Best Laptop For Graphic Design in 2022
Finding a laptop fit to handle the complex demands of designers and artists operating in the digital realm is no small feat. With options aplenty, we’re spoiled for choice, which is both a boon and a burden, making the task of finding the best laptops for graphic design a challenging task. More and more manufacturers are successfully squeezing down the power of traditionally chunky workstations packed to the gills with cutting-edge hardware into portable, powerful devices.
If you judiciously have not gone out and laid down cash on the first allegedly graphic design-ready laptop out there and want to make an informed decision, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve tracked down the best laptops for graphic design out there, covering a range of budgets and uses to hopefully meet your needs and help you further your skills.
Products at a Glance
Best Laptop For Graphic Design in 2022
- Exquisite 16-inch Retina display with P3 wide color gamut
- Top specifications
- AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series graphics
- Responsive and comfortable Magic Keyboard
- Up to 11 hours of battery life
- Very expensive
- Limited I/O ports
- Versatile M1 chip
- More affordable than 16-inch MacBook Pro
- 20-hours of battery life
- 13-inch Retina display with P3 wide color gamut
- Magic keyboard
- Poor selection of ports
- Superb performance
- Cutting-edge mobile specifications
- Elegant and neat design
- Impressive 15.6-inch 4K display
- Mediocre battery life
- Discrete GPU option may not suit power users
- Beautiful minimalist design and robust aluminum casing
- 11.5 hours of battery life
- Bright and vivid display
- Lacks ports
- Expensive
- Simple, elegant design and compact casing
- Excellent specifications
- 12-hours of battery life
- Too few ports
- Relatively expensive
Our Verdict
While Apple products may not be to everyone’s taste, it’s hard to go against the grain here and not align with the consensus that the MacBook Pro 16-inch is the uncontested king of laptops suited to graphic design. It’s insanely powerful, packed with cutting edge hardware, and sports an impeccable 16-inch Retina display; there’s little to dislike here, and the gripes we do have are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.
For those priced out of the MacBook Pro 16-inch, the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch is a worthy substitute. The lower price tag, excellent features, and versatile M1 chip combine to deliver a compact, graphic design powerhouse bolstered by Apple’s distinctive look and feel.
Moving to Windows devices, the Dell XPS 15 is the most well-rounded out there: superb performance, top-notch specifications, a tidy refresh, and a genuinely stunning 15.6-inch 4K display. We also consider the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15-inch, with its minimalist design and excellent battery life, a worthwhile alternative to the XPS 15.
Finally, for Windows users looking for a compact graphic design laptop, we recommend the Dell XPS 13. A miniaturized XPS 15, it’s ideal for those on the go that want performance.
With that, we’ll end our guide to the best laptops for graphic design here. Don’t hesitate to share any comments, suggestions, or questions in the comment section below.