Top 10 Laptops For 3D Max Vray Rendering in 2021 – Reviews

3D modeling is a fascinating technology. It is used to model architecture, components for 3D printing, engineering projects, among others. Autodesk’s 3ds Max app is one of the best 3D modeling apps out there.

Veterans find it versatile, beginners may have a hard time learning at first, but it’s worth it. Vray is one of the industry standards for rendering. Everyone in the rendering, animation, visual effects, and architecture industry has interacted with VRay at some point.

For this reason, today, we will see the best laptops for Vray. Working effectively with Vray requires a powerful laptop that doesn’t slow down your workflow. A powerful GPU with lots of RAM and a powerful processor is a prerequisite.

The laptops listed here, suitable for Vray, are also suitable for running other animation, visual effects, and rendering industry applications. These include Blender, 3DS Max, Maya, Octane Render, to name a few.

Until now, the design industry has lacked a single, straightforward brand to let buyers know that a laptop has a specification that guarantees excellent performance in creative software.

That’s why Nvidia stepped in with RTX Studio, a basic markup and specification set that ensures great performance and a full experience in animation, graphic design, video, and photo editing software.

Nvidia has set the bar very high when it comes to performance. An RTX Studio laptop must have at least an Intel Core i7, 16 GB of system memory, and a 512 GB SSD. Minimum graphics requirements are GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000 or better, or Titan RTX.

It also covers the screen resolution, which cannot be lower than 1080p or 4K. With that in mind, these are what we believe are the best laptops for 3D modeling right now.

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Our pick for a brilliant low-budget purchase is this 17.3-inch HP powerhouse. This laptop comes with all the requirements you could need to render your videos!

Let’s talk about the specifications first. It is powered by a six-core Intel Core-i7 9750H processor and a high-capacity 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti Max-Q graphics card.

However, it mainly has two variations. You can choose i5 or i7 versions. It also has variations in GPUs, as you can choose GTX 1050, 1650, or 1660TI. The HP Envy comes with 8 GB of DDR4-2666 SDRAM memory.

You can also update it later. It also allows for fast booting and file transfer thanks to the 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 internal solid-state drive. The screen is also quite realistic. All these thanks to real-time ray-tracing technologies.

The screen is a 17.3-inch diagonal Full HD anti-glare IPS display with VR / MR ready. It also has a 60Hz refresh rate which is still good. However, some corners have been cut to accommodate this price range.

The big screen is an IPS panel, but it only achieves 1080p resolution instead of 4K resolution. But if you consider the big picture, very few laptops are as good at rendering as the HP Pavilion 17.

Acer’s Concept D line of laptops is aimed directly at the use of design. And the D5 concept is no different. Considered one of the best laptops for rendering, this laptop allows its users to carry a mobile workstation in their backpacks.

Particularly impressive is the 17.3-inch ConceptD 9 Pro. It’s a super-powerful rendering platform with a 6-core Intel Core i7-9750H processor and a 4GB NVIDIA Quadro T1000 RTX graphics card. However, it’s not just a beastly laptop. !

The ConceptD5 comes with a very precise 4K touchscreen. And it also has a hinge that allows you to separate the screen from the keyboard, turning it into a portable desktop computer.

In storage, and it has a 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD. The RAM section is also standard, containing 16 GB of 2666 MHz DDR4 memory. And the exhibition was a feast for our eyes. All thanks to the 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD screen!

Overall, the Acer conceptD5 is a perfect laptop for all things rendering. While the price is slightly higher than expected, you can pay that much for a workstation-grade product, right?

Then we have the MacBook Pro, the favorite laptop of the masses. The MacBook Pro is equipped with all the features needed for rendering. Let’s take a closer look! Before we talk about the processor, let’s talk a bit about RAM and storage.

While it’s no surprise that Apple offers more RAM and storage with its MacBook, you can now get up to 8TB of SSD storage and 64GB of RAM. It’s crazy! However, the MacBook Pro has basic storage and RAM of 512 and 8 GB, respectively.

Now let’s move on to the processor. Here we have an Intel Core i7 Hexa-Core Gen-9 processor. The two combined form a solid duo for rendering! And as always, the MacBook Pro comes equipped with a Retina display.

