So whether you’re running AutoCAD or any other 3D modelling software, you can be sure of a smooth, responsive and speedy experience. It’s a strong performer overall, too, with the 11th Generation Intel Core processor, working with well the 8-16GB RAM and Intel’s integrated Iris Xe graphics. Plus with a resolution of 2,560 x 1600, you get the high level of detail you need when working with sophisticated 3D models. This WQXGA IPS display is both big and beautiful, with vivid and nuanced colours and deep, rich blacks. But maybe you want to see your CAD designs on a bigger display, allowing you to focus better on all the small details? In which case, let us point you towards the LG Gram 17, with its 17-inch screen. The laptops we’ve featured so far have all had mid-sized screens. See our MacBook Pro 14-inch review for more details. But if you’re looking for a premium Apple laptop and are willing to pay the price, you won’t find better. This laptop is very much the Rolls Royce option of MacBooks, and may be overkill for a lot of people’s needs. You’ll also benefit from the most beautiful, super-high res screen, and up to a whopping 8TB of storage. You’ll doubtless get less than that doing intense work in AutoCAD, but it’s a surety that you’ll get through a professional day without having to recharge.

The MacBook Pro also offers up to 17 hours of battery life: the longest of any Mac ever. Note also that you can run iOS here as well, so you can open up the AutoCAD mobile app if that helps your workflow. In our review, we found that it was more than capable of running both AutoCAD and resource-hungry 3D modelling software like Maya, 3DS Max, and Fusion 360 with ease. Running macOS Big Sur on Apple’s proprietary eight-core M1 Pro or Max chip, with up to 64GB RAM, this is the most powerful laptop Apple has ever created.

Prefer macOS to Windows? Then you’ll want the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021), which is the best Apple laptop for CAD today. In which case, we'd say this is the best cheap laptop for CAD you can buy today. That said, if you’re not working on rich and colourful designs, and just want to produce standard technical drawings with your CAD software, that may not matter to you. Brightness, contrast, colour accuracy and viewing angles are all well below the standards set by the pricier laptops on this list. Although it’s a nice size at 15.6-inches, and offers Full HD resolution, the picture quality overall reflects the budget price of this laptop. Where you will have to compromise is in the display. And up to 8.5 hours’ battery life is pretty impressive for the price, too. With 1TB of storage, you get plenty of space to store all your designs. The Asus Aspire 5 is considerably more affordable, and still able to run CAD software smoothly and efficiently. In fact, with 8GB RAM and an 11th generation Intel processor providing 4.2GHz, it’s quite a capable performer. If the first laptop on our list is beyond your means, don’t stress.

Can you use a macbook pro for autocad