Is your work directly related to image editing, or do you want to be able to enhance the quality of your favorite photos? Whatever your needs, you should not ignore the top 10 laptops for photo editing included in this article.
Because the products that will appear soon all have good performance, screens, and features that support graphics processing.
If you are a photo editing enthusiast, it will be a mistake if you have never learned about these models.
Our Top Picks
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – Best for Overall
- HP 15,6 “FHD Micro-Edge – Best for Launch Speed
- Flagship HP 14 Laptop – Best for Connectivity
- Apple MacBook Air – Best for Professionals
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim – Best for Colors
- HP 14″ HD Light-Weight – Best for Multitasking
- Dell Inspiron 3510 – Best for Storage
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 – Best for Portability
- Lenovo Legion 5 – Bes for Graphic Performance
- HP Stream – Best for budget
1. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – Best for Overall
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 14 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U.
- Ram Memory: 8GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB.
Product’s highlights
Powerful performance, impressive display, and attractive design are the advantages of Lenovo IdeaPad 3, one of the best models you should not miss.
In terms of performance, Lenovo has equipped the IdeaPad 3 with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Mobile processor and AMD Radeon 7 graphics. The above combination is powerful enough to handle simple to complex photo editing tasks.
About the screen, IdeaPad has a high-quality screen panel that can display true colors. As a result, you can edit images and do graphics-related tasks with minimal chromatic aberration.
Last but not least, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a rare gaming laptop with a neat, thin, and light design. The failure to follow the standard design language of gaming laptops has brought the IdeaPad 3 closer to ordinary users who do not want to attract attention with too bulky laptops.
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What We Like
- Light thin.
- Supports multiple ports
- Impressive performance.
- Full HD screen with ultra-thin border.
- Adjust performance using Q Control.
Things To Consider
- Heats up quickly
2. HP 15.6″ FHD micro-edge – Best for Launch Speed
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 6-core.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB.
Product’s highlights
Professional photo editing software like Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom are pretty heavy. Installing this software on weakly configured laptops may cause jerks and interruptions during use.
With the HP 15.6″ FHD Micro-Edge, you can say goodbye to these unpleasant experiences because this laptop has a powerful configuration. HP has equipped the product with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor and up to 16GB of RAM.
The device runs smoothly with photo editing software and can complete multitasking tasks very well. With the HP 15.6″, you can both edit images and find information when you have multiple browser tabs open at the same time.
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What We Like
- 16GB RAM.
- Access files faster.
- AMD Radeon Graphics.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500U mobile processor.
- The ability to multitask is quite good.
Things To Consider
- The USB-C port does not support video.
3. HP 14 – Best for Connectivity
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 14 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4020.
- Ram Memory: 4GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 64 GB.
Product’s highlights
In the image editing process, you must have stored data on external devices and transferred it through the appropriate socket. Understanding this need for you, HP launched a new 14” laptop model with a variety of connection ports.
This laptop model can transfer data via USB type A and Type C ports. Plus, HP 14 also supports HDMI, MU-MIMO, and a headphone jack. Thanks to that, you have almost no difficulty transferring data through peripheral devices.
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What We Like
- Support multiple ports
- Intel Celeron N4020 processor.
- The screen has high brightness.
- Handle tasks smoothly.
- 14-inch FHD IPS screen.
Things To Consider
- Low storage capacity.
4. Apple MacBook Air – Best for Professionals
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 13 Inches.
- CPU: Apple M1 chip.
- Ram Memory: 8GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 256GB.
Product’s highlights
It is no coincidence that quite a few photographers and image designers always give special favor to Apple MacBook Air.
This device uses the Apple M1 Chip with an 8-core CPU that delivers 3.5x faster than the previous generation. With such impressive processing efficiency, you can even perform professional editing operations on large graphic files.
The beautiful screen is also the reason you should choose products from Apple. Compared to a variety of screen models with conventional panels, Apple’s Retina screen will bring more realistic and vivid images.
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What We Like
- Easy to set up
- Gorgeous Retina display.
- Durable and elegant design.
- Open large graphic files easily.
- Enhance performance by 3.5 times.
Things To Consider
- Limited upgrade.
5. Acer Aspire 5 Slim – Best for Color
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U.
- Ram Memory: 4GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 128 GB.
Product’s highlights
After editing an image, you’ll probably want to print the image. A problem after printing is the color difference between reality and learners’ expectations.
With Acer Aspire 5 Slim, you can avoid the above troubles altogether. Acer has equipped Aspire 5 Slim with IPS panels and Full HD display quality.
This laptop model also uses Acer Color Intelligence. As a result, you can be assured of the color accuracy of every image you edit on the Acer Aspire 5.
In addition to color accuracy, this laptop model also pleases users in the design field thanks to the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, a mobile processor capable of handling complex tasks very well.
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What We Like
- Dual-core processor.
- Battery life 7.5 hours.
- AMD Radeon Vega 3 Mobile Graphics.
- Widescreen, good display quality.
- Acer BlueLightShield protects eyes from stress.
Things To Consider
- Need to improve the quality of the touchpad.
6. HP 14″ HD Light-Weight – Best for Versatility
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 14 Inches.
- CPU: AMD 3020e.
- Ram Memory: 8GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 128 GB.
Product’s highlights
With the HP 14″ HD Light-Weight, you can open heavy photo-editing software and play multiple web pages simultaneously.
