choosing computer for architecture course
I am studying year 1 in the coming September , I would like to ask which brand or model of computer is suitable for architecture students ? What criterias do I need to consider when choosing the computer?
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Get a Dell 
Original post by Merackon
Overall, a 15inch MacBook Pro is a good move
It really isn't. Autocad's recommended system requirements are much, much higher than the max spec that a MBP15 can provide apart from the CPU, and max spec MBP's cost over 2 grand even with the student discount.
Original post by Stewie2011
Get a Dell
Pretty much. They will be as close to the only manufacturer who actually produce a laptop that will last you through your course and maintain the ability to run AutoCad well in future versions.
Key points:
You're going to need to stretch to an i7 with 4 cores/8 threads.
16GB RAM Minimum, preferably 32GB
Nvidia Workstation GPU with 2GB minimum
Resolution of 1680x1050 or higher.
Windows 7, 8.1, 10 Professional or higher versions
Dell Precision Mobile Workstations are pretty much tailored to working with AutoCad, you'd need to be looking at the M4800's (15") or M6800's (17") to last the entire duration of your degree on the one machine.
Beware though, they start heading towards the £5000 mark pretty quickly....
OR. Use the uni machines, its what they are there for..
Do you know what software you're actually going to be using?
Will depend on how you're uni is set up and how you prefer to work. Some uni tutors prefer a printout to be brought along/drawing others prefer going of what you're doing on screen. So studio sessions can be computer based or a review of each students printouts/drawings.
Loads of money can be saved by using uni computers but be sure to hunt down the decent ones with highest CPU and ram, etc. Many uni's often have computers that are old and slow hanging around or poor scanners and printers and these will do you no favours so avoid at all costs. That said many uni's often have decent computers to often in the studio though not always. Doing work in the studio means you can get to know people more and learn stuff out of lecture/timetabled studio time. Downside is that sometimes too noisy or if you're good at computers/what you're doing you risk being constantly bugged by other students asking you stuff. So if have any of these types around plead stupidity that you don't know how 'x' was done as otherwise you'll have them constantly on you're back all the way, real irritating. Personally I got a real good desktop and did most of my work in my room to avoid all that nuisance, some people can really get that annoying on these courses like you owe them a degree or are a lecturer or something. You get the, 'what's this? What's this? And that? And that there? And how do you do that? And after that? Etc, etc. If you seem to see anyone like that tell them nothing as otherwise they latch onto you or someone else and are a real pain to unattach from you.
If you decide you need the mobility of a laptop these days I would go for one with at least 3.0 ghz for CPU both for speed and rendering speed as many rendering programs use for this.
Loads of money can be saved by using uni computers but be sure to hunt down the decent ones with highest CPU and ram, etc. Many uni's often have computers that are old and slow hanging around or poor scanners and printers and these will do you no favours so avoid at all costs. That said many uni's often have decent computers to often in the studio though not always. Doing work in the studio means you can get to know people more and learn stuff out of lecture/timetabled studio time. Downside is that sometimes too noisy or if you're good at computers/what you're doing you risk being constantly bugged by other students asking you stuff. So if have any of these types around plead stupidity that you don't know how 'x' was done as otherwise you'll have them constantly on you're back all the way, real irritating. Personally I got a real good desktop and did most of my work in my room to avoid all that nuisance, some people can really get that annoying on these courses like you owe them a degree or are a lecturer or something. You get the, 'what's this? What's this? And that? And that there? And how do you do that? And after that? Etc, etc. If you seem to see anyone like that tell them nothing as otherwise they latch onto you or someone else and are a real pain to unattach from you.
If you decide you need the mobility of a laptop these days I would go for one with at least 3.0 ghz for CPU both for speed and rendering speed as many rendering programs use for this.
Original post by Stewie2011
If you decide you need the mobility of a laptop these days I would go for one with at least 3.0 ghz for CPU both for speed and rendering speed as many rendering programs use for this.
If you decide you need the mobility of a laptop these days I would go for one with at least 3.0 ghz for CPU both for speed and rendering speed as many rendering programs use for this.
Frequency of the CPU in the grand scheme of things is meaningless. The thing that is important here is the IPS.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Merackon
Also, student discount takes the MBP down o £1750,
Also, student discount takes the MBP down o £1750,
Really doesn't. Looking at the site right now, the minimum spec with a discrete GPU and the student discount applied is £1999 w/o AppleCare.
Hi - is anyone in the know?
