choosing computer for architecture course

Looks like it will have to be more expensive, Are Lenovo any good?

39.624 cm (15.6 " LED IPS Full HD 1920 x 1080 Multi-Touch, Intel Core i7-5500U (4M Cache, 2.4 GHz), 8GB DDR3L, Intel HD Graphics 5500, 256GB SSD, WLAN 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n, Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit

It runs REALLY badly on them. I use it AutoCAD regularly, and complex models run painfully slow on mine, hence the desktop I built (ignoring the GPU, won that )

Any CPU which has the U designation after it is no good whatsoever. Those are ultra low power cpu's for conserving battery life. Realistically, an Integrated GPU is completely useless outside of web browsing/MS office etc.

Half of the kids at uni getting first class degrees use MacBook Pros and are absolutely fine running AutoCAD, in the offices I've worked at people use them for real world architectural drawings (not computationally complex things to be honest, it's not like doing a render)... Your £5K comment earlier makes me doubt you know much about 2D/3D modelling in architecture! You got any of this work online to show us? Would be nice to see.

Also I would add - do you actually NEED a computer in first year? I can't speak for other Unis, but at Oxford Brookes (where I am) everything in first year is done by hand (except for a bit of printing and essays).

If you don't need a computer in first year, wait until your second year - computer tech moves on fast.

Of you do need a computer for first year, firstly make use of the studio computers, secondly don't buy a Mac. I know that they are lovely, but they don't play well with Autodesk products. And so you will just be running windows on it, and you are still paying apple tax (plus a windows licence).

If you have the money, a workstation is great (laptop or desktop), but honestly, unless you are doing some crazy heavy renderings, you don't need to go overboard. People do fine with a £500 i7 laptop, if you can stick an SSD in there you'll be fine!

would a 13" macbook pro 2015 with a 16gb ram upgrade be enough
-2.7ghz dual core intel i5turbo boosts upto 3.1ghz
-16gb ram
-intel iris graphics
128gb flas storage (but ive got a 1TB hard drive)

what about a 15 inch macbook

Hi - do you think this spec is good enough, Apple MacBook Pro 13" retina?


Intel Core i5 2.7GHz, 256GB flash, 8GB LPDDR3, Intel Iris Graphics 6100, 33.782 cm (13.3 ") IPS, 2560x1600, 802.11ac, Bluetooth, 720p FaceTime HD, OS X Yosemite


Cheers

Would anyone happen to know what the University of Edinburgh Architecture course recommends? I've tried searching the department/school website with no luck. I would really like to buy a laptop before I depart to uni.. Honestly I've got the other specifications sorted, but just interested to know if a 15" monitor is a 'must'? Because it seems like anything above 13" starts to get a bit pricey..

I am an absolute PC noob so if someone could advise me if these are good laptops for an architecture student I would be so so grateful

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-Inspiron-15-5000-Series/dp/B00L3OA0UW/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=sustafoodrevo-21&linkCode=w01&linkId=EIHY4RUCXZFBENT7&creativeASIN=B00L3OA0UW

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Notebook-i7-4710HQ-External-GTX-860M/dp/B00LJOTNXG/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=sustafoodrevo-21&linkCode=w01&linkId=TABVFCTM2FZK3IN2&creativeASIN=B00LJOTNXG

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Full-HD-15-6-inch-i7-4510U-Bluetooth/dp/B00LLE6RW4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-Ideapad-Y500-15-6-inch-Laptop/dp/B00B2HVYRI/ref=sr_1_9?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1441470970&sr=1-9&keywords=lenovo+ideapad

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GL551JW-DS71-4720HQ-2-6-3-6GHz-Windows-7200RPM/dp/B00V95EIU8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Thanks

You are going to struggle to work on a 13" monitor.

You have two options:

1 - stop looking at macs (see my previous post about macs and autodesk software). Get a 15" PC and spend half as much as you would on a 15" macbook pro.

2 - buy a 13" macbook pro and also buy a monitor to plug it into whenever you actually want to use it. Also carry that monitor with you to the studio. /s


If you want to know the specs just call up Edinburgh uni architecture dept and ask to speak to someone about computer specs. I'm sure they'll help you out.

If getting a destop PC then go for at least a 17inch the extra screen size can usually be bought cheaply so is a good upgrade. 15inch ok for laptop for practicality by you'll be surprised by the amount of stuff you can easily pass over on a 15inch screen particularly when photo shopping. 17" desktop screen far more relaxing to work on, even a 20-21" would be nice I would have
thought.

I personally would not carry any monitor to studio though. While they are reasonably light it would get heavy lugging it in. Plus I think you would look an odd bod, I've never seen anyone do that and you'll stand out for all the wrong reasons unless being eccentric is really you're thing.

To be honest though OP won't know until he starts whether a desktop or laptop set up is the preferred option. It all depends on how the studio is set up. A studio with little PC presence (though there will be elsewhere on campus) just tables and pin up space will require a laptop. A studio full of plenty of PCs will require a desktop since you might as well use their PCs. PCs in any case are often cheaper to get a higher spec on.

FYI the "/s" after the comment about taking a monitor to the studio is a sarcasm tag. - I wasn't being serious.

Also 17" monitor on a desktop?! If you're going for a desktop 2x 23" HD monitors! I get so much more done with dual monitors on my desktop than I do on the single monitor computers in the studio. Also doesn't have all the Uni computers bloatware.

Actually I'm an overseas student so I can only go for a laptop I was originally looking at Lenovo U31 Series (I have never planned to get a MacBook as their specs are horrendous for their price..) but I guess I should get a bigger laptop. Since I kinda have a budget, would it be better to get a mid-tier 15" or a top-end 14"?

15" laptops are usually cheapest since they're the most popular. But definitely 15". It really is hard to do graphics/cad on anything smaller than a 15" full HD screen.