Need a uni laptop that can handle photo and video editing, 3-dimensional rendering, and graphical intensive programs? It’s a hard (and expensive) juggle.
Fellow member of The Connected, Henry H, is seeking a more beefy laptop for his upcoming studies in an engineering degree at university. With a budget of $3000, and an electrical major requiring a computer which can handle 3D rendering software, which are the best laptops that strikes the best balance between the every day lecture and graphical prowess?
THE CRITERIA
Thanks for writing in, Henry. While your needs are a bit of a niche for the typical uni student, many creative and technology courses do require using processor and graphical heavy programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, AutoCad, Solid Edge and CineRender, just to name a few.
Nonetheless, I would recommend that you adhere along the lines of the following specifications:
- Quad-core Intel i7 processor or higher (newer generation line-up are preferred) provides performance in heavily dependent applications on the central processing unit (CPU) – especially vital for faster and higher quality renderings
- Nvidia GTX 1050ti graphics processing unit (GPU) with 4GB memory or higher allows 3D modelling programs to perform tasks smoother with less lag (note: not related to renderings)
- 256GB solid state drive (SSD) storage and 16GB of RAM or higher allows the storage of both personal and work files, fast boot-up times, and the ability to multi-task with several processes running at once without slow down – especially important during rendering.
- 13″-15″ 1080p display or higher ensures that the screen is large enough to work precisely in models, while maintaining portability in and around the campus
Moreover, I would suggest avoiding looking at Apple MacBooks. The most powerful 15″ MacBook Pro is simply overpriced and compromised for your needs, not to mention that macOS typically doesn’t support every third party application on the market. To add, you may consider buying two laptops – one mainstream and one dedicated to gaming – which is explained further down this article. You might be surprised of what you can achieve for $3000.
BEST OVERALL: Razer Blade Base (128GB) – $2,699AUD
As a whole, the recently launched ‘budget’ model of the Razer Blade, called the ‘Base’, may be the most suitable laptop. Under budget, the Blade Base contains all the power you need with 16GB of RAM; a beastly six-core 8th generation Intel Core i7-8750H processor – perfect for undergoing renderings – and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q Design graphics card (aka inferior to a proper 1060, but superior to a 1050ti), featuring 6GB of GDDR5 VRAM, and Optimus Technology which saves battery life by adaptively switching between the included low-power Intel GPU and the power sapping Nvidia GPU. This is a vital feature as it allows you to use a high-powered laptop, with the typical battery span of the mainstream notebook when you’re just document typing. Reduced battery life is a common caveat of choosing a gaming laptop.
In terms of storage, there’s a measly 128GB SSD, only good for running the operating system to yield faster boot-up times, but it’s also matched to a whopping 1TB hard disk drive (HDD) for storing all your personal and university files, plus the all-important engineering and rendering applications, albeit being slower. This is all displayed on a non-touch bright and colour accurate 15.6″ 1080p 60Hz IPS screen with thin 4.9mm bezels, in a laptop profile measuring 16.8mm thin, weighing in at around 2.05kg. This all means that there’s a great large display to complete your work, while also being more compact and lighter for a sub-16″ laptop for better portability at university. Furthermore, the usual note-taking tasks would be a breeze on the Blade Base with a praised large glass precision trackpad, and decent keyboard and key travel with Razer’s signature RGB Chroma backlighting. Ports are plentiful with a single HDMI 2.0; a future-proof USB-C with Thunderbolt 3; three USB-A 3.1; a Mini Display; Ethernet; and headphone jack. There’s no SD card slot, though.
The Razer Blade Base would be my first recommendation as it’s powerful, more portable, and under budget for your needs. However, while the Blade has been well-acclaimed by reviewers, its thin form does mean that the laptop – particularly on the base – does get hot quickly when pushed under load, a typical compromise for thermal management. Also, predecessor models of the Blade hasn’t had the best reputation for reliability and longevity, exacerbated by passable customer support and a sub-par one year warranty only. It’s unknown whether the Singaporean company has rectified reliability with the current newer models. Nonetheless, it’s still a great all-rounder laptop for uni students needing to run 3D modelling, rendering, and video editing programs.
RUNNER-UP: Alienware m15 – $2,999AUD
As an all-new model to Dell’s Alienware line up, the m15’s main goal is to finally deliver a thinner gaming laptop, similarly to the Razer Blade Base. It’s a decent alternative with the same prowess as the Razer: 16GB RAM, running on a six-core 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU. However, its $300 extra price tag is offset with a fully-fledged Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB GDDR5 vRAM – not a dumbed-down Max-Q. This is particularly useful for programs requiring 3D work, motion/animations and gaming, but not renderings; that’s up to the CPU.
