While some artists still prefer traditional methods of creating art, most rely on their laptops for their livelihood.
The main advantages of a laptop designed for artists are it’s powerful enough to handle graphics programs and has high display resolutions for excellent color and images. You can get advanced editing capabilities to deliver high-quality work. Many laptop options also have touchscreen functions for freehand drawing using a stylus. 2-in-1 designs are also popular since you can transform your laptop into a tablet to draw easier.
When deciding on the best laptop for drawing, animation, or 3D modeling, it is important to consider your specific needs and budget. Are you on the go often and need a long battery life? Do you need an HDMI port to connect it to external screens? Do you use creative applications only accessible on Apple laptops? You will also want enough memory and storage for your applications and projects. Generally, at least 8 GB of RAM is best for light graphics work, at least 16 GB RAM for heavier work, and 256 GB is a good minimum for storage.
Overview of Specification Comparisons
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | Lenovo Chromebook | MacBook Pro 16" | MacBook Air 13.3" | Dell XPS 15 (950Dell XPS 15 (9500)0) | Microsoft SurfMicrosoft Surface Pro 7ace Pro 7 | Microsoft Surface Go | Acer Spin 3 | HP Spectre x360 15T | Asus ZenBook Pro Duo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Life | Average of 10.8 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 11 hours | Up to 12 hours | Average of 12 hours | Average of 7.5 hours | Average of 9 hours | Up to 12 hours | Up to 13 hours | Average 5 hours |
| Screen Size | 13.9-inches | 11.6-inches | 16-inches | 13.3-inches | 15-inches | 12.3-inches | 10-inches | 14-inches | 15.6-inches | 15.6-inches |
| Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 PX | 1366 x 768 PX | 3072 x 1920 PX | 2560 x 1600 PX | 3840 x 2400 PX | 2736 x 1824 PX | 1800 x 1200 PX | 1920 x 1080 PX | 3840 x 2160 PX | 3840 x 2160 PX |
| Processor | 1.8 GHz | 1.3 GHz | 2.6 GHz | 1.1 GHz (Turbo Boost to 3.2 or 3.8) | 5 GHz | 1 GHz | 1.6 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 2.6 GHz | 5.3 GHz |
| Storage | 512 GB | 32 GB | 512 GB or 1TB | 256 GB or 512 GB | 512 GB | 256 GB | 128 GB | 512 GB | 256 GB | 1 TB |
| RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | Integrated Intel UHD 620 | Integrated PowerVR GX6250 | AMD Radeon Pro 5300M | Apple 8-core | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti | Integrated Intel Iris Plus | Integrated Intel HD 615 | Integrated Intel UHD 620 | 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home | Chrome OS | Mac OS | Mac OS | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home S Mode | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Pro |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, WiFi | Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC | Bluetooth 5, WiFi | Bluetooth 5, WiFi | Bluetooth, WiFi | Bluetooth 5, WiFi 6 | Bluetooth 4.1, WiFi | Bluetooth, WiFi 6 | Bluetooth 5, Intel WiFi 6 | Bluetooth, WiFi 6 |
| Keyboard | Backlit | Yes but not backlit | Backlit | Backlit | Backlit | No but supports Backlit | No but supports | Backlit | Backlit | Backlit |
| Weight (Pounds) | 3.02 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 3.47 | 1.7 | 1.15 | 5.5 | 4.24 | 5.5 |
| Stylus | Supports | Supports, not included | No | No | Supports, not included | Supports, not included | Supports, not included | Supports | Supports | Supports |
10 Best Laptops For Artists
When creating art from scratch, you want a laptop designed to support this purpose. This article will look at 10 of the best laptops for artists in the market today. Browse our top options below and weigh the pros and cons for a selection that best meets your needs and budget.
Lenovo Yoga 920
Lenovo’s Yoga 920 is one of the best laptops with a 4K ultra HD display, allowing you to draw with precision. It also has significant power and speed that makes it an all-around effective performing machine. This laptop has a sturdy structure supported by an aluminum chassis but is still lightweight at around 3 pounds. It also has good battery life, making it durable and portable.
