10 Best Laptops for Graphic Design in 2024

Over the years, the demand for graphic design has increased significantly and to pull out the greatest and most unique design, you need to have the right kind of tools.

Graphic designers require a powerful machine that can handle demanding software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

The best laptops for graphic design can help transform the way you work. Thanks to advancements in mobile technology, modern laptops are incredibly powerful, which means you no longer have to stick to using a desktop PC for graphic design work.

However, Trying to decide on the best laptop for graphic design can be a challenge, and different than purchasing a laptop for general use or gaming. Laptops for graphic design need to be light, portable, and powerful enough to do complicated work.

If you’re searching for one of the best laptops for graphic design, we’re here to help. In this article, you might get generalized advice regarding the selection of the perfect laptop for graphic design for you.

Plus, you’ll discover a handpicked selection of brilliant laptops perfect for designing on.

Whether you want to create the perfect logo for your company or just want to create impressive social media copies, these best graphic design laptops can help you get the job done easily.

What is Graphic Design?

If you are curious about learning how to become a graphic designer, it’s essential to first understand what a graphic design career would entail.

Graphic design is the art of storytelling via visual communication. Use images, graphics, and text to build a brand and attract your target audience.

As a graphic designer, you’ll be capable of getting involved in a multitude of industries including advertising, entertainment, and news (print publications, digital, and broadcast media).

There are many options for graphic design software, including industry standard tools like Adobe Photoshop, Indesign or Adobe Illustrator and competitors like Corel PaintShop Pro, CorelDraw, Affinity Designer, Inkscape, Krita, or even GIMP.

What to look out for when buying a laptop for graphic design?

A good spec is necessary for your trouble free work or art. When choosing a laptop for graphic design, it’s important to consider the following factors: display quality, processor, Memory, graphics card, storage, portability, battery life, and more.

Operating System

In earlier days, you used a Mac OS. That now is no longer the absolute. As the software is virtually identical on both WindowsPCs and Macs, so it is more a question of how comfortable with your platform of choice.

Macs are legendary for their ease of interface, durability, and compatibility. If you want a seamless experience that “just works” and offers great hardware, then a Mac for graphic design may be right for you.

And, depending on your specialism, you may come across some mac only software like Sketch.

However, if you want the freedom of more customization, hardware options, and more compatibility with niche apps, then a Windows laptop may be better. All in all, the choice is yours.

High-Performance Processor

The CPU, or processor, controls the functions of the computer. For graphic design, you need a fast, powerful processor to run complex design software.

Look for a laptop with a powerful processor, such as an Intel Core i7 or i9, or an AMD Ryzen 7 or 9. These processors provide the necessary power and speed for running heavy design software and multitasking.

Old processors or a clock speed of below 2GHz. won’t keep up with the high-end graphics hardware, so don’t waste your money.

Sufficient Memory

Memory, or RAM, holds the data the computer needs to access on the fly, such as all the information in the file you’re currently working on.

If you typically work with multiple applications open, or if you work with very large files, you need more RAM to provide seamless switching between applications and scrolling through complex files.

Graphic design software requires a lot of memory to function smoothly. At least 16 GB of RAM is recommended, but if your budget allows, go for 32 GB or more.

As is a fast and bigger capacity RAM, which helps your laptop process its tasks faster.

Dedicated Graphics Card

In addition to the CPU, it is important to look at the computer’s graphics ability. A computer can have either a graphic chip integrated on the processor, or a separate graphics card.

Previously, integrated graphics chips were very basic, not able to do much more than display spreadsheets and web pages. Nowadays, however, integrated graphics chips have improved considerably.

Unless you do a lot of 3D designs, an integrated chip is usually enough to run most graphic design programs. Using an integrated graphics chip instead of a dedicated graphics card will save you some money.

If you have the budget or tend to work in complex applications with a lot of textures, you’ll need to look for a laptop with a separate graphics card.

A dedicated graphics card will enable you to handle complex 3D rendering and graphics-intensive tasks more efficiently. NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards are popular choices for graphic designers.