It can be confirmed as above because this laptop model possesses relatively high performance. Specifically, the product uses AMD 3,000 series, 2 cores, four levels, maximum clock speed up to 2.6 GHz.
Not only that, but the manufacturer also equips this laptop with 8 GB of high bandwidth. Compared to most of the competition, the HP 14″ HD Light-Weight is far superior in its ability to run editing software simultaneously and smoothly.
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What We Like
- 8 GB of high-bandwidth RAM.
- AMD 3000 Series mobile processors.
- The display has a resolution of 1 million pixels.
- Integrated high-performance 3-core Radeon graphics.
- The large-capacity solid-state drive allows for good multitasking.
Things To Consider
- The speaker quality is not good.
7. Dell Inspiron 3510 – Best for Storage
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Pentium N5030 Processor.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB.
Product’s highlights
Ample storage space is the reason why many photographers and designers look to Dell Inspiron 3510. The product’s 256GB PCIe NVME M.2 solid-state drive has a large enough capacity to store heavy graphics files.
Accompanying the sizable solid-state drive is high-bandwidth RAM of up to 16 GB. This parameter is a testament to the ability to run smoothly and handle all the device’s most complex photo editing applications.
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What We Like
- Enduring.
- Intel UHD Graphics.
- Ample storage space.
- 16 GB of high-bandwidth RAM.
- The screen has an anti-glare LED backlight.
Things To Consider
- The display is not too good.
8. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook – Best for Portability
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 11.6 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4020.
- Ram Memory: 4GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 64 GB.
Product’s highlights
Are you busy and don’t want to interrupt your image editing work?
Look at the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook, and you’ll have a comfortable work experience wherever and whenever you want.
You can use the device on the go because the product has an impressive battery life and a compact and straightforward design.
Another advantage of this laptop model is that the setup is quite simple. As long as you own a Google account, you can set up, log in and back up data in this particular laptop model.
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What We Like
- Impressive battery life.
- Simple setup.
- High mobility.
- Built-in operating system.
- Various connection ports.
Things To Consider
- Limited storage capacity.
9. Lenovo Legion 5 – Best for Graphics Performance
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H.
- Ram Memory: 16GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB.
Product’s highlights
It is another product from Lenovo: Lenovo Legion 5. The manufacturer has paid particular attention to graphics performance with this laptop model.
Lenovo equips the product with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti graphics card.
In addition, the manufacturer optimizes device performance through Legion AI Engine, 3rd Gen Tensor AI Cores, and more. Combined is a Full HD IPS screen with 100% sRGB color accuracy.
With all the advantages, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Lenovo Legion 5 has a leap in graphics performance, meeting your photo editing needs well.
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What We Like
- 16GB DDR4 RAM.
- Impressive battery life.
- High-performance 8-core processor.
- Full HD display with 100% sRGB color accuracy.
- Legion AI Engine, Tensor AI Core optimizes performance.
Things To Consider
- The position of the touchpad is not reasonable.
10. HP Stream – Best for Budget
Important Specification
- Screen Size: 14 Inches.
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4000.
- Ram Memory: 4GB.
- Hard Disk Size: 32 GB.
Product’s highlights
HP Stream does not own too many breakthrough points. The product has a fairly basic design, and the processor is not too powerful when it is simply Intel Celeron N4000.
However, considering the relatively affordable price, HP’s specifications for this laptop model have far exceeded users’ expectations.
With just as much performance at the same accessible price, there’s no reason to stop you from choosing and using the HP Stream.
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What We Like
- Affordable price.
- Intel Celeron N4000.
- Vibrant display colors.
- Slim and lightweight design.
- Intel 600 integrated UHD Graphics.
Things To Consider
- Low storage capacity.
Buying Guides
After reviewing the range of products above, you’re probably pretty excited by now to learn how the list above came about. Here are some specialized criteria to evaluate laptop models for photo editing lovers:
Screen quality
You can’t edit photos for hours on end with a laptop with an unimpressive screen. Instead, look for products with IPS screen technology to overcome eye strain when working for a long time.
Storage
If you must process many high-quality images and videos, you will need a laptop model with an ample storage hard drive. For example, if you work with 4K video, you’ll need a laptop with at least a 512GB hard drive.
CPU
To put it simply, the newer a CPU with a high base frequency and a diverse number of processing cores, the more powerful it will be.
FAQs
How much RAM do I need for photo editing?
If you use professional applications like Photoshop and Lightroom Classic, the minimum amount of RAM should be 16 GB.
Is RAM or SSD more important for photo editing?
RAM is only necessary if you want to open large files and multitask.
Meanwhile, SSD is an almost mandatory requirement in new models, allowing you to open and process heavy files in a short time.
Is a laptop or desktop better for photo editing?
It is a powerful desktop, offering plenty of ergonomic support. However, most photographers believe in the versatility and advantages of laptops.
How much SSD do I need for Photoshop?
If you are a professional photographer, you will need a device with up to 1 TB SSD memory because the above capacity can meet the storage needs and use of professional software such as Photoshop and Lightroom.
Is 512GB SSD enough for Photoshop?
The 512 GB SSD will probably suffice for photoshop, as long as you store the photos on other drives.
Conclusion
With the 10 best laptops for photo editing, it’s impossible not to mention the Lenovo IdeaPad 3. This product meets users’ requirements quite well, from processing capacity, storage capacity, and image display ability.
If the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 with the above advantages has not conquered you, turn your attention to other names on the list. Surely you will be satisfied with the experience that these models bring. Thank you for reading!