The screen measures 16 inches. Pixel sensing technology enhances the pixels to deliver even clear images and color matches. The 12-hour battery life on a full charge is also excellent!

Overall, we like the MacBook for what it is, a perfect match. Although it is a bit pricey, you will surely find a place for this laptop in your work setup.

If you’re looking to go a bit cheap, the Dell XPS 15 isn’t a bad choice. While it doesn’t have all of the really high specs you might be looking for, they’re good enough to get your normal rendering.

The Dell XPS 15 has a few things on its own. It has a 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750h processor. The processor can be boosted up to 4.5 GHz. It also has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5, which performs quite well for rendering.

This laptop also comes with 16GB of DDR4-2666MHz and 1TB of SSD so that you can expect blazingly fast speed from this laptop. This laptop also has the feature of a fingerprint reader and a backlit keyboard. We also liked the backup battery, as it ran at 10 hours on a full charge.

The screen has a 15.6 ″ 4K UHD display with an InfinityEdge anti-glare touch. It has 100% Adobe RGB and a super high brightness level of 500 nits. The infinity screen gives the impression that there are no borders!

The inclusion of the full ROG Zephyrus M is still expected if we consider high-end gaming and 3D modeling. While you may find RAM support a bit basic for all of the existing requirements, the device performs very well, thanks to an advanced datasheet.

The current 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H SoC brings six cores and a turbo clock speed of 4.5 GHz. While it supports multithreading to handle AutoCAD and other demanding applications easily, the show stealer is NVIDIA’s powerful GeForce RTX 2070 GPU.

The existing GPU with 8 GB of VRAM can support window rendering involving the GPU accelerometer. Support for 16GB of RAM is conventional but very nifty. Asus takes care of the storage needs with the 1TB PCIe SSD (fact: PCIe is the fastest type of SSD).

The 15.6-inch 1080p screen is excellent to watch. However, ASUS eliminates motion blur and response issues with the 240Hz 3ms screen refresh rate. The ultra-thin 6.2mm bezels further amplify the quality of the existing IPS panel.

The structural innovation is exemplary with Asus with dust-proof cooling technology, with improved heat pipes and cooling fans. This device weighs only 4.4 pounds and even displays a metal frame.

Port management is fairly comprehensive, and the company offers USB 3.1 Gen 1, Gen 2 ports, and other essential output locations.

BATTERY

Battery life at 4 hours isn’t great, and you’ll want to stay plugged in if there are any deadlines to meet. In addition to the existing system configuration, you also get built-in speakers, an HD webcam, and standard microphones.

In short, the ROG Zephyrus M is a great device with a more than powerful GPU at the helm.

If you think a professionally designed laptop should be built like a tank, Lenovo’s ThinkPad line is probably the one for you. The (now classic) layout is one of the best keyboard and trackpad combinations on laptops, and it stands out with the inclusion of a physical number pad.

While the 3D capabilities of this affordable 2019 model may not be on par with big laptops, they’re certainly enough to get you out of 3D without having to fork out a fortune.

You get the 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 16GB of system memory, and the Nvidia Quadro P1000 graphics card for a reasonable price. While the Nvidia Quadro is slightly lower in performance than the RTX 2060, it surely gets the job done.

The Lenovo Thinkpad P52 put all of its money into the processor. And it will surely speed up the rendering time thanks to its 6 cores. Meanwhile, you will be amazed at how fast this laptop works, thanks to its 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD storage.

Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad P52 is a great model at an even higher price point. It’s one of those devices that doesn’t get old and does its job perfectly.

If you are looking for power, precision, and performance simultaneously, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is the perfect device on the market. Despite the intensive hardware for high-end games, it’s the dual-screen mode that gets the most attention.

Intel Core i9-9980HK processor is the fastest processor for 3D modeling. While the 9th generation Intel chipsets offer a decent base clock and high turbo clock speeds, the availability of 8 processor cores is sufficient to handle demanding modeling and rendering tasks.

Along with turbocharged clock speeds of up to 5.0 GHz and multithreaded technology, the machine is also stacked on a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6 GB of VRAM.

