Best Laptops for Blender in 2023

When it comes to finding the best laptop for Blender, the search can be both exciting and challenging. As an avid Blender user, I understand the importance of balancing performance, display, and portability to optimize your 3D modeling, animation, and rendering experience. In this guide, I've taken the time to review an extensive laptop spreadsheet of recent releases, comparing specs and reviews to help you find the ideal laptop for your creative endeavors.

Blender is a powerful, open-source 3D creation suite, and it demands a laptop with robust hardware to handle complex tasks such as sculpting, particle simulations, and Cycles rendering. While the best laptop for Blender should undoubtedly have a strong CPU and a dedicated GPU, other factors like RAM, storage, and display quality also play a significant role in ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow. Additionally, considering the active community on Blender Artists, Blender Stack Exchange, and dedicated YouTube channels, it's essential to choose a laptop that can keep up with software updates and perform well with various add-ons and plugins.

As a laptop expert with firsthand Blender experience, I've focused on narrowing down top laptops that meet the unique requirements of Blender users across various price ranges. We'll explore options with powerful processors, high-performance GPUs, ample RAM and storage, and quality displays to provide you with the best possible experience when using Blender. Whether you're a freelancer working on a tight deadline, a hobbyist exploring the world of 3D, or a professional creating stunning visuals, this guide will help you find the best laptop for Blender tailored to your needs and preferences.

The best processor for playing Blender in 2021

Requirements

Blender heavily relies on a CPU's multi-core performance. What this means is that you want to find a laptop with a good multi-core performance. Luckily, most laptops have CPUs that will be sufficient for Blender use. That said, there are some CPUs which are more desirable than others. For example, AMD Ryzen 7 has up to 8 cores, so it will perform better in parallelized tasks than Intel Core i5-8265U which only has 4 cores.

Recommendations

If you're on a budget and looking for the best cheap laptop for Blender, Intel i3-10110U should suffice. However, if you're willing to spend just a little more on your laptop, then I would recommend AMD Ryzen 7 4700U. It's one of the most popular processors for professional laptops because it's inexpensive but still performs well enough to run Blender smoothly. Lastly, if you have an unlimited budget and want the best laptop for Blender – Ryzen 7 5800H is your go-to option.

TL;DR

multi-core performance is important for running Blender smoothly
most laptops have CPUs that will be sufficient for Blender use
if you're willing to spend just a little more on your laptop, then I would recommend AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
if you have an unlimited budget and want the best laptop for Blender, Ryzen 7 5800H is your go-to option.

Graphics card

Minimum graphics (under $1000)

I know, it sounds bonkers – getting a laptop under $1k for Blender. If you cut enough corners – you can get a cheap notebook for Blender. That could be done by either going for integrated Intel/AMD graphics (far from ideal) or an entry-level dedicated GPU such as GTX 1650. You might see much slower rendering. But that's fine for small assemblies. I'm not recommending a cheap laptop for Blender, but it's an option for a very tight budget.

Recommended consumer graphics ($1000 – $2000)

If you can't go over $2000 – just go for a consumer-grade card. End of discussion. This includes most students, part-time freelancers, and hobbyists. Non-workstation cards are mainly acceptable for general assemblies with basic parts. One of the biggest reasons you’d want a powerful GPU is for rendering. If you're looking to spend less than $2000, I recommend these cards:

GTX 1660 Ti, this is now the best choice if you don't want to spend more than $2k; however I recommend going with RTX instead if possible;
RTX 2070 is also very good if you can't afford RTX 3080 or RTX 4000/5000 or don't mind spending another $1k or so

Choosing a memory

Minimum (8 GB)

I'm not sure if 8 GB is enough for Blender. That's the old standard, but that was when it was the only 3D software that mattered. You can still use 8 GB, but there are more powerful options out there.

Recommended (16 GB)

That said, 16 GB will do just fine for most people. But I think it's more sensible to go with 32 GB if you can afford it. That way you'll have plenty of RAM for multitasking and running different software in the background. I have two laptops with 16 GB of RAM and they're both due for an upgrade soon.

Best (32 GB)

The sweet spot seems to be 32 GB of RAM, which makes up 39% of all laptops on the market right now. It has just enough room for running professional applications, while also being future-proof for running multiple demanding programs simultaneously in 2021 or later years to come. If you're going over $2000 – then there's a 99% chance that you'll end up with a laptop with 32 GB of RAM already installed.

TL;DR

you'll need at least 8 GB of RAM for Blender, but more is better
16 GB is the most common amount of RAM on laptops, but 32 GB is better for running multiple programs at once

Storage for Blender

What kind of SSD is right for you?

There are many types of SSDs. These include MLC, SLC, eMLC, and NVMe. MLC is the cheapest but has the shortest lifespan. SLC is more expensive but offers more longevity. eMLC is in between MLC and SLC. And NVMe is the fastest option but also the most expensive.

Size matters

It's important to get the right size SSD for your needs. If you're just using Blender on a low-powered laptop for a few hours a day, then a small 256 GB drive will be fine for you. But if you're a professional who needs a lot of space, then I recommend going with a 1 TB or 2 TB drive. For professionals, I also recommend going with an NVMe drive because it's much faster than an HDD or SATA SSD and can be easily upgraded later on if you need more space.

TL;DR

There are many types of SSDs
MLC is the cheapest but has the shortest lifespan. SLC is more expensive but offers more longevity. eMLC is in between MLC and SLC. And NVMe is the fastest option but also the most expensive.
Size matters
For professionals, I also recommend going with an NVMe drive because it's much faster than an HDD or SATA SSD and can be easily upgraded later on if you need more space.

Laptop FAQs

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Comparison spreadsheet

If you're looking for the best laptops for Blender, take a look at the link I've provided. It has all the information you need to make an informed decision!

Table of Best Laptops for {topic}

Laptop	Price (approx)

5 Best Laptops for Blender

$700

1.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16

Blender laptop

Pros

First-class processor (Ryzen 9 6900HX)
Great graphics card (RTX 3070 Ti)
Terrific memory amount (64GB)
Thin (5.48 lbs)

Cons

No IPS Panel (inferior color reproduction)

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Alternatives

$730

HP Victus 15t

Pros

Strong entry-level gaming
Inexpensive for a gaming laptop

Cons

Bad battery life
Rather plain design

$850

2.HP Victus

HP Victus struggles to justify its price tag

Pros

Easy to service with upgradeable components
Attractive visual design
Relatively cool surface temperatures
Smooth 144 Hz refresh rate

Cons

Buggy battery life and fan behavior
No Thunderbolt or USB-PD support
Subpar Turbo Boost sustainability
Weak hinges

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Summary

The HP Victus laptop has an attractive design and smooth 144 Hz refresh rate, but its GPU and Turbo Boost sustainability fall short for its price range.

Reviews

Notebookcheck

HP Victus 15 laptop review: Expensive for a budget gamer