Laptops for Sketchup

Ready to get your professional 3D goggles on and see what you can do with these laptops for SketchUp? Let’s go!

1. Best Overall: Sager NP8875E

Sager NP8875E

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13900HX
• RAM: 64GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch QHD (2560 x 1440)
• GPU: 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

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Sager is a Clevo laptop for Sketchup that easily has some of the most powerful specs on this list. With roaring internals, an amazing display and a sturdy build, it’s a great laptop for SketchUp professionals who do complex projects.

The whole thing is run by a 13th Gen. i9 and an RTX 4070, which are more than capable of getting the best out of the software. Add to that whopping 64GB of RAM and 2TB of fast SSD, and you get a legit beast.

When I was running SketchUp on Sager, it worked great — the workflow is fast, precise, with no interruptions — and it looks gorgeous on a crisp 17” QHD display. Plus, the panel is very bright and color-accurate.

I’m also a fan of Sager’s design — it’s one of the cleanest-looking laptops I’ve seen. The chassis feels sturdy, sleek and professional, with a comfy backlit keyboard and just a touch of a gamer’s vibe.

In terms of portability, like most gaming laptops, Sager can run a little low on battery. I was able to get around 3-5 hours, depending on the workload, so make sure to bring a charger if you’re taking it to the office.

However, with great power often comes great temperature — and the laptop does get hot from time to time. Not alarmingly and unbearingly hot, but enough to get uncomfortable on your lap. Overall, though, you get some of the most powerful specs today for a very reasonable price and an amazing laptop for SketchUp projects.

2. Mid-Range Productivity: HP Victus

HP Victus

• CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-12450H
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

$729.99

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Maybe you need a powerful laptop for Sketchup, but can’t really spare much funds. If that’s the case, HP Victus might be the solution you’re looking for.

Victus is a budget gaming laptop from HP, and as such, it’s designed to be reasonably powerful. A 12th Gen. i5 and a GTX 1650, along with 16GB of RAM, ensure a smooth workflow for most SketchUp projects. 

In my tests, I got a pretty lag-free performance, which somewhat slowed down only with more complex projects. Of course, this is due to the lower-end GPU, although the visuals look very nice on a large, fast IPS display.

The HP Victus has this thing of clean-and-professional look going on, which I quite dig. It’s thin and sturdy, with an elevated display, and a very compact, comfy keyboard.

Plus, at 5 lbs, Victus is among the relatively lighter gaming laptops, so it’s good for commuters.

However, if you work in rougher environments, you should know that there is a bit of screen wobble. While working on it, typing alone didn’t trigger this, though a bump on a desk might.

Still, Victus has plenty to offer, especially when you consider the price. It’s a great entry-level laptop for SketchUp professionals that will last a good number of years.

3. Best Portability: LG Gram 17

LG Gram 17

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 1260P
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 17-inch QHD (‎2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 4GB ‎NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050
• Battery: Up to 9 hours

$1,396.99

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If you’re often out and about, and want a super-portable laptop for SketchUp, there’s just no beating LG Gram. Epic low weight, great battery life, a solid dedicated GPU and a wonderful display make LG Gram 17 a great choice for students and professionals.

LG Gram 17 weighs only 2.86 lbs. Although it was released a few years ago, Gram 17 remains the lightest 17” model to this day. It’s unbelievable how light this thing feels — and of course, it’s super easy to pack and carry around.

Plus, the battery lasts a good 8-9 hours, and I was able to get through a whole workday on a single charge.

Gram packs a 12th Gen. i7 and an RTX 2050, along with 16GB RAM. This is a somewhat weaker P processor, but the GPU pulls a lot of the work, and I was pretty satisfied with the results in SketchUp.

Plus, there’s also a very hi-res large IPS display, with high color accuracy, which is great for a detailed overview.

Certain compromises had to be made, and the chassis is a bit thinner than usual and feels flimsy compared to other large laptops, like the MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 17.

Moreover, because of the thinner chassis, the machine does get hot every now and then.

Overall, though, with 1TB of SSD and fast DDR5 RAM, this is a great productivity laptop for SketchUp, with unmatched portability, that I believe many users will enjoy on a day-to-day basis.

4. Great Value for Money: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

• CPU: 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 5 6600H
• RAM: 8GB DDR5
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

$649.99

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A gaming laptop for Sketchup? Why not! Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 brings a lot of power, sturdiness, and a nice display.

Lenovo has been known to pack great specs in their budget laptops, and IdeaPad Gaming 3 is no different. The machine runs on a newer Ryzen 5 and a pretty capable, dedicated RTX 3050.

Based on the model I tested, this combo performs quite admirably with SketchUp, which is GPU-intensive. An occasional lag is mainly due to 8GB RAM (which is still a faster DDR5 and upgradable). For best results, I’d add 50 bucks and go for 16GB RAM.

IdeaPad Gaming comes with a 15.6” IPS display that’s vivid and easy on the eyes. 

