Some artists are searching for a laptop that is portable and easy to carry. However, others are searching for a two-in-one laptop that supports an active pen. Additionally, any professional artist will have a need for software such as Corel Painter, Affinity Designer, Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar drawing and art software. If you look around, you will know that the laptop they use can be their sole source of income for some artists. You need the right tools to work with digital files when they are the only source of income for you.
Although there are many opinions about the best laptops for artists, knowing what kind of features you require can be very helpful in selecting what’s right for you. The laptop can be useful if you often meet clients face-to-face, work remotely, or don’t have enough space at home to have a full computer setup. Most people nowadays can’t even imagine life without a laptop that they can carry around with them.
We developed a list of the best laptops for artists and art students by researching thoroughly and getting input from professionals in the field. During our review of these laptops, we took into consideration the fact that an artist like you uses them more efficiently and gets more benefits. Some of the models featured are budget-friendly as well and come from reputable brands. These models are all reliable choices regardless of your budget or requirements as an art major.
Recommended: Best Laptops for Drawing
Top 10 best laptops for Artists in 2025
Picking the right laptop can be challenging – not everyone has a deep knowledge of technology, which makes it difficult to make a choice! Today, many laptops on the market feature big screens and light designs; others have long battery life on only a single charge. Moreover, a few models can rival the power of a high-end PC and can integrate almost any software without any problem.
1Lenovo Flex 5 14 (Best Laptop for Artists)
The new Lenovo Flex 5 is an attractive, versatile convertible laptop. Despite its limited features, it does a fantastic job at being a tremendous multipurpose laptop to use for artists. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 82HU0036US features an array of high-quality hardware components that make it an affordable convertible notebook. The machine is fast and reliable, costs little more than a traditional all-rounder in the mid-range, and is not as expensive as an entry-level ultrabook.
- Display: 14-inch 1920 x 1080p FHD
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
- Graphics: Radeon RX Vega 7
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
It is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor, which is a new and advanced generation processor. Depending on the clock speed, it can range between 2.1 and 4.0 GHz. The processor has six cores, 12 threads, and 8 megabytes of memory. It is equipped with an onboard memory of 16 gigabytes of DDR4-3200. With this computer, you will be able to multitask or run RAM-intensive software as well. There are 256 gigabytes of storage available. A stylus pen is compatible with its touchscreen for artists who need to draw quickly, including the Wacom active pen.
You will also get a Lenovo Digital Pen with this laptop. It’s not a particularly portable laptop, but at 3.31 pounds, the Lenovo Flex 5 isn’t particularly heavy. This is thick enough to carry, but not for long distances. Battery life is adequate but may be affected by how you use it. With its 52Wh battery pack, you should be able to watch videos for around 10 hours and do light computing for approximately 7 to 8 hours. Overall, this is a reasonably priced laptop for artists and just priced under $600 in the USA market.
2HP Envy x360 15T (Runner Up)
With its nearly perfect 2-in-1 design, HP’s Envy x360 is one of the best laptops for artists. A gem-cut design continues to make the HP Spectre x360 an equally beautiful machine as it was when it launched. In addition to the brushed metal design, the HP Spectre x360 comes with some color options. In addition to the automatic 360-degree hinge, which lets the screen be completely flipped back so this device functions as a tablet, the HP Spectre x360 feels durable and reliable.
- Display: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080p Full HD
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
A digital pen is provided together to deliver a best-in-class drawing experience. An extremely thin bezel around the screen makes the laptop’s appearance extraordinarily sharp and vibrant. This laptop has a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, which is quite good. This laptop is very lightweight and portable with 14.13 x 8.92 x 0.72 inches in dimension and 4.02 pounds in weight. As a result, the laptop has a modern look while keeping its size small. There is good travel to the keys on the keyboard, which is a major plus. You can also use them in dark areas because they are backlit, so they are more comfortable to use in the dark.
The touchpad on the laptop is responsive and very pleasant to use. This quad-core unit can achieve boost speeds of 2.8 GHz, up to 4.70 GHz, which marks a decent leap over the Intel Core i7-1165G7. Another option with an even more powerful Intel Core i7-1195G7 is available if you purchase through HP Store. Regarding the battery life, Our battery life test lasted an excellent 8 hours and 22 minutes, which loops a 1080p video file at 50% brightness until the battery dies. In conclusion, this is our primary choice for artists because of its very convenient design and pre-supplied digital pen.
3Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (Extremely Lightweight & Portable)
Are you looking for the best laptops for artists? If so, we’ve got you covered. You must take into account this laptop for that purpose. Its excellent display, ample processing power, and superb optional Type Cover keyboard make Surface 8 one of the best detachable laptops you can buy. The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 can be purchased for a decent price, in exchange for which you will get an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. The 11th Generation Intel Core Processor is faster than the Surface Pro 7, redefining a thin and light laptop’s possibilities. The laptop runs on the latest Windows 11 operating system out of the box.
- Display: 13-inch 2880 × 1920 QHD+ Touch
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- Graphics: Intel Iris XE Graphics G7
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
- Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
With its kickstand on the back and optional Type Cover keyboard, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 can be transformed into a laptop. An outstanding design that will not hinder your mobility. The battery can last all day for 6-8 hours, plus it can go from empty to full more quickly – about 80% in about an hour. You can connect to displays, docking stations, and more through both USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as charge accessories. It includes a Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible wireless option. This device is equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology 5.0. The Surface Pro 7 comes with a 13-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of 2880 × 1920 pixels. It has more resolution than an FHD+ display, with a supported touchscreen.
Along with that, this is a very color-accurate panel with an ambient light sensor to become brighter under direct sunlight. It is a 3:2 aspect ratio display and hence provides more vertical room to work with. The front side is surrounded by a 5MP HD webcam, but interestingly, there is another 8MP rear camera, making it a perfect choice for video conferencing and streaming. Besides, working from home is also possible as long as you are not doing graphics-intensive work. To compliment your experience, the Surface Type Cover and Surface Pen are also available to enhance your experience. With a weight of 1.96 pounds, it is a very lightweight and portable laptop. It is perfect for artists because you can carry this anywhere.
4Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 (Beautiful 4K OLED Touchscreen)
One of the enormous benefits of this laptop for artists is the Screenpad Plus, a second 4K display. The ScreenPad Plus is a Touch Bar – like Apple MacBook’s slim screen but with full applications displayed instead of just shortcuts and icons. There is a lot of extra weight and thickness with the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 compared to other ZenBooks because the keyboard is pushed toward the front to make room for the ScreenPad Plus. Additionally, it is much more expensive.
- Display: 15.6-inch 4K UHD OLED Touch
- Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H
- Graphics: Nvidia RTX 3060
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
It is an exciting laptop due to its large screen and high contrast, thanks to its OLED panel technology and 4K resolution. At 0.94 inches thick and 5.16 pounds, the Pro Duo is quite dense and heavy. The super sharp display is also color accurate, making it a perfect choice for professionals involved in Blender, Solidworks, Photoshop, 4K video editing, AutoCAD, and similar tasks. There is also a 14-inch screen with a resolution of 3,840 x 1,100 directly underneath the main display. It is easy to use the keyboard due to its sturdy construction and comfort. A great deal of travel is provided on the individual buttons, and the build quality is excellent.
The ZenBook Pro lasts for 4-5 hours at half brightness and an hour less at full brightness. Because the screen automatically divides software across its width of 3,840 pixels, multitasking is very intuitive for users. Besides that, the main screen is also extremely precise and sensitive when it comes to touch. This laptop is equipped with a 14-core Intel Core i7-12700H processor. A CPU is offered here that clocks up to 4.70Hz; a graphics card is provided by Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, and up to 32GB of RAM can be installed. A 16GB RAM and a 1TB PCIe SSD are included in this laptop.
5HP Envy 13 (Convictional Touchscreen Laptop)
Professionals and artists will find this to be an excellent choice. A subnotebook that offers many features and a compact design, HP’s Envy 13 is well worth considering. In addition to the Intel quad-core processor and dedicated graphics card, the tablet has a 400-nit display that should make this tablet an attractive choice for entertainment and artwork. Its design is reminiscent of its predecessor with a sleek silver metal case and is modern and angular. Furthermore, this laptop features a 256 GB SSD card, a 60 Hz refresh rate, and 8 GB RAM. The battery life is very long, lasting up to 13 hours.
