Graphic design has become important recently because the entire world is going online. It has become essential to make a good impression in cyberspace.
Social media marketing becoming increasingly popular over time has led companies to need people who can visualize and design unique graphic content.
Whether you are a beginner or a professional in the field, it is crucial to pick the proper device to carry out your job.
A suitable laptop is an excellent investment to make in your journey as a designer. It will help you work effectively while enhancing your work’s quality.
Yet, choosing one from the thousands available is a difficult task. And that’s why I have come out with a list that includes the best laptops for graphic designers.
Through many tests with dozens of the most popular models on the market, I have selected the 10 models I am most satisfied with.
Read on to choose the one that works best for you!
1. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 13.5 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Evo i7.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Comfortable keyboard
- Beautiful screen
- Lightweight and affordable
- Fast-Charging Feature
Cons
- Not enough ports
Key features
There is no denying that this laptop is an excellent option for those who are looking for the best overall model for graphic design.
In terms of design, it looks pretty like a Macbook at first glance. Its aluminum body gives this model a premium feel and works well.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 has a powerful processor, making graphics render and ensuring minimal lag while utilizing Adobe CC products.
One of the things that I appreciate about this laptop is its new fast-charging feature, which allows charging up to 80% in less than sixty minutes.
The bottom line
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 deserves to be one of the best laptops for graphic design, with one of the best keyboards I have ever tested. It should have a few more ports, but it is an easy model to recommend to anyone.
2. Dell XPS 17
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 17 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Excellent screen
- Power for work and play
- Terrific speakers
- All-day battery life
Cons
- The keyboard is a little shallow
Key features
Generally, it is a powerful laptop, which is efficient and affordable when running any graphic design software.
The Dell XPS 17 features a lovely discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and 17-inch display, making it ideal for any graphic designer doing intensive creative tasks.
In addition, this fantastic model comes packaged with Intel’s latest tech, making it skillful at handling video, image editing software, and even some gaming.
However, it is costly, only for those willing to spend over $2000 to get a quality machine with a beautiful design and solid performance.
The bottom line
There are no significant downsides here. Excellent performance, amazing speakers, a vast trackpad, long battery life, and a potent graphics card make it perfect for graphic design.
3. MacBook Air
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 15.3 Inches.
- CPU: M3 chip.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Incredibly portable
- Most affordable Apple laptop
- Can run many iPhone apps
- Great battery life
Cons
- Lacking ports
- The design looks dated
Key features
Equipped with the M3 chip allows this MacBook to operate as powerfully as the MacBook Pro but at a significantly lower price.
Plus, it comes in a fan-less design and provides silence without overheating.
This model’s display features a broader palette of colors, about 25% more colors than sRGB, and that’s one of the factors in favor of graphic designers.
Yet, do not expect this model to be a great pick if you handle heavy design tasks, such as 3d rendering or video editing. Instead, it will work well for simple design work, such as logo, web, or branding design.
The bottom line
The MacBook Air 2024 is an excellent laptop for graphic designers. It is light, thin, and packed with power and the cutting-edge features of Apple for under $1300.
4. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 16 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13700HX.
- Ram Memory: 32GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 1TB.
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Pros
- Excellent G-Sync screen.
- Next-level gaming performance.
- Comfortable input devices.
- Anti-glare display.
- Configurable RGB lighting.
- Battery life up to 8 hours.
Cons
- Not lightweight.
Key features
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is famous as a great gaming laptop. Still, the aluminum design and awe-inspiring performance make this laptop ideal for creative professionals like graphic designers.
It would not look out of place in the office, especially if you switch off those blinding RGB lights. Moreover, it stays cool under pressure because of its fantastic thermals.
The Legion 5 Pro features a number pad, a large touchpad, Lenovo-style keycaps, and a full per-key RGB keyboard.
It also sets itself apart with a large 16-inch IPS LCD display. It should run at a max refresh rate of 165Hz and a max resolution of 2560 x 1600, perfect for gaming or video editing and design.
The bottom line
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a fantastic gaming laptop. Thanks to its well-made, sleek chassis and great features, this model can sit at the table with models packing beefier components and still keep pace.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 16 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7730U.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Outstanding performance
- Fantastic 16:10 display
- Excellent battery life
- Impressive performance
Cons
- No SD card slot
- Average webcam
Key features
Despite the impressive performance and eye-catching look, the model is affordable and represents real value to all graphic designers.
You may also be surprised to learn that this model is built to withstand many things, including water. Therefore, you can expect it to continue to perform well after accidental drops and spills.
It is highly durable and can work well in various environments, even from dry hot to freezing cold.
This model offers many ports, so it is unnecessary to buy additional accessories to connect it with other devices, such as cameras, hard drives, etc.
The bottom line
Thi laptop is one of the best 2-in-1 models you can find out there. It combines powerful performance with a 16:10 display and TÜV certification.
6. ASUS ROG Strix G16
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 16 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-13650HX.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Good value
- Thin and light
- Excellent performance
- Best battery life in a gaming laptop
Cons
- Fans can get loud
- 1920 x 1200 display
Key features
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 is one of the best mid-range models available today, which is ideal for both professionals and beginners in graphic design.
You can expect to enjoy incredible functions and performance that you need to work seamlessly and comfortably for your graphic design tasks.
Besides working well for graphic designers, this best-buy model is also ideal for video or photo editors. The Strix G16 also favors gamers with a 16GB system memory for intense gaming.
The bottom line
The Asus ROG Strix G16 is an excellent laptop for graphic design professionals and beginners. Great battery life, a fast screen, and outstanding performance, all in a model you can carry around wherever you go with ease.
7. Acer Aspire 5
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3350U.
