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If you're just starting out, or you're looking to upgrade your laptop's hardware for using Blender on-the-go, you've no doubt googled "will my laptop run Blender?"You don't just mean "will Blender boot up and function?" you mean "will I be able to take my project with me on the road, work remotely, or take a complex file and open it with ease?"Technology is constantly evolving, and along with it, applications and software upgrade to take advantage of new features as they become available. Let's take a look at what we think are the best laptops for Blender in 2025.Here are the hardware terms we'll discuss and read on for our recommended laptops towards the bottom.Minimum RequirementsCPU and GPURAMDisc SpaceRecommended LaptopsMinimum RequirementsIf you're just starting out, understanding the minimum specifications is a must to make a solid, informed decision about the hardware you're about to invest in. You should factor the minimum specs into your purchase, but you'll fare better to make your benchmark the recommended specs. For more information, check out this article on the minimum requirements for running Blender.One of Blender's long-standing strengths has been its cross-platform compatibility. Still, regardless of whether you prefer a Mac or PC, Windows Linux or iOS, you'll want enough resources to install, run, and work on a range of projects in varying complexity. This last part is where the bare minimum will sadly, not cut it. So what other considerations should you be looking at beyond these basics?CPU vs GPUBlender ships with the capability of running on anything with a CPU that has SSE2 support (Windows or Linux) at a minimum. For context, the SSE2 instruction set from Intel - short for Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 - has been around since the early 2000s, however the minimum core requirements for Windows/Linux is 4 cores (8 recommended) and you'll need to be running 64 bit architecture.Cycles can be set to render using a GPU. Laptops can leverage off this by using on-board or integrated graphics, or a separate graphics card. The most common you'll find are one of the following:Intel ArcAMD Radeon RXnVidia RTXIf you've got the money and can afford a laptop with an RTX card, then Blender will allow you to switch CUDA settings to GPU acceleration, or even enable OptiX for faster Cycles performance.However, the humble Intel Arc is nothing to sneer at. Cycles rendering can detect a oneAPI device for GPU rendering.If you have an AMD Radeon RX GPU, you could enable HIP for GPU Cycles rendering.If you're on a Macbook, your GPU option is Metal 2.2. Most macbooks released in the last 5 years should be running an M2 Apple Silicon processor, which has integrated GPU cores.RAMRAM (Random Access Memory) is like your computer's short-term memory, it temporarily stores the data your system needs to quickly access while running applications like Blender.For 3D artists, RAM plays an important role in multitasking and handling complex projects. If you're working with large textures, high-poly models, or rendering intricate scenes, more RAM ensures smoother performance and reduces the risk of crashes. Think of it like a workspace: the more RAM you have, the larger your desk, allowing you to spread out and organize more tools and materials without running out of room. While Blender can run on 8GB of RAM, 32GB or more is recommended for professional-level workflows to ensure you can handle demanding tasks without interruptions. Upgrading your RAM is one of the most impactful ways to future-proof your setup and stay productive in your creative journey.Hard Disk Space - How much space does Blender take?While Blender takes up less than 1Gb when installed, you're going to need ample space for all your wonderful projects - it all depends what you wish to use your laptop - and as an extension, Blender - for. Will you be saving all your renders? Will you be wrangling large texture files, or caching simulations? All these tasks should be considered when thinking about hard disc space.A bare minimum for any laptop would be 512Gb, but I'd definitely recommend a 1Tb SSD if you have the option. A general rule of any HDD configuration is to have a dedicated partition for software and data files - so think about what software you'll be running; a larger partition for your work; and an optional, smaller partition for recovery.Most current laptops offer SSDs as your only option. These are my choise, as they are smaller, take less power, and don't need constant defragmenting, however is cost is a factor, you might find HDDs cheaper for more storage.Blender Laptop buying picksBest Apple Laptop - Macbook Pro - 2024If you're going to invest in a Macbook, I'd recommend you consider a Macbook Pro. While the Macbook Air will run Blender just fine, users report overheating when rendering in Cycles. The most recent model was released in October 2024, and a minimum spec machine will exceed the minimum RAM, but