17 Best Laptops for SketchUp in 2025

SketchUp is one of the most intuitive and widely used tools in 3D design. It’s fast, versatile, and lightweight—but when your models get more complex, your laptop can either keep pace or hold you back. Whether you’re an architect crafting massing studies, an interior designer refining space plans, or a product designer building out concept geometry, SketchUp deserves a laptop that keeps your creativity fluid and your workflow frustration-free.

We’ve written this guide for you—the SketchUp user who works across concept design, construction documentation, 3D visualization, and client presentations. You could be a professional in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, set design, or woodworking. No matter your field, if you rely on SketchUp to bring ideas into dimensional space, your laptop needs to match SketchUp’s strengths: responsiveness, visualization clarity, and real-time flexibility.

This guide breaks down what really matters when choosing a laptop for SketchUp, and how to avoid common traps like underpowered GPUs or outdated CPUs that choke on heavier models.

Let’s begin with the core specs SketchUp depends on:

CPU (Processor) is the engine behind model navigation, geometry edits, and layout exports. SketchUp is a single-thread optimized application, which means it runs best on CPUs with high clock speeds and strong single-core performance. You’ll want a 13th/14th Gen Intel Core i7/i9, AMD Ryzen 9 (7000/8000 HX series), or Apple M3/M4 Pro/Max chip. These processors ensure fluid panning, quick redraws, and snappy performance when modeling or editing in real-time.

GPU (Graphics Card) is essential for visual fluidity in SketchUp’s 3D workspace. Its OpenGL-based rendering engine relies heavily on your graphics card—not for complex simulation, but for maintaining smooth navigation, realistic shadows, anti-aliasing, and faster render previews. We recommend NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 4070, or 4080, or the Apple M3 Max for Mac users. Avoid integrated GPUs for professional use—they simply can’t handle detailed or texture-rich models.

RAM (Memory) supports multitasking and large file handling. For most SketchUp workflows, 16GB of RAM is sufficient. But if you’re running Enscape, V-Ray, or Lumion alongside SketchUp, or if you work on complex architectural models with linked textures and imported assets, 32GB is the safe, future-ready choice.

Storage should never be an afterthought. A 1TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 4) offers the speed you need for loading models, referencing large texture libraries, saving layout sheets, and syncing with cloud services like Trimble Connect. It also ensures that your entire environment—model files, rendering plugins, and SketchUp extensions—loads without delay.

Display quality plays a key role in how you perceive and present your designs. We recommend a 15.6″ or 16″ QHD+ or 4K display, with 100% sRGB or DCI-P3 coverage, high contrast ratio, and consistent brightness across the panel. Matte finishes reduce glare when working in brightly lit studios or on-site. Bonus for touch support or stylus compatibility, which can aid sketch-based modeling and annotation workflows.

Ports & Expansion matter for a design-centric workflow. Look for Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C with DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1, SD card readers, and Wi-Fi 6E or 7. These features streamline file transfers, external monitor setups, and collaboration with clients or consultants.

What about rendering? While SketchUp itself doesn’t rely on heavy GPU rendering, most professionals use extensions like V-Ray, Enscape, or Twinmotion to generate visualizations. These demand powerful GPUs, more RAM, and high VRAM capacity. A laptop that’s underpowered for real-time rendering will slow down your process and force compromises in quality or speed.

This guide supports professionals in architecture, landscape design, urban planning, interior styling, industrial design, and education. Whether you’re modeling a storefront, rendering an urban infill, or crafting a branded retail environment, the right laptop gives you speed in modeling, clarity in presentation, and freedom to iterate quickly.

You can also have a look at the best laptops for Revit in addition to the Best Laptops for Architecture Students.

Best Laptops for SketchUp in 2025;

Alienware m17 Gaming Laptop 2023 Newest, 17.3 360Hz Display, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX Processor, AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT
Check This On Amazon
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
GPU	AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT
Display Size	17.3 inches
Display Resolution	1920 x 1080
RAM	32GB DDR5
Storage Space	2TB SSD,
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x SD card reader, HDMI 2.1, 1x Headset Jack
Dimensions (L x W x H)	‎15.64 x 1.05 x 11.76 inches
Weight	7.3 pounds
Advantages	Good performance
Disadvantages	Average display

ASUS Flagship ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop 16 QHD+ IPS 240Hz 13th Gen Intel 14-core i9-13900H
Check This On Amazon
CPU	13th Gen Intel 14-core i9-13900H Processor
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB
Display Size	16" QHD+
Display Resolution	(2560x1600) IPS
RAM	32GB DDR5 SDRAM
Storage Space	1TB Solid State Drive
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-C 3.2, 2 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Dimensions (L x W x H)	9.69 x 13.98 x 0.88 inches
Weight	‎4.64 pounds
Advantages	Lightweight, Good performance, Quality Display
Disadvantages	Price

ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” 1610 FHD 165Hz, GeForce RTX 4060, Intel Core i7-13650HX
Check This On Amazon
CPU	‎4.9 GHz core_i7
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
Display Size	‎16 Inches
Display Resolution	1920 x 1200 pixels
RAM	16 GB DDR5
Storage Space	512 GB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB, Ethernet, Audio
Dimensions (L x W x H)	13.94 x 0.89 x 10.39 inches
Weight	5.51 pounds
Advantages	Good performance
Disadvantages	Storage space may be inadequate for some people

MSI Cyborg Gaming Laptop 2023 Newest, 15.6 IPS FHD 144Hz Display, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
Check This On Amazon
CPU	13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
Display Size	15.6 inches
Display Resolution	1920 x 1080
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage Space	1TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	HDMI, Ethernet, Audio
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14.15 x 0.9 x 9.86 inches
Weight	6.67 lbs
Advantages	Performance, Good price, Quality build
Disadvantages	N/A

MSI Katana 15 15.6 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop 13th Gen Intel Core i7, RTX 4070
Check This On Amazon
CPU	13th Gen Intel Core i7
GPU	RTX 4070
Display Size	15.6"
Display Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 pixels
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage Space	1TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB, Ethernet, Audio, HDMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14.13 x 10.2 x 0.98 inches
Weight	‎8.85 pounds
Advantages	Affordable, Good performance
Disadvantages	Heavy

Dell G15 5511 Gaming Laptop - 15.6 inch FHD 120Hz Display - Intel Core i5-11400H, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i5-11400H
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6
Display Size	15.6 INCHES
Display Resolution	1920 x 1080 Pixels
RAM	8GB DDR4
Storage Space	512GB SSD
Operating System	Windows 10
Ports	USB, Ethernet, Audio, HDMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	10.71 x 14.06 x 0.98 inches
Weight	5.37 pounds
Advantages	Good performance
Disadvantages	Storage

Alienware x17 R1, 17.3 inch FHD 360Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i7-11800H (24MB Cache, up to X GHz, 8 cores)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
Display Size	17.3 inches
Display Resolution	(1920 x 1080) 360Hz 3ms with ComfortView Plus, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus
RAM	16GB 3200MHz DDR4
Storage Space	1 TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Operating System	Windows 10
Ports	Global headset jack| 2. Type-C Thunderbolt 4/USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port, with Power Delivery (5V/3A) | 3. (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A with Powershare | 4. Killer 3100 RJ-45 2.5G Ethernet | 5. Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port,(5V/3A) | 6. HDMI 2.1 | 7. Micro SD | 8. Mini Display 1.4 | 9. Power/DC-in Port
Dimensions (L x W x H)	11.79 x 15.72 x 0.82 inches
Weight	7.05 pounds
Advantages	Performance, Good display size
Disadvantages	Might be heavy if you are constantly on the move

GIGABYTE AERO 16 XE5 16 4KUHD+ Samsung AMOLED, Intel Core i7-12700H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel 12th Gen Ready: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H (2.3GHz~4.7GHz)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, Boost Clock 1035 MHz, Maximum Graphics Power 105 W
Display Size	16 inches
Display Resolution	4K/UHD+ 3840x2400 Samsung AMOLED Display, VESA DisplayHDR 500, 100% DCI-P3
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage Space	1TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C), 1x 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC-in Jack
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14.02 x 9.78 x 0.88 inches
Weight	9.28 pounds
Advantages	Display performance, design and build quality
Disadvantages	Weight of above 9 pounds might be a con to some people

ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” Nebula Display QHD 240Hz, GeForce RTX 4070
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i9-13980HX
GPU	GeForce RTX 4070
Display Size	16”
Display Resolution	‎2560 x 1600 pixels
RAM	32GB DDR5
Storage Space	1TB PCIe SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB, Audio, Ethernet
Dimensions (L x W x H)	13.94 x 0.89 x 10.39 inches
Weight	‎9.97 pounds
Advantages	Quality Build, Outstanding performance
Disadvantages	Weight

ASUS ROG Strix G16 Gaming Laptop 16 FHD+ 165Hz (Intel 13th Gen Core i7-13650H, 64GB DDR5 RAM
Check This On Amazon
CPU	13th Gen Intel Core i7-13650HX
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB GDDR6
Display Size	16" FHD+
Display Resolution	1920 x 1200) IPS Anti-glare
RAM	64GB (32GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz RAM
Storage Space	1TB PCIe M.2 SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort / power delivery / G-SYNC, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Thunderbolt 4 support DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1 FRL, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, Ethernet Port RJ-45; Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Triple band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (L x W x H)	13.9 x 0.89 x 10.39 inches
Weight	5.51 pounds
Advantages	Very good performance, Quality display, Good build
Disadvantages	Quite heavy for some people

