Hello, there have you just started your art degree if that’s the case then you need a laptop. And luckily for you, there are thousands of laptops these days as good as that sound, So here are The 5 Best laptops for artists And Designers. It can make it very overwhelming and confusing to find yourself a laptop as an artist you just want a very good laptop that is proven to work well.
For artists, that’s exactly what I got through hours of research and talking to many artists and reading as many blogs as I could get my hands on I found exactly what you need as an artist.
5 Best Laptops For Artists And Designers
- Acer Spin 3
- Lenovo flex 14
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- HP spectre x360 15T
1. Acer spin 3 convertible laptop
Source: Amazon
Acer Spin 3 convertible laptop is an amazingly affordable option if you don’t have the biggest budget in the world then this is gonna be a very good option for you. This laptop from Acer is gonna be an amazing choice for most artists it’s built very well by Acer and it’s one of the laptops with the most positive reviews I’ve ever seen which means people don’t have any problems with this laptop.
So this laptop has a 360-degree rotatable screen which makes it turn into kind of a tablet and what’s cool is that this stylus comes with the laptop. You don’t have to pay any extra and the stylus has a slot in the laptop so you don’t have to worry about losing it.
CPU & GPU
As for the specs of this laptop, it has an eighth-generation Intel i7 8000 565 you. It has Intel’s integrated graphics which is UHD graphic 615 and it comes with an amazing 16 gigabytes of RAM. This storage is 512 gigabytes of SSD storage.
And the display is a 1080p full HD IPS touch panel so IPS panels are usually much preferred for artists.
IPS panels are known to have the most accurate colors out of all other panel types laptops on the cheaper and usually have TN panels and TN panels usually look very bad.
Connectivity
So the only downside I could possibly find on this laptop is the fact that it’s not updated with the latest USB C ports but to be honest not everybody needs a USB C port anyway the USB 2 port is fine.
But if you want a USB C then you’re gonna have to wait for the next laptop despite the fact it has this tiny disadvantage. But it has an amazing touchscreen and a good trackpad an SD card reader and a keyboard that feels very good.
So if you want to do some video editing live gaming and maybe some 3d projects this will definitely be a good entry-level option as it has a pretty powerful CPU for artists who want to draw.
It has a very accurate stylus pen another cool feature with this laptop is the fingerprint reader so if you just hate passwords like me, it’s just a secure way to get into your laptop.
It has the fingerprint reader and most importantly it has up to 12 hours of battery life.
Pros
- Full HD touch screen
- Offer 1TB storage
- Robust build quality
- Solid display
Cons
- Doesn’t support a USB-C port
- Awkward in Tablet mode
2. Lenovo flex 14
The Lenovo Flex 14 is gonna be your best budget artist laptop so the pros of this laptop it’s not expensive and it has a 360 rotation display.
It has an IPS display panel and the pen that comes with it has 4096 pressure levels and there are no many cons for this laptop at this price, this is an overall outstanding laptop for the price.
CPU & GPU
So if you want the best laptop for art projects and drawing on a budget then this is the way to go. Now let’s talk about the specs if you love Intel CPUs it has an eighth-generation Intel i5 8200 65 you as for AMD it has a risin 5 3500 you processor.
The Intel one comes with you HD graphics 615 and the AMD option comes with a dedicated radium Vega 8 graphics card.
RAM
So, the Intel option comes with 8 gigabytes of RAM, the Ryzen comes with 12 gigabytes of RAM and storage you can pick what you need it has 128 256 or 512 gigabytes of course and the display is a 1080p full HD IPS touch panel.
The price of this thing is insane compared to other laptops that are good for artists this is like half their price. It’s not like the specs are bad either I mean it has amazing specs.
So if you want to use simple artist programs or drawing programs like Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator or anything, that is not very intense this is a perfect option.
Stylus
Now, this laptop comes with two different stylus pens I recommend go for the Lenovo active pen 2 as it provides a very natural feeling of writing sketching, and drawing.
And it also has configurable buttons to speed up your work and improve your overall productivity I mean at this price it feels like there must be some cash but there isn’t so, just go for it if it’s within your budget so this is an amazing option.
Pros
- Fast system performance (as for SSD model)
- Great overall build quality
- Long-battery life
Cons
- No higher resolution option
3. Microsoft Surface book 2
price at the time of publish
Source: Amazon
Microsoft Surface book – this is 2 in 1 laptop in the beast mode so if you want a 2 in 1 laptop that has amazing specs then this is definitely the best option you could go for.
It is a very very powerful laptop for 2 in 1 laptop like I don’t even know how they put so many specs in such a tiny laptop so it has a superb detachable screen and this laptop with the specs can even play Triple-A games at high settings, this thing is amazing.
CPU & GPU
So let’s talk about the specs it has an eighth-generation until i7 8650 you or you could also opt for the i5 version so this is where this laptop stands out.
