All laptops can’t handle every type of software and applications. There is a particular type of machine for a specific field. Engineers require high-performance machines. On the contrary, the college students need standard laptops. In the same way, Graphic Designer students require mid-range high-performance machines.
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Related: Best Laptops for GIS
Best Laptops for Graphic Design
1. Microsoft Surface Book 2 – All-Rounder for Editing and Graphic Designing
Processor: Intel Core i7 Quad-Core 8th generation processor handles heavy Graphic Designer applications.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5 Graphics ensure lag-free video editing and gaming.
Battery: Battery stays up to 17 hours if you play videos for hours.
Storage: 256GB Solid State Drive for faster storage in flash memory.
RAM: 16GB RAM handles all heavy graphics design applications and multitasking.
Weight: It weighs 5 lbs and easy to port.
Touchscreen: An unparalleled touchscreen is super-fast in drawing potential.
PixelSense: PixelSense Display ensures clear details of content.
Modes: You can use it in four different modes: Laptop, Tablet, Studio and View modes. All these modes make it easy to edit.
Surface Pen: Surface Pen allows you to write and draw items in a more natural way. It doesn’t let you miss anything while writing.
Surface Book 2 VS MacBook Pro
In specifications, both have their own significance. MacBook Pro has a higher and brighter quality display. The True Tone technology ensures realistic colours in content. Surface Book 2 has a larger display with PixelSense to deliver good display. Both machines are compatible with Surface Pen. Both have the same 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM. But MacBook Pro has a more powerful 8th Gen processor as compared to Surface Book 2. Similarly, MacBook Pro has a bit powerful Graphics card. During intense multitasking, Surface Book 2 gets very hot. In short, both machines have been built for different purposes. MacBook Pro is used for intense GIS and other applications. Surface Book 2 is used for mid-range games and applications. Both are outstanding in performance according to their specs. Surface Book 2 is a budget laptop for the users.
Opinion
Pros: Surface Book 2 has a powerful processor to handle mid-range games and applications. It has good RAM and storage capacity. This laptop has the latest connectivity options like Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C, Bluetooth and WiFi. It has 17 hours battery life for video playback.
Cons: The system gets too hot when you play the games for hours. The keypad is less responsive when used frequently. Furthermore, it has a smaller trackpad.
2. ASUS VivoBook Pro 15 Touchscreen Laptop – For Image & Video Editing
Display: 15.6″ 4K UHD display delivers crystal-clear content.
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor ensures a power-efficient and speedier multitasking.
Keyboard: Backlit keyboard allows you to work in a dim light with great ease.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card ensures a fast gaming and video streaming. It delivers a super-fast startup and shutdown.
RAM: 16GB RAM ensures a lag-free gaming and video editing experience.
Storage: 1TB Hard disk drive and very fast 256GB Solid State Drive bring an ample room for content.
Cooling Technology: Dual Fan and Hyper Cool technology ensure a cool system during games and streaming.
Wireless Connectivity: WiFi connectivity is super-fast due to the 802.11ac.
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 VS Dell XPS 15
Both laptops are identical in screen size and display resolution. The storage capacity, processor and RAM are also similar. Both have the same Stereo speakers to produce louder and realistic sound. However, Dell XPS 15 has a better sound quality at a higher volume. Both machines deliver the same high performance during games. But the RAM speed is better in VivoBook (2400 Mhz) than XPS 15’s 2133 Mhz. The Vivobook has a touchscreen and Dell XPS 15 has a non-touch display. The keyboard in Dell XPS 15 is more responsive. Moreover, it is a lightweight machine. Both laptops have the same Wireless technology and SSD capacity. However, Asus Vivobook has less number of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 slots. Overall, Asus Vivobook is a budget-friendly machine for the users.
Opinion
Pros: Asus Vivobook has a powerful processor, RAM and graphics card. It has a full HD IPS touchscreen display. It has massive storage and good battery life. The machine has the latest 802.11ac wireless connectivity for WiFi and Bluetooth. This laptop has a faster fingerprint scanner.
Cons: There is only 1 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0 ports in it. It has no optical drive and Lockport. Furthermore, it has average battery life.
3. Apple MacBook Pro – for Video Editing
Processor: Dual-Core Intel Core i5 power-efficient processor delivers faster multitasking and loading.
Storage: Ultrafast 256GB SSD ensures a fast storage of your content.
RAM: 8GB RAM is good for lag-free gaming and multitasking on mid-range apps. Yet, working on various heavy applications can create difficulty.
Battery: Battery stays up to 10 hours.
Graphics Card: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 ensure lag-free gaming and loading experience.
Ports: Thunderbolt port and USB Type-C are faster to transfer data.
Wireless Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi technology brings faster wireless connectivity.
Fingerprint Scanner: Fingerprint security system ensures the security of machine and online shopping.
MacBook Pro VS MacBook Air
Apple has updated MacBook Pro and MacBook Air in 2019. Both have the same display size and resolution. Both laptops have the same processor, RAM, SSD storage. But MacBook Pro has updated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645. There are two Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C ports. MacBook Pro is a pricey option for the users due to its upgraded version. It has a more responsive Touchscreen and brighter display. The sound quality of both machines is exceptional. However, MacBook Pro delivers higher performance.