This unit helps you better run complex CAD applications such as CATIA and Maya, in addition to helping transparent 3D renderings using the GPU accelerometer.

Most 3D modelers work with massive data sets, and that’s why the 32GB RAM support on this device should work like a charm.

Additionally, final renderings and 3D files can take up a lot of disk space. That’s why Asus introduces a 1TB SSD that even loads the Windows 10 operating system faster than expected.

OTHER DETAIL

Other encouraging specs include support for Wi-Fi 6, followed by support for accelerated ray tracing, thanks to CPU-GPU cohesion. The device appears to be underpowered in the battery department, and the module is capable of only 4 hours of constant backup.

All in all, this Asus device is a perfect bet for 3D modelers and CAD experts, thanks to an outstanding processing conglomerate and unmatched ability to run demanding software and render engines.

For starters, the MSI P65 Creator has a powerful Intel Core i7-9750H processor with a base clock speed of up to 2.6 GHz. On top of that, you also get an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM.

Great processing hardware makes it easy for you to use renderers like IRAY that use both CPU and GPU power to get the best results. MSI offers 32 GB of RAM, which supports the CPU-GPU combination in the best possible way.

3D modelers require massive RAM and VRAM support to handle demanding projects, followed by the availability of lightning-fast SSDs. So this device will not let you down and offers a 1TB SSD storage drive to handle larger files.

Although it is getting the Windows 10 Home version as a featured operating system, the company does offer several additional benefits for the creator.

These include multiple system modes, ray tracing support for 3D modeling and rendering, AI-assisted photo enhancements, enhancement, and more. The 15.6-inch UHD display is fascinating.

The overall screen resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels makes way for sharper viewing angles. MSI also has anti-reflective technology that minimizes eye strain. The company also allows you to decode 8K videos via REDLINE-X Pro graphics support.

OTHER DETAIL

Other highly innovative specs include a backlit keyboard, an integrated touchpad that determines gestures, a powerful HD webcam, built-in speakers, and a range of built-in microphones.

Although meticulously crafted from industrial-grade aluminum, this durable workstation still weighs 4.19 pounds. The port layout is also quite holistic, as the device displays USB 3.1 Type-A slots, a Thunderbolt 3 port, and other legacy sockets.

The 8-hour battery backup is more than decent, especially if you like 3D modeling with apps like Maya, Corona, Otoy and constantly draining the system. All in all, this is more than just a device proficient at performing CAD and other graphics-intensive tasks.

The Acer Predator Helios 300 is one of the best devices for 3D modeling when most consider it a gaming device. Whether it is high-end 3D modeling applications like 3D Max, Maya, and Revit, this device has the processing power to handle modeling and render easily.

The Intel Core i7-10750H processor enables faster modeling with turbo clock speeds of up to 5 GHz, the load on the chipset is significantly reduced thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6 GB of VRAM.

Acer has 16 GB of RAM, which makes it easier to process the SoC in question. Most modern applications involved in 3D modeling use multiprocessors which eventually give way to faster renderings. Therefore, considerable RAM support is required.

The final models require a lot of storage space, and Acer does the same with the 512 GB SSD. The existing super-fast storage drive also loads the Windows 10 Home operating system faster than usual.

The 15.6-inch 1080p display is more of a visual treat. However, there is no lag or motion blur as the IPS panel features a 144Hz refresh rate followed by an excellent 3ms overdrive response. Acer also makes room for the 72% color gamut, making room for sharper viewing angles.

OTHER DETAIL

Other innovative specs include the 4-zone RGB powered backlit keyboard, followed by the innovative Predator Sense console that lets you change fan speed, profiles, and overclock frequency to suit your needs.

Apart from that, Acer also has built-in speakers, a powerful HD webcam, an interactive touchscreen, and an efficient array of microphones.

Overall, Acer’s Predator Helios 300 deserves a special mention, thanks to the powerful graphics processor and an interactive display better suited for free-flow 3D modeling and other forms of computer-aided design.

