The best laptops for graphic design

Acer/Apple/Asus products on green background
(Image credit: Acer/Apple/Asus)

The best laptops for graphic design certainly aren't the most affordable, but they do offer exceptionally powerful performance. And that's important because as a graphic design professional, you need a reliable machine that can handle creative software. When we're looking for laptops to recommend for this guide, we focus on gorgeous displays, enough RAM and good battery life as a starting point. Not sure what specs to look out for? See our guide to the requirements needed for a graphic design laptop.

Our experts have years of collective experience reviewing laptops for creative-specific purposes, and we've personally reviewed each model listed below, while conducting benchmark tests, and verifying suspicious manufacturer claims. For the full breakdown of our process, check out how we test laptops, but in a nutshell, we aim to complete real-world projects and strict benchmark tests with these devices to assess their suitability for creatives.

Erlingur Einarsson headshot
Erlingur Einarsson

Erlingur has personally tested and overseen the testing of more than 100 laptops, PCs and tablets over the last two and a half years. He has worked on extensive testing and benchmarking processes to ensure we are putting the laptops through tests that truly nail what creatives need to do their best graphic design work. His favourite laptop brand is ASUS because they push the envelope, and led the charge for OLED touchscreens on laptops.

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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Key features
AttributesNotesRating
PriceNot a budget option, but good value overall.★★★★½
DesignStreamlined, portable and an excellent display.★★★★★
PerformancePower designed for professionals and heavy workflows.★★★★★
Battery lifeStellar battery life, this goes all day.★★★★★
Our expert says...
Rob Redman author bio
Our expert says...
Rob Redman

Apple’s claims are accurate and benchmarking testifies quite what a powerhouse the M3 is. It’s easy to think of combined CPU/GPU machines as somewhat compromised but take a look at the results here and you’ll see quite how much bang your buck gets you.

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Test results
AttributesNotesRating
PriceExpensive but worth it for serious users★★★★★
DesignGorgeous OLED touchscreen and great feature set★★★★½
PerformanceAll the power you could ever need★★★★★
Battery lifeMuch improved with over 10 hours★★★★
Our expert says...
Erlingur Einarsson headshot
Our expert says...
Erlingur Einarrson

The ProArt P16's amazing display will be perfect for graphic designers (touchscreen and lots of grunt inside). I spent three weeks with one, putting it through heavy benchmark tests so I should know.

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Test results
AttributesNotesRating
PriceWith the deals running, this is an excellent value option. ★★★★½
DesignA bigger, brighter screen and lightweight frame.★★★★★
PerformanceHandles most creative tasks easily.★★★★
Battery lifeIncredible battery life, beating every other pick.★★★★★
Our expert says...
Georgia Coggan headshot
Our expert says...
Georgia Coggan

The MacBook Air M2 is zippy, and the screen is big and bright – I use the 15-inch model everyday for photo editing and general creative work. Benchmarks show the power is more than enough for most graphic design tasks – and the price is getting better and better.

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Test results
AttributesNotesRating
PricePremium features at a budget price★★★★★
DesignGorgeous touchscreen, lovely build quality★★★★★
PerformanceAmple power for cloud-based creativity★★★★
Battery lifeGreat but not as good as MacBook.★★★★★
Our expert says...
Ian Dean headshot
Our expert says...
Ian Dean

This is a standout buy for creatives willing to work in the cloud. It's bursting with tech and specs beyond standard Chromebooks and is a great budget option for graphic designers with a light workflow.

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Test results
AttributesNotesRating
PriceMid-range, good value★★★★
DesignNot lightweight, great screen★★★★
PerformancePunchy, discrete graphics card★★★★★
Battery lifeExcellent, top performance★★★★★
Row 4 - Cell 0 Row 4 - Cell 1 Row 4 - Cell 2
Our expert says...
Ian Evenden profile shot
Our expert says...
Ian Evenden

What sets the Spectre apart is its 2-in-1 nature and the quality of its construction, and in use it feels as if it was worth the price. Its touchscreen means you can use it as a drawing tablet.

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Test results
AttributesNotesRating
PriceExpensive, worth it★★★★
DesignUnique, innovative★★★★★
PerformanceMid-high power, between M1 and M1 Max★★★★★
Battery lifeGreat with one screen, less with two★★★★★
Row 4 - Cell 0 Row 4 - Cell 1 Row 4 - Cell 2
Our expert says...
Ian Evenden profile shot
Our expert says...
Ian Evenden

One of the best laptops we've ever reviewed on Creative Bloq. The pair of touchscreen OLEDS attached to the keyboard module offer something few other laptops can provide. Creative work on the move can now be meaningful. Remarkable.

ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED

ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED
With a 14-core Intel i9 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and 32GB of RAM, this ASUS model combines MacBook Pro-level power with a sub-£/$1,500 price tag. Bonus points for the gorgeous OLED screen, although battery life can't quite keep up with the leaders.
Read our 4-star review.

Dell Precision 5470

Dell Precision 5470
It may not have a large display, but this 14-inch parcel comes loaded still very powerful - our testing put its performance close to that of a 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro. This portable powerhouse is comfortable to use, feels well-built, and exudes quality.
Read our 4.5-star review.

ASUS ProArt Studiobook OLED (H7604)

ASUS ProArt Studiobook OLED (H7604)
This ProArt Studiobook is a beast of a laptop, perfect for creators thanks to the beautiful OLED screen, power and handy customisable dial. It can handle any creative task you throw at it, perfect for power users, but if you have a lighter workflow you may not need all the power it has to offer.
Read our 4.5-star review.

Erlingur Einarsson
Tech Reviews Editor

Erlingur is the Tech Reviews Editor on Creative Bloq. Having worked on magazines devoted to Photoshop, films, history, and science for over 15 years, as well as working on Digital Camera World and Top Ten Reviews in more recent times, Erlingur has developed a passion for finding tech that helps people do their job, whatever it may be. He loves putting things to the test and seeing if they're all hyped up to be, to make sure people are getting what they're promised. Still can't get his wifi-only printer to connect to his computer. 

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