The Yoga 920 is a 2-in-1 design. It has an 8th Generation i7 processor and a touchpad that responds well to multi-touch gestures. However, the keyboard has lower key travel and less optimal typing experience.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Average of 10.8 hours
- Screen Size | 13.9-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels
- Processor | 1.8 GHz core_i7_8700 CPU
- Storage | 512 GB SSD
- RAM | 16 GB DDR4
- GPU | Integrated Intel UHD 620
- Operating System | Windows 10 Home
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.1 and Wireless
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 3.02 pounds
- Stylus | Supports
Pros:
- Good touchscreen display
- Above average battery life
- Includes a stylus
- Sturdy and thin, portable design
Cons:
- Low keyboard peformance with mini directional keys
- Has a narrow range of ports
- Speaker placement can cause muffled sounds
2020 Lenovo Chromebook
If you want to stay under $400 and still have the best laptop for drawing and graphic design, the Lenovo Chromebook is a great choice. Compared to other budget Chromebooks, it has a long battery life and includes an HDMI port. It’s a 2-in-1 design and has a colorful IPS touch screen. However, with its low-resolution display, fine details can look a little pixelated.
The Chrome OS operating system is different from Windows and can take getting used to but still worth the switch. You can continue to access various art and graphic design applications such as Adobe Illustrator and Medibang Paint on Chrome OS.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Up to 10 hours
- Screen Size | 11.6-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 1366 x 768 Pixels
- Processor | 1.3 GHz Tablet_Processor CPU
- Storage | 32 GB eMMC
- RAM | 4 GB DDR4
- GPU | Integrated PowerVR GX6250
- Operating System | Chrome OS
- Connectivity | Bluetooth, WiFi, and NFC
- Keyboard | Yes but not backlit
- Weight | 2.6 pounds
- Stylus | Supports but not included
Pros:
- Great value for budget-friendly price
- Long battery life
- Better-than-expected IPS screen
- Has an SD slot for storage expansion
- Includes HDMI port
- Has a touchpad that glides and taps smoothly
- Doesn’t overheat easily
Cons:
- Underwhelming performance
- Low-resolution display
- Not very durable, especially when dropped
- Bad quality sound system
- Keyboard isn’t backlit
MacBook Pro 16″
Although pricier than others, MacBooks are a popular option for artists, especially because many creative programs are only available for the Apple interface. The MacBook Pro is known for being extremely fast, powerful, well-built, and glitch-free. It has a quality screen that provides high depth, high resolution, and beautiful colors. For these reasons, it is one of the best laptops for digital art.
This laptop can smoothly run heavy 3D applications with its i7 processor and AMD Radeon Pro 5300M or 5500M graphics. The MacBook Pro 16″ widescreen also facilitates the various tools and menus on drawing and animation software that take up most of the working space. It provides great screen real-estate while remaining slim and portable for its size.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Up to 11 hours
- Screen Size | 16-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 3072 x 1920 Pixels
- Processor | 2.6 GHz 6-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz, with 12MB shared L3 cache
- Storage | 512 GB or 1TB SSD
- RAM | 16 GB
- GPU |AMD Radeon Pro 5300M
- Operating System | Mac OS
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 and WiFi
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.3 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros:
- Powerful and has a fast processor
- Good display resolution
- Wide screen great for productivity
- Best built-in microphone and speaker
- Runs silently even on heavy loads
- Has great keyboard quality
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other brands
- Does not include dongles or adaptors
- There is no user-upgradable RAM and storage
- Limited port selection
- No touch screen, must purchase separate graphics tablet
MacBook Air 13.3″
If you still want the speed and power of a MacBook but prefer a smaller screen, the MacBook Air is one of the best 13-inch laptops for digital art. The full HD monitor is bright and clear enough where the screen size poses fewer issues for artistic work. It is also one of the most affordable MacBooks on the market.
