Computer for architects
An architecture studio needs hardware for several kinds of work at once: modelling in Revit, Archicad or SketchUp, visualisation in Lumion, D5 Render or Corona and editing in Adobe applications. A well-chosen workstation handles all of these tasks without compromising on any of them.
What drives performance
One computer for modelling and visualisation
Modelling needs a processor with high clock speeds, real-time visualisation needs a strong graphics card with plenty of memory. For most studios the best compromise is a processor with 8-16 cores, an RTX 5070 Ti with 16 GB of VRAM and 64 GB of RAM.
A workstation instead of a laptop
A workstation offers clearly more performance for the same price as a laptop, runs quieter under sustained load and can later be upgraded with memory, drives or a graphics card. A laptop works well as a second computer for meetings and site visits, while heavy work stays on the workstation.
Working on several monitors
Drawings, the 3D view and documentation are usually open at the same time. All our configurations support several monitors, and RTX cards keep work smooth at high resolutions too.
Hardware for the whole team
With several seats it pays to give workstations the same configuration: it simplifies service, hardware replacement and working on shared files. Long renders can move to a render server so that designers' computers stay available.
Recommended configurations
Start is enough for SketchUp and smaller visualisations. Studio is the most common choice of architecture studios. We recommend Pro for offices that produce large visualisations and animations in-house.
All configurations →How much does a good computer for architects cost?
Example configurations for architectural work start at €1,700, and the most popular Studio workstation costs from €2,970. The final price depends on the graphics card, the amount of memory and current component prices.
Laptop or workstation for an architect?
A workstation is better for modelling and visualisation: for the same price it is clearly faster, quieter under load and easy to upgrade. A laptop is worth having as an addition for work outside the office.
What computer for SketchUp?
SketchUp mainly uses one processor core, so high clock speed matters most. The Start configuration is enough for SketchUp alone; a stronger graphics card only pays off for visualisation in Enscape, D5 Render or Lumion.