10 Best Laptop For Digital Art 2022 – Reviews & Guide
How to Choose The Best Laptop For Digital Art
Digital art is very much the same as traditional art, but instead of paintbrushes and clay, you have a computer and drawing tablet. As such, you need a device that can handle all those digital demands. The best laptop for digital art will be able to run multiple design programs at once without slowing down.
You may also want to consider the display size and resolution, as you want to make sure your laptop can display every detail of your work. And if you’re planning on taking your work on the road with you, it’s also worth looking for something light and portable.
We’ve rounded up our choice of the best laptops for digital artists – each one has been selected for its battery life, portability, performance, design and value for money.
1. Asus Zenbook Pro Duo UX581LV 15.6
| Series | ZenBook Pro Duo |
| Brand | ASUS |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, Gaming, Business |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
t’s a simple fact that many artists say you shouldn’t try to make art directly on a laptop’s screen. Computers are fast and have all sorts of amazing tools at your disposal, but there’s no replacing the trusty old paper and pencil. Until now, that is. Asus has just unveiled its latest Zenbook Pro Duo at CES 2018, featuring a stunning touchscreen display that can be pulled down over the keyboard in a way that resembles a giant drawing tablet. A portable powerhouse, this is the ultimate laptop for creatives.
2. Apple MacBook Pro 16
| Model Name | MacBook Pro |
| Brand | Apple |
| Specific Uses For Product | Multimedia, Personal, Business |
| Screen Size | 16 Inches |
| Operating System | Mac OS |
The fact of the matter is, if you’re a professional and are looking for a laptop to run the latest version of Photoshop, After Effects, or any other heavyweight software responsibility of graphic designers and artists, then this is easily the absolute best machine for you. It’s lightweight enough to be carried anywhere (and far better suited to this than the vastly more popular competitor) and can also run the Macintosh operating system (yup, you’ll have no choice but to buy this one if you’re on Team Apple).
3. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
| Series | Surface Laptop 3 |
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, Gaming, Business |
| Screen Size | 15 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
I’ve already talked a couple of times elsewhere about the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, which is a 2 in 1 convertible tablet/keyboard and a really great computer for artists and itself highly recommended. But here we’re going to include the new Microsoft Surface Pro laptop, which is a beautifully built computer – light, sleek and sturdy – with a bright, striking high-resolution touch screen and plenty.
4. Asus ZenBook Duo UX481
| Series | ZenBook Pro Duo |
| Brand | ASUS |
| Specific Uses For Product | Multimedia, Personal, Business |
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
After seeing the new Asus ZenBook Duo in action at CES I was super psyched to find one in my mailbox. Now I don’t what you think of it, but several times this year I have left a Lenovo Yoga Pro at home, dragging along my Microsoft Surface Book – and it’s been nothing short of a nightmare. The screen is just too small to work effectively (and safely) on the road. But things are beginning to look up – looking down for that matter, too – with the advent of devices like this Asus ZenBook Duo UX480…
5. Apple MacBook Air.
| Model Name | New Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) – Silver |
| Brand | Apple |
| Specific Uses For Product | Business |
| Screen Size | 13 Inches |
| Operating System | Mac OS |
This is the lowest priced Macbook currently available, and for the price, you get a whole lot of computers. It should be said right up front that this is a smaller screen than I would normally recommend, but this 13.3-inch full HD+ monitor is so bright and clear as to make it quite usable, and this cool little notebook is absolutely perfect for working on the go, for taking to clients appointments or to coffee shops at which you are meeting with clients.
6. HP Envy x360
| Series | Envy x360 |
| Brand | HP |
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Human Interface Input | Touchscreen, Keyboard |
The HP Pavilion is a great example of the cool new generation of touch screen notebook computers. Not a convertible, the Envy’s keyboard cannot be detached from the beautiful FHD Full High Definition screen, but it will fold all the way over, making it effectively a slightly weighty but solid tablet, and the screen will also fold to any angle, so you can use it as a stand for watching a video.
7. Lenovo Flex 5
| Series | Flex 5 14″ |
| Brand | Lenovo |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, Business |
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
Another great touch-screen 2 in 1 notebook computer, the Lenovo Flex 5 has a slightly smaller screen than the HP listed just above, which is normally not always desirable, but in this case, actually makes this nice little computer even more portable and usable on the go. And, with a sufficient 256 GB SSD drive, and a huge amount of RAM – 16 GB, the Lenovo Flex 5 is a great computer for even the most demanding home or office users.
8. Microsoft Surface
| Series | Surface Laptop Go |
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Specific Uses For Product | Personal, Gaming, Business |
| Screen Size | 12.45 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 S |
The Surface Go is the most portable tablet on our list of best laptops for artists in 2021 but is also one of the best looking and sturdiest once you look beyond its lightweight frame. The Surface Go has a fantastic touchscreen, with beautiful color reproduction, wide viewing angles, and fast response times. The surface pen works very well on this laptop as well.
9. Samsung Notebook 9 Pro
| Series | Samsung Notebook 9 |
| Brand | SAMSUNG |
| Screen Size | 15 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Human Interface Input | Touchscreen, Microphone, Keyboard |
I’ve been researching and using 2-in-one laptops/tablets that are focused on graphic design and illustration. The top of the line so far for bang for the buck has been the Microsoft Surface Book 3. Now there’s a new contender: the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 2, a slightly cheaper, but more powerful alternative. To test this, I set out to create a really large graphic art piece with it – this ended up being over 40 feet long.
10. HP Pavilion x360 14 Convertible
| Series | HP Pavilion x360 14 Laptop |
| Brand | HP |
| Specific Uses For Product | Multimedia, Personal |
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
I have to say that my overall experience with the HP Pavilion convertible laptop was pleasantly surprising. It’s surprising, for instance, to enjoy such fast and trouble-free performance at this price point, even with the most advanced graphics software and large, complex files – nothing seemed to slow the Pavilion down.
This is a lightweight machine, yet it boasts a large display and tough body, so it should be able to survive knocks and harsh elements much better than a plastic-shelled notebook without sacrificing travel weight. All revealed, this is one of the best laptops in its class and should make quite a few people happy.