Installation & update
About program installation and update, hardware, operating systems, setup, etc.

BIM laptop?

Mats_Knutsson
Advisor
Hi,

I would like to know where to start looking for a really powerful 15" laptop for BIM? ArchiCAD+other software like Tekla Structures. Lots of IFC.

Any brand better or worse?

I'd appreciate a silent machine as well as a working touchplate. I'm currently on macbook pro but since many of the BIM-applications I will need to use occasionally are windows only I doubt it's worth the hassle of having a mac with windows. I've never seen a laptop even close in "feel" of the macbook pro but there are zillions of laptops out theere and I don't know where in the jungle to start looking.

Very thankful for input!

Cheers,
Mats
AC 25 SWE Full

HP Zbook Fury 15,6 G8. 32 GB RAM. Nvidia RTX A3000.
13 REPLIES 13
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Check this video for specs recommendation from GS (talks about both desktops and laptops, both Mac and Windows):

http://www.graphisoft.com/ftp/marketing/us/05-archicad_dream_machine/05-archicad_dream_machine.html

For hard drive I can wholeheartedly recommend an SSD drive for your system drive. If you buy a 17" laptop those usually have two slots for hard drives.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
rob2218
Enthusiast
Laz..
Link was not found?
What happened?
did it get deleted?
where can I re-locate the link?
...Bobby Hollywood live from...
i>u
Edgewater, FL!
SOFTWARE VERSION:
Archicad 22, Archicad 23
Windows7 -OS, MAC Maverick OS
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Looks like they changed its location:

http://www.graphisoft.com/ftp/marketing/us/05-archicad_dream_machine/05-archicad_dream_machine.video...
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
rob2218
Enthusiast
hello Lazslo...
it's December 2011 now...what has changed, increased, got altered since this last posting on hardware requirements?

I know everything changes so fast in the PC/MAC world that January's 2011 "good MAC's" are no longer valid in December of the same year.

Please advise.
...Bobby Hollywood live from...
i>u
Edgewater, FL!
SOFTWARE VERSION:
Archicad 22, Archicad 23
Windows7 -OS, MAC Maverick OS
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
I don't think that much has changed.
What I see changed from AC14 to AC15 requirements is that the program mainly needs more RAM and hard disk space.

AC15:
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/system_requirements/

AC14:
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/system_requirements/archicad14.html
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
Anonymous
Not applicable
Hi,

I want to buy a laptop to run ArchiCAD ... can you suggest a good brand and model around at the moment...

Many thanks
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Do you want to buy a Windows or Mac machine?
Also, what size projects do you work on mostly?
Also, how much and how advanced rendering do you plan to do?

Here is also an article from which you can start:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/RecommendedHardware
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
Anonymous
Not applicable
I want to buy a Windows laptop... was hoping for 17" monitor and a numeric keypad...16GB ram + 4GB video ram ... good resolution etc. etc. Have been looking at the Asus N76 VZ model but not sure if there are other brands that would be as good but better price?? Would also like an SSD if possible... (gosh...is that all???!!)

I work on Commercial projects - mostly small scale but do end up providing modelling and rendering help (partnering) with other firms from time to time on much larger projects.

Many thanks for your input..
stefan
Advisor
I'm quite pleased with the new Macbook Pro with SSD and 16Gb RAM.

So SSD for system & software is wholly recommended, preferably with an additional internal drive for archival & data (can be slower).

Dell has the Precision and Alienware brands, the former for CAD/3D and the latter for gaming (which is also heavy 3D). But I have never used a non-Mac laptop.

FWIW, I can run Revit 2013 through Parallels fairly smooth, while at the same time running ArchiCAD 16 and Solibri Model Checker on the OSX side. But I guess having a native Windows running will get more from the system.

As for 17" monitor > I'd stick with 15" and place a large screen on the desktop when in the office.
--- stefan boeykens --- bim-expert-architect-engineer-musician ---
Archicad28/Revit2024/Rhino8/Solibri/Zoom
MBP2023:14"M2MAX/Sequoia+Win11
Archicad-user since 1998
my Archicad Book