The best laptops for graphic design, fully tested and recommended for every workflow

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

December: We are in the process of testing the new MacBook Pro M4 in consideration for this guide.

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.

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.