- Ram Memory: 20GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 1TB.
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Pros
- Very portable
- Great keyboard
- Affordable price
- Good, and light-feeling keyboard
Cons
- The battery doesn’t last an entire workday
- Mediocre viewing angles
Key features
Regarding the best laptops available for graphic design, it would be remiss to ignore the Acer Aspire 5.
The Aspire 5 stands out for its fantastic battery life and powerful performance. Besides, its light, thin design and aluminum top cover allow you to look great while working and traveling easily.
It is also the best laptop from Acer for all kinds of creatives, especially photo editors and graphic designers. This laptop also lets you do your tasks comfortably in any environment, thanks to its backlit keyboard.
The bottom line
The Acer Aspire 5 avoids typical budget laptop pitfalls. With its affordable price, robust build, and decent performance, this laptop is a great budget option for most people.
8. SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-1335U.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512GB.
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Pros
- Strong performance
- Excellent screen
- Amazing sound
- Fast charging
Cons
- Below-par battery life
- Loud fan
Key features
I can insist that the manufacturer tries to imitate the Macbook Pro in terms of the appearance of the SAMSUNG Galaxy Book3.
Besides its look, Galaxy Book3 also boasts its durability and performance, making it stand proudly next to higher-end models.
This model is a good choice if you like Apple product design but don’t want to part with your beloved Windows.
Although it’s cheaper than Dell or Apple laptops, this model still offers you a sleek-looking design with solid performance.
Also, you will get a decent screen with overall specs, allowing you to run your graphic and creative design software perfectly.
The bottom line
This laptop is an excellent example of a premium productivity laptop and, for specific users, will be near-perfect. That may be a niche group once you factor in the price, lack of a GPU, and battery life.
9. ASUS VivoBook Pro
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: 16 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900H.
- Ram Memory: 32GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 1TB.
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Pros
- Affordable rate
- Very powerful
- Good selection of ports
- Cheaper than MacBook Pro
Cons
- Plain design
Key features
The VivoBook Pro 16X OLED is a good Windows 11 laptop for any graphic designer. It offers some great firepower for creative apps, with a stylish design and good Pantone-validated 4K OLED display.
It also features NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti graphics, delivering it a level of power that various models this light and thin cannot compete with.
The VivoBook Pro 16X OLED is an expensive model, but I think the power level combined with the superior build quality makes it a great investment for the graphic designer.
The bottom line
This model is a very powerful mobile workstation, which is ideal for the creative professional who needs a formidable device for handling complex tasks such as 3D rendering. If that sounds like you, it is worth the (very high) asking price.
10. Razer Blade 15
Important Specifications
- Screen Size: Inches.
- CPU: Intel Core i7-12800H.
- Ram Memory: 32GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 1TB.
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Pros
- Run the game smoothly at 1080p
- Supports VRR to reduce screen tearing
- 360Hz panel with fast response time
- The keyboard feels great to type on
Cons
- High price
Key features
This laptop is sure to be a workhorse for your graphic design with factory calibrated 15.6” display, thin bezel, and favor up to 100% sRGB color!
It features hardware that is exceptionally better than the much more expensive Apple Macbook Pro.
On the downside, I found that its battery life is quite low, between 3 and 4 hours.
In addition, the Razer Blade 15 is also packed with Wi-Fi 6E, USB Type-A & Type-C ports, Thunderbolt 4, and HDMI. The combination of all these factors will give you an experience like desktop-class.
The bottom line
There’s no getting away from it, the Razer Blade 15 is one of the best gaming laptops, and it’s great for graphic design too. However, it is not perfect. For example, the GPU inside this small machine sometimes runs hot or slows down.
Buying Guides
When choosing a laptop that is right for your graphic design work, it is essential to consider the seven factors I give below before coming to a final decision.
OS Operating System
Let’s start choosing the operating system that suits your needs and preferences.
You’ll need to choose among three popular options: macOS, ChromeOS, and Windows. I started my graphic design career with Windows before switching to macOS a few years later.
CPU
Whatever graphic design software you use, you will need a powerful processor (CPU) device to do the job seamlessly and smoothly. Therefore, when buying a laptop, you must consider its power.
You can pre-visit sites like Adobe to check their CPU recommendations for apps like Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc.
For example, if you have to deal with heavy tasks like video editing and 3d rendering, you’ll need maximum performance, and a quad-core is your best bet.
Disk Storage
You must ensure your laptop has enough storage to store your design work.
Many graphic design files (such as AI, INDD, PSD, and AEP) can be cumbersome, requiring you to have enough disk space to save them.
Some works will even require a lot of space on the disk, such as video editing and 3d graphic design.
RAM Memory
Another essential factor you need to consider is RAM, which determines if you can run many apps simultaneously smoothly.
I recommend choosing a model with at least 8 GB of RAM and going with 16GB or more if possible.
As a potential graphic designer, you will often have to run multiple apps simultaneously, such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. So, going for maximum RAM with your budget is wise.
Battery Life
One of the most significant advantages of laptops is that they allow you to work wherever you want. Therefore, the battery life is well worth considering.
There’s nothing worse than having your laptop run out of battery while you’re in the middle of your critical project, right?
Display
There’s no denying that a decent display is ideal for any graphic designer.
So when talking about screen size, a 13 inches screen is relatively small, and 15 inches is optimal, while 16 or 17 inches would be great.
Price
You’ll need to set your budget and then look at the best models within that budget. Choosing an affordable yet powerful product to handle your work smoothly is always wise.
Conclusion
In this article, I have offered the top picks for the best laptops for graphic design.
I have also given you a buying guide to help you choose a model that suits your requirements and needs. Hopefully, you find something that works well for you!