What you need to pay attention to is bandwidth and Memory size of GPU. Graphic design professional need a dedicated graphics card of at list 2GB and above.

Storage

Most laptops are sold with solid state drives (SSD), Avoid buying laptops if they comes with a single traditional hard disk drive (HDD).

A solid state drive (SSD) will provide faster access to your files and programs than HDDs, which is crucial for graphic design work.

Large design files require a lot of storage space. Having at least 256GB of storage will be enough, but 512GB, 1TB or 2TB would be better in order to store a large number of files and projects.

Display

Because graphic design is a visual medium, you want a fantastic display capable of accurately displaying details and colors—no need to mention that the display size is also essential.

A display that minimizes eye strain when you’re putting in long hours is a bonus.

Screen Size: A decent sized screen is important. Generally, a 13-inch monitor is too small for graphic design work. You should try for at least 15 inches. 17 inches is better for working, but could be cumbersome to carry.

Screen Resolution: You’ll also want a HiDPI screen. These screens have a higher density of pixels, allowing you to see more detail.

The lowest end screen for effective designing would be 1920×1080 pixels. A high-resolution display, such as 4K or QHD, will provide more detail and clarity for your designs.

Color accuracy: color accuracy is very important for graphic designers and photo editors.

Color accuracy is usually measured by sRGB, Adobe RGB or DCI-P3, an indication of how far from complete accuracy the monitor is.

If your design work is intended for online use only, the gamut of sRGB will (just) get you by.

DCI-P3’s gamut, as used by Apple, is about 25% wider than sRGB. And there’s AdobeRGB, which has a slightly wider gamut again. To create work intended for offset and other printing, these are far superior to sRGB. The blue area outlined shows the limited gamut of printing on paper.

Multi-Touch: Many laptops now come with an option to use the monitor as a touchscreen. Some of these can also be used as a tablet, as well. If you want to use your laptop as a tablet, you’ll have to get a touchscreen. If not, some people can find the touchscreen problematic, especially with fingerprints.

Ports

Plenty of ports are essential for graphic designers, such as an SD card reader and multiple USB slots. This means that you can easily connect your devices and transfer files between them seamlessly.

Lately, Apple has been removing ports from their devices. This gives the products a sleek, streamlined look, but can be frustrating when plugging in multiple accessories.

Good Battery life

As we all know, graphic designing includes different heavy-duty tasks, so your laptop should have a decent amount of power to run smoothly.

The best choice is the one that is both comfortable to carry and has enough battery life to get you through the day.

Portability

If you plan to take your laptop with you on the go, consider a laptop with a lightweight and portable design.

Look for a laptop with a comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad, as you will be using these frequently.

Consider if you need a laptop that you can take with you on the go, or if you prefer a more powerful desktop replacement that you can leave in your office or studio.

Budget

The more money you are willing to put on your laptop, the better a laptop you are more likely to get.

It’s important to note that laptops with top-end specs and features tend to be more expensive, and your budget will play a crucial role in your decision. If you are on a tight budget, you may have to compromise on some of the features.

Powerful laptops can be expensive, but if they help speed up your workload, it means you can take on more clients and projects. This means that the best laptops for graphic design can actually be a wise investment.

10 Best laptops for graphic design in 2024

There are several laptops on the market that are well-suited for graphic designers. Here are some of the best options:

1. Apple Macbook Pro

Apple’s MacBook Pros are hugely popular with creatives and graphic designers thanks to their excellent build quality, design and power, and the brand-new 16.2-inch MacBook Pro is the pinnacle of this.

The MacBook Pro 16 offers a stunning XDR mini-LED display with a resolution of 3456 x 2234 pixels, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, 120Hz ProMotion adaptive refresh rate, and up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness which provides stunning visuals and accurate color reproduction.

It has unparalleled power with the M2 Max or M2 Pro chip, and its Integrated GPU cores have all the performance you need for 3D design. both processors knock the socks off anything previously offered by a MacBook in terms of sheer processing power.

