To choose for yourself the best laptop for photoshop, you need to consider many different types. Not only has a robust configuration, VGA graphics card, high screen resolution to handle the job smoothly and accurately, but it also depends on a lot of factors.
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Technology is increasingly developing, so the market today also has many different laptops to choose from. So, what is the best laptop for photo editing? If you are wondering, the article below will help you answer the question. Let’s learn some necessary information when choosing a laptop for photoshop!
Contents
Top 7 Best Laptops For Photoshop & Photo Editing 2021
#1 MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019
The MacBook Pro 16-inch comes with a larger screen, creating a huge difference for those who edit photos in Photoshop software. This new screen can bring a higher resolution screen so that your visual ability can be better. The keyboard is also improved much, and it is more comfortable and reliable to type.
Besides, this laptop has a more powerful GPU. More specifically, the GPU equipped inside is the AMD Radeon Vega 16/20. This component allows users to edit pictures better with no lag.
Pros
- Stunning screen
- Improved keyboard
- Fast operation
Cons
- Very expensive
Indeed, the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch is a great option for those who do not have a tight budget as it is quite expensive. Even though it is not the newest model, it still packs many powers, making your photo editing job a pleasure.
#2 Acer Aspire 5 Laptop
When coming to the features of this laptop, you will be surprised by its high quality. More specifically, the display is very bright and good color accuracy. In terms of performance, it is designed with the 10th gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor and the Intel UHD graphics card. These two features can process the CPU projects quickly.
This Acer Aspire 5 also offers high-speed downloading and an ultimate browsing speed. The most fantastic aspect of this model is the 8-hour battery life.
Pros
- Decent performance
- Good build quality
- Well priced
Cons
- Cheap-feeling touchpad
If you are looking for the best laptop for photoshop under 1000, you should think about this Acer Aspire 5. It is a mid-range laptop that can do play media and many tasks well with excellent battery life.
#3 Dell G5 15 Laptop
This model can indeed give you better performance compared to other products in the same range. You will get the Core i9s with 4.5GHz, which is equivalent to the possibility that you will achieve the highest speed to edit many photos simultaneously.
Plus, the 1.5TB SSD storage and 256GB PCIe NVME are enough to store software, edited images, and many other files. This model gives you 6-7 hours to work on if you forget the charge at home.
Pros
- Good battery life
- Strong graphics
- Colorful display
Cons
- Chunky design
The Dell G5 is appropriate for photographers and editors who need to apply effects again and again. Its outstanding features allow you to do the editing job faster, even in just a few seconds.
#4 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 8th Gen Laptop
Describing the features, this model has a 14-inch screen that can provide you with Full HD resolutions or a 4K panel. No matter what you choose, the colors are still vivid. Besides, it is recommended to buy the 16GB RAM unit as it is suitable for doing heavy multitasking.
Regarding the SSD capacity, it is genuinely not a serious problem at all as the laptop can have speedy storage for the user. Through some tests, almost no counterpart in the same range can keep up with the score that ThinkPad X1 Carbon achieved.
Pros
- Good screen performance
- Compact and lightweight
- Great battery life
Cons
- The trackpad is slightly small
This module is genuinely ideal for on-the-go photographers as it offers faster performance. Also, it has great display options, durable chassis, and good battery life. That is why this ThinkPad X1 Carbon can maintain its position on the market so far.
#5 ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 Laptop
The biggest advantage of this module is the huge touch-sensitive ScreenPad Plus. This is known as the secondary screen, which enables to display of other apps on the main screen. By using the ScreenPad Plus, you can extend an app over both screens.
Other big talking points are the 32GB RAM and 8th Intel Core i9 processor. These two specs are blazing-fast for heavy Photoshop editing.
Pros
- Very fast operation
- Great construction
- Gorgeous OLED screen
Cons
- Mediocre battery life
Although the ASUS ZenBook Pro UX581 is not very affordable, it still keeps users’ interests. Undoubtedly, it is an interestingly classic laptop design with a massive amount of power. That is why it is listed as one of the best laptops for photo editing.
#6 MSI GL62M Laptop
MSI is often famous for gaming laptops. However, its laptop range is powerful enough to be the best laptop for Photoshop. Evidently, it comes with the 8GB DDR4 RAM and the Intel Core i7 processor. You can boost up the CPU through the Turbo Boost tech to run complicated modeling drawings or intensive programs.
Pros
- A bunch of storage space
- Top-notch performance
- Backlist keyboard
Cons
- The design might not be attractive to some people
This MSI model can deal well with all types of daily tasks. With the remarkable features mentioned above, you can easily edit images and 4K videos without any trouble. The efficient hardware equipped will maintain the speed of this laptop and improve productivity when you do multitasks.
#7 LG Gram 8th Gen Laptop
The LG Gram seems to be a newcomer, but it is still a beast for you to do multitasking and editing tasks effortlessly. Its CPU is sufficiently powerful to stream 4K and 5K videos. Furthermore, you might be fond of the touch-enabled display. Photographers and editors can navigate among different options and brushes quickly.
Pros
- Immensely lightweight
- Speedy fingerprint reader
- Awesome touchscreen
Cons
- Tiny speaker
If you are seeking a portable laptop, the LG Gram 8th Gen should be worth your consideration. It has a sleek and clean design, great battery life, and is super lightweight.
Features to Consider When Choosing A Laptop For Photoshop
CPU
With the work of graphic design and engineering, a graphics laptop can use specialized software such as Photoshop, AI, construction design software, video editing software is essential.