The m15 nearly replicates the Razer in the storage department as well with a 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD, but also includes a 8GB solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD) to cache HDD data, slightly improving performance by keeping copies of the most frequently used data on the faster SSD. The 15.6″ 1080p 60Hz IPS display is also bright and great with narrow bezels, it is 17.9mm thick and weighs in at 2.17kg – which is less portable than the Razer. The keyboard is also comfortable with Alienware’s RGB ‘AlienFX Lighting Zones’ and an average trackpad for a laptop. Additionally, a HDMI 2.0; single USB-C Thunderbolt 3; three USB-A 3.1; headphone jack; ethernet by ‘Killer’; Mini Display ports; and Alienware’s own ‘Graphics Amplifier’ for adding external GPU’s are housed in the chassis, but again, no SD Card here to be seen. To note, Alienware does use a superior Wi-Fi chip than the Razer’s Intel modem, the Killer Wireless 1550, so you’ll get better internet coverage at home and on campus if the signals are weak. Though, it’s not the most compelling reason to validate the extra cost over the Razer.
Reviews of the m15 conclude that, as with thin gaming laptops, the base gets hot when stressed, and the audio quality from the built-in speakers are tinny and low quality. Ditto Razer, only one year of warranty is provided by Dell. To add, battery life is shorter given it lacks Nvidia’s Optimus battery saving feature, but could survive on a normal uni day. Despite packing a better GPU, the Alienware m15 is still inferior to the Razer Blade in many respects. Though, it’s worth noting that Dell do give frequent price discounts; look out for those. It’s heavier, more expensive, and hard to warrant the additional price tag. That is unless you adore its ostentatious Nebula Red colour option.
UNIQUE OPTION: Asus Rog Zephyrus M (GU501GM) – $3,299AUD
Looking for a more uniquely designed powerful laptop? Queue the Asus Rog Zephyrus M, packing 16GB of RAM, the same 8th gen Intel Core i7-8750H six-core CPU, and the full Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB GDDR5 vRAM. So in the power department, the Zephyrus is more than capable.
Storage-wise, there’s a larger 256GB SSD which works in unison with the 1TB HDD to allow fast boot-up and transfer times, while also storing abundant documents and installed applications. The display is also the best in this shortlist, spanning 15.6″ of 1080p but with a refresh rate of 144hZ, meaning that every single movement on the screen is silky, buttery smooth. But why choose the Zephyrus? It’s design with copper accents and a brushed aluminium finish. While it is over budget, and is thicker and heavier at 20mm and 2.45kg respectively, there’s an unashamedly square and angular aesthetic and somehow, at least superficially, seems to be very thin. While both the Razer and Alienware are plagued with thermal issues in the base due to their thin profiles, the Zephyrus tries to amend this by automatically lifting up the keyboard deck when the clamshell is open to allow air flowing through the bottom. In reality, it does improve temperatures, though not dramatically. The keyboard and trackpad are also decent with Asus’ RGB backlighting. Ports include a single HDMI 2.0; USB-C with Thunderbolt 3; a whopping four USB-A 3.1 inputs; and a headphone jack. Same story here: no SD card slot for expanding memory, but at least you do get an extra handy USB-A compared to the above-mentioned.
The negatives? Again, it’s over budget at the normal recommended retail price (RRP), less mobile and versatile due to its larger thickness and heavier weight, and reviews also conclude that battery life is quite short with around three hours of continuous web surfing, according to Laptop Mag. Reaching for the power outlet while on campus may be a commonality with the Zephyrus. There’s only one year of warranty, again. Nevertheless, it is a unique option with more storage, a much better display, and extra USB-A port.
CHEAPER ‘SLEEPER’: HP Envy x360 15″ – $2,199AUD
If you demand a more cheaper, more mainstream, and a more portable alternative, the Envy x360 15″ can also be considered. Given your course doesn’t demand too much graphical prowess, the Envy is still capable of completing fast renderings with a quad-core (not six) 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U processor matched with a lesser-powered Nvidia MX150 GPU at 4GB. While this graphics card isn’t built for intense gaming, it can sustain the usual 3D modelling or video editing work with ease, though it doesn’t give the most assurance given the tasks and applications required in your engineering course is an unknown. Moreover, it comes standard with 16GB of RAM, in addition to another 16GB of Intel Optane Memory, a special feature to cache storage in order for use as proper RAM. Technically, this equates to 32GB of RAM, more than enough for university needs.