The MacBook Air has a 10th generation Intel Core i3 processor and Intel Iris Plus Graphics, making it optimal for running art and animation applications. It also features a Retina display with True Tone technology that displays four million pixels for 48 percent more colors than average.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Up to 12 hours
- Screen Size | 13.3-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 2560 x 1600 Pixels
- Processor | 1.1 GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz or 1.1GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8 GHz
- Storage | 256 GB or 512 GB SSD
- RAM | 8 GB
- GPU | Apple 8-core
- Operating System | Mac OS
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 and WiFi
- Keyboard | Backlit magic keyboard
- Weight | 2.8 pounds
- Stylus | No
Pros:
- Sleek, portable, and lightweight design
- Generally long battery life
- Powerful and has a fast processor
- Most affordable MacBook
- Has great keyboard quality
Cons:
- Not suited for heavy workloads
- Battery life not as well if you don’t use Apple’s apps
- Limited port selection
- No touch screen, must purchase separate graphics tablet
Dell XPS 15 (9500)
Dell’s XPS 15 is considered one of the best touchscreen laptops for artists. This laptop provides great performance with drawing, 2D animation applications, and 3D modeling. It also offers optional discrete graphics, great for video editing.
The XPS 15 comes with three USB-C ports, including two with Thunderbolt 3 support. It also includes USB Type-A and HDMI adapters. This laptop features Alexa built-in and integrated Eyesafe display technology that reduces harmful blue light. The materials give this laptop a quality feel with a carbon fiber keyboard deck and an aluminum lid and chassis.
The Dell XPS 15 offers a large touchpad and a wide enough screen size for creating artwork. However, the 9500 model has a more compact design. It also has multiple processors and RAM options you can customize for your needs.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Average of 12 hours
- Screen Size | 15-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2400 Pixels
- Processor | 5 GHz core_i7_family CPU
- Storage | 512 GB SSD
- RAM | 16 GB DDR4
- GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
- Operating System | Windows 10 Pro
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 or 5.2 and optional WiFi
- Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard and customizable layout
- Weight | 3.47 pounds
- Stylus | Supports capacitive stylus only and not included
Pros:
- Great color accuracy at 100 percent Adobe RGB
- Fast all-around performance
- Multiple ports and HDMI adapters included
- Bezel-less design on all four sides
- User-upgradeable RAM and Storage
- Uses durable Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Cons:
- Noisy fans when running at full power
- Some users may find USB Type-C only an obstacle
- No screen digitizer for pressure sensitivity or high precision reading for stylus pen
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
While it’s not technically a laptop, the Surface Pro 7 has many laptop features and is one of Microsofts best devices for artists. An Intel Iris Plus GPU lets you draw accurately, making it suitable for digital art. The Surface Pro 7 also includes ambient sensing that automatically adjusts screen brightness based on your surrounding light. The color accuracy is 98 percent sRGB, which is optimal for viewing artwork.
After feedback on previous Surface Books, Microsoft has added additions to their Surface Pro 7. It has improved performance and includes a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor. It features Microsoft’s signature magnesium-alloy design and has a slim, lightweight structure.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Average of 7.5 hours
- Screen Size | 12.3-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 2736 x 1824 Pixels
- Processor | 1 GHz CPU
- Storage | 256 GB SSD
- RAM | 16 GB
- GPU | Integrated Intel Iris Plus
- Operating System | Windows 10 Home
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 and WiFi 6
- Keyboard | Not included but supports backlight keyboard accessory
- Weight | 1.7 pounds
- Stylus | Supports but not included
Pros:
- Affordable
- Great stylus pen performance
- Compact and very lightweight
- Comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core CPU
- Has an inbuilt kickstand
Cons:
- No keyboard or stylus included
- Average battery life
- Less suited for 3D modelling
- Larger bezels surroundig screen compared to current standards
Microsoft Surface Go
The Microsoft Go is a very budget-friendly device suitable for students or artists starting off. Unlike most budget laptops, it features a high-resolution touch screen with tempered glass protection. It has a dual-core processor with a 1.6GHz clock speed that easily runs entry-level photo editing tools. It also has the full version of Windows 10 OS to run applications or software from older PCs.