If you have enough bulky devices for 3D modeling, it’s time to consider something more sophisticated on the Microsoft Surface Book 2. The multi-core Intel Core i7-8650U processor powers the device with a base clock speed of up to 1.9 GHz.

Despite the average base clock speed, this 2-in-1 performs as expected, thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU. On top of that, you also get 6GB of VRAM, making it one of the best devices on the market for rendering 3D windows.

Microsoft provides 16 GB of RAM, which helps the multi-core processor model in 3D and easily handles high-end Autodesk and ANSYS applications. However, it’s still safe to say that this device primarily supports basic 3D modeling and CAD indulgences.

The storage needs are perfectly handled by the 512GB SSD, which also ensures that the Windows 10 operating system loads as quickly as possible. The 15-inch PixelSense display with multi-touch support is one of the more powerful additions, making room for sharper images.

The existing PixelSense technology is extremely bright and gives way to excellent color reproduction. Content creation is now easier than ever with this device featuring a removable backlit keyboard.

Microsoft is sweetening the pot even further for 3D modelers with a responsive touchpad at the helm. On top of that, you also get premium speakers, a handy webcam, and a built-in microphone to boost productivity.

OTHER DETAIL

Microsoft Surface Book 2 is one of the better-looking gadgets on our list, with a manageable weight of 4.20 pounds. Connectivity specs abound with the Surface Book 2, which includes four USB Type-C ports to increase functionality.

What stands out, however, is the battery, thanks to the 17-hour reserve. The Surface Book 2 is both fun and powerful, best suited to handle basic 3D modeling tasks.

BUYER GUIDE

To let you know what makes a great laptop for 3Ds Max, we’re going to put some important attributes or specs that you need to consider in a laptop. These suggestions are for a minimal installation on the 3Ds Max that is working properly.

Try to get the ideal specs. If you can’t find a good budget, put yourself in the middle and don’t buy a laptop that only installs heavy software.

Laptop System Requirements for 3D Max

Processor / CPU: Autodesk 3ds Max is a very resource-intensive application. As such, you need a fast processor that can handle simultaneous calculations at the same time. Autodesk recommends a 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core processor that supports SSE4.2.

Graphics Card / GPU – See the list of 3ds Max Certified Hardware. To run the latest Autodesk 3ds Max 2020, you need a powerful GPU for the best results.

RAM: Ideally, the more RAM, the better the results. Autodesk sets a minimum of at least 4 GB and recommends 8 GB or more for best results. We recommend that the RAM be DDR4 or higher.

Display: Advanced definition and ultra-advanced definition displays give the best results. They give a sharp and crisp picture from any direction.

CPU:

We tried to check the official website for the processor hardware requirements for AutoDesk 3Ds Max, but it was unclear which processor would be the best to handle 3Ds Max rendering.

You just mentioned that a multicore processor with SSE4.1 support is required to run this program. Modeling and rendering are CPU-intensive operations. You need a high-frequency multicore processor.

Tasks mainly consume a single kernel for modeling, rendering, design, and animation tasks. It is better to opt for a processor with fewer cores but a high clock frequency rather than several cores and a low clock frequency.

We recommend that you purchase the 8th generation Core i5 processor as the minimum processor to handle the operation that the 3Ds Max software launches on your laptop.

The ideal case would be to buy a 10th gen Core i7 processor; in this case, it can handle all the complex 3D modeling, rendering, editing, authoring, and design tasks without lag or freezing.

RAM:

AutoDesk’s official website mentions 4 GB as the minimum RAM size to install and consume 3Ds Max. Try once to install and run the application with 4GB RAM, and it will be difficult to shut down the laptop.

At least 8 GB of RAM is required to smoothly handle the operation that an AutoDesk 3Ds Max launches on a laptop. It will be easier to edit the tasks, make them smooth and create them smoothly.

It will be recommended to host at least 16 GB of RAM to run this software without any problem. You can perform multiple operations at the same time in addition to 3Ds Max.

For professionals, this involves high-resolution rendering and handling complex multi-layered projects. 32 GB of RAM is recommended.

Graphics Card:

The graphics card, also known as a GPU, is one of the most important attributes to look for in a laptop for 3Ds Max. A graphics processor is needed to handle graphics management when it comes to creating models and modifying or rendering them.

