The Best Laptops for Graphic Design on a Budget (2024)

Are you a graphic designer looking for the perfect laptop to bring your creative visions to life? Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, finding the right laptop can significantly impact your workflow and productivity. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is best suited to your needs.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the essential factors to consider when choosing a laptop for graphic design, including processor, graphics card, RAM, storage, display, and portability. We’ll also provide recommendations for top-rated laptops in various price ranges to suit different budgets and preferences.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of what to look for in a graphic design laptop and be well-equipped to make an informed decision. So, let’s dive in and find the ideal laptop to fuel your creativity!

• CPU: A quad-core processor with a minimum speed of 1 GHz. If you’re working on high-resolution or 3D graphics, we suggest an Intel i5/Ryzen 5 or Apple M1.
• RAM: 8 GB of RAM is the minimum, but 16 GB is preferred.
• Storage: A solid-state drive (SSD) is recommended for faster loading times. A minimum of 256 GB is needed, but 500 GB or more is ideal.
• Display: A high-resolution display with a minimum of 1920×1080 pixels is recommended. A colour-accurate display is also important, especially if you’re working with print media.
• Graphics card: A dedicated graphics card is not required for basic graphic design work, but it can be helpful for more demanding tasks such as 3D rendering.

Here are some additional considerations for choosing a laptop for graphic design:

• Operating system: Both Windows and macOS are popular choices for graphic designers. Windows is generally more affordable, while macOS is known for its stability and intuitive interface.
• Portability: If you need to be able to take your laptop with you on the go, you’ll want to choose a lightweight and portable model.
• Battery life: Graphic design work can be power-intensive, so you’ll want to choose a laptop with a long battery life.

There are numerous laptops available for graphic design with varying budgets, performance, and prices. Here is a list of the best options for each price range, ranging from low-end laptops to high-performance ones.

If a graphic designer needs a powerful portable laptop, the ASUS Zenbook 14 is an excellent choice. With an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce MX350 graphics card, this device is well-equipped to handle even the most demanding graphic design tasks, including 3D rendering and video editing. The laptop also has a beautiful 14-inch Full HD display with a 92% screen-to-body ratio, making it perfect for viewing and editing high-resolution images and videos.

In addition to its powerful performance, the Zenbook 14 is also very lightweight and portable. With a weight of just 2.9 pounds and a thickness of only 0.6 inches, this laptop is highly portable and convenient to carry to and from work or school. Additionally, the laptop boasts an extended battery life, providing up to 10 hours of uninterrupted use on a single charge, granting ample time to work or create without worrying about running out of power.

The Zenbook 14 has many other features, making it a great choice for graphic designers. It has a backlit keyboard that is comfortable to type on, even in low-light conditions. The touchpad is also large and responsive, making navigating your workspace easy. The laptop has various ports, such as two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. These ports enable you to connect your peripherals with ease.

The Acer Swift X is great choice if you’re looking for a laptop to handle your graphic design needs. Its powerful and versatile capabilities make it a reliable tool for your work. With an AMD Ryzen 5 5600U processor, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, this laptop can handle even the most demanding design tasks. Its 14″ FHD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio makes it an ideal choice for viewing and editing images and videos.

In addition to its powerful hardware, Graphic designers can benefit from the various features of the Acer Swift X Laptop. Some great features of this laptop include a backlit keyboard, which makes it easier to work in dimly lit environments. Additionally, a secure fingerprint sensor allows for quick and easy login. The laptop also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth capabilities, providing fast and reliable connectivity. Lastly, a USB 3.2 Type-C port can be used to connect to external devices like monitors, storage drives, and printers.

The Acer Swift X Laptop is also very portable, weighing only 2.6 pounds and measuring 0.6 inches thick. This makes it easy to take with you on the go, whether travelling for work or school or just wanting to work from anywhere.

The HP Victus 15 Gaming Laptop stands as a powerhouse, perfectly for graphic designers seeking a high-performance computing solution. With its Intel Core i7-12650H processor, 64GB of RAM, 2TB PCIe SSD, and the robust NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card, this laptop effortlessly tackles even the most demanding creative projects.

The laptop’s 15.6″ FHD 144Hz display offers a captivating canvas for graphic design, ensuring smooth and engaging visuals. The backlit keyboard features anti-ghosting keys, guaranteeing precise input recognition, even during multitasking sessions. The dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card provides the graphical muscle required for graphic-intensive tasks.