I need help, is the spec below too low for architectures needs? I have a feeling it is way below... Thanks
Intel Core i5-5200U (3M Cache, 2.20 GHz), 33.782 cm (13.3 ") HD (1366 x 768) LED, 4GB DDR3L, 500GB SATA HDD, Intel HD Graphics 5500, Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, HD Webcam, Windows 7 Pro 64 bit
I need help, is the spec below too low for architectures needs? I have a feeling it is way below... ThanksIntel Core i5-5200U (3M Cache, 2.20 GHz), 33.782 cm (13.3 ") HD (1366 x 768) LED, 4GB DDR3L, 500GB SATA HDD, Intel HD Graphics 5500, Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, HD Webcam, Windows 7 Pro 64 bit
I've just bought a laptop for my course (Architecture in Manchester) and i've gone for a Lenovo Y50. I think it is a fairly standard setup as running modelling equipment takes a chunk of processing power.
But the specs are:
i7 4710 @ 2.5GHz
Nvidia 860m 4GB
16GB RAM
15.6" screen " 1920 x 1080 - but i have a second monitor (which is also a must as i understand).
Luckily i got this via the Amazon warehouse for nearly half the price (Brand new but the conveyor belt mangled the packaging).
Don't rush to buy a Mac because most of the software is optimised for Windows (Plus all the Uni computers are Windows).
But the specs are:
i7 4710 @ 2.5GHz
Nvidia 860m 4GB
16GB RAM
15.6" screen " 1920 x 1080 - but i have a second monitor (which is also a must as i understand).
Luckily i got this via the Amazon warehouse for nearly half the price (Brand new but the conveyor belt mangled the packaging).
Don't rush to buy a Mac because most of the software is optimised for Windows (Plus all the Uni computers are Windows).
Original post by Merackon
That spec would be acceptable for the most basic uses, but any CAD programs, or running several programs at once is going to put you in a bit of a bothersome situation because of the RAM, and the CPU / GPU combo is going to make life slower graphically and in terms of raw power for processing tasks.
Thank you. 8RAM or above then, cheers
Original post by Merackon
Are you limited by a budget? If so what is that budget? Also, to clarify on my last post, that spec you listed wouldn't be very good at all for architecture CAD programs, due to the other hardware in the system
Around £700-£900, trying to get everything for as little as possible lol
Original post by Merackon
In that case, you could try a website like PC Specialist, who do BTO laptops, where something like this (slightly over budget) would be a much better choice for architecture than the spec that you listed earlier:
http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/proteusII-15/
You can tinker around on their website, generally, as other people in this thread have said, what you want to go for is higher RAM, a strong CPU and a strong GPU.
http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/proteusII-15/
You can tinker around on their website, generally, as other people in this thread have said, what you want to go for is higher RAM, a strong CPU and a strong GPU.
Unfortunately I'm locked into a particular supplier.
If you have the time would you mind giving your opinion of this selection
Intel Core i7-4510U (2.0GHz), 39.6cm (15.6") LED 16:9 HD Active Matrix TFT Colour LCD, 8GB DDR3L SDRAM, 1TB HDD, DVD SuperMulti, Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Webcam, Windows 8.1 64-bit (Acer)
or
Intel Core i7-5500U (2.4GHz, 4MB Cache), 8GB DDR3, 1000GB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 4400 + NVIDIA GeForce 820M, WLAN 802.11 b/g, Gigabit Ethernet, Windows 8.1 (Asus)
Cheers
Original post by iainvg
It really isn't. Autocad's recommended system requirements are much, much higher than the max spec that a MBP15 can provide apart from the CPU, and max spec MBP's cost over 2 grand even with the student discount.
Pretty much. They will be as close to the only manufacturer who actually produce a laptop that will last you through your course and maintain the ability to run AutoCad well in future versions.
Key points:
You're going to need to stretch to an i7 with 4 cores/8 threads.
16GB RAM Minimum, preferably 32GB
Nvidia Workstation GPU with 2GB minimum
Resolution of 1680x1050 or higher.
Windows 7, 8.1, 10 Professional or higher versions
Dell Precision Mobile Workstations are pretty much tailored to working with AutoCad, you'd need to be looking at the M4800's (15") or M6800's (17") to last the entire duration of your degree on the one machine.
Beware though, they start heading towards the £5000 mark pretty quickly....
OR. Use the uni machines, its what they are there for..
Pretty much. They will be as close to the only manufacturer who actually produce a laptop that will last you through your course and maintain the ability to run AutoCad well in future versions.
Key points:
You're going to need to stretch to an i7 with 4 cores/8 threads.
16GB RAM Minimum, preferably 32GB
Nvidia Workstation GPU with 2GB minimum
Resolution of 1680x1050 or higher.