At 5 lbs of weight and 5-6 hours of battery life, this is a reasonably portable laptop that you can take to school or the office. It’s not LG Gram, but it beats many more expensive gaming laptops in this department.

I also believe many will come to appreciate Lenovo’s keyboards, if they don’t already. The keys are very tactile, responsive and just the right height.

The initial specs combo will work great for students, but if you have demanding coursework or use SketchUp professionally, I’d also upgrade the storage, since 256GB isn’t likely to hold long.

However, for this price, you get a lot. Not to mention that, besides being a SketchUp laptop, IdeaPad Gaming 3 can also handle much more demanding tasks, like serious gaming and photo/video editing.

5. Best Mid-Range Option: ASUS TUF

ASUS TUF

• CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-12500H
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SDD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
• Battery: Up to 7 Hours

$859.00

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ASUS TUF is another budget gaming machine and a great mid-range laptop for SketchUp. For a very reasonable price tag, TUF packs serious performance, a gorgeous display, and a clean and sturdy design.

Both TUF’s and Lenovo’s GPUs are the same RTX 3050, except ASUS also comes with a very capable 12th Gen. i5. I thoroughly enjoyed working in SketchUp on TUF — the workflow is easy, fast, and without lags.

This speed has to do with the already-included 16GB RAM, which are quite enough for most SketchUp projects. If you work on very complex details, maybe consider upgrading to 32GB.

I do appreciate TUF’s large display. It’s one thing to have a machine that performs well — but seeing it on a gorgeous, crisp, slightly elevated IPS panel makes the work that much more enjoyable.

Speaking of design, this is a sturdy, sleek machine. A yellow-lit keyboard is the only thing reminding you of a gaming beast underneath this otherwise professional, elegant laptop — and I found the keyboard very comfy and actually pretty.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for trackpad, which feels a little spongy, but that’s not a deal-breaker, at least not in my book.

One thing to look out for is that this laptop can get hot. So it would be best to get a cooling pad asap.

But, with light weight and relatively long battery life (7 hours), ASUS TUF is one laptop for SketchUp to consider if you want a mid-range option.

Related article: Discover the ASUS TUF F15 FX506LH Review

6. Best Budget Option: MSI Thin GF63

MSI Thin GF63

• CPU: 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-12450H
• RAM: 8GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 8GB ARC A370M
• Battery: Up to 7 hours

$799.00

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If you’re choosing among the budget laptops for SketchUp, definitely check out MSI Thin GF63. This is a practical choice, with lots of power, good overall portability, and sturdy chassis.

A 12th Gen. i5 is a great H-processor in its own right, but pay attention to the GPU. Arc is a newer lineup of dedicated GPUs from Intel, aimed at content and creative tasks. And it works quite well — in my tests, the Sketchup performance was on par with the RTX 3050, and quite fast.

The only bottleneck here is the 8GB RAM — but that’s easily solvable, and I’d upgrade the RAM to 16GB straightaway.

MSI Thin is a good choice for rougher environments — the chassis is plastic, but it’s very sturdy and can withstand harsher conditions. It’s not an indestructible ThinkPad, and you have to take care, but it’s much better than, say, HP Victus.

At 4 lbs, this is one of the most portable laptops on this list. Add to that roughly 7 hours of battery life, and you can get by without lugging a charger around every time you go out.

The display is great for general viewing, but I noticed it’s not the most color-accurate. So take a leaf from my book — MSI’s got a great ports selection, so I simply plug in an external monitor for color-sensitive projects.

For this price range, MSI can be a great, efficient laptop for SketchUp, which won’t cost you arm and leg, but will serve you quite well.

7. Best 17-inch Model: Acer Nitro 17

Acer Nitro 17

• CPU: 2.5 AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
• Battery: Up to 7 Hours

$969.99

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Acer’s mid-range version of Nitro 5 is a great 17-inch laptop for SketchUp. Acer Nitro 17’s got amazing specs, a gorgeous display, and costs significantly less than Sager.

Nitro runs on the latest Ryzen 7 and a powerful RTX 4050, which cut through SketchUp projects like a knife through digital butter. I was impressed by how great this combo worked, and how fast the rendering went.

Plus, a fast, 17.3” IPS display gives you a lot of workspace for your projects and tiny details. 

Those who know the Nitro series will notice the signature red keyboard has been swapped for beveled, full-RGB backlit keys, which are quite comfortable to touch. I actually like the revamped design, because it looks more professional, although still keeps some of the gamer vibe.

The chassis is pretty sturdy and somewhat heavy at 5.5 lbs, but remember that this is a 17” laptop. However, the battery life has improved over Nitro 5, and I was able to get around 6-7 hours of uninterrupted work.

Nitro 17 gets a bit hot every now and then, but other than that, this is an amazing laptop for SketchUp and far from the budget laptop Nitro 5 once was. It’s a great mid-range solution for many creatives and engineers, and reasonably priced for the power it offers.