Creativity knows no bounds with the Victus 15. Its 64GB of RAM and spacious 2TB PCIe SSD combine to offer abundant storage and memory capacity, accommodating intricate design projects without a hiccup. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card excels not only in gaming but also in video editing and rendering, providing a seamless creative workflow.

Beyond its design prowess, the Victus 15 boasts a commendable battery life, extending up to 6 hours on a single charge, ensuring uninterrupted creative sessions on the go. The laptop’s assortment of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and an SD card reader, ensures seamless connectivity with various peripherals and external devices.

The Dell G16 7630 is a mid-range gaming laptop that can also be used for graphic design. This laptop boasts an Intel Core i9-13900HX processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, making it capable of handling even the most demanding graphic design software. Its 16-inch QHD+ display, with a 165Hz refresh rate, delivers smooth and clear visuals for editing and rendering images and videos.

In terms of build quality, the Dell G16 is made of solid plastic and metal. It is not as premium as other gaming laptops, but it is still well-built and should last several years. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, and the touchpad is responsive.

The port selection on the Dell G16 is limited, but it does have the essentials. There are two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, an HDMI port, and an audio jack. There is also a Thunderbolt 4 port on the more expensive models.

The battery life on the Dell G16 7630 is not the best, but it is about average for a gaming laptop. When you use your device for light tasks like browsing the web or watching videos, you can expect approximately 5 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Overall, the Dell G16 7630 is a good option for graphic designers looking for a powerful and affordable laptop. It offers a good balance of performance, features, and price. However, if you want a computer with a premium build quality or a longer battery life, you may want to consider other options.

The Alienware m15 R7 is a powerful gaming laptop. With its 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, this laptop can easily handle resource-intensive design applications.

The m15 combination of the Intel Core i9 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card ensures smooth and lag-free performance when running graphic design software. Whether you’re working on complex illustrations, 3D modelling, or video editing, this laptop delivers excellent results without compromising speed. The 15.6-inch QHD display with a 240Hz refresh rate offers exceptional image quality, allowing designers to work with sharp visuals and vibrant colors. The high refresh rate ensures smooth navigation and reduces motion blur when working on animations or fast-paced designs.

The backlit keyboard of the m15 is highly responsive and comfortable, making long design sessions less taxing on the fingers. The tactile feedback aids in precise keystrokes, which is essential for designers relying heavily on shortcuts and hotkeys. With up to 6 hours of battery life, the laptop provides decent mobility for graphic designers. While it may not be sufficient for extensive design work away from power outlets, it is adequate for short trips or meetings.

Consider potential drawbacks with Alienware m15 R7 for graphic design, including reported issues with BIOS password and inconsistent frame rates. Additionally, the keyboard may be loud for users who prefer a quieter typing experience.

The Apple MacBook Pro (2024) is a powerful and versatile laptop perfect for graphic designers. It is powered by the new M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, which offers up to 10 cores of CPU performance and up to 32 cores of GPU performance. This makes it one of the fastest laptops on the market, and it can easily handle even the most demanding graphic design tasks.

The MacBook Pro also features a stunning 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which offers incredible image quality with a peak brightness of 1600 nits. This is perfect for graphic designers working with high-resolution images and videos. The display is also fully color-calibrated, making it accurate for color-sensitive work.

The MacBook Pro is powerful and visually impressive and boasts an extended battery life. Apple claims that the battery can last up to 22 hours on a single charge, which is more than enough for even the most demanding graphic designers.

Graphic designers can choose the MacBook Pro for its many features that enhance their work. It includes a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, a studio-quality three-mic array, and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. This makes it perfect for video editing, music production, and audio recording tasks.

Gamers will find the MacBook Pro an excellent option as it can handle even the most demanding games effortlessly. Furthermore, it provides a range of ports to connect gaming peripherals.

In summary, this guide is your go-to resource for finding the ideal laptop for graphic design. We’ve covered key features to consider, from CPU power to display quality. Whether you’re on a tight budget or have more to invest, we’ve curated options for you.

Remember, the right choice hinges on your unique needs and budget. This guide equips you with the insights to choose the perfect laptop and unleash your creative potential.