In today’s modern world, graphic design artists are in high demand. Every company wants to be better than the rest. Sometimes, this comes down to simply looking more appealing. A lot of products on the market have similar features, so what exactly are people drawn to? Studies show that a visually pleasing advertisement for a lesser valued product can still spark more interest than the better product with a poor advertisement. We can thank graphic designers for that. But what is the best laptop for graphic design?

Hunting for the Best Laptop for Graphic Design

If you are a professional, student, or freelance graphic designer then you know the work that goes into a polished final product. With the ever-changing flux of technology, it is important to stay at the top of your game. In order to do so, you need the best device suited for your needs. The most important thing to remember is that you need a laptop that can handle your graphic design software. Having a quality machine makes it easier on you to get the job done.

The age-old argument of Mac vs PC, and which one is better than the other, is an inevitable one. But, what it really boils down to is personal preference. The bottom line is that some people would rather have the macOS software. However, there are die-hard groups that prefer Windows. Both are going to be able to perform well enough for you to produce an outstanding product.

Most companies will come out with new products every year. For this reason, it is important for you to stay up to date on what is available. This is especially true when looking for a solid option for the best laptop for graphic design.

With the technology so readily available to us, the price of laptops have decreased over recent years. So, if you can’t afford a top-tier device, there are still plenty of budget laptops that will do a reliable job. In this list, we take a look at the best graphic design laptops on the market to make your choice an easier one. Here are our four suggestions:

• 2018 HP 17.3” HD+ Notebook
• ASUS VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD Nanoedge Laptop
• 2018 Lenovo Business Laptop PC 15.6” Anti-Glare Touchscreen
• Apple 13.3” MacBook Air

HP 17.3” HD+ Notebook (2018)

The 17.3” HD+ Notebook by HP offers:

• Intel Core i-3 Processor
• 8GB DDR4 memory
• A 2TB hard drive,
• Windows 10 operating system

The 17.3” display is a huge screen, with extremely high resolution and an Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card. This will provide a clear display and up to 4160 MB total graphics memory.

With a 7^th generation Intel Dual Core i-3 processor, it will not operate as fast as a higher grade processing unit. This is the case when you have several applications open, but it will still get the job done. The HD+ Notebook comes with 8 GB DDRA SDRAM and a 2 terabyte hard drive. For this reason, you will not have to be concerned with memory on this device. There are 2 USB 3.1 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, an inbuilt HDMI connection, and a headphone jack.

It is important to note that there is no memory expansion available on this machine. However, with the standard memory package it comes with, you likely won’t need it anyway. Like other laptops of this size, the HD+ Notebook is equipped with a full-size keyboard and numeric keypad. It is on the heavier side, weighing in at a little over 5 lbs (the heaviest on our list). So you may want to keep that in mind if you are going to be lugging your equipment around everywhere.

At the same time, the 17.3” screen is one of the largest on the market. This is a mid-range laptop, but works very well for graphic design needs. Are you are looking for something that isn’t going to break the bank but still gives you solid features for graphic design? If so, the HP 17.3” HD+ Notebook is a great choice for you.

ASUS VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD Nanoedge Laptop

The VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD Nanoedge Laptop by Asus comes with:

• Intel Core i-5 processor
• 8GB DDRA RAM
• A 1 TB solid state hard drive

This ASUS comes with a lot of power in its 8^th generation Intel Core i-5 processor. There is an additional turbo-boost of up to 3.4 GHz. The VivoBook’s 15.6” anti-glare full HD display pairs well with Intel UHD 620 graphics. Also, this machine comes with ASUS Splendid software enhancement. This makes even the best images more impressive.

The ASUS Splendid technology delivers optimal visuals and comes with ASUS Tru2Life Video technology that brings videos to life. The display also has a 0.3” ASUS NanoEdge. This allows it to have an 80% screen-to-body ratio. With 8GB DDR RAM and 1TB HDD, memory is not an issue with this PC. The VivoBook is also ultra-thin, measuring only 0.8” in profile and weighing in at just over 3 lbs. This is quite the contrast to the HP option above.

It comes equipped with a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port, HDMI, and SD card ports. The ASUS VivoBook is priced as a mid-range laptop, but packs enough heat to battle with many other top-tier devices. If you don’t want to spend the money on a Macbook but want similar features, the ASUS VivoBook is a wonderful option.