Windows 7, 8.1, 10 Professional or higher versions
Dell Precision Mobile Workstations are pretty much tailored to working with AutoCad, you'd need to be looking at the M4800's (15") or M6800's (17") to last the entire duration of your degree on the one machine.
Beware though, they start heading towards the £5000 mark pretty quickly....
OR. Use the uni machines, its what they are there for..
Lots of silly stuff in this post. AutoCAD runs well on MacBook Pros (although I wouldn't recommend them for architecture students), you see people using it all the time, and even over something like Boot Camp. Plus nobody on this course needs to spend £5000 on a machine. In fact the Dell laptop I'm currently writing this on has those specs you listed and it cost £1400...
I wrote this in an older post which should help people looking for a laptop for uni:
I would recommend a 15", my 17" at uni was too big, pay particular attention to having a dedicated graphics card so 3D work doesn't lag.
Lenovo are a recommended brand, Acer give you a lot of bang for buck, I've got a Dell which is excellent. I used to have a Sony which was ok but overpriced, I would avoid the beautiful MacBook because unless you pay 1500+ you'll be underpowered and specialist software is harder to find.
SSDs are noticeably good instead of a hard drive.
I would buy online for better deals and so you're not bamboozled by a dumb salesman.
Original post by steph_137
I am studying year 1 in the coming September , I would like to ask which brand or model of computer is suitable for architecture students ? What criterias do I need to consider when choosing the computer?
Interested to know, have you decided on one yet?
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!
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!
For some reason people seem to associate macbook with designing. While it may be attractively designed itself until recently some design software didn't even come with a Mac version. Personally I think you could potentially be adding another layer of difficulty in using a MacBook particularly if moving between multiple software programs etc. Think also more women go for them as they have a bit of a tarts feel to them. Though of course paying the extra grand or so over a comparable Dell may be worthwhile if you're a guy and want to get laid with a hot girl then I can see the potential!
then I can see the potential!Original post by Racoon
Unfortunately I'm locked into a particular supplier.
If you have the time would you mind giving your opinion of this selection
Intel Core i7-4510U (2.0GHz), 39.6cm (15.6") LED 16:9 HD Active Matrix TFT Colour LCD, 8GB DDR3L SDRAM, 1TB HDD, DVD SuperMulti, Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Webcam, Windows 8.1 64-bit (Acer)
or
Intel Core i7-5500U (2.4GHz, 4MB Cache), 8GB DDR3, 1000GB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 4400 + NVIDIA GeForce 820M, WLAN 802.11 b/g, Gigabit Ethernet, Windows 8.1 (Asus)
Cheers
If you have the time would you mind giving your opinion of this selection
Intel Core i7-4510U (2.0GHz), 39.6cm (15.6") LED 16:9 HD Active Matrix TFT Colour LCD, 8GB DDR3L SDRAM, 1TB HDD, DVD SuperMulti, Gigabit Ethernet, WLAN 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, Webcam, Windows 8.1 64-bit (Acer)
or
Intel Core i7-5500U (2.4GHz, 4MB Cache), 8GB DDR3, 1000GB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 4400 + NVIDIA GeForce 820M, WLAN 802.11 b/g, Gigabit Ethernet, Windows 8.1 (Asus)
Cheers
Are these from a second hand store? The spec strikes me more of a general work/browsing type of laptop. While a mundane spec is ok for word and limited cad work in all honesty for architecture work with serious cad work these machines will struggle and become frustratingly slow. In architecture everything becomes speed driven. Saving a few minutes here and there with a fast laptop can mean you get to bed at a decent time rather than still struggling through whatsshould be straightforward cad task late at night on an underpowered laptop under strain or in the studio. Crashes can occur more frequently on an underpowered machine as can staggering of viewing on-screen. So personally I would spend more on a machine or buy later in the course if possible.
Original post by Stewie2011
Are these from a second hand store? The spec strikes me more of a general work/browsing type of laptop. While a mundane spec is ok for word and limited cad work in all honesty for architecture work with serious cad work these machines will struggle and become frustratingly slow. In architecture everything becomes speed driven. Saving a few minutes here and there with a fast laptop can mean you get to bed at a decent time rather than still struggling through whatsshould be straightforward cad task late at night on an underpowered laptop under strain or in the studio. Crashes can occur more frequently on an underpowered machine as can staggering of viewing on-screen. So personally I would spend more on a machine or buy later in the course if possible.
Hi, no they are new.
Ok many thanks for the advice, much appreciated.
Original post by Stewie2011
.....
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
Original post by GormlessWonder
Lots of silly stuff in this post. AutoCAD runs well on MacBook Pros
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
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