Dell G16 7630 Gaming Laptop - 16-inch (2560 x 1600) QHD+ 165Hz 3ms Display, Intel Core i9-13900HX
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i9-13900HX
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB
Display Size	16 inches
Display Resolution	‎2560 x 1600 pixels
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage Space	TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	HDMI, USB, Ethernet, Audio
Dimensions (L x W x H)	11.37 x 14.05 x 0.98 inches
Weight	‎6.01 pounds
Advantages	High performance, Quality display, Reasonably priced
Disadvantages

MSI WS76 Workstation Laptop 17.3 144Hz FHD 1080p, Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA Quadro RTX A3000 , 32GB, 1TB SSD
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i9-11900H
GPU	Quadro RTX A3000
Display Size	17.3 inches
Display Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels
RAM	32GB
Storage Space	1TB NVME SSD
Operating System	Windows
Ports	USB, Ethernet
Dimensions (L x W x H)	0.8 x 15.59 x 10.21 inches
Weight	‎5.39 pounds
Advantages	Good performance, Good design and build quality
Disadvantages	Might be heavy for some people

Acer Nitro 5 AN515-58-725A Gaming Laptop Intel Core i7-12700H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 15.6 FHD 144Hz 3ms IPS Display 16GB DDR4 512GB Gen 4 SSD
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i7-12700H
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Display Size	15.6 inches
Display Resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels
RAM	16GB DDR4
Storage Space	512GB Gen 4 SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB, Ethernet, Audio Jack, HDMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14.19 x 10.67 x 1.06 inches
Weight	5.51 lbs
Advantages	Good performance, Affordble Price
Disadvantages	None

GIGABYTE AORUS 15P XD 15.6 240Hz (64GB RAM, 2TB PCIe SSD, Intel 8-Core i7-11800H (Beat Ryzen 7 5800H), RTX 3070)
Check This On Amazon
CPU	Intel Core i7-11800H (8 cores 16 threads, base clock speed 2.3GHz, max turbo to 4.6GHz, 24MB L3 Cache)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 8 GB GDDR6
Display Size	15.6 inches
Display Resolution	FHD (1920x1080) IPS-level 240Hz, 16:9, 72% NTSC, X-Rite Pantone Certified
RAM	64GB DDR4 RAM (32GB x 2)
Storage Space	‎2 TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	3 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 (Supports DisplayPort and Power Delivery), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x RJ-45 (2.5Gbps), 1x UHS-II SD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14 x 10 x 0.93 inches
Weight	‎4.8 pounds
Advantages	Large storage, Very good performance
Disadvantages	None

HP Omen 15z Gaming Laptop (AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 64GB RAM, 2TB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB, 15.6 QHD 165Hz IPS
Check This On Amazon
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
Display Size	15.6"
Display Resolution	QHD 165Hz IPS 300nits (2560 x 1440)
RAM	64GB
Storage Space	2TB NVMe SSD
Operating System	Windows 10 Home
Ports	Ethernet, Audio, HDMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	‎15.6 x 10.6 x 0.84 inches
Weight	‎5.5 pounds
Advantages	Performance
Disadvantages	Price

MSI 2023 Cyborg 15.6inch 144HZ FHD Gaming Laptop, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
Check This On Amazon
CPU	13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
Display Size	15.6/inch
Display Resolution	‎1920 x 1080 Pixels
RAM	32GB DDR5 RAM
Storage Space	2TB NVMe SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	HDMI, Ethernet, Audio
Dimensions (L x W x H)	14.2 x 9.9 x 0.9 inches
Weight	‎4.1 pounds
Advantages	Lightweight, Good performance
Disadvantages	None

 

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 Gaming Laptop, 16” 165Hz ROG Nebula HDR QHD 1610 Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, 32GB DDR5, 2TB SSD
Check This On Amazon
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Display Size	16”
Display Resolution	4K (3840x1100)
RAM	32GB DDR5
Storage Space	2TB SSD
Operating System	Windows 11
Ports	USB, Ethernet, Audio, HDMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	13.98 x 10.47 x 0.81 inches
Weight	5.70 lbs
Advantages	Good performance, Quality doisplay
Disadvantages	Heavy

MORE LAPTOP RECOMMENDATIONS:

Best Laptops for SolidWorks

Latest Top Laptops for Solid Edge

Best Laptops for MATLAB

Best Laptops for Autodesk Inventor

Latest Top Laptops for Lumion