When it comes to motion graphics design, Cinema 4D is an industry standard. Cinema 4D is a 3D modeling, animation, motion graphic and rendering application developed by MAXON Computer since 1990. Cinema 4D is used for a wide variety of purposes, which includes animation, designing, lighting, texturing, etc. Over the years, the program has gained a large following among broadcast and motion graphics professionals.
Like all 3D modeling programs, Cinema 4D is resource intensive, and that’s why most professionals prefer using a desktop. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any great laptops for Cinema 4D out there.
In order to help you choose a laptop for animation, and specifically a laptop for cinema 4D, let’s first get an idea about the program’s requirements:
Processor:
The essential requirement for Cinema 4D is a fast CPU or processor. Most of the job of designing is done through CPU, and hence, it is the most important component for Cinema 4D. The question again arises, which CPU is good for Cinema 4D? The speed of your CPU largely depends on the clock-speed. Higher clock-speed helps to boost your speed even when fewer cores. You should also note that most of the time Cinema 4D is only able to utilize a single CPU core, whether you’re creating, modifying, or animating 3D models. This means that a high frequency processor is better for overall performance.
RAM:
Another crucial requirement that is essential for the smooth functioning of the Cinema 4D. The minimum requirement is 8 GB of RAM. However, you are recommended to go with a 16 GB memory for the smooth functioning of the software. And if you’re planning on working on larger projects, get a laptop with 32GB RAM, or one that supports such an amount of RAM and that you can upgrade later.
Graphics Card:
Although we eliminate any such important role of a high- end graphics card, this doesn’t mean that your laptop does not require any graphics card at all. A good graphics card helps to give texture and details to your work, and gives you a smoother workflow when you’re rotating or zooming on the model you are working on. Therefore, we suggest you to go for at least NVIDIA GTX 1060 for optimum result.
Storage:
Storage helps the user to attain a good and smooth flow in work. It is good to opt for Solid State Drives (SSD) instead of the conventional Hard Disk Drives (HDD) as SSDs are faster and better than HDDs. SSD helps to reduce the time needed to boot the system, load programs, etc. You must have a laptop with inbuilt SSD. We recommend you to choose PCIe M.2 NVMe SSDs. It is a bit costly but will prove its worth as it can increase the speed of your work manifold.
Screen:
3D animation is all about details. And in order to give details, you must be able to see the details. That is why software like Cinema 4D demands a high- resolution screen. The minimum to look for would be a full HD resolution. However, if you could get a laptop with 4K Resolution, it will be an icing on the cake. Also, go for at least a 15” screen size for using Cinema 4D.
Now that you have an idea on the program’s requirements, let’s check some of the best laptops for Cinema 4D available right now.
Best Laptops for Cinema 4D
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51-78NP
Although the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51-78NP is a household name when it comes to gaming laptops, it is also one of the best laptops for Cinema 4D and 3D modelling. This laptops sports an Intel Core 8th gen i7-8750H 6-Core Processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB Solid state drive, and a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1060 with 6Gb of video memory.
This laptop features a 15.6’’ FHD display with sRGB color gamut and IPS technology allowing you to view images with brilliant and consistent colors from wide angles. The processor’s refresh rate speeds up the number of frames per second delivering good quality 2D motion scenes.
The laptop features black chassis and red accents. The geometric lines add a dramatic effect on its design and build. The Acer Predator Helios may have been designed specifically for gaming, but the laptop’s versatility and specifications make it a good choice for a virtualization machine.
Processor | Intel Core i7-8750H Processor |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, SSD |
Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB of GDDR5 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS, 144hz |
Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB 3.1 port Type C
1- USB 3.0 port 2- USB 2.0 ports 1 – HDMI Port , Ethernet Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
Battery | Up to 7 hours battery life |
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX531GS-AH78
The Asus ROG Zephyrus GX531GS-AH78 is another gaming beast that is also capable of running 3D heavy duty programs and do 3D rendering with no issues.
The Zephyrus GX531GS-AH78 is equipped with an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H, 24 GB RAM, a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. This laptop can handle most of your Cinema 4D projects smoothly, as well as other demanding tasks such as video editing.
Another thing that will catch your eye when looking at this laptop is its super slim design, and its keyboard and trackpad position (which is something you’ll either hate or love). The screen is also of a high quality, thanks to the IPS panel.
Processor | Intel Core i7-8750H Processor |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, SSD |
Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 with 6GB of GDDR5 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS, 144hz |
Connectivity and Ports | 1- USB 3.1 port Type C
1- USB 3.0 port 2- USB 2.0 ports 1 – HDMI Port , Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
Battery | Up to 5 hours battery life |
MSI GS65 Stealth-002
The MSI GS65 Stealth-002 is a super thin gaming laptop that packs plenty of power. It comes with an Intel Core i7-8750H Hexa-Core (6 Cores) 3.9 – 4.1GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD internal storage and NVIDIA GeForce GTX1070 8G GDDR5 graphics card.
This laptop also sports a 15.6’’ FHD IPS widescreen display with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. Giving you great colors, sharp pictures, and excellent viewing angles.
The ultra-thin MSI GS65 Stealth is not only powerful but easy to carry. If you need smooth and fast program launch and run this is a perfect choice. With this laptop, you have everything it takes to run just about every virtualization software.
Processor | Intel Core i7-8750H Processor |
RAM | 32GB |
Storage | 1TB, SSD |
Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB Type C port / Thunderbolt
3- USB 3.1 port 1 – HDMI port, MiniDisplay port Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
Battery | up to 8 hours battery life |
MSI P65 Creator 8RF-450US
The MSI P65 Creator features a powerful hardware configuration and a robust design which is perfect for those looking for high performance and durability in a PC. The P65 Creator 8RF-450US comes with a Core i7-8750H Processor, 32 GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPU.
This laptops also features a 15.6’’ full HD IPS display that is capable of producing 100% SRGB, which is great if you work on any color critical projects.
Processor | Intel Core i7-8750H Processor |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 512GB Nvme SSD |
Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 1920X1080, IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB 3.1 Type C port
3- USB 3.0 ports 1 – HDMI port,Mini Display Port Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
Battery | up to 8 hours battery life |
GIGABYTE AERO 15-X9-9RT4K5MP
The GIGABYTE AERO 15-X9-9RT4K5MP is another great choice if you’re looking for a powerful laptop for Cinema 4D. This laptop is powered by an Intel Core i9-8950HK Processor which is one of the most powerful processor found in laptops. This laptop is also equipped with 32GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and features the new NVIDIA RTX 2070 Graphics card. There is no need to say that this laptop can handle anything you throw at it.
The Gigabyte Aero 15 also sports a gorgeous 15,6 UHD screen, that produces 100% Adobe RGB colors, thanks to high quality IPS display. And while most laptops with 4K displays struggle with battery life, the Aero 15 can easily give you 8 hours of use from a single charge (if you’re not doing any resource intensive work).
Processor | Intel Core i9-8950HK Processor |
RAM | 32GB |
Storage | 1TB PCie SSD |
Graphics | Dedicated, NVIDIA RTX 2070 |
Screen | 15,6 inch, 3840×2160 , IPS |
Connectivity and Ports | 1 – USB 3.1 Type C port
3- USB 3.0 ports 1 – HDMI port,Mini Display Port Card reader, Bluetooth 4.1 |
Battery | up to 9 hours battery life |