Laptop Suggestion for Mild CAD Use - Budget under $2,000

JuryWheel on 24/07/2025 - 10:34
Last edited 24/07/2025 - 12:22 by 1 other user

Hi all, I'm looking for a new laptop for work and hoping I can get some suggestions.

Budget is $2k max (lower would be better if possible). I'm a land surveyor so mainly use Autocad/Bricscad - almost exclusively 2D only though - as well as normal MS Office, web browsing etc. Using it mainly at a desk, connected to a monitor (and keyboard, mouse etc) so battery life and size/weight isn't of real concern. Screen doesn't need to be anything amazing either really. Will use it from time to time in the car/on site. Doesn't need to be rugged or have a sim etc. 500gb HDD will be fine but I'd like to have 32gb RAM if possible.

For comparison, I previously used a HP Zbook G11 Firefly 32g with Ultra 7 165H and a RTX a500 however this was issued by the company, and the new laptop doesn't need to match or exceed these sorts of specs (this allowed a much larger scope of work that I don't really do nowadays…3D point clouds etc). The desktop I'm using at the moment has a i5-11400, 16gb ram, and GTX 1050ti, and is working fine for my needs.

I'm no expert, but forums I visit suggest CAD tends to only use single core so a CPU with higher frequency and high clock speeds is a good idea. GPU that is above integrated is also suggested.

Any tips? Open to refurb/clearance etc, so long as it has a tax invoice for me to give to work.

Cheers

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • omguleh on 24/07/2025 - 10:42

    I use Autocad on my 13" M2 Macbook Air with 16gb of ram and runs fine. JB is selling the M4 512/24gb version for a tad over 2k.

    • JuryWheel on 24/07/2025 - 11:43

      Thanks for the tip but id rather stick to Windows if possible - we have a couple of programs that are license based and only for that os

      • urahara on 25/07/2025 - 11:07

        I'll highly suggest going with mac . Even an older gen mac at discount would be better option. Like m1 max series with better than anything of that price range with windows.

  • geekcohen on 24/07/2025 - 10:51
    +1

    Have a look at https://metabox.com.au/. I got one for a family member who used CAD and its been great.

    • JuryWheel on 24/07/2025 - 11:53

      Thanks, hadnt heard of them but looking into it.

      • geekcohen on 24/07/2025 - 12:59
        +1

        Yeah, they are a custom maker and have had a good experience. Spent probably $20k with them over the course of 8 years with family, work and personal devices.

    • Roman Sandstorm on 24/07/2025 - 18:43

      @geekcohen
      Probably good value.

      But… I dunno… for work… I quite like the idea of a Dell/HP/Lenovo, and if something goes wrong (USB port fails, HDMI port breaks, RAM causes blue screens, etc), just calling them up and someone appears at your house/office the next day and fixes it - no questions asked, no hassle.

      Metabox may be a good custom builder, and honest trader. But for maybe $300 either way, I like the confidence of the name brands and their support.

      Of course, ymmv.

  • JuryWheel on 24/07/2025 - 13:19

    Some of the main CPU's im seeing are i7-13620H, 13650HX, i9-13900H (these three tend to have rtx 4060/3050 attached, but ive also seen one with an Arc A370M) or the Ultra 7 155H, Ultra 7 258V, Ultra 7 255H which have Intel Arc. Im assuming the later are more "mobile" based and so will probably have better battery and maybe lighter? Any opinion on any of these….? I had a look at MetaBox as suggested and they seem to be the only ones (that i saw) still using the 3050 which was a little odd….

    Almost all im looking at are 32gb DDR5, but some are DDR4 - is the difference that substantial?

  • Roman Sandstorm on 24/07/2025 - 15:52

    Jury,

    The fact that your current desktop i5-11 series is sufficient really broadens your options.

    I would suggest any i5-13, i7-13, or Ultra 5 or 7 would be more than enough for your needs. As you say, 32 GB RAM is probably paramount.

    DDR4 vs DDR5 is utterly meaningless for you, and would make 0.00% difference in real life performance. (If you were a hard-core gamer, with a high end graphics card, DDR5 may, perhaps, squeeze out a single percentage point. Or not.)

    I'd suggest having a look at the configurators at Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. Spec a mid-range business computer (like a Latitude 5xxx series) with the RAM, CPU, screen, etc options you prefer. And compare them. (BTW, expect them all to be fairly similar specs around the $2k range.)

    Settle on one or two models/configs, etc, and look everywhere for any specials. Lenovo seem to have pretty good sales frequently. Dell's eBay store also sometimes has good deals.

    To be honest, over the last few years, for normal business use (ie, not gaming, not 'specialist' local apps, or video processing, etc), CPU doesn't make much difference. I have bunches of Latitude i5-10 series, and i7-13's, and Ultra 5's, 7's, and honestly my staff can't tell between them. Nearly all apps are cloud-based now. Office, browsers, etc run similar on 15-year old Celerons as on i9-13 series!

    As it's for work, perhaps add 3-year same/next day warranty to the config?

    I'm pretty confident that whatever you get for $2k will do the job for you.

    • JuryWheel on 24/07/2025 - 17:25

      Thanks for the advice - there certainly seems to be a plethora of options, and as you you say, I'm unlikely to actually notice the vast majority of them!

      Do any of them allow docking to 2 monitors without the need for a dock, or does it not really matter since you can get cheapish USB hubs from Amazon etc anyway?

  • Roman Sandstorm on 24/07/2025 - 18:36

    Probably most non-entry level laptops would support a USB-C and an HDMI monitor simultaneously. Probably. But then you need a USB-C capable monitor.

    And yes, a cheap ($30-$40) hub would also likely work fine. Probably HDMI and maybe Display Port or VGA at that price point.

    As I like reliability at my office, I usually go for something like a 'proper' dock. I like the HP G5. Lots of refurb ones on eBay for ~$100. https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=hp+g5+dock&_sacat=0&…

    These include beefy power supplies, so they can also charge your laptop, along with multiple USBs, Ethernet, audio, 3 x video (2 x DP). And just one cable to plug/unplug. Well worth it.

    I have run 3 x monitors off my Latitude 5440 on one of these docks. However… only one of them was 4k. Adding another 4k monitor maxxed out the video memory of the computer/dock. I think you could run 2 x 4k however.

  • JuryWheel on 25/07/2025 - 11:04

    Any negative suggestions on these two?

    https://cplonline.com.au/lenovo-21sj006tau-thinkbook14-gen-8…

    Ultra 7 255H seems to be strong, although worse battery then 258V but that chips about $200 more from whats available. About 1.4kg and not sure about the display though only being FHD (14" WUXGA (1920x1200) IPS 300nits Anti-glare, 45% NTSC, 60Hz)

    Otherwise a more gaming bent one like this

    https://www.jw.com.au/product/msi-katana-15-b13vfk-15-6-fhd-…

    i7-13620H and RTX4060. Bigger screen (15.6 vs 14.0) but only FHD too.

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