What is the Best Laptop for Photographers?
They are more portable and can help you get things done wherever you are, so there is a high demand for these laptops. But you need ones that are powerful enough to handle what needs to be done. These can easily take the place of PCs too.
And we have gathered laptops that can help you do just that.
Best Laptops for Photographers – Our Top Picks
Whether you’re new in the industry or a seasoned photographer, these laptops can provide a sufficient workstation where you can create your masterpieces.
Apple MacBook Pro Max
It’s high end. It’s a powerhouse content creation tool that helps you to concoct inspiring materials uninterrupted with its longer battery hours.
The screen has an impressive color display, both images paired with impressive contrasts. The professional photographer will be able to see every detail and spec of his masterpiece.
This larger Macbook Pro showcases prowess that you might find a very sufficient alternative to desktop. This is more on the heftier side though and it’s that pretty easy to carry alternative. But when it comes to speed and power this is one of the books.
Another feature that photographers will find a nice surprise is the Nano-texture display option. This can significantly reduce glare without compromising the color accuracy of images and videos. So even if you work in bright rooms or a glaring indoor setting, it will be satisfying.
In the realm of laptops, it features a massive screen that allows you to dabble in your designs and photo editing tasks easier. It is one of the best when it comes to color accuracy and stunning HDR displays.
This will make everyday mundane tasks a breeze. You can easily maneuver through simple activities.
ASUS ProArt P16
From Mac devices, let’s head on to Windows. This ASUS is one of ‘em laptops that will make you prefer Windows over Mac.
Though not as powerful as the Apple offerings, it has enough prowess that can handle demanding photo editing photo editing software like Photoshop and Lightroom. You can easily work with large RAW image files or complex edits.
This is more portable, slightly smaller than the high end favorite Mac book Pro.
When it comes to color accuracy, we were as impressed. The level of precision is crucial for photo editing, and you cannot go wrong with this more affordable option. Despite not having that high end price tag, it can ensure that colors, contrast, and tones are represented accurately. Photographers will find it easier to check and assess the fine details and subtle gradients in your works. You can spot the tiniest detail, so to speak. It runs like a premium laptop , so you can get more value for your purchase.
Though the veterans in the picture and even music industry may find the specs a bit underwhelming. So this might be better suited for those who are newbies and beginners. And oh, the screen comes off a bit glossy, so this can be too glaring if you are working in super bright rooms and environments.
Dell XPS 16
This is a compact and classy laptop that offers a different type of keyboard. Though some may argue hoering through the keyboards is a bit uncomfortable, there is no arguing in it that it can be satisfying in the end. It has a LED-lit capacitive key function row and invisible touchpad. It also works well, it just needs a bit of getting used to.
Performance wise, it has an OLED InfiniteEdge display that features specs with impressive brightness and striking colors. You will be able to see the tiniest detail of every image you are working on.
This laptop has a nice blend of style, a more unique approach from the traditional one. It can make the entire creation process seamless and smooth. And a good choice if you’re looking for a more portable yet powerful device. It has a good starting price, so a great one to consider if you are on a budget.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 R
Specs:
Battery life: 10 hrs
Screen Size: 14.4”
Memory and storage : Up to 64GB LPDDR5x RAM and 2TB of SSD
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050/4060, Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada, or Intel Iris Xe Graphics
CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700H with INtel Gen3 Movidius 3700VC VPU AI Accelerator
Ports: 2x USB-C with USB4/Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.1, MicroSDXC card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect port
This is one of the more premium options and equipped with a more catchy and unique design that while not be a need in most scenarios, can offer a more ergonomic approach, especially who needs it the most. The Foldable sketching screen is one of the more unique tech in laptops and it doesn’t come around that often. The screen is also a supported laptop display in itself, it can fold into media playback or flat drawing formats is the most useful 2-in-1 format you can buy.
It features a bright display with impressive color accuracy. You wi be able to have more precise control over photo editing, sketching, and video timelines
This may have a steep price tag considering that it has more modern and unique aesthetics, keyboard and touchpad design. And compared to its predecessor, the screen now supports HDR.
Creation wise, it is satisfying but we feel that the price tag is engaged more on the aesthetics and ergonomics rather than the internal specs.
Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8
Specs:
Battery life: 14 hrs
Screen Size: 15”
Memory and storage : Up to 16 GB
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
CPU: Intel Core i7-1360P
This is some kind of a splurge of a purchase. But it is very capable and packed with a lot of features and specs that can help you get more creative work done with more precision.
