Top 8 Best Laptops for Artists – 2023 Edition

For artists, having a dependable and powerful laptop is crucial to realizing their creative ambitions. With the popularity of digital art, having a computer that can run demanding applications and facilitate productive work is more critical than ever.

Choosing the best laptop for artists according to your requirements might be challenging given the market’s abundance of models with various designs, sizes, and specs.

To assist you in making a wise choice, we have put together a list of the best artist laptops. This article will walk you through the best options accessible today, whether you’re a seasoned graphic designer, animator, or just getting started.

Let’s have a look at the best laptops for artists in detail with the pros and cons,

List of Best Laptops for Artists in 2023

BRAND	Processor	RAM
Apple MacBook Pro	2.6 GHz Intel Core i7	16 GB
Microsoft Surface Book 3	AMD Ryzen 53580U	32 GB
Dell XPS 15	Core i5-2410M	64 GB DDR4
ASUS Zen Book Pro Duo UX581	Intel Core i9-10980HK 2.40GHz	16 GB DDR
HP Envy X360	Intel Core i7	8 GB
Microsoft Surface Go	Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y	8 GB
Apple MacBook Air	Apple M1 Chip Processor	8 GB
Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chrome Book	MediaTek Helio P60T Processor	4 GB LPDDR4X

1.  Apple MacBook Pro – Best Apple Laptop for Artists

Developed and manufactured by Apple Inc., the MacBook Pro is a series of powerful laptop computers. The MacBook Pro’s sophisticated features, like its Retina display, fast processors, and extended battery life, make it a favorite among creative professionals, business users, and regular customers.

The Apple MacBook Pro’s 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU ensures lightning-fast response and smooth multitasking. The CPU and the rest of the MacBook Pro’s technology make it a perfect choice for professionals in the creative industries and other power users who need a high-performance laptop.

The MacBook Pro is an outstanding option for anybody in the market for a laptop computer for either professional or recreational use. Apple MacBook Pro is the best Apple laptop for artists in 2023 because it can run all Macintosh platforms’ creative tools, store essential files and portfolios, and present the work in breathtaking depth, color, and vibrancy.

The screen on the MacBook Pro is fantastic because it enhances artwork with depth, resolution, and gorgeous colors. It has an expansive 16-inch Liquid Retina display and is jam-packed with capabilities that designers will like.

To view all the intricacies in your painting, edit photographs for printing, or utilize Photoshop’s Touch Bar to change brush settings swiftly.

Since the MacBook Pro has a long-lasting battery, you may work on your art for many hours without needing to plug it in. Its battery life is lengthy, lasting up to 21 hours. It features a Face time HD 1080p camera. You can carry this laptop any place thanks to its stylish design.

The core of the M1 chip is very effective and efficient. Faster picture and video processing results from this. You may work on your painting to ensure your computer catches up quickly.

The 16GB RAM option will let you use many creative programs simultaneously without experiencing a slowdown. Whether working on intricate artwork or editing 4K video, this laptop can handle any creative activity you throw at it.

Pros:

• Upgraded M1 Pro and M1 Max processors
• 1080p high-definition web camera
• Expansion ports and connectivity
• Long Lasting Battery

Cons:

• Bulky
• Lacks face ID

Final Views:

One of the best laptops for artists is the MacBook Pro, a powerful workhorse. Particularly for professionals. Additionally, the Apple MacBook Pro runs flawlessly, powerfully, and quickly. Any digital artist may use it to help them complete their work, and it displays the outcomes precisely and tastefully.

Check Price:

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2.  Microsoft Surface Book 3 – Best Laptop for 3d Artists

The Microsoft Surface laptop is the second-best artist laptop. The MacBook Pro outperforms the Surface Book 3 in computing power. Apple’s M1 CPU, based on ARM architecture, is an update for the MacBook Pro that outperforms Intel’s most powerful laptops. ARM-based processors are not available for the Surface Book 3, which may explain any performance disparity.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a sturdy piece of technology. It is vital, stylish, and lightweight. It has a brilliant touch screen with excellent quality, plenty of processing power, and enough memory for even the most demanding animation or drawing applications.

The Surface Pro laptop is ideal for demanding jobs like animation, high-resolution graphics, and professional picture editing since it boasts the quickest, most recent-generation CPUs, a Radeon graphics coprocessor, and swift DDR4 RAM.