Buying Guide for the Best Laptop for Sketchup

Before we proceed to the ultimate list, you need to understand what to look for in the best laptop for running SketchUp.

Note that there is also a web-based version of SketchUp. For this version, the minimum requirements listed above are quite enough, but the actual software is a whole other beast, and this is what we’re primarily concerned with.

Let’s look at all the different factors one by one.

1. Think About Screen Resolution and Size

When it comes to 3D modeling, the finer the display, the better the outcome. Here, a higher-resolution display will show you more of what you’re working on without having to scroll much – in other words, the workflow is more detail-oriented. The images appear bright and sharp as well.

For SketchUp, choose a Full HD or higher (QHD/4K) resolution. This will enable you to see the most intricate designs in detail without straining your eyes.

Don’t let the screen resolution alone guide you. A quality panel should also be one of the SketchUp computer requirements. Since the projects will require a wide viewing angle and high color accuracy, an IPS panel is suggested.

No matter how high the quality, you wouldn’t want to work with a small screen in SketchUp, as handling the designs requires more screen real estate. The 15-inch screen size is ideal if you’re looking for a good balance between size and portability. You’ll also have plenty of space to arrange your toolbars, menus, and windows on a single screen.

3. Get a Dedicated Graphics Card

Compromising on the graphics card isn’t an option when you want to get a great laptop for SketchUp. Lower-end laptops wouldn’t qualify for the software since they’re mostly equipped with integrated graphics cards. The integrated GPU won’t only throttle your laptop’s performance but will also decrease the output quality.

We’d advocate for a dedicated graphics card as it determines how fast and accurate your laptop’s screen will display the designs you’re working on. If you’re on a budget, we’d recommend buying the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 at least. Depending on the complexity of your designs, you can also aim for a powerful GPU such as NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or higher.

4. Look for a Powerful Processor

The performance and speed of the software depend a lot upon the processor. That’s why you need to have a powerful CPU with a fast Turbo Clocking speed that can take care of the processing in a reasonable time.

If you’re a hobbyist or a student, the Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 from AMD will do the job for you. However, professionals create CADs that require a powerful CPU. In that case, the Core i7 will be your best bet.

5. Don’t Skimp on RAM

Technically, the RAM lifts the load from the processor, so the laptop can render fast performance while running SketchUp. That’s why it is vital to pay particular attention to RAM when looking for the best SketchUp laptop.

More RAM is better when working with projects involving Building Information Modeling (BIM). For professionals such as architects, a 16GB RAM laptop is recommended for a smooth workflow. But, if your budget doesn’t allow it, you could get by with 8GB RAM. Anything less will significantly reduce your creative output and productivity.

6. Get Enough Storage

3D animation includes high-quality projects that can take up a considerable chunk of your hard drive. So, you’ll need quite a bit of storage to save your SketchUp designs.

If you go for a web version of SketchUp, 256GB of storage will suffice.

However, if you work with the software, 512GB SSD storage is the safest bet for storing your architectural, interior, engineering, and video game designs. You can opt for 1TB SSD storage if you want SketchUp and your operating system to run at lightning speed.

The prime reason for recommending SSD over HDD is because it’s 5 times faster at reading and writing data. Additionally, it boots the operating system and saves your design files in just a matter of seconds. Efficiency is something all professionals value.

7. Battery Life May Be Important 

A laptop offering a decent battery life is a plus point for artists and animators working with SketchUp. Imagine running out of power in the middle of a productive session with the clients. Yikes!

So, try to find a laptop with a battery life of at least 5 hours. Nonetheless, 8-hour battery life is a perfect option to consider – many laptops we’ll review today have excellent batteries.

8. Think About Portability

Being a 3D animator, engineer, or architect, you would want portability while working. Let’s be honest: you can’t sit in a chair and create designs on the laptop all day. You’ll probably have to go to the site you’re working on or with clients to their place.

Hence, portability is an essential factor to consider when buying the best laptop for SketchUp Pro. It’s recommended to opt for a lightweight device that you can carry anywhere with ease.

FAQs about Laptops for Sketchup

Now that we are done with the buying guide and the reviews, let’s look at some FAQs about the best laptops for SketchUp.

Verdict

So what is the best laptop for SketchUp? There is no single answer to this question because there are certain aspects you need to consider first.  

Before anything else, you need to set your budget because the high-end laptops get expensive really fast. But that doesn’t mean you must spend a fortune to get a decent laptop for SketchUp. As you probably already noticed, our list features some awesome models with great value for money. 

After defining your budget, consider getting a good CPU/GPU combo, enough RAM, a quality display, size and portability. 

Once you figure out your budget, needs, and preferences, the choice will come easier. 

In case you missed something, here’s a quick review for you:

• Best Overall: Sager NP8875E
• Best Portability: LG Gram 17
• Great Value for Money: Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

We hope this article helped you find your ideal match. If you have any additional questions, let us know in the comments and we’ll be happy to help out.