Opinion
Pros: MacBook Pro has a powerful processor, RAM, and graphics card. It has a massive 256GB SSD for faster storage of content. The battery lasts for more than 10 hours for video playback. MacBook Pro has the latest 802.11ac wireless technology for WiFi and Bluetooth. It has a responsive fingerprint scanner.
Cons: It has a mid-range graphics card. MacBook Pro is pricey for budget-conscious users.
4. Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro Black Edition Gaming Laptop
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ 7th generation processor handles heavy applications.
Display: 17.3” full HD IPS display in 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution brings clearer and life-like content.
Storage: 256GB SSD and 1TB Hard Disk Drive come with faster storage of bulky content.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA Ge-Force GTX 1060 graphics with 6GB dedicated GDDR5 VRAM ensures lag-free streaming.
Tobii Eye Tracking: Integrated Tobii Eye Tracking technology allows controlling your machine by using eyes. It contains an eye-tracker. So, reading, viewing, and editing become faster.
Sound: Four Stereo speakers deliver clear and loud sound.
Ports: It has 1 thunderbolt 3 port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and 2 USB 2.0 ports.
Acer Aspire Nitro v 17 VS Acer Predator Helios 300
Both have the same display size and resolution. The storage capacity and RAM are also identical in both of them. But Predator Helios has a better 2400 Mhz RAM speed than Nitro v17’s 1600 Mhz. Similarly, Predator has a higher 7th Gen i7 processor and an updated graphics card. Aspire Nitro v 17 has the latest Dolby Digital Plus sound technology for louder and clearer sound. In the same way, Predator Helios 300 has a better (6GB) graphics memory. None of them has a touchscreen display, but Aspire Nitro has a better ComfyView technology. Aspire Nitro v 17 has an optical drive, but Predator Helios doesn’t have any.
Opinion
Pros: Aspire v 17 has a powerful processor, graphics card and RAM. It has clearer display due to the latest ComfyView technology. The RAM is upgradable up to 16GB. This machine has four speakers with Dolby Digital Plus technology to deliver good sound. It has a SuperMulti DVD R/W. Overall; it is a budget-friendly high-performance machine.
Cons: It has no fingerprint scanner. Furthermore, it is bulky in size. The battery life is average and lasts for 6 hours.
5. Lenovo Z70 80FG00DBUS – Best Budget Laptop
Processor: Intel Core i7 5500U processor handles multitasking, fast loading, and gameplay.
RAM: 8GB RAM is perfect for smooth multitasking.
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 840M support med-range games and streaming.
Storage: 8GB Solid State HD is enough for a fast saving of content. 1TB HDD brings an ample room for bulky content.
Display: 17.3″ FHD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution delivers a crystal-clear content.
Sound: The JBL designed speakers with Dolby Advanced Audio technology bring maximized sound. It also delivers distortion-free volume during 3D games and videos.
Wireless Technology: 802.11ac technology ensures a faster and uninterrupted wireless connectivity.
Buying Guide
Remember some important factors while selecting a laptop for a graphic designer student. I am going to discuss all the important factors. Consider them while selecting the right laptop for you. So, let’s start with the most important factor first.
Powerful Processor
The processor of your laptop should be powerful to run Adobe Creative Suite, 3D Max, and others. I will recommend the Intel Core i7 processor in this context. It can handle these programs with more efficiency.
RAM
8GB RAM is appropriate for smooth multitasking. It’s for budget-conscious students. If you aren’t budget-conscious, select 16GB RAM for a faster multitasking.
Graphics Card
A powerful graphics card is also an important need for a Graphics Designer Student.
Display
A comfortable display does not create stress on your eyes. The graphic designer students need to stare to the screen for hours. So, it may be a bit tiresome if you don’t select the right display. Usually, the recommended resolution is 1280 x 800, but higher is the best. The display should be 4K for a clearer view of content.
UHD Monitors
A UHD display with 4K technology brings more clarity. It is particularly for those Graphic Designers who edit videos and BlueRay movies.
Output for Extra Display
Make sure that your pick contains an HDMI port to connect another laptop with it for a larger display. It is because the graphic designer students need a larger display for editing.
Size
The size should be easy to port. The graphic designer students need to carry their laptops with them most of the time. So, they need a slim and lightweight laptop that is easy to carry with them. It should be around 13 to 15 inches.
Touchscreen
Touchscreen consumes more power, but it brings an easier and faster working experience. Make sure, your machine has a responsive touchscreen.
In short, there are lots of laptops support Graphic designing applications. But only a few brands offer the high-performance laptop at affordable prices. If a machine is good, it may be costly for students. If they buy a powerful processor at a lower price, the machine may lack a good display. If they select a good display, it may lack some other essential features. That’s why; I have presented here the list of top 5 best laptops for graphic designer students. You can select the one that suits your budget and requirements.
FAQ
Which major brands offer laptops for graphic designer students?
All famous brands like Apple, Dell, HP, Acer, and ASUS offer laptops for graphic designer students.
Which is the best processor for graphic designing?
For graphic designing applications, Intel i7 8700K is considered the best because it can handle intense software.
Is Mac or PC Better for graphic design?
It depends on applications, graphic designing students want to use. If they want to use Adobe software, Mac can handle it better than a PC. If they want to use Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Windows PC supports them.
Is Intel Core i5 a better processor for graphic designer students?
Yes, it’s better, but a quad-core processor produces too much heat during video editing. That’s why; Core i7 is a perfect processor for them.