In Graphic Design, The version with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD of storage should be sufficient, but if you use After Effects and Adobe Premiere for your video editing work, then choose the MacBook Pro with 32 GB RAM to keep these programs running smoothly.

In addition to the powerful chipset, you get powerful audio, but the cherry on top is the battery life, which is nearly 18 hours, which will serve on-the-go creators well.

You get a decent range of ports for a MacBook, too – one HDMI, three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, an SD card reader, an audio jack and one MagSafe 3.

The MacBook Pro is a popular choice among graphic designers due to its high-quality Retina display, powerful processor, and Integrated Graphics.

Additionally, the MacBook Pro’s sleek design and build quality make it a stylish and professional-looking laptop that is sure to impress clients and colleagues.

It is expensive a little bit but if you can afford the price then it is the best MacBook so far.

2. Apple Macbook Air

If you’re on a tighter budget, then Apple’s cheapest MacBook- MacBook Air is a good option for graphic design.

The MacBook Air is powered by the latest M2 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD Storage, which provide the necessary power and speed for running these programs smoothly. For $200 more, you can get 512GB of Storage if you need it.

It has an 13.6-inch LED-backlit Liquid Retina screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 pixels, 500 nits of peak brightness, and 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, This will display the most vivid and precise images, which is ideal if you want to stream videos or edit photos.

The MacBook Air is lightweight and slim, making it easy to take with you wherever you go. Additionally, the MacBook Air has a long battery life, which allows you to work for all-day long without having to plug in.

There are only 2 USB-C ports, a MagSafe por and one headphone port, so you’ll need an adapter when you wish to connect an Ethernet cable or legacy hardware.

The M2 Air’s fanless design is great for normal workloads and makes for a silent computer, but it holds the system back when it comes to more intense 3D design workloads.

The MacBook Air M2 isn’t as powerful as its beefier Pro siblings, but it’s still a great laptop. You get stellar performance, a vibrant display and superb battery life all wrapped up in a design that is delightfully portable.

3. Microsoft Surface Book 3

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a powerful 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable screen and a stylus, making it a great choice for designers who prefer a pen-based workflow.

Surface Book 3 is available in 13.5 or 15.6 inches stunning screen sizes with ‎3240 x 2160 pixels resolution, 400 nits brightness , and 100% sRGB color gamut.

The screen is stunning with exceptional detail and clarity. Its touch-screen abilities and fast responsiveness are just excellent. Rotate the screen and it will be conveniently detached from the keyboard, so you can use it as a huge tablet.

Specifications-wise, it sports an 10th-generation Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage, capable of processing your most challenging multitasking needs at fast speeds.

You don’t have any ports built into the main laptop body. But it comes with a surface dock with 2 USB-A ports, one USB-C port, one 3.5mm headphone jack, And it also has a handy SD card slot.

It has poor battery life compared to Apple Macbooks. which is respectable at 8 hours of mixed use per charge.

With a Surface Pen (purchase separately), you’ll notice a massive improvement in the quality of your art using Photoshop or similar software. The value of putting a pen to the screen cannot be understated.

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a premium laptop that offers excellent performance, a beautiful display, and a sleek design. It’s a great option for designers who need a powerful laptop that can also function as a tablet.

4. Dell XPS 17 9720

Dell XPS series has always been in-demand among hardcore players, designers, content creators, and editors due to its ergonomic design and specifications it offers.

The Dell XPS 17 looks a lot like its smaller sibling xps 15, with a solid aluminum chassis and a carbon-fiber keyboard deck that makes for comfortable long working sessions, and it’s just as solidly built.

It also boasts a stunning 17.0-inch infinity edge display with the Corning Gorilla Glass surface for scratch resistance.

Enjoy a large touchscreen that comes with a stunning 4K resolution, excellent color accuracy of 100% DCI-P3 and brightness of 500 nits. Photos look as natural as can be, and all colors and details fit into an aspect ratio of 16:10.

It’s powered by an Intel Core i9-11980HK processor, 32GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB of VRAM, and a 1TB SSD Storage. making it suitable for heavy-duty tasks such as video editing and 3D modeling.