fall short of the recommended amount - however it uses Unified RAM which is far more efficient because the CPU and GPU use the same bank of memory. It runs the latest M4 Silicon Chip and you should be able to work comfortably with 512GB of SSD hard disc space.As with all Apple products, the bigger your budget, the more resources you can upgrade. More RAM means better render speeds; more hard drive space means you can save more work on the go; and more GPU cores means complex Cycles viewport previews will update faster.TIP: Mac Rumors has reported that while this year's Macbook Pro model will sport the newer M5 chip, it's best to wait for the 2026 model for significant performance boosts.Minimum specs:14" 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Apple M4 Chip with 10 Core CPU; 10 Core GPU; 16 Core Neural engine, 120Gb/s memory bandwidthRecommended specs:16" 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Apple M4 MAX Chip with 16 Core CPU, 40 Core GPU and 16 Core Neural engine, 546 Gb/s Memory bandwidthBest Windows Laptop - Surface Studio 2 I looked around a lot of "best of" lists, and I may be biased since I happen to own a Surface Studio 1 and think it strikes a great balance and runs Blender just fine, but the Studio 2 gets a mention again and again - and for good reason!For price, it's comparable to a Macbook Pro - these things are not cheap, sadly, but for accessing Blender's features for higher performance, this laptop will deliver.Firstly: choose an option that has the nVidia RTX 4000 series GPU. I wouldn't recommend skimping on this, as the alternatives are the Intel Irix Xe - and you'll run into the odd problems at inopportune times - or the nVidia Ada 2000 GPU - however this is actually a viable option.The CPU is a 13th Gen Intel Core Processor which has a total of 14 cores, so even if you were going to render using your CPU, you're covered.Minimum RAM is 16GB but if you have the option, upgrade to at least 32GB.The minimum SDD size is 512GB which should be ok if you're taking a project or two between locations or working remotely, but see above for why more is better when it comes to storage.The added feature for this laptop is that the screen completely folds back and you can use it as a touch screen device. There are a range of pens you can purchase for this, so that drawing and sculpting can be done in Blender without needing to purchase an external drawing tablet or pen display.There are a couple of drawbacks: I find the screen can feel flimsy unless you're completely covering your keyboard and mouse (in which case, you're going to need an alternative for shortcuts keys) and the battery life runs out MUCH faster than advertised unless you tweak those power and battery settings.In spite of those two points, this is a great choice because it is portable, versatile and exceeds Blender's requirements.Minimum Specs:14" 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel i7 13700H (14 cores), nVidia Ada 2000 GPU 8Gb GDDR6 vRAMRecommended Specs:14" 64GB LPDDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Intel i7 13700H (14 cores), nVidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU 8Gb GDDR6 vRAMBest Custom/Linux Laptop: FrameworkOptions for building your own laptop from scratch are not as common as ones for building your own desktop. There's no equivalent that I could find for something as useful as PC Parts Picker, so laptops are generally upgraded at the time of purchase, or you'll be looking for individual parts to swap out on an old machine.There's a service known as Framework which allows you to custom build your own to a range of specifications that will meet Blender's Recommended Requirements where it counts. This will allow you to mix and match components, and when the time comes, easily upgrade essentials. You can have it ship with a copy of Windows or choose to install your own flavor of Linux.I'd recommend checking out The Blender Benchmark where users submit data and you can get a good indication of what components perform best - for example, because most laptops come with some form of integrated GPU, you'll want to see how an Intel Arc or Radeon RX series performs before making your decision. AFAIK, Blender has Cycles Render Device options for these architectures - remember, nVidia isn't the only player in town!Conclusion:Laptops are meant to be portable yet functional. You don't want to sacrifice solid hardware because of cost, and you want to exceed the minimum specs at all times. So naturally, the big two options (iOS and Windows) are not going to be cheap, but they are going to be reliable for a good while, so think carefully about what you're ultimately investing in.Of course it is entirely possible to find a cheaper option that runs perfectly adequately. The tips at the beginning of the article are what you should remember when weighing up that important purchase.Are you ready to get started with Blender? Take our free Blender Basics course and run your new hardware through its paces!