The Microsoft Go is lightweight and has an LTE slot for wireless internet connection on the go, making it an effective portable option. It also includes an ambient light sensor similar to the Surface Pro 7. For artists, the 8GB RAM capacity is more suitable than the 4GB option.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Average of 9 hours
- Screen Size | 10-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 1800 x 1200 Pixels
- Processor | 1.6 GHz pentium CPU
- Storage | 128 GB SSD
- RAM | 8 GB DDR
- GPU | Integrated Intel HD 615
- Operating System | Windows 10 Home in S Mode
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.1 and WiFi
- Keyboard | Supports but not included
- Weight | 1.15 pounds
- Stylus | Supports but not included or backlit
Pros:
- Best value for money
- Lightweight
- Includes an LTE slot
- Has a good 10 point multi touch display quality
- Has an improved glass trackpad design
Cons:
- Limited memory and storage
- No keyboard or stylus included
- Reduced space in keys on keyboard can hinder typing
Acer Spin 3
The budget-friendly Acer Spin 3 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops available. It comes with an i7 Intel processor, a surface pen, and has a responsive, full-flex rotating, multi-touch functionality screen. This laptop also has a decent Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics card that can run most programs you would need as an artist.
Acer is known to produce laptops with great battery life. The Acer Spin 3 can reliably average at least 9 hours, depending on your running programs. It is also very portable, so you can easily take it on the go and create with it all day uninterrupted.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Up to 12 hours
- Screen Size | 14-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels
- Processor | 3.7 GHz core_i5_1035g4 CPU
- Storage | 512 GB SSD
- RAM | 8 GB LPDDR4
- GPU | Integrated Intel UHD 620
- Operating System | Windows 10 Home
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 4 and WiFi 6
- Keyboard | Backlit keyboard
- Weight | 5.5 pounds
- Stylus | Supports
Pros:
- Highly affordable
- Includes rechargeable stylus and carrying sleeve
- Touch screen display
- Google Keyboard
- Comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core CPU
Cons:
- Slightly heavy
- Mediocre webcam
- Outdated design
HP Spectre x360 15T
The HP Spectre x360 series balances power with speed and aesthetics. It’s a hybrid 2-in-1 device and comes with a webcam kill switch for those who are privacy-conscious.
A unique aspect of this laptop is the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display providing high image resolution and an infinite contrast ratio. It also has 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, making it optimal for color-sensitive programs, such as Photoshop.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Up to 13 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels
- Processor | 2.6 GHz core_i7_family CPU
- Storage | 256 GB SSD
- RAM | 16GB
- GPU | 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q
- Operating System | Windows 10 Pro
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 and Intel WiFi 6
- Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard
- Weight | 4.24 pounds
- Stylus | Supports
Pros:
- Amazing DCI-P3 coverage
- AMOLED display
- Light-weight and portable
- Responsive touchscreen
- Fast file-transfer rates
Cons:
- Touchpad needs more friction
- No matte-surface so still looks reflective
- Not all packages include stylus
- Battery life has mixed performance
Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
If you’re looking for a portable, double-monitor, The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo provides the solution. Its unique design has a second screen above the keyboard that integrates with the main display. This laptop allows you to take screen extension or split windows options on the go. For example, as a 3D animator, you can easily check scripts on the second screen and have smooth 3D rendering on the main display.
The ZenBook Pro Duo has a 4K UHD NanoEdge OLED HDR main display providing ultra-vivid colors and deep blacks. It has a 15.6-inch matte touchscreen, and the package comes with a stylus pen, detachable palm-rest, and laptop stand. It also has built-in features such as Alexa and an IR camera for facial recognition sign-in.
Key Features
- Battery Life | Average 5 hours
- Screen Size | 15.6-inches
- Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels
- Processor | 5.3 GHz core_i9 CPU
- Storage | 1 TB PCIE
- RAM | 32GB (has 16GB option)
- GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Operating System | Windows 10 Pro
- Connectivity | Bluetooth 5 and WiFi 6
- Keyboard | Full-size, front-loaded, backlit keyboard
- Weight | 5.5 pounds
- Stylus | Supports
Pros:
- Dual-display capacity
- Task Swap function easily switches screens
- Effective for multi-tasking
- Includes stylus and detachable palm-rest
- Full HD resolution
- Matte screen coating prevents fingerprents and glare
Cons:
- No SD card slot
- Can run hot
- Poor battery life
- Front loaded keyboard can be uncomfortable to use without the palm-rest
Conclusion
Investing in any of these best laptops for artists can open up many new creative opportunities for you. They are all reliable and have the features required for drawing and creating digital art. Deciding on the best laptop for drawing, animation, or 3D modeling can seem daunting with so many specifications. Still, you can easily choose a model that best fits your budget and needs by using this review.