- Display: 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080p Touch
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- RAM: 8/16GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
In general, there are good spacing dimensions and good artistry. Metal construction makes this case highly resistant to warping and bending. The laptop is portable so you can hold it with one hand. In terms of screen resolution, the overall value is 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is decent enough for the art student. A weight of 2.88 pounds is associated with a dimension of 12.05 x 8.35 x 0.58 inches. With wireless connectivity and Bluetooth 5 and WI-FI 6, it guarantees you super-fast data transfer as well as a high-quality display. The Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor powers the laptop with an integrated Intel Iris XE GPU.
The provided chipset offers a quad-core CPU with variable base clock speed varying between 1.20GHz to 2.8GHz, going up to 4.7GHz. The good thing about this processor is that it uses a 10nm SuperFin processing node, making it a highly power-efficient chip. The device is equipped with several ports on the left and right sides. A USB power supply is also included, as well as 1.2 DisplayPort support. Using USB Type-C, data transmission rates reach 10 GBit/s. SD card readers also allow the use of MicroSD cards. All in all, HP Envy 13 is an excellent choice for artists as well as writers, students, teachers, and office employees, looking for extremely portable touchscreen laptops.
6Dell Inspiron 14 (Best from Dell)
Dell Inspiron is also one of the best laptops for artists. The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 2-in-1 laptop is powered with the latest 11th Gen Intel Quad Core i7 high-end processor and 12GB high-bandwidth DDR4 memory. A laptop like this usually comes with a powerful processor that can easily handle advanced multitasking, demanding computing, seamless gaming, multiple tab browsing, and everyday tasks. Intel’s Iris Plus graphics ensures faster and brighter performance.
- Display: 14-inch 1920 x 1080p Full HD
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- Graphics: Intel Xe Graphics G7
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Overall, the touchscreen of the Dell Inspiron is exceptionally slim and portable, which measures only 0.7 inches and 3.6lb weight, that’s very lightweight. It has backlit features that help to write during dim light or at night. It has a vivid 14-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED-backlit Touch Display with impressive color and clarity that’s easy to see. With a dimension of 12.77 x 8.77 x 0.67 inches, this laptop is straightforward to use and perfect for art students. The flash memory size is 512 GB, along with up to 3.9 GHz clock memory speed.
It is wisely optimized for productivity to use a Windows laptop PC. Its ports include one multifunctional USB 3.2 Type C, two USB 3.2 Type-A (Gigabit speed), one Media Card Reader for easy photo transfers, one HDMI, and one headset/microphone combo for crystal clear sound. On top of it, there is a webcam ready for online classes and video conferencing. You can also use it for streaming and working from home if you are a business employee. This is a decent offering from Dell, a considerable pick for artists looking for extensive brand value. Priced under $1000, this is one of the most powerful convertible laptops.
7Microsoft Surface Go 3 (Affordable Price)
Whether you use it as a laptop or a tablet, the system is very reliable in power and performance. If you use a device like a laptop, you’ll be able to do work efficiently because of the design and features. It comes with a chip from Intel, a touchscreen display, 4 GB memory, 64 GB storage, and all the necessary elements to ensure better and higher performance. This silver magnesium chassis with the rear kickstand has a sleek and simple design that draws attention. The laptop is powered by the Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y processor. It is a dual-core chipset specially designed for this machine. This chipset has been developed using the 14nm process based on the Amber Lake architecture.
- Display: 10.5-inch 1920 x 1080p Touch
- Processor: Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615
- RAM: 4GB LPDDR3
- Storage: 64GB eMMC
Using the basic dual-core CPU, it can generate up to 3.40GHz top speed, while the base clock speed is 1.10GHz. The device, excluding the Type Cover, weighs only 1.18 pounds due to the lightweight of the metal. If you’re working on artwork, you’ll benefit from its 10.5-inch touchscreen. In addition to processing, receiving, and transferring data signals at a fast enough rate, the Intel HD Graphics 615 card will also ensure that data signals are received and processed. A system with 4 GB RAM should be sufficient to carry out basic computing tasks and do school projects. On top of it, the tablet carries 64GB of eMMC storage, which is unfortunately not too fast but doesn’t bother the overall performance. Typically, the life of the Lithium-ion battery of this device is relatively high and stands at 8 hours.