It is one of the best laptops for 3d artists. Additionally, it features a detachable SSD drive, which is helpful for artists and photographers and makes it simpler to update the computer.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5′′ is still a powerful and attractive device for any working professional or fine artist, even if it is also available with a smaller screen and somewhat different specifications and technology.

It should come as no surprise that the Surface Book 3 is an attractive laptop. From the solid feel of the keyboard half of the computer to the chrome Microsoft logo on the rear of the gadget, everything about it screams quality.

Given that this is the flagship Surface product from Microsoft, a certain degree of quality is required. The availability of ports is the most excellent aspect of the Surface Book 3’s design because it has mostly stayed the same since its predecessor.

The Surface Book 3 includes two batteries: one in the tablet and one in the keyboard base. Microsoft states that when the tablet is linked to the keyboard, it can be used continuously for 17.5 hours, although the laptop falls short of this promise.

The Surface Book 3 lasted around 7 hours and 9 minutes in the PCMark 10 battery test, which tests battery life under various activities, including word processing and video chatting.

Pros:

• Beautiful Design
• Comfortable Keyboard
• Gorgeous Screen
• USB-C Port is Available
• Fast Charging
• Fast Processor

Cons:

• Tiny trackpad
• Lackluster speakers

Final Views:

In conclusion, the Microsoft Surface 3 is the best laptop for artists. It has a fast CPU, a giant, high-resolution screen, and a flexible design incorporating a pen for drawing and sketching.

Due to its compact and lightweight design, artists may carry their work wherever they go. In addition, the Surface 3 is compatible with various creative software applications, making it a perfect work device for artists who want a dependable and effective computer.

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3.  Dell XPS 15 – Best Dell Laptop for Artists

Regarding processing speed, the Dell XPS 15 is the third-best laptop for artists. The Surface Book 3’s graphics hardware outperforms the Dell XPS 15. The Dell XPS 15 features Intel UHD Graphics 630, whereas the Microsoft Surface Book 3 has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q Design. In gaming and video editing, the Surface Book 3’s NVIDIA GPU easily outperforms the XPS 15. For graphics-intensive apps, the Surface Book 3 is superior.

Corning Gorilla Glass 6 safeguards the screen of this device’s ergonomic display. This tablet is perfect for digital art if you’re an artist.

The Dell XPS 15 has a sleek, premium design with a brushed aluminum body that feels strong and well-constructed. Additionally, the laptop is quite slim and lightweight, making it convenient for traveling artists.

The 15.6-inch 4K display on the Dell XPS 15 is just breathtaking. Its resolution of 3840 x 2160 makes it ideal for artists who want accurate color accuracy and fine detail. The display also has complete Adobe RGB coverage, which is essential for digital picture and video editors.

Equipped with a 10th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM, the Dell XPS 15 can easily handle demanding work. Artists who need to run numerous applications or work with huge files will enjoy this laptop’s performance.

Artists are always on the value of battery life, and the Dell XPS 15 does not fail in this regard. With a battery life of up to 9 hours, artists may work without fear of running out of power. You can also check our guide for the best laptop for Ableton.

Pros:

• A high-resolution monitor
• Powerful Intel Core CPUs
• Good keyboard and touchpad
• Numerous Storage
• Memory Choices

Cons:

• Less accessible to budget-conscious buyers
• Limited upgradability

Final Views:

The Dell XPS 15 is the best Dell laptop for artists overall. With its luxury appearance, gorgeous 4K display, and firm performance, this laptop is ideal for artists who want a dependable and adaptable device for their work.

The Dell XPS 15 is an excellent investment for creative work, whether you’re a digital artist, photographer, or video editor.

Check Price:

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4.  ASUS Zen Book Pro Duo UX581 – best 2 in 1 Laptop for Artists

Many artists advise against making artwork on a laptop’s screen, but what more do you need when you have an incredible computer with a dual screen, 4K resolution, and a pen with great sensitivity?

While expensive, the Asus Zen book Pro Duo is one of the most inventive, sophisticated, and helpful laptops ever created.

The Dell XPS 15 outperforms the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 in GPU performance. The XPS 15 supports NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics, but the ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 only supports 3060. The XPS 15’s RTX 3050 Ti GPU is great for video editing and gaming.

The Zen Book Pro Duo is well-constructed and attractive. The outside is metal, with little to no flex in the lid or keyboard frame. In contrast, the displays and keyboard dominate the inside.