It has an Nvidia GeForce gtx 1060 6 gigabyte graphics card so it has a dedicated graphics card and not only a dedicated graphics card it has like a gtx 1060 graphics card, this is so strong for a 2 in 1 laptop
So what else has 16 gigabytes of RAM and it has 512 gigabytes of storage. If you want more you could also opt for the one terabyte storage option and it uses an SSD for storage which is much faster than the old storage types like hard disks.
And it has a whopping 3260 by 2160p pixels display with an IPS panel IPS panels have amazing accurate colors which are going to be very good for coloring your graphical designs and artwork so if you want something that so gets it.
It works as a two-in-one option, this is the best option. The other two-in-one options have this gimmicky feeling like a paper-thin keyboard and other weird things but now this laptop has an amazing keyboard and it looks just like a normal laptop little.
Do you know? all you do is just click something and boom your screen pops out now you have a tablet and not only do you have a tablet with amazing specs so honestly, but Microsoft also did an amazing job with this laptop.
Want To See: What Are The Best Laptops For Music Production?
Connectivity
As for connectivity, it has the port of the future which is USBC so the only downside on this laptop is you have to buy the Microsoft pen separately Microsoft will always try and get the most money they can out of it.
But in this laptop, every penny is gonna be worth it based on many benchmarks done on this laptop. It will literally chew up anything you throw at it so intense video editing, gaming, 3d design will do it all.
but keep in mind is not intended for very intense use. It’s not a workstation laptop it’s a lightweight very convenient portable amazing laptop.
Pros
- Luxurious alloy construction
- Good CPU and graphics
- Sharp high-resolution touch display
- Strong machine with Nvidia graphics
- Providing Xbox wireless
Cons
- Maximum 16GB RAM.
- GTX 1060 held back by custom driver.
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
$1,099 at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 7, this laptop is an improvement of Microsoft’s highly successful surface pro 6. Microsoft Surface Pro 6 was a very successful laptop for artists around the globe were using it.
It was being used for graphical design digital arts you name it anything so what Microsoft did here is they took the amazing mindset off? if it ain’t broke don’t fix it so what they did is they tweaked the pro 7 here and there?
CPU & GPU
But they didn’t change it too much so you keep the amazing features of the Pro 6. So this laptop also has a 10th generation until i7 processor, it is the i7 1065 G and there is also an i-5 option.
If you want that the GPU is Intel’s iris + graphics which comes with the tenth generation CPUs. The integrated graphics of the tenth-generation CPUs are so much better than the previous generations.
So it means that you don’t need to have a dedicated GPU with this laptop. The tenth generation CPU offers amazing performance graphics wise you could even play triple-a games with this laptop, not at the highest settings of course.
Anyways you get 16 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of RAM and this storage is 256 gigabytes of SS storage. The display is 2736 by 1824 PixelSense display with an IPS panel, this is a very powerful laptop which doubles as our laptop thanks to the touch display.
This Laptop Is A Good Option For An Artists
And the very sensitive Microsoft stylus pen, this laptop is a very good option for artists willing to take their creativity to the next level.
The only downside with this laptop is, Microsoft tries and gets every penny out of you so you have to pay separately for the pen and for the keyboard but if you have the money for it it’s well worth it.
So if you’re gonna be doing intense video editing or other intense artist programs like 3d programs and stuff then I suggest you stick with the i7 version.
If you’re going to be using simple programs like Photoshop or other 2d artists drawing programs then I would suggest you go for the i-5 because the i7 would be overkill.
And if you want something that is future proof definitely go for the i7 because it’s definitely gonna be better throughout the next year’s programs are always advancing which makes them need better specs.
Pros
- Faster and great 10th Gen CPU
- Sharp display
- Dual far-field mics
- USB-C includes
Cons
- Thunderbolt 3 not supported
- Keyboard and surface pen cost separately
5. HP specter x360 14T
price at the time of publish
$1,229 at Amazon
Source: Amazon
At Number first place we have the HP specter x360 14T this is a solid laptop from HP that looks stunning, this laptop is honestly the best future-proof laptop you can possibly get.
CPU & GPU
This laptop has a wonderful design and a beautiful 4k IPS display. The best part of this laptop is it has the 10th generation Intel i7 1510 you and this is Intel’s newest
CPU.
This CPU can boost to a whopping 4.9 gigahertz and this laptop comes with a dedicated GPU, you can either go for the GTX 250 or you could go for better options.
The reason you would go for a better graphics card is if you are using programs that utilize having a dedicated graphics card or if you want to play video games I can’t list every single program out for you.
But some programs are very good at using a GPU and some don’t really and they only care about having a good CPU. Generally speaking, most artists’ software is gonna benefit from having a good CPU and a lot of RAM which is where this laptop excels.
It has an amazing CPU and has 16 gigabytes of RAM plus 32 gigabytes of Intel obtained memory and this storage is a 512 gigabytes SSD and of course as we mentioned it has a 4k fully touch IPS display and a quick reminder is.
If you are into 3d design you definitely want to go with the option with a better GPU as most 3d programs utilize having a good GPU for rendering and as for the laptop, it has all the latest connectivity options.