While the processor also comes with integrated graphics, that would only support less visual-intensive tasks. To use 3Ds Max as a professional, you need a professional graphics card. For novice users, the GTX 960M is said to be required.

For professionals looking to handle professional-scale 3D modeling, rendering, design, and development tasks, it’s good to settle for a more powerful graphics card like the GTX 1060.

FHD Screen:

For content creation, it is recommended to have a large screen laptop. On a large screen with Full HD resolution, you will be able to see an in-depth view of the model or sketch you are working on.

So it is essential to have at least one FHD screen. If you can invest in it, try to take a UHD screen laptop with better sharpness and better viewing angles.

Storage:

The makers of 3Ds Max recommend 6 GB of free space to install this program. The ideal storage for using a laptop for modeling and rendering 3Ds Max is at least 256 GB SSD storage.

You will design complex projects that take up a lot of storage space. You may need to work on a business project with several GB of space; It will be easier to work on these projects with large SSD storage.

Don’t settle for hard drive storage, and they are not good for a pro dealing with heavy programs like 3Ds Max. So stick with SSD storage. Spend more if you have to. It’s worth it.

Windows laptops are good for 3Ds Max:

Another thing that Windows laptops are good for is modeling and rendering tasks. Yes, Windows compatibility is impressive for this software as compared to Linux or Mac.

A good Windows laptop will be nice to get your hands on for smooth rendering or modeling performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important feature to look for in a laptop for 3D modeling?

While there are various features like screen refresh rate, GPU, etc., the older attribute must be CPU, albeit with a base turbo and clock speed higher.

Improved clock speeds help you unlock hidden features and processor performance, allowing for better animations, 3D modeling, and computer-aided design.

Can you use a gaming laptop for 3D modeling?

In most cases, a gaming laptop is a good choice for basic 3D modeling and rendering. However, when it comes to handling high-end AI-assisted rendering or display window rendering, even gaming laptops can lag in power, support OpenGL and DirectX, and lack scalability.

What is the desired RAM value to take advantage of mid-range and high-end 3D modeling?

In most cases, professional 3D artists prefer at least 32GB of RAM, especially when it comes to polygonal meshes, complex rendering, ray tracing, and other complex activities.

However, for professionals wanting to get into 3D modeling or basic graphic design shapes, 16GB will also suffice.

What is the main dissimilarity between NVIDIA GeForce and NVIDIA Quadro GPUs?

Despite a similar architecture, Quadro GPUs have additional computing power as the drivers are designed to accommodate graphics-intensive 3D modeling.

GeForce cards, including RTX and GTX, are powerful, but mostly just for gaming. Quadro boards are standard workstation units used primarily by production managers, architects, and other 3D modelers.

Which processor is the best for 3ds Max?

According to AutoDesk officials, 3Ds Max requires a multi-core processor with a high clock speed. In other words, at least a quad-core processor is needed, and to handle rendering work efficiently, a high base clock speed is required.

In my experience, this will be ideal if you get practical Core i7 coffee lake processors. They are known to handle complex objects and operations. They come with a high base clock speed and help render large data sets without major issues.

Is a graphics card required for 3ds Max?

Yes, the graphics card is required. For a novice user, maybe the Gtx 970M can help. And for the professional user working on a professional project, it is necessary to have a good graphics card like the GTX 1060 Ti.

If you want perfect fluidity, we would recommend the GT 1650 graphics card with Turing architecture support.

Final Thoughts:

Here is the list of the best laptops for 3Ds Max rendering. After a thorough search, this list is selected; we hired several modelers, animators, and CAD experts before choosing these laptops.

These laptops meet all the requirements to run 3Ds Max and other CAD applications and programs. You can count on them to visually pass the heaviest tasks. They’re mostly gaming laptops, and you know, low-tampering gaming laptops can be incorporated into just about anything.

The options added to the list are the most expensive products. These models cost arms and legs, and some are also inexpensive. It would be a good idea to go once in a lifetime and get an awesome electronic part that will be with you for a long time to handle your CAD work.