Graphic card requirements

[Sandramuller]

I need to replace my laptop (very old) and want to ensure things work smoothly.

I had a look at the recommendations.

https://graphisoft.com/resources-and-support/system-requirements/

However the graphic card specs are not so easy to fulfill  without spending  lots of money.

Projectwise we do residential, sometimes up to 5 units max. 

Would people say the recommendations are accurate or over the top?

[scottjm]

What are the specs of your current laptop? How well do projects run on that laptop?

For that size projects I would think an i5 with a low grade dedicated graphics card like an RTX 500 4Gb world be your absolute minimum specs. 

it’s really about how long you are willing to stare at a loading screen. 

[Sandramuller]

My laptop is at least 13 years old and was running archicad until 2 years ago (it did not have the normal spec) when I changed job and didnt need to work with my private laptop for the old company. 

[rakurs]

I would say that the recommended / required specs are ok-ish. I don't think the video card requirements are high - you might be able to get away with an integrated GPU but you should choose the CPU wisely then, the one with a decent iGPU should be a priority.

Discrete GPU will always be better in a laptop, however. If you're on a budget, don't look for professional graphics cards. Use a consumer card and, if you choose an NVIDIA GPU, which are in large majority, you can install Studio driver, which is geared towards professional users, increasing stability and compatibility.

Also, do your research not to overpay for an overheating laptop with a power-insatiable CPU. It will become too loud under stress, and might even introduce stability issues. Build quality is rather important.

Finally, if possible, don't work on a laptop primarily. Use a desktop computer, or at least use desktop peripherals with your laptop docked - a keyboard, a mouse, and, most importantly, a large monitor if possible. Personally, I use an ultrawide (34") which is curved (not too aggressively) and it doesn' bother me in the slightest, and I plan to buy a bigger one (38") when the wallet allows it, but your mileage may vary.