It has a camera kill switch for privacy and it also has a fingerprint reader so I don’t know if you’ve heard of this before but if you have a nasty virus on your PC, they can easily spy on you through your laptop’s webcam but HP solved this problem really well.
Some Other Amazing Features Of This Laptop
So there is a switch you switch it, and it’s a mechanical switch so what it does is it shuts off electricity to the camera so even if a hacker wanted to spy on you through your camera it won’t work so that will ensure that you get the privacy you deserve.
Another amazing thing is this laptop uses the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology and it also uses Bluetooth 5. These features are very hard to find on laptops and most companies haven’t introduced them yet to their laptops.
This laptop has all the newest technologies in it, and it’s a perfect future-proof option so, to be honest with you, you want to get the best device you could possibly get then this is the way to go you are never gonna regret this laptop as an artist.
Pros
- Great performance for productivity work
- Offer Vivid 4K OLED display
- Great battery life
Cons
- Heavy and bulky
- Terrible trackpad
- What to Look for When Choosing the Best Laptop for Artist?
- Display Design, Size, And Quality
Considering drawing, you should have a large screen to see your full designs. Moreover, the resolution and contrast are also necessary. So due to this the colors and details should be vibrant and crisp as possible.
You have to understand that accommodation on the display font will make your digital art unsatisfactory. You don’t need to purchase a laptop that offers higher refresh rates but you should take an HD/Full HD display, a higher screen resolution.
Considering the display size of the laptop. It is important because if the screen size is larger (i.e. 15-inch or 17-inch), you will get better art nuances. In addition, a laptop that comes with a 13-inch display or larger size is too adequate for drawing points.
Although, it should offer Full HD resolution. I’d recommend that if possible, so don’t purchase 11-inch smaller display models.
Powerful Graphics Card
A strong graphic card is necessary for artists. Don’t sacrifice graphics, you’ll regret it. The premier specification that you have to look at in a drawing-centric laptop is the graphic arrangement.
Make sure that your artwork’s impression is well understood and observed, your laptop should complete the more than average standards of color clarity and display sharpness.
Performance
First of all, make a list for which software you use for daily purposes. Then it’s simple enough to know about the hardware requirements you need for applications. And due to this, you won’t be shocked if your laptop won’t run your favorite drawing application.
In usual, you have to purchase any laptop which provides at least an i5 or higher processor.
Portable
If you like to do commute or do work anywhere, take a lightweight, portable laptop. And I’d recommend you purchase a laptop with a rotatable screen so due to this, it can double up like a drawing tablet.
RAM (speed)
RAM is the amount of memory available to deal information in real-time. It’s type of as short-term memory, so if the less RAM you get, the probably it’s that your projects will look like an irritating goldfish in a Disney movie is controlling them.
The best laptop for artists offers at least 8GB RAM. That’s great to coherently run multiple, high-functioning programs simultaneously. For dense art files or videos, RAM processing is much better to go.
Battery life
Although, if you travel a lot, have to take your setup outside to sketch, or cooperate with others in a diversity of venues—you have to carry a laptop that can give more to it.
Storage space
Storage is one factor where the best laptop for an artist is different from the best laptop in usual. Art files consume a huge amount of space.
When the laptops storage space offers premium, luckily, external hard drives become inexpensive, easy solutions. You can take a reliable, 4 terabyte drive almost on $100 that is enough to store almost 66,000 RAW photos.
Cloud storage is another choice if you wouldn’t preferably deal with additional equipment, but it will consume an extra amount of your.
OS
This operating system is too preferable for an artist. The OS support is convenient for artists who’d fairly concentrate on great outcomes. Windows 10 (all editions) is great to go, no doubt. But with macOS, you can take many interesting resolution options, and the color bright on the screen is great to purchase.
Recommended and least System Requirements
Considering the buying decision, here is the list of the minimum and recommended system requirements, you have to consider while purchasing a laptop for drawing. The main thing is that the system doesn’t lag with any application, heating issue reduced, or 2D and 3D rendering of your digital drawing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
For drawing purposes – Which laptops are great to go?
Generally, artists make drawings digitally on laptops. Easily on laptops that are convertible and offer qualities like dedicated graphic units, strong performance, fast RAM, super-perfect display, and durable battery life.
For professional artists and drawing enthusiasts – Are 2-in-1s pertinent or not?
A 2-in-1 laptop works much better in tent mode, just like tablet mode, can be accurate for an artist to draw, doodle or paint, due to these things the laptop is capable of completing the minimum configuration requirements.
Is Touchscreen Laptop is needed for Drawing?
Touchscreen sensitivity is a superb feature that offers you the full control that you need otherwise you just have to write on a pen and paper. Touchscreens can hit all and affair applications, which makes easier the final artwork of yours.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading I hope you liked the content and if you found it helpful please remember to leave a like and share it with your friends and family. If you have any questions related to these products you can leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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