The speakers also come with a Dolby Audio System, which provides 2 watts of power. Speaking about its design, you will see a kickstand at the back to use as a laptop stand. You can use this laptop without any keyboard, but you should get the Signature Type Cover keyboard for a better experience. Apart from that, it comes with one USB C and a headphone jack. In contrast, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a highly lightweight laptop, and it is one of the best options available for under $400. Hence, if you have a narrow budget, this device can be considered; otherwise, there are better options available for artistic work. Apart from that, its minimalistic design and portable approach make it an easy-to-carry device.
8HP Pavilion X360 (Best Mid-range Laptop for Artists)
An excellent 2-in-1 convertible laptop that’s worth considering for art school or office use, the HP Pavilion x360 14-dw1024nr offers good performance. With a natural silver body and a reflective HP logo centered on the lid, the Pavilion x360 has a stylish look. In terms of weight and dimensions, the Pavilion x360 is slightly heavier and more extensive than the Acer Spin 5. It is quite satisfying and comfortable to Type on the Pavilion x360 keyboard.
- Display: 14-inch Full HD Touchscreen
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1135G7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
The Pavilion x360 has an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and 8GB of memory to deliver speedy performance. Despite HP’s claims, it’s easy to get around 6 hours 42 minutes of battery life using Wi-Fi and 150 nits of brightness, which is slightly above the normal laptop battery life. It is quite responsive and works fine with the 4.3 x 2.1 – inch touchpad. The laptop supports a stylus pen, which you need to buy separately. It allows you to perform your day-to-day computing tasks in a super-easy way.
In terms of ports, you’ll find many on the Pavilion x360 many, including one USB 3.0 port, a headphone jack, a power button, as well as a security lock slot, all positioned to the left of the screen. The laptop’s right side also has more ports – besides the power jack, there is an HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C port, and an SD card slot. Overall, it is a perfect companion for busy business professionals, writers, teachers, artists, students, or any other person who needs access to their documents or to take notes.
9Apple Macbook Pro M2 (Best Macbook for Artists)
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro already has the best performance in its class. Apple’s new M2 chip is a significant leap for computer performance, graphics processing, and machine learning. Apple’s own 8-core 5nm ARM processor outperforms Intel’s in every way that matters, not just in terms of Thunderbolt ports. With its single-core performance, it’s on par with the fastest Intel and AMD processors. The M1 truly shines when it comes to multi-core performance. It is easily outperformed by laptops priced against it as it has eight cores instead of the usual quad.
- Display: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600p QHD+
- Processor: Apple M2
- Graphics: Integrated GPU
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
With a diagonal resolution of 2,560 x 1,600p, the “Retina” display offers crisp colors and high brightness. This display can go up to 500 nits and 100% P3 color value. With that, it offers 25% more vibrant colors than a normal laptop display. From an entertainment perspective, this panel is just perfect for consuming content to watch movies, Netflix, Youtube, etc. It lasted over 10 hours on one charge for the MacBook Pro 13-inch. With an 8-core CPU, you’ll be able to move through workflows at up to 1.4x faster speed compared to the M1 chip. In addition, it’s equipped with 16-core neural processing engines.
Unlike the Air variant, the MacBook Pro isn’t technically fanless – it has an inbuilt fan that cranks up when needed. There are 0.61 inches of thickness and three pounds of weight in the chassis. Specifically, this MacBook Pro comes with just two USB Type-C Thunderbolt ports, the right and left. These ports are also DisplayPort, charging compatible with a data transfer rate of up to 40GB/s. The MacBook Air is the ideal choice if you do not require the extra performance provided by the Pro. It further adds 8GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Unsurprisingly, Apple Macbook Pro is a multi-purpose laptop suitable for content creators, writers, teachers, students, Artists, or business owners.
10Acer Spin 5 (Sharp 2K Touch Display)
Convertibles are becoming more and more popular, and this one is no exception. Its good build quality, 10th-generation Core i7 processor, and ample storage are just a few of the reasons. There are sleek silver bezels around the housing and the lid, making the device look like it’s made from brushed metal. The laptop weighs 2.6 pounds and has a length of 11.8 inches, a width of 9.2 inches, and a depth of 0.6 inches. On the newer Spin 5 model, you will find a multitouch display with a size of 13.5 inches and a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels.