It runs in Windows 11 and can handle design programs like Adobe and illustrator quite efficiently. It is rather speedy and can help you get more done but with the exceptional quality at the same time. The colors are very vibrant and sharp, very eye candy and sort of surreal to the eyes. It also has other exciting features such as a rotating sound bar for audio. The sound bar is conveniently located at the hinge of the device, projecting forward effortlessly in both positions. So this goes beyond the traditional product with a seamless design and the extra conveniences. And oh, it comes with a stylus already.
Dell XPS 17
Specs:
Battery life: 9 hrs
Screen Size: 17.3”
Memory and storage : 16GB of DDR5 RAM
GPU:NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
CPU: 10th-Gen 8-Core Intel Core i7-10875H
Ports: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Thunderbolt 3 port with DisplayPort. 4
This offers a larger screen that can help photographers pay more attention to their masteries. Though the battery is not that impressive, this laptop was able to perform beyond your expectations. Just ensure to have it plugged in most of the time so you don’t end up draining its juice.
Apart from photo editing, this is a great laptop for other creative fields, such as music production. This is quite a versatile piece that can handle pretty much everything you throw at it. The build of the laptop is quite robust and premium feeling to it.
It is a photo editing powerhouse with a large and very vibrant design. This is a highly customizable piece, though that may entail more moolah than what most people would agree to spending on.
Gigabyte Aero 16-inch
Specs:
Battery life: 18 hrs
Screen Size: 16”
Memory and storage : Up to 4TB
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTXTM 4070
CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i9
While the aesthetics and the design are the first things that will draw you to this laptop, there is more to it when it comes to this pretty thing. Don’t get us started with the amazing OLED screen. From photo editing and other creative works, this can set you up for a more productive day. It has powerful processing capabilities that can help you give more clear and keen focus on every image and video.
This is a pretty little thing with a touchpad that is made of glass to help keep things smooth. It is highly functional and responsive. The tactile keyboard makes it an enjoyable thing to work on.
HP Pavilion Aero 13 2024
Specs:
Battery life: 10 hrs
Screen Size: 13.3”
Memory and storage :512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8640U
Ports: DMI port, 1 drop-jaw USB Type-A port, 1 USB Type-C port , headphone jack, power jack, 1 drop-jaw USB Type-A
This is a more portable and compact laptop that will suffice your needs if you are on the go. Despite the smaller sized screen, it has an impressive performance and display. The bright display with perfect glare refraction makes it possible for use even in well lit spaces and the outdoors. The screen is quite bright for a laptop of this price.
The powerhouse eight core processor makes this compact unit a workhorse compared to laptops of the same size. You will be able to run editing apps without any problem.
We Also Tried These
These are the runner up. While the battery may seem very insignificant, these have some surprises up their sleeves.
- ASUS Vivobook Pro 16
This laptop has an impressive display and decent hardware. But we find the battery life too short and lacking. If you are looking for a basic, more of an entry type and affordable laptop to edit your photos, then this will suffice. You can’t argue that for a budget laptop, this can help you get more creative work done. Just keep in mind that there are no options to customize the specs and features, it is what it is.
- MSI Creator Z17
This laptop can handle high-resolution photos with multiple layers. You will be able to export to various file types quickly. This can very well handle softwares used for photo and video editing. This brand has a good reputation when it comes to gaming, but it can prove itself worthy for photographers, content creators and those in the creative business.
The problem is the very short battery life compared to the quite expensive price tag it bears.
Buying Guide: Laptops for Photo Editing
Here are the things that you need to remember if you’re buying a laptop for photo editing, content creation or if you are simply in the creative industry.
Processor
You will need a laptop with powerful specs, one that can handle demanding and powerful apps and softwares needed for photo editing. At a minimum, you’ll need a modern Intel Core i5 processor or AMD Ryzen 5 as a minimum.
We’ve chosen laptops with a dedicated graphics chip , this ensures that these will be more than capable to handle GPU-accelerated tools in a program like Photoshop.
Storage
For photo editing and creative tasks, you may be able to get away with 8GB of RAM. but we have tons of choices that go beyond 16GB. This ensures that you will be able to run demanding photo editing softwares such as Lightroom without any hassle. This makes it possible for the laptop to be able to handle and edit high-resolution RAW images.
Screen and display
We have picked laptops with the more color-accurate screen. But of course, you have to weigh this versus your budget. So we have a mixture of affordable and premium laptops that can satisfy your requirements both for design and function.
Displays with options for calibration and customization can help you maximize things and be at the top of everything. It can help you fine tune your work and see the tiniest detail and specs of every image. We have a handful of units that will allow you to do just that.
Laptops That Can Make Your Photos Shine Through
These are the top three considerations if you want a laptop that can highlight your work, help you get things done easier but with more precision. Apart from the impressive features and specs, we have chosen laptops that combine form and function. You get the best of both words while keeping your budget in check too.