However, the laptop’s major shortcoming is its limited selection of ports. You’ll only get four USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a full-size SD card reader.

With a battery life of up to 10 hours, the Dell XPS 17 is an excellent choice for graphic designers who need a high-performance laptop.

If you’re looking for a powerhouse of a laptop, this one can be the best choice for you. At the same time, you can get the smaller 15.6-inch Dell XPS 15 for a relatively low price, and its performance will still be satisfactory.

5. HP Spectre x360 16

The HP Spectre x360 16 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop that’s perfect for graphic designers.

It comes with a 16-inch IPS touchscreen display that offers 3K (3072 x 1920) resolution, 100% sRGB color accuracy and brightness of 400 nits. The display is charmingly decent, looks sharp, vibrant and excellent.

Corning Gorilla Glass surface is also available to provide a higher level of damage resistance against all that gripping, swiping, and tapping.

It’s powered by an Intel Core i7-12700H processor, 16GB of RAM, an Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics and good storage with a 512GB SSD that will enable you to run heavyweight design and animation applications tasks without any restraint.

Connectivity is decent, with 2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.0b port, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The included HP Rechargeable MPP 2.0 Pen is equipped with 4096 pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition. Using it is a real pleasure, and you can rest easy knowing you won’t leave it behind.

What more, Spectre x360 is budget friendly and has an expected six-hour battery life that allows you to work as hard and as long as you want.

You cannot go wrong with a HP Spectre x360 – comes with a 3-year warranty and delivers an amazing performance that will see you successfully accomplish all your graphics and design tasks.

6. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is known for its durability and reliability, with a comfortable keyboard for extended use.

It’s a powerful 14-inch laptop that can keep up with your busy life while still saving on space with its thin, focused design. It’s incredibly well-built and maintains the ThinkPad black-on-black aesthetic through and through.

This model features an Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with a clock speed of 2.8GHz. On top of that, there is 16GB of RAM, an Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 512GB of storage space. These impressive specs are ample enough for photo editing or drawing.

The 14-inch IPS screen has a resolution of 1920×1200. It’s excellent in bright conditions thanks to the anti-glare feature, 100% sRGB color gamut, and 400 nits of peak brightness. The colors are vibrant, and the details are sharp.

Add in its wide selection of ports, a comfortable keyboard and a battery life of up to 8 hours, and you’ve got a laptop that deserves a spot on our list.

It’s a compact laptop for graphic design. But it still has the power to run your favorite software suites. It’s a great option for amateurs or as a travel computer for pros.

However, it won’t meet the needs of creative professionals who demand wider colors. You can also upgrade the screen to a 4K UHD+ model if you prefer better visuals.

7. Razer Blade Pro 17

The Razer Blade Pro 17 is a high-performance laptop that is ideal for graphic designers who need powerful performance for demanding design tasks.

It uses a 12th-generation Intel Core i7-12800H processor. And that’s paired with an RTX 3060 graphics card, 16 GB of RAM and 1TB SSD Storage. That’s enough power for most modern computer games. So it has more than enough to run Adobe photo and video editing programs.

And you get a broad 17.3-inch IPS screen with an incredible 2K (2560×1440 pixels) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness of 300 nits and supports 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space.

The display on this model is outstanding, a primary concern for graphic designers. Colors are true and accurate, and contrasts are near-perfect. It’s also bright and highly detailed, and the large screen is boxed in by ultra-thin bezels, maximizing screen space.

This Razer Blade 17 has the connectivity options of a Desktop PC. There are two USB-C and three USB-A ports. There’s a built-in HDMI 2.1 port. And it has a UHS-II SD card slot.

It’s 82WHr battery can last just shy of five hours for lightweight productivity work. It’s also hardly a surprise given the high-end components and high-resolution display that sit inside the Blade 17.

Blade Pro 17 features a high-resolution display, fast processing power, and a decent battery life, making it a top choice for graphic designers. so you can use it for heavy work for years!

No surprise to anyone is the price that this incredible workstation comes with. While the price is steep, if being able to have the best workflow possible is important during your day, you may want to consider going outside your budget.

