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The choice between Windows, macOS, or Linux should align with your preferred software and work environment. Each operating system has its unique strengths and compatibility with graphic design tools, and this choice can significantly impact your workflow and software accessibility. Finding the right laptop means putting it through its paces, so that’s exactly what I did.
MacBook Air
An excellent choice for either graphic design students or professionals would be a CPU processor of at least one gigahertz (1GHz). From the moment I fired up the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, its 14-inch touchscreen display made a solid impression. Editing high-resolution images and navigating graphic design software felt intuitive and efficient, thanks to the sharp WUXGA resolution and the smooth performance of the Intel Iris Xe Graphics. While it doesn’t match a high-end workstation’s power, it handles most design tasks without breaking a sweat. I worked with the Zenbook Pro Duo 15 for quite some time, and I was really impressed with how well it performed. It’s got everything a graphic designer needs to be productive– from a powerful processor and discrete graphics card to a stunning display and a unique dual-screen design.
Balancing Portability and Power
It was important to see how they handled the actual work I dealt with every day. Designers need to see colors and details super well, so I only picked laptops with really good screens that show everything clearly and with the right colors. The laptop’s build and screen aren’t the best out there, and the audio quality could be better. But these haven’t really held me back from creating impactful brand designs and strategies. The 512GB SSD also meant I never had to worry about space for my large files.
Best Laptops for Designers in 2024: Tested and Reviewed
Overall, we found the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 an excellent laptop for core design. Benchmark tests reveal a substantial performance boost, particularly in graphics-intensive applications, streamlining creative workflows. With up to 24 hours of battery life, it supports prolonged creative sessions on a single charge. On-the-go designers need a laptop that can keep up with their mobile lifestyle. The Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 strikes a fine balance between high performance and enduring battery life, ensuring you stay productive even when away from a power outlet. For pixel-perfect projects, a high-resolution, color-accurate display is crucial.
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Top Rated Laptops for Graphic Designers: In Detail
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Yes, an Intel Core i5 is good for graphic design, as long as it has up to four cores and a processing speed of up to 1GHz. However, this core level may not be suitable for most complex computing such as 3D designs and CAD tasks. Ideally, you should aim for at least 16GB of RAM for graphic design devices. However, if you find a good laptop with only 8GB of RAM space, it can also work but extra storage space will lead to faster performance. Its expansive, vibrant display, with minimized bezels, provides an immersive experience for detailed design work without sacrificing the laptop's compactness.

But remember, the best laptop for your graphic design journey is the one that feels like your perfect fit. Yes, a powerful laptop is essential for graphic design to handle heavy software and ensure smooth rendering, enabling faster and more efficient work processes. In terms of power, the quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core H Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card turn the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio into a performance powerhouse. In my work, creating complex 3D models, editing high-resolution images, and bringing animations to life, this device has given impeccable performance without any lag.
Memory and Storage Space
As such, you’ll find the graphics features and core speed suitable for your design tasks. The ASUS ZenBook 14 UX431 is also an ideal choice for graphics designers who need an affordable laptop for graphic design. It has a Quad-Core i5 processor and up to 1.6GHz of processing speed. It has integrated Intel UHD graphics, a 14-inch screen size, and a 1920 x 1080 resolution with an IPS display. Not only does it have an impressive 240Hz refresh rate, but the 2650×1600 resolution makes for a crisp and colorful picture.

You can easily move around with your laptop, thereby optimizing your workflow and productivity. You can use your laptop and graphic design applications without an active power supply. You can also use a two-in-one laptop as a note or sketch pad when you need to.
For graphically intensive projects like 3D design, you’re going to want a dedicated graphics card. Fortunately, most gaming laptops have dedicated graphics and should be able chew right through those projects. If you’re looking to save some money, go for an Nvidia RTX 3060 or 3050 Ti. For a serious boost in graphics performance, we’d suggest springing for an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti or an AMD Radeon RX6800S.
The display should offer 1080p resolution or better, with superior color fidelity across sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 color gamuts, ensuring on-screen designs translate flawlessly to their final forms. Ensure the laptop has adequate ports for connecting external devices like monitors, drawing tablets, and storage drives. Essential ports include USB-C/Thunderbolt for fast data transfer, HDMI for external displays, and SD card slots for additional storage options, enhancing versatility. A high-quality display is vital for graphic design, profoundly affecting the accuracy and quality of work. OLED or IPS panels are recommended for their superior color reproduction, viewing angles, and better representation of design nuances.
Jacob Cass is a brand designer & strategist, educator, podcaster, business coach and the founder of JUST Creative, an award-winning branding & design consultancy that doubles as an industry-leading blog. I didn’t just guess what people needed, I actually talked to different artists like people who draw, design websites, and make 3D designs. They told me what’s really important for their work, like what makes a laptop great for creating. Switching from laptop to tablet mode lets me showcase my work in a more interactive way during client presentations.
In other words, this machine should be able to handle most design tasks with relative ease as well as everyday workloads. The GPU is a little underwhelming when running newer games, but MSI offers up to seven different configurations, so you can always chose a more powerful option. The display is also dimmer than we like, but it’s 17.3-inches and that’s a lot of screen real estate to work on. So, if you’re a beginner graphic designer looking to save some money, you should definitely consider the GF76 Katana. Graphic design tasks range from using complex software like Adobe Creative Suite to rendering 3D models, necessitating powerful hardware.
While the ZBook Fury 17 G8 is a powerful laptop, it does have some drawbacks. The battery life also isn’t that great, so I had to keep it plugged in for most of the time. The 17.3″ Full HD display offers crisp, clear stunning visuals, ensuring that every pixel of my design stands out.
Performance-wise, the MacBook Air excels with fast boot times and smooth application handling, crucial for managing complex design projects. Its dual OLED screens not only offer vivid colors and deep blacks essential for accurate graphic work but also provide up to 9.5 hours of battery life, extendable with strategic screen use. Port selection is excellent - we like to see so many connectivity options especially in a laptop of this size. You'll find a HDMI port, two USB-A and two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack.
That said, if you need more power, see our list of the best desktop computers for graphic designers. Or if you work in web design and do more coding, see our post on the best laptops for programming. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a portable laptop for beginners and students. If you’re new to graphic designing, you need a laptop like this that can fit into your routine and help you to learn graphic design. It also has integrated UHD graphics, a 13.5-inch screen, and a 2256 x 1504 screen resolution.
The new video codecs such as AV1 should save significant time and disk space while rendering video. The crisp OLED will also appeal to content creators as anything you’re doing on screen, such as photo and video editing, will look great, too. All of these features mean that for now, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra is the content-creation notebook to beat.
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