The keyboard includes a standard layout and an additional set of Function keys to the right, above the touchpad, two of which operate the Screen Pad and one toggle between Power/fan Modes and the power button.

The Zen Book Pro Duo UX581’s key selling factors are its two displays. Asus equips this device with a 15.6-inch 4K main display and a 14-inch 4K side screen, dubbed Screen Pad Plus, in a 32:10 configuration.

This Zen book Pro Duo has a 71 WH battery, a typical size for a top-tier performance laptop.

You also get Optimus, although, with two displays and power-hungry technology, you should anticipate short runtimes. Here is the result with the main screen set to around 120 nits of brightness (40 percent) and the touchpad disabled.

Pros:

• Superior structure and components
• The Screen Pad becomes more valuable with time.
• Excellent typer as long as you keep it on a desk.
• Generally doing well

Cons:

• Battery life is short when both displays are on

Final Views:

If you want a dual-screen laptop with adequate hardware and features, this Zen Book Pro Duo is one of the best laptops for artists, which, despite its peculiarities, is a decent device.

Among them is the T-Rex functionality on the lap, the relatively high weight compared to other possibilities, the slightly restricted CPU performance under intensive loads, and the plethora of considerations necessary for an OLED laptop screen. You can also check our guide on the best laptop for podcasting

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5.  HP Envy X360 – Best Budget Laptop for Artists

AMD’s integrated Radeon graphics are one of the features of the HP Envy X360. It offers astonishingly high performance for movies, video games, and the most demanding digital art tools.

The HP Envy X360’s Intel Core i7 CPU provides excellent performance and speed. This processor’s eight cores and 16 threads make it great for intensive tasks like video editing and gaming because of its efficient multitasking and fast reaction times.

Another feature that stuck out to us was the screen’s ability to turn into a tablet. The disadvantage, however, is that the laptop lacks a pen and a 4K screen features that every artist desires in a digital art laptop.

The HP Envy x360 is visually attractive. The chassis’ aluminum construction seems and feels premium. However, despite its sturdy construction, it weighs just 1.38kg and is exceptionally lightweight and portable, making it ideal for commuting or working from a coffee shop.

The HP Envy x360 is not crammed to the rafters with functionality, but it has a few surprises. Let’s begin with the camera; it may seem inconsequential, but with everyone still working from home, a high-quality webcam is essential.

This model’s 720p camera could be better, but it does contain GlamCam, which includes an appearance filter, lighting adjustment, and auto frame to guarantee that you always look your best.

According to the manufacturer, the HP Envy x360’s 4-cell, 66 WH Li-Ion polymer battery can last up to 17 hours and 30 minutes. I found that to be close. You can also explore our list of best laptops for podcasting.

Pros:

• Solid productivity results
• Exceptionally long battery life
• Outstanding construction quality and aesthetics
• Spectacular OLED display
• Excellent keyboard Price

Cons:

• Creative output is deficient.

Final Views:

Overall, the HP Envy X360 is an excellent desktop replacement laptop that is presentation-friendly and should be your first pick for a large-screen best convertible laptop for artists.

Check Price:

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6.  Microsoft Surface Go – Best laptop for Artists and Writers

The Microsoft Surface Go is the best laptop for artists looking for a portable and versatile device to bring their creative visions to life.

With its sleek and lightweight design, high-resolution display, and the inclusion of the Surface Pen, the Microsoft Surface Go provides artists with the tools they need to create with precision and control, making it the ideal choice for artists on the go.

The sleek and lightweight design of the Microsoft Surface Go makes it a fantastic alternative for artists who are always on the go. The 10-inch display’s high resolution of 1800×1200 pixels provides colorful and crisp images, making it ideal for artists who must see their work in minute detail.

The Microsoft Surface Go is powered by an Intel Pentium Gold CPU, which delivers a fast and fluid experience for everyday activities like online surfing and document editing. The laptop has up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, enabling artists to save and work on their ideas anywhere.

The Microsoft Surface Go is one of the best laptops for artists and writers. It is an excellent choice for writers due to its portable and versatile design. With its 10-inch display and lightweight form factor, writers can easily carry it and work from anywhere.

One of the finest features of the Microsoft Surface Go is the Surface Pen, which allows artists to create their masterpieces in a natural and precise manner.

With up to 9 hours of battery life, the Microsoft Surface Go is ideal for artists who need to work on projects for long periods. The laptop’s fast-charging function enables artists to return to work immediately after a brief pause.