For a laptop that you can take just about anywhere and has loads of power to do a bit of everything, you want the 14-inch Razer Blade 14 or 15.6-inch Razer Blade 16.

8. Acer Swift 3 OLED

Usually, Acer was only known for producing reliable budget-friendly products. Acer Swift 3 OLED is potentially a top contender for folks who might be interested in the M2 MacBook Air but who want to stick with Windows.

The 14-inch screen makes it a portable laptop option. But you still have enough space to edit photos comfortably.

The OLED panel is outstanding in every way: bright and crisp with incredible contrast and vivid, accurate color.

Acer Swift 3 comes with excellent color accuracy of 100% DCI-P3, a brightness of 400 nits, and a 2880 x 1800 resolution, it’s an absolute delight.

With a Core i7-12700H processor, Intel Iris Xe integrated Graphics, 16GB of memory, and 1TB SSD storage, this Swift 3 laptop is built to take on graphic-intensive tasks, streaming, and more.

It doesn’t have a Dedicated graphics card, So you won’t have the power to edit large 4K videos. But using photo editing software isn’t a problem.

Acer Swift 3 OLED battery life is on the average side- lasts up to 5-6 hours on a single charge. That’s largely due to the fact that the extra processing power here is fairly energy-hungry.

Acer Swift 3 combines performance and portability and comes at a reasonable price, making it an immediate option for Windows users looking for an all-in-one experience.

9. Asus Zenbook Pro 15 Duo OLED

Designed specifically for creative professionals, the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 OLED is a versatile workhorse.

The 15.6” 4K OLED touchscreen is bright and vibrant, with a brightness of 440 nits and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. A secondary screen at the top of the keyboard further strengthens the laptop’s versatility.

The laptop is powered by up to 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD Storage. It also has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, making it suitable for heavy-duty tasks such as video editing and 3D modeling.

The behemoth 92Wh battery pack on this device lasts for 5 to 6 hours of lightweight work. Battery life on the ZenBook Pro Duo isn’t amazing. Because it Using both displays at once and high resolution.

The ZenBook Pro Duo is extremely well-built and feels robust enough to last for years of use. As for the actual user experience of the keyboard, it has decent key travel and clicky feedback.

Truly this sleekly designed and powerful laptop combines all the features you need for outstanding animation and graphics quality and performance.

It’s an excellent choice if you are a graphic designer craving a powerful laptop with more screen real estate.

10. Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED

The ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 OLED is a remarkably thin and light laptop for what it packs inside, 15.6-inch diagonal size at just 20 mm thick and 1.64 kg. That makes it highly portable.

What makes it powerful is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, an eight-core processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 discrete graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The powerful internals make sure the laptop performs well under all conditions.

As if that wasn’t enough, this laptop also sports a 1080p OLED display with 100% of DCI-P3 color coverage, 400-nits of brightness, excellent blacks and contrast. which means it’s a beautiful punchy display for everyday use and creative work that requires an increased color gamut.

The IO is mostly OK, there are 3x USB-A slots on this laptop, a full-size HDMI port, one USB-C, and an audio jack.

There’s a 63 Wh battery inside the VivoBook Pro 15, offers the laptop a good battery life of around 6-8 hours. Battery life is still good, but not spectacular.

ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 OLED is great for anyone who wants fast performance and a color-accurate display that’s easy to carry around.

Conclusion

Whether you’re just starting out or have been working in this field for years, a good laptop is crucial for productivity!

There are a lot of good laptops for graphic design, it’s just a question of finding the one that’s right for you.

The laptops on this page offer enough power to easily handle intensive graphic design applications, so you can be sure that buying any of the devices we list here will help you with your design work.

It would be good to research and compare different models, read reviews, check product ratings and compare prices to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money, and also check the warranty and after sales service offered by the manufacturers, as well as the support they have in your region.

Ultimately, the best laptop for graphic designers will depend on your specific needs and budget. Consider the factors that are most important to you and choose a laptop that meets those requirements.