Therefore, the laptop used for graphic and engineering design requires strong configuration. It will help you create large files or open lots of software for manipulation while still ensuring work efficiency without crashes.
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It is often necessary to work with specialized software such as Photoshop, code, Illustrator, 3Dmax. So, Photoshop laptops need a specific strong configuration such as a Core i5 or higher CPU, preferably from Core i7 with the QM or HQ suffix in the CPU code. For example, Core i7 7240QM, i5 6200HQ, i7 4800QM.
For laptops with a slower CPU, you can still install the above graphics software. However, with storing large files, the device will not guarantee, leading to lag when using. Besides, if you can afford to invest in new generation Xeon CPU models, the working experience becomes even better.
GPU
The chip must always come with the graphics card. If the chip is terrible, the graphics card must be terrible. If you specialize in making video graphics or using photoshop, you should choose a laptop running Quadro card as the top priority.
Some models that may be suitable are the NVIDIA QUADRO K1000M or the NVIDIA QUADRO 1000M. For anyone who likes versions like Apple macOS, it’s a different story.
Usually, MacOS will be suitable for mid-range graphics and photoshop work, while professional designers need discrete graphics cards for more straightforward rendering.
For 2D graphics, you don’t need to choose the one that is too tall. Some types that you can consider are new onboard or discrete cards from AMD & NVIDIA, such as MX130, NVIDIA MX250, MX330, Radeon 610, the higher, the better.
For 3D graphics, due to the need to design multiple models, you will need high graphics processing capabilities, so you should not choose an onboard laptop card. Instead, you can consider graphics-oriented lines like GTX1050 (NVIDIA), RX5300M (AMD), and above.
RAM
RAM is essential for laptops for graphic design and photoshop. Because the laptop must have enough space to launch specialized applications and ensure the laptop can smoothly use the software.
So, to meet the software’s installation requirements, choose machines with at least 4 GB RAM. But it is better to have 8 GB or more to handle the job well. When working with large image files, you should choose machines with a minimum of 8GB RAM. Then, depending on the job’s needs, you can upgrade to 16GB, 32GB, or more.
Storage
Users who often use Photoshop need a lot of space to store data, which can be up to GB per file, with 500 GB being the most suitable.
One thing that makes it difficult for you to choose is to choose the hard drive SSD for booting the computer, the software is faster, but the HDD usually has a higher capacity, so how to choose.
For professional Photoshop users and graphic designers, you should install two hard drives in parallel. 1 SSD of about 128 GB or more to run Windows and applications. A hard drive from 500 GB or more for data storage is the preferred choice because of its advantages and cost savings.
Display
The screen is an essential factor for graphic design users, mostly photoshop-related. An exemplary display of colors will help designers fine-tune colors accordingly.
It would help if you chose the 15.6-inch type to better display tasks in terms of size for the working space. The screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels or higher. When working with graphics applications, you will often have to zoom in. The high visibility will help your machine work more accurately.
Besides, in terms of color, full HD 2k 4k is also more standard in design. As for the smaller screen size, standard HD display, you need to look carefully not to save money when owning the device.
High-brightness, comprehensive color coverage (sRGB, aRGB, DCI-P3) is preferred. Delta-E <2.0 color deviation helps render colors more beautiful and accurate. Usually, the MacBook from Apple or Dell XPS, LG GRAM, or HP Specter X360 did very well.
FAQs
What Is A Good Cheap Laptop For Photoshop?
When it comes to laptops for photoshop, you do not necessarily have to choose an expensive laptop. Many manufacturers also create affordable laptops that still meet the basic needs of people who use Photoshop software. You can consider products from Acer such as Acer Aspire 5, Acer Spin 3; Apple MacBook Air; Lenovo Flex 14.
What Laptop Do Most Photographers Use?
For the photographer, it is essential to choose a laptop that displays colors correctly. Laptops from famous brands such as MacBook Pro M1 (13-inch, 2020), Dell XPS 15 (2020), or Lenovo ThinkPad are top-rated.
Are Gaming Laptops Good For Photoshop?
Gaming laptops are quite suitable for using photoshop. Gaming laptop CPUs will be better than average. In addition to the outstanding RAM capacity, the gaming laptop’s video card is also carefully focused. So, it meets the necessary conditions for Photoshop work.
Is Mac Or PC Better For Photoshop?
Depending on your computer’s system configuration, Photoshop will work well or not. But overall, it is suitable for both Windows and Mac operating systems. It is essential to choose a fast processor, high RAM capacity, and a very good graphics card.
What Is The Best Laptop For Photoshop Cs6?
Photoshop CS6 has become extremely familiar software for photographers in particular and laptop users in general. Therefore, many manufacturers have understood and met the needs of everyone to use this software. Some of the laptops that Photoshop CS6 will do well are Microsoft Surface Book 3, Dell XPS 17, Apple MacBook Air M1, or Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition.
Final Words
Briefly, the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019 should be the top pick in this article. It is really an excellent choice for professionals when money is not a big issue. Its gorgeous design and versatile functions can help you to do wonders with photos. For the budget option, you should opt for Acer Aspire 5 Laptop. This best deal can give you the fastest PCIe NVMe SSD, which is super handy for some Photoshop modes.
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As you can see, there are many features to look for when selecting the best laptop for Photoshop. If you read this article thoroughly, you will not find it challenging to choose the best laptop for photo editing. Hopefully, you enjoy this article, and you will have a suitable laptop for your needs soon!