However, the Envy only comes with a 1TB HDD; as a result, boot and transfer speeds are a little slower, but is sped up by Intel Optane and is still highly capacious. To add, it’s all displayed on a 15.6″ 1080p 60Hz touchscreen with an included stylus for note-taking. These are practical features to have in a student laptop, and the Envy can also be flipped 360 degrees around to be used as a casual gigantic tablet. Not being a gaming laptop, it’s relatively thin at only 18.9mm, weighing 2.04kg. Note that the latter isn’t a far cry from the Razer – which is significantly more robust and powerful. The keyboard and trackpad are average, not terribly impressive but adequate. On the Envy’s sides are a HDMI 2.0; USB-C; two slow and sluggish USB-A 2.0’s; a headphone jack; and a micro SD card reader.
Reviewers have criticised the Envy having a wobbly and loose hinge struggling to support its sub-16″ size, a dim and uninspiring display, and sub-par battery life compared to its mainstream competitors. Laptop Mag tested a continuous web surfing loop and yielded around six hours; it should last a full working day. As per usual, one year warranty is included. Overall, if you don’t need too much power and willing to make some compromises, the Envy x360 15″ is decent and worth a look thanks to the GPU.
TWO LAPTOP ALTERNATIVE: HP Pavilion x360 14″ + Dell G5 – $2,898AUD (total)
Surprisingly, you can get two decent value laptops under your budget, without resorting to the ‘fancier’ all-rounder’s. Since high-powered laptops are typically heavier and unwieldy with sub-par battery life, choosing a normal mainstream laptop and a budget gaming laptop can be considered – that is if you can lunge around two laptops when the latter is needed.
At $799 RRP, the HP Pavillion x360 14″ base model already has good build quality, the usual (and convenient) array of ports, and a touchscreen which can be flipped around for tablet-style use. There’s also 8GB RAM, a 128GB SSD (enough for storing work files), and a low-powered dual-core Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415U which does the usual word processing and typing just fine. More importantly, it has thin bezels – meaning that its size is quite compact, is 20.5mm thin, and is a measly 1.59kg light. Yes, you will find the laptop slow down when pushed with countless windows and browser tabs open, and the only 720p display is washed-out and uninspiring, but it’s dirt cheap, portable, and great value. To note, you can also pick an even cheaper laptop, or even a Chromebook, according to your own preference to save even more money – just be willing to make compromises in every department to get at least a half-decent laptop for tertiary school.
Add the Dell G5 gaming laptop and you’ve got a value combination. At $2,199 RRP, the top-spec G5 can be used at uni when you truly need the power for those 3D modelling and power-hungry applications. For your money, it comes with 16GB RAM, an 8th Generation Intel quad-core i7-8750H processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max Q with 6GB vRAM GPU, and a 256GB SSD with a 1TB HDD. It’s definitely not a portable machine with a gargantuan form at 24.95mm thick and is over 2.65kg, the battery life is short, and the trackpad isn’t leading, but I guess it would be carried and used on a casual basis – not always – only when you need the oomph. There’s also frequent discounts from Dell, and you can also opt for the G7 for a six-core CPU. Of course, you can also save some case by choosing a cheaper spec model with less RAM and a GTX 1050ti GPU, if you wish.
If you’re willing to purchase and own two laptops, it can be considered to have a ‘normal’ laptop without battery or portability compromises, but still have the power of a gaming laptop on a separate device. Other than this, the above-mentioned all-in-one gaming laptops would suffice better for your needs.
The Bottom Line
In summary, the best recommendation for you, Henry H, is the Razer Blade Base; it’s simply a great all-rounder for portability and power. While it isn’t the best value for money for a laptop holistically, I believe that it strikes the best balance for any student in need of a bit more power.
However, if you value value (pardon the repetition), consider buying two budget-orientated laptops, as there isn’t much compromise at all if you accept that two laptops will be in your hands, rather than one.
Honourable mentions go to the Dell XPS 15; Dell Inspiron 15; Surface Book 2 13″ and 15″; MSI GP63 Leopard; MSI PS42; and the HP Spectre X360 15. These are all appropriate devices for video editing, animation and 3D rendering alike, but aren’t the best in value, over-priced, and/or under-spec’d for tertiary students demanding a more powerful laptop.
*All prices, models, and specifications listed are as of Janurary, 2019, and is subject to change.
The Connected by Henry Man 