Pros:

• Small weight makes it simple to transport.
• Intel Pentium Gold CPU and up to 8GB of RAM.
• Surface Pen is a pressure-sensitive stylus
• Up to 9 hours of battery life
• Comparatively inexpensive to comparable high-end creative laptops

Cons:

• No separate graphics card option

Final Views:

In conclusion, the Microsoft Surface Go is a versatile and portable laptop perfect for artists and creators who are always on the go. While it may not be the most powerful laptop on the market, it is one of the best laptops for artists looking for a portable solution to bring their creativity to life.

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7.  Apple MacBook Air – Best Mac laptop for Artists

The Apple MacBook Air is widely considered one of the best Mac laptops for artists, offering power, portability, and affordability. Whether you are a graphic designer, digital artist, or filmmaker, the MacBook Air has the features and capabilities you need to bring your creative visions to life.

Because of its stylish appearance, powerful performance, and adaptability, the Apple MacBook Air is a highly sought-after and popular notebook. This gadget has undergone several revisions since its first release in 2008, including recent technological developments.

The MacBook Air is an excellent option for anybody who wants a powerful but portable laptop for school, business, or play because of its sturdy design and high-end hardware. The MacBook Air is a versatile machine used for schoolwork, watching movies online, or surfing the web.

The Apple MacBook Air features a sleek and modern design that artists will love. The laptop has a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, providing sharp and vivid visuals.

The MacBook Air is powered by Apple’s M1 chip, which provides fast and efficient performance for everyday tasks such as browsing the web and editing documents.

The MacBook Air provides up to 18 hours of battery life, making it an excellent option for artists who need to work on projects for extended periods.

Pros:

• Sleek and stylish design.
• High-performance hardware
• Excellent software integration
• A large and supportive ecosystem
• Good battery life

Cons:

• High price point
• Limited upgrade options

Final Views:

The MacBook Air may be more costly than other laptops on the market, but it provides a premium experience for artists, making it one of the best laptops for artists seeking a high-quality way to bring their ideas to life.

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8.  Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chromebook – Best 2-in-1 Laptop for Artists

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is a highly adaptable 2-in-1 notebook built for mobile users who want to do more. This portable Chrome OS laptop seamlessly integrates with Google services, including Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Assistant.

With its detachable keyboard, the IdeaPad Duet can convert from a laptop to a tablet in seconds, making it ideal for both work and pleasure.

The sleek and portable form of the Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chrome Book makes it perfect for artists who are always on the go. Its lightweight design and 10.1-inch display make it portable.

The IdeaPad Duet Chromebook also has a powerful MediaTek Helio P60T CPU and 4GB of RAM, offering a speedy and seamless multitasking experience. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is suitable for you, whether you are for a laptop to keep you working on the road or a tablet for entertainment.

The 10.1-inch display of the Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chrome Book is bright and vibrant, with sharp pictures and vivid colors.

The Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chrome Book features an extended battery life, making it ideal for mobile artists.

Pros:

• Affordable pricing point
• It has a portable and lightweight design, making it simple to transport.
• Superior battery life

Cons:

• No support for specific Android applications

Final Views:

Due to its limited storage choices and lack of active pen compatibility, there may be more suitable laptops for artists than the Lenovo Idea Pad Duet Chrome Book. However, it remains a viable alternative for artists that place a premium on mobility and price.

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Here are a few things to think about when purchasing a laptop for digital art.

Guide for Buying the Best Laptop for Artists

Have your art objectives established correctly before reading on to learn what to seek in a digital art laptop. It entails writing down the activities you want to accomplish with your art laptop.

1.  Display

Suppose you are looking for the best laptop for artists. Your first choice screen should be a 4K screen if you can afford one. The majority of laptops have either an HD or a 4K screen. You can see the artwork in more detail on a 4K screen than on an HD screen.

Nowadays, most design programs provide interfaces for screens with resolutions greater than HD. Therefore, running these programs on an HD screen will gradually reduce the interface’s usability and your job.

The color reproduction of a 4K screen laptop is another incentive to get one. While HD displays can only emit 75% of Adobe RGB, specific 4K panels can replicate 100% of the color spectrum.

Therefore, the best laptops for artists must feature a top-notch display that enables quick and accurate graphics rendering. Artists need a laptop with a high-resolution display and superb color accuracy to realize their artistic vision.

