Need a laptop reccomendation

Justin Presson

Justin Presson

Well-Known Member
I do not own a computer. I do everything from my phone. I want to move into making folding knives more and want to be able to use some sort of auto cad program to design them. I just want a super cheap laptop that would be good for this. I have not bought a computer in 15 years.
Any help would be appreciated.

JP
 
Got a friend who is a computer nerd. Ask him/her and tell them what you want to be able to do with it. Can't go to the store anymore and get a good assessment, cause no matter what you tell them they are going to recommend the most expensive.

Their use to be online sites that you could feed the info into about what you want the PC to do and it would come back with several recommendations but, I am not sure they still have them!! I can't advise you because I can't keep up with the technology as fast as it changes now days!
 
Honestly, most newer computers and laptops will "run" CAD "ok", though if you get into some really detailed rendering, you'll start noticing some lag, especially in 3D. Don't settle for less than 8 gigs of RAM (more is better, up to what your system can handle), a decent graphics card, and at least a dual core processor. A solid state hard drive will be fastest, but if you want to save a few bucks and have a little more capacity, go with a 7200rpm drive.

I'd also get a decent mouse. There are mice specifically designed for CAD functionality, but you can also get by ok with just a standard 5 or 6 button mouse, vs, just trying to use a really basic mouse, or (God forbid) the touchpad.

As for brands to stay away from, or best brands for the money, there are all kinds of opinions on that. I have a Dell laptop, but I got a good deal on it. Generally, they're overpriced for what you get. I think Asus is a pretty good values for the money, though not everybody agrees. Most would probably say to stay away from HP and Acer, though some of their higher end machines aren't terrible, IMO.

Personally, I like working off of a larger screen. My laptop is 17", but having external monitors (a dock station with dual screens can be REALLY nice) is also an option.

As for programs, Fusion 360 is really hard to beat for the price (free for hobbyists and startups), or if you're just doing primarily 2d CAD, draftsight is free, and pretty fully featured.
 
My first question would be what's your budget in dollars? Super cheap to one person may be pricey to another.

I work on computers for a living, systems admin stuff mostly. Most of our end users are Engineers who do a tremendous amount of both 2D and 3D design. Personally I don't think a super cheap laptop and 3D CAD can be done together. Though you can do 2D somewhat on a cheap laptop with 16 Gigs of RAM.

Our shop is all Dell and they are a bit on the expensive side but worth the money in my opinion. I can't say much about other brands though I've bought Asus in the past for personal use with good success. Currently my home computers I build myself.

Do you really need a laptop? You can get much more bang for the buck if you go to a desktop unit. You also have a wider choice of Graphics cards to choose from in a desktop. (Though choosing between the different Graphics cards can be a bewildering experience even for a Pro)

I would definitely recommend a Solid State Hard drive. You can get up to 500 Gig SSD's now for a reasonable price. Even 1 Terabyte SSD's are available but they aren't cheap.

Monitors. At least one external monitor. 24" is a good size. Two are even better.

Mice. Mice are very personal. I actually detest the track balls that a lot of our engineers use. Stick with a traditional five button mouse until you've had some time to get everything else hashed out. Then maybe consider a more advanced mouse designed for CAD.

For software Fusion 360 would also be my recommendation. We use AutoCAD LT and PTC Creo where I work. But they are both super expensive for a home user.

Hopefully you have a computer savvy friend that can help you through some of this. If not, keep asking questions here. I'm probably biased towards professional level stuff, where as others here may have some insights into less expensive ways to accomplish what you want.
 
Thanks guys!
Now that I think about it I really don't need a laptop I could do a conventional desk top unit I just thought the lap top would be nice to have so I could watch the kids and move it around but not a must have.
 
Personally, I think a good desktop is far more user friendly than a laptop for CAD use. Way back when I purchased my first Gateway desktop, it sent me on a path...... it failed within a couple of months, and I was so ticked that I decided from that point on, I would build my own. I've since built every computer we've owned, and have never spent more then $600 for any of the systems I've built. .... and they've all been "top end" computers.

I agree with Andrew on specs....... CAD is demanding work for a computer..... trying to use a computer who's components are not up to the task for running CAD software is frustrating at best. Here's the thing.... the vast majority of ready made/commercially available computers are built for either general purpose (web browsing/word processing)... or for gaming.... of the two, the "gaming" machines are more geared towards CAD use, as they usually have more robust CPUs, and tend to come with more RAM. Personally I prefer a 6-8 core, higher end CPU, and always use 16Gb ram or more for any system I build.

When it comes to brands, that's really nothing more than a sticker/badge on the computer's case..... internal components are the key. There are basically two varieties of desktop computers...... AMD or Intel based (CPU brand). Personally, I favor AMD because I feel Intel products are overpriced for the performance they offer, and I feel they have price gouged consumers for decades.

When it comes to laptops, the only brand I would warn against is ASUS. I'm sort of the local "computer fixer" and have more folks contact me with serious ASUS problems then any other brand of laptop.
 
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Justin, something else you might consider is your YouTube channel. As you grow into that, you will end up wanting better video editing software. Editing and rendering HD or 4k video takes a pretty good laptop. I use (learning) Fusion 360 and some of the features there take a decent one too. If you're content doing only 2D cad and using Window's Movie Maker type programs, then a cheap laptop will do just fine. I've been thinking about upgrading my laptop because it is having a hard time with Adobe Premiere video editor. I'm thinking about going with a Dell XPS 15.
 
I agree with DropPoint 100%. In my career, I have been issued every laptop under the sun going back to the mid 90s when I got issued my first one: a Packard Bell 386 with a black and white screen. It was as thick as a NYC phone book with an 8 inch screen! Over the years "the best" computer has changed many times, especially for engineering and CAD work, but I can honestly say one thing has always been true: A half decent desktop will run rings around a very good laptop.

If you need to be portable, then a laptop it is. Also, keep in mind that how you use it matters. A guy sitting there running 3D rendering in SolidWorks 8 hours a day will have a vastly more critical opinion of things than someone who needs to make a few drawings and edit them every so often. I'm not saying to buy a machine that spends half your working time locked up while it chews on a calculation, but only you can determine how many thousands of dollars you want to spend to avoid waiting a few seconds now and again. 2D drawings in a CAD program really aren't that demanding- they've been done since Windows 3.1. The issue is that the software today is so bloated with features that the average user doesn't even use that it can bog a mediocre system down. It seems like it takes ten times the computer today to make the same drawing I did 20 years ago. What happened is that software got HUGE.
 
Do you have an old computer parts? You can just buy new ones to it. I did the same thing two weeks ago. However, my old HDD was broken and I had to seek help from hard drive recovery near me. Btw, a personal computer will be a more promising and profitable purchase for home use and for 3-D modeling. You need to pay attention the fact that the graphic card should be a good one. (the performance of it does not depend on its volume. It is a myth. The chip which is installed on the video adapter is important) Besides, you won’t spend much money with a competent selection of components.
 
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