Best Laptops for Tekla Structures in 2022

Tekla Structures is a powerful 3D modelling application. But, as you could expect, its hardware requirements are high. That's why you should be wise while choosing the best laptop for Tekla Structures if you want to get the most out of it.

In this buying guide, I'll aim to provide the best laptop suggestions for Tekla Structures, starting with a comprehensive breakdown of each hardware component. We'll also explore what makes Tekla Structures run smoothly and answer a few common questions. And since I'm a nice guy, I'll also point out what's nice to have but not necessarily essential for the application.

Let's get to the techie stuff and don't forget – the laptops for each budget are at the end of the article. Get ready to have the perfect laptop for a smooth modelling experience!

Processor

It's late 2022 and we're seeing a lot of changes in the laptop processor market. Let's take a look at what you should consider when buying a laptop for Tekla Structures.

RAM Requirements

In terms of RAM, Tekla Structures needs at least 8GB for BIM modeling. However, if you're planning to work with large models, it's better to invest in more RAM (16GB or higher).

Cad Professional?

Are you a CAD professional who needs to work with multiple large models at once? If so, you should look for laptops with a powerful processor that can handle these complex tasks. We recommend an Intel Core i9 CPU (4GHz or higher) or an equivalent AMD processor for the best performance.

Can we ignore the CPU?

If you don't need the most powerful processor on the market, you can focus on other components like RAM, graphics card, storage space and battery life instead.

Recommended Processors

To help you decide, here's a list of recommended processors and their expected prices. These are just a few examples and the list is non-exhaustive.

Processor	Price range
Intel Core i7	Low-Mid
Intel Core i9	High-End
AMD Ryzen 5/7/9	Low-Mid
AMD Ryzen Threadripper	High-End

We'd recommend Intel Core i7 CPU (3GHz or higher) or equivalent AMD processor for the best performance in a mid-range price point. For high-end performance, look for Intel Core i9 CPU (4GHz or higher) or equivalent AMD processor.

Choosing the right graphics for Tekla Structures

Choosing the right laptop Graphics card for Tekla Structures is a daunting task, especially with the recent changes in the market. Nvidia's new RTX 40 series cards, although a great option for gamers, are not yet available on laptops (expected in 2023). Instead, the latest laptop GPUs are in the RTX 30 series, such as the RTX 3070 Ti. It's also worth noting that desktop GPUs are now a lot more power-hungry and as a result, the gap between laptop and desktop graphics cards has widened in the past few years. What's more, Nvidia has discontinued the Max-Q label, meaning that the exact GPU wattage for a given laptop is determined by its manufacturer. This can make it difficult to compare performance, as even laptops with the same GPU chipset may have wildly different performance.

A dedicated GPU is not strictly necessary for 2D drafting in Tekla Structures, though it can be helpful for 3D modeling and rendering. In order to determine which GPU is best for gaming, you may use benchmarking tools such as 3DMark. However, keep in mind that this is not the best way to compare graphics cards since it doesn't take into account the differences in CPU clock speed and core count. You may want to use something like Cinebench R23 to get a better idea of how the GPUs perform in real-world applications like rendering and video editing.

When it comes to laptops, there are a few options to choose from depending on your budget. If you're looking for an affordable laptop that can handle some light gaming, then you should look for one with an Nvidia G-series chip (such as the GeForce GTX 1650). These are more power-efficient than Nvidia's higher-end offerings such as the RTX series and more affordable than AMD's Radeon offerings.

For a more powerful laptop with decent graphics performance, we recommend at least an Nvidia RTX 2060. The RTX 2080 is our top recommended choice for excellent graphics performance and should be good enough for most 3D modeling and rendering tasks. If you have a higher budget and want the best of the best, then look for an RTX 3080, which offers top-notch performance for any 3D task.

Here's a summary of our recommended GPUs and their average laptop prices:

GPU	Average Laptop Price
Nvidia G-series	$500 – $800
RTX 2060	$900 – $1,400
RTX 2080	$1,500 – $2,200
RTX 3080	$2,300 – $3,000

How to choose the right memory for Tekla Structures?

As of late 2022, the RAM market is as competitive as ever. Intel and AMD are pushing the envelope with their latest CPUs, which now support both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM. DDR5 is still relatively expensive, but time will tell if it'll be worth the extra money.

So, how much memory do you need for running Tekla Structures? Generally speaking, you should aim for at least 16 GB of RAM to get started. If you're working with large models and/or multiple projects open at once, you'll want to get a laptop with 32 GB of RAM or more.

When it comes to RAM speed, there's not much of a difference between DDR4 and DDR5. However, other things like latency, frequency, and ECC should still be taken into consideration.

Ultimately, what you should expect depends on your budget. If you're on a tight budget, 16 GB should get you going. For more demanding tasks, consider getting at least 32 GB of RAM. However, if you're willing to pay more, you'll get the most out of your money with DDR5.

6 Best Laptops for Tekla Structures

Table of the Best Laptops for Best Laptops for Tekla Structures in 2022

Laptop	Price (approx)
GIGABYTE A5 K1	$790
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i	$960
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14	$1460
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4	$1750
Dell XPS 15 9520	$5800
Dell XPS 17 9720	$6000