2.  RAM

If you are looking for the best affordable laptop, it is advised that you get a digital laptop with 8GB of RAM as an essential minimum.

However, a 16GB laptop is the best option for artists. Additionally, if you often use memory-intensive programs like Adobe CC and After Effects, invest in a laptop with 32GB of storage.

The critical point is that it depends on how you use the program. Consider a laptop with more RAM if you are looking for the best laptop for artists because they often use memory-intensive professional drawing programs. In any other case, either 8GB or 16GB RAM would suffice.

3.  Processor

Choosing a suitable processor might be challenging when selecting the best laptop for artists. Despite AMD and other specialized CPU producers seeing a recent performance and popularity uptick, Intel Core chips still dominate the processor industry.

You may also choose from Core i3, i5, i7, and i9 devices within the Core range. However, the i5 and i7 are further divided into versions that finish in U and H, HQ, or HK. Most of today’s CPUs are 8th generation, which may be up to 0.5 times quicker than their 7th generation predecessors.

Check a laptop’s CPU speed to see whether it has turbo speed. But, the speed that the cores reach is known as turbo speed. The computer usually speeds up the seats that are currently in use if the functions your apps are executing do not fully use the core power.

By looking at the CPU’s code name, you may determine the generation and kind of processor. A Core i9-8950HQ CPU, for example, is an 8th generation (the number immediately after the hyphen) and H series (the final two digits in the code) processor.

In conclusion, the processor is one of the most important factors when looking for the best laptop for artists. A laptop with a fast and efficient processor will allow for a smooth and seamless drawing experience.

4.  Storage

The best laptop for artists is one that has ample storage space to store all of their digital creations. Artists need large storage capacities as they work with high-resolution images, videos, and other multimedia files. A laptop with limited storage will become cluttered quickly, affecting the device’s performance.

If you are looking for the best laptop, then a laptop with dual storage is another choice for artists.

It enables the usage of an SSD and an HDD, the HDD serving as a secondary drive for storing huge files and data backups, while the SSD serves as the main drive for quick access to frequently used information.

Most 15-inch laptops feature 1 TB of storage space. However, some of them provide 2 TB of storage, which is costly and unnecessary. A 15-inch laptop with 512 GB of storage is the ideal choice as the best laptop for artists.

For example, 4K video and animation laptops may contain two PCIe drives or up to four SATA SSD drives that may be striped together on a single device. The 4 TB storage capacity of the Apple MacBook Pro is only possible due to the striping of two drives.

In conclusion, a laptop with enough storage, a sharp display, and dual storage with both an SSD and an HDD is the ideal choice as the best one.

5. Visuals

When it comes to finding the best laptop for artists, the graphics card plays a crucial role in the overall performance and creativity of the device. A sound graphics card allows for smooth and seamless rendering, ensuring that the artist’s vision can be brought to life without lag or delays.

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100, Nvidia Quadro M2200, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 are a few of the finest laptop graphics cards for artists.

These graphics cards provide outstanding performance and visualization capabilities for artists working with 3D models and high-resolution photographs.

Additionally, these graphics cards work with several tools and programs widely used in the business, such as Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, and Blender.

When choosing the best laptop for artists, it is essential to consider the graphics card as one of the critical factors in the purchasing decision. A high-performing graphics card will help artists unleash their creativity, allowing them to produce stunning, high-quality work without limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What laptop do artists use?

Artists use high-performance laptops with good graphics, such as the Apple MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface Book, and Dell XPS 15, for demanding digital art projects. The best laptop for an artist depends on their specific needs and preferences.

What is the best laptop for digital artists?

The best laptop for digital artists includes the MacBook Pro, Surface Book, and XPS 15, offering high performance, good graphics, and display quality.

Is Mac or Windows better for artists?

Macs and Windows both have benefits for artists. Macs have better graphics and color accuracy, while Windows has a more extensive selection of devices at different price points. The best option for artists depends on their workflow, budget, and preferred software.

How much RAM do you need for an artist’s laptop?

For an artist laptop, a minimum of 8 GB RAM is recommended, with 16 GB optimal for smooth performance with demanding software.

Summary

The best laptop for artists should have high performance and good graphics capabilities, such as the Apple MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface Book, and Dell XPS 15. It should also have at least 8 GB of RAM, with 16 GB being optimal, to handle demanding software and larger files.

The display quality and color accuracy are essential for artists and the ability to handle smooth multitasking. The exact specifications will vary based on the individual needs of the artist.