- Display: 13.5-inch 2256 x 1504p Touch
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- Graphics: Iris Plus Graphics G7
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
It is interesting to note that the IPS panel is bright and has good color saturation despite the bezels. To maximize performance, the Acer Spin 5 features a 10th generation Intel i7-1065G7 processor that runs at 1.3GHz, along with 16GB of memory, 512GB of SSD storage, and Intel HD Graphics 620. Acer claims that the new Spin 5 can last up to 15 hours on a single charge due to its exceptionally large battery. After 7 hours and 24 minutes of battery life testing, you will notice that the Acer SP513-54N-74V2 shuts off automatically.
There are plenty of ports on the Acer SP513-54N-74V2, including Thunderbolt 3 ports on the right and USB 3.0 ports on the left, as well as an SD card reader, headphone jack, and USB 3.0 port on the left. The battery lasts up to 10 hours in normal usage and comes with fast charging support. Further, it appends a backlit keyboard, and a fingerprint reader is there to enhance the security. On a concluding note, this is one of the most affordable 2-in-1 laptops with a sharp QHD display, which can play a crucial role for artists.
Buying Guide – How to Choose the Best Laptop for Artists?
You can probably use this guide if you intend to buy a laptop to design or draw, especially if it pertains to your design or art career. This guide to the best laptops for artists strives to simplify the process of finding a good laptop for drawing.
Processor & GPU
There are several basic instructions and commands that a laptop’s processor carries out. Intel and AMD have heated arguments over which processor is the most suitable for you, depending on how intense your applications are and how much you need to do at once. In general, dual-core processors are sufficient for most everyday users, whereas quad-core processors are more powerful for laptop computers.
In terms of design, it is not the most important part as long as you are engaged in the intensive graphics workload. An integrated GPU will work for you for casual drawing, while it may be required a dedicated GPU for professional graphic design.
Display
Artists are more concerned with the screen size of their laptops than anyone else because it determines whether they can see what they are doing or not. There are many benefits to having a larger screen for your laptop for artwork, but the first is to have more space and not just more usable space. To achieve optimum comfort, monitor size of 12-inch or higher is recommended. When it comes to resolution, make sure your picture is at least 1024 x 768 pixels in size and preferably higher.
RAM & Storage
When it comes to art, memory is vital. The random access memory of a computer is where data is stored that can be accessed. You can retrieve it, but you are also able to lose it if the power goes out. When choosing a laptop, artists should aim for at least 8GB of RAM. You can use less if you want to, but using slightly more than the minimum requirements of popular drawing programs makes a big difference that many digital artists swear by. As far as storage is concerned, a minimalistic amount of 256GB SSD is more than sufficient for a basic drawing workload. Rest you can decide upon your requirements.
Design
The drawing can be done on a laptop or tablet, and many people have trouble picking between the two. Keyboards can be helpful sometimes, and they can also be an inconvenience. A hybrid laptop was developed when manufacturers realized the struggle. You can switch between using it as a laptop or tablet in just seconds in a hybrid laptop. They’re touch-optimized, convertible laptops for artists. So, design becomes a personal choice. But a convertible laptop seems to be a very good option.
Battery Life
Your experience can be dramatically altered by battery life. It’s a great feeling to be able to work at your desk without having to worry about finding an available outlet, particularly when traveling.
Final Verdict
We are assuming that you have already made up your mind by seeing the above list. But in case you are interested to check out our final opinion, here it is. HP Envy X360 is our primary choice for artists followed by the Lenovo Flex 5 and Microsoft Surface Pro 8, respectively. All these selected laptops are designed to deliver the best experience that professional artists need on daily basis. For instance, Hp Spectre X360 arrives with a 360-degree convertible design and pre-included stylus pen. These two additions can greatly improve the overall experience that artistic applications require most of the time.
Apart from that, there are plenty of other laptops available for different price ranges and specifications. You should first decide what are your requirements. Whichever laptop you choose, we hope that the top 10 list and guide above have helped you choose the right one for your needs. This article hopefully helped you in making the right decision for your needs in terms of an art laptop.
