System for architecture student

[htfan]

Hi all!  Have a family member starting architecture school, looking for recommendations from you pros.

 

Not sure if an XPS (if there's a screen big enough) or Alienware or one of the Pro models would be a smarter choice.  You recommend AMD or Intel cpu?  Maybe more importantly, which type of dGPU?  NVIDIA or AMD?  Looking for something that'll last a bit.  

 

Thanks!

 

The school emailed some recommendations and also said they'll be using Revit in the future.

·       15” screen size recommended

·       Operating System: 64‐bit Windows 11

·       CPU Type: Intel or AMD processor with 2 GHZ or higher base core clock speed.

o   Highest single core base clock speed (GHz) is recommended

·       Memory: 32‐GB RAM (64‐GB preferred)

·       Dedicated graphics card with 6GB of video memory.

o   Accelerated Graphics (for complex Revit models and Graphic files): Graphics card with 8GB or more of video memory recommended.

§  OpenGL 4.5 or higher required.    

·       Disk Size: 1TB Solid State Drive

 

Please note: due to the intensive use of computer graphics in architecture and engineering, a dedicated graphics card is required.  Students that have ignored this by purchasing a cheaper laptop with integrated graphics have had to purchase a new laptop.

 

 

[htfan]

Haven't bought a Dell in years, still using my 7740...  Wow, their new naming scheme is confusing!

[htfan]

Looking like maybe an Alienware 16X Aurora with an Intel Ultra 7 270HX Plus or Ultra 9 290HX Plus?  And an 8GB RTX 5060 or 5070?  And then 32 or 64GB RAM.

 

How's that look?