Lenovo Business Laptop PC 15.6” Anti-Glare Touchscreen (2018)

This 15.6” Business Laptop by Lenovo comes with an anti-glare touchscreen and Intel 8^th generation i-5 quad-core processor, Additionally, there is 12GB DDR4 RAM, a Windows 10 operating system, and 1 TB hard drive. The 8^th generation i-5 quad-core processor has a four-way processing unit that is impressively powerful. The 12 GB DDR4 RAM can run plenty of programs with minimal lag, so you can multi-task with several applications open.

The Business Laptop is a great option for the best laptop for graphic design, as comes equipped with 1TB hard drive. This gives you  plenty of space to work with for vectors and high-quality images. The Intel HD graphics 620 produces a beautiful picture, perfect for editing your work. The 15.6” screen is also a touchscreen, which gives you another platform to create your designs.

It weighs just under 5 lbs and is 1” thick, so transport is still doable. However at that weight, it is on the larger side. The Business Laptop also comes with one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and an HDMI output. It also supports SD, MultiMediaCard, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. With this larger-size laptop, the full keyboard comes with a 10-key numeric keypad. Unlike some of the other new PC models, this one still has the DVD port.

This Lenovo is a middle-tier priced laptop that has plenty of jump for you to run your graphic design applications. At this price point, you are getting a great working laptop that will help you produce the results you want in your graphic designs. The Lenovo Business Laptop isn’t quite a budget laptop but it is also only about half the price of most Apple products, so this is a great option if you prefer a PC.

Apple 13.3” MacBook Air

The 13.3” MacBook Air by Apple is an incredibly thin, high-performing, lightweight laptop. With fifth-generation 1.8GHz Intel dual-core core processors and a battery life of up to 12 hours, this laptop is ready for anything you throw at it. The i5 processing unit also has a Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz, so there is plenty of juice to handle any graphic design applications and programs.

It is a hard-working device with 8GB 1600MHx LPDDR3 RAM so anything you throw at it is going to be handled with ease. The Intel HD Graphics 6000 produces an ultra-smooth picture, which will help you focus in on the little details of your designs. For flash storage, the MacBook Air has a faster PCIe-based storage than previous generations, and is 22 times faster than a traditional hard drive.

It comes equipped with an SDXC card slot, two USB 3.0 ports, a Thunderbolt 2 port, headphone jack, MagSafe 2 connection, and dual mics. The USB 3 ports can move data up to 4 times as fast, and the Thunderbolt 2 port will deliver up to 20 Gbps of bandwidth for every external device. What is also great about this laptop is that it is only 0.68 inches thick, and weighs under 3 pounds.

If you are like most people and do a lot of traveling and need your laptop on the go, this is the perfect size for you. It has that classic Apple design that all Mac lovers flock to. For its size, it is also incredibly durable so you don’t have to worry too much about scratching it. You can definitely expect higher prices with Apple products, but they are known to be worth it.

Finding the Best Laptop for Graphic Design

If you are a graphic designer or are interested in the industry, you understand that your laptop is your best friend. You need it to perform and function at an extremely high level, all of the time.

If you are in the market for a decently-priced, high-performing laptop, we recommend the ASUS VivoBook F510UA 15.6” Full HD Nanoedge laptop. It has everything you need as a graphic designer and comes at a sweet price. Its Intel i-5 processor is plenty to power up your graphic design software, and it has plenty more features to make your work life easier.

In a similar price range, we also recommend the HP 17.3” HD+ Notebook. It has plenty of features and comes with a larger screen. The only setback here is its Intel i-3 processor; though it will still be able to support your applications, it won’t operate as fast.

If you are looking for a touchscreen laptop, try out the 2018 Lenovo Business Laptop PC. It has an Intel i-5 processor, 12GB DDR4 RAM, and 1 TB HDD. What makes this laptop even sweeter is the touchscreen display – allowing you another dimension for your work.

Finally, if you are an Apple-product addict, we have the MacBook Air. This laptop has everything you need for graphic-intensive software, and comes in an extremely compact design. It is perfect for transporting, and has more than enough performance power to back the Apple name up. If you already love Apple products, we recommend the MacBook Air. It can be pricey for those working on a budget, but definitely lives up to its name.

If you prefer a PC, or would rather just save some cash, there are plenty of other options for you graphic-design needs.

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