The Best Laptops for Drawing in 2024
Posted on February 27, 2023 | Updated on June 13, 2024
Drawing is a form of art that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their skill level. Yet if you’re ready to get serious about it, you’ll want to invest in a laptop that can handle the load of your creative work.
Luckily, there are plenty of laptops available that will allow you to do your best work. Here are the best laptops for drawing.
| Best Laptops for Drawing | Ram | Performance | Display | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Microsoft Surface Book 2 | 16 GB | 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 | 13.5 in | 512 GB |
| 2. Acer Spin 5 | 8 GB | Core i5-3340s | 13.5 in | 256 GB |
| 3. Lenovo Flex 5i | 4 GB | Intel Core i3-1115G4 3.0GHz | 14 in | 128 GB |
| 4. Microsoft Surface Go 3 | 4 GB | Intel UHD Graphics 615 1.1 GHz pentium | 10.51 in | 64 GB |
| 5. Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 | 16 GB | Intel Core i7 10th Gen | 15.6 in | 1 TB |
| 6. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | 8 GB | Intel Core i7 10th Gen | 13.4 in | 256 GB |
| 7. Lenovo Yoga C940 2-in-1 | 16 GB | Intel Core i7-1065G7 3.9 GHz | 14 in | 1 TB |
8.  Apple Macbook Air M2 | 16 GB | 3.4 apple_m1 | 13.6 in | 256 GB |
| 9. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook | 4 GB | MediaTek Helio P60T processor, 8-core, 2.0GHz | 10.1 in | 128 GB |
Microsoft Surface Book 2
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 makes a great choice as one of the best laptops for drawing. Its large screen makes it easy to see what you’re creating with an aspect ratio of 3:2 and 4K resolution support,
Its touch-sensitive surface also makes drawing with a pen feel like using a real pencil on a piece of paper. The Surface Slim Pen 2 supports up to 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity — perfect for gliding while drawing across the screen.
Most 2-in-1 laptops work the same. The screen folds, allowing the computer to convert into a tablet. However, the Surface Studio 2 works differently than your typical 2-in-1 as it has a split-hinge design, enabling the screen to slide off the keyboard and let you use it as a tablet.
You can also prop it into an easel-like position. Therefore, these features give you the room you need to draw freely.
Acer Spin 5
The Acer Spin 5 may be the laptop you’re looking for if you want something to handle drawing and creative work. With its 14-inch screen size, this laptop is large enough to see your artwork from a better vantage point. And you can literally see your drawings in a new light because of its 2560×1600 screen resolution.
Unlike the Microsoft Surface Studio 2, this laptop includes a stylus with purchase. At 4,096 pressure levels, you get a responsive pen for precise drawing.
In addition to getting more straightforward pen usage, this laptop also detects the angle at you’re writing and adjusts accordingly. So you can draw more comfortably at any angle you prefer.
For whenever you’re feeling creative and productive, the Acer will have an Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Therefore, this laptop can run any design software and handle heavy workloads.
Lenovo Flex 5i
The Lenovo Flex 5i makes a great choice for artists and creators. This 2-in-1 laptop is more affordable than its competitors and comes with everything you need to get started in drawing.
While the Lenovo Flex 5i doesn’t come with its Active Pen, you still have the option to purchase it separately. Yet once you have the pen in your hand, the digital drawing experience is seamless. You can use it to sketch, take notes or doodle your ideas.
It’s also full of robust hardware needed to run professional creation software. In addition, the display has the ultimate clarity when working with images and colors. With a 300-nit display and 60% sRGB, you get crystal-clear imagery and strong color accuracy.
The screen also has a 16:10 aspect ratio, giving you more room for drawing and getting work done.
Microsoft Surface Go 3
Do all your creative work while traveling with the Microsoft Surface Go 3. This small but mighty device is the perfect companion if you work outside your home or the office. Its lightweight design makes it easy to fit inside your bag and bring it alongside without weighing you down.
The Surface Go also has a stunning display — making drawing easy and fun. With up to 11 hours of battery life, this device enables you to work on your art without having to plug it in every few hours.
Though it doesn’t come with a stylus pen, Microsoft designed it with artists in mind. You can sketch more accurately and still feel like you’re drawing on paper.
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 isn’t a laptop at all. It’s actually a tablet that runs Windows 11. You can operate any application for your drawings and designs and save all your work securely with OneDrive cloud storage.
The overall design works well for artists as you can use the kickstand to prop it up. Or, it allows you to push it back in when you need to hold it comfortably in your lap.
This is the lightest Surface ever, and you won’t even realize having it on you.
Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15
The Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 is more expensive, but it’s a great investment if you’re a professional artist who needs something more powerful. This laptop is packed with all the strongest features for drawing and running creative software programs.
However, the one thing that truly stands out about the Zenbook is its two screens. Its dual-screen design makes it versatile for those who want to draw while running another task on one device.
It has a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, perfect for gaming, video editing and other high-end tasks.
It also has an amazing 1800p OLED touchscreen and 500-nit screen brightness. What’s more, the Zenbook comes with a stylus, so there’s no need to purchase it separately.
It also has a durable build, so if you want a higher-end laptop, the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo 15 makes a solid choice.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is another high-end laptop with a stunning touchscreen display — making it an excellent choice for artists who like to draw.
Because of its thin, lightweight design and long battery life, you can pack up and take it wherever you go for hours on end. The shell of it is made of aluminum and has a carbon-fiber finish, making it a beautiful and durable design.
It also comes with a 2456×2160 screen resolution for a greatly accurate display. Plus, with its 100% sRGB and 90% DCI P3 color gamut, you’ll have an easier time choosing the right colors that hit the mark.
Aside from being able to draw, you also have the power to do other things like video and photo editing. Yet one thing to be mindful of is that not all XPS 13s have the 2-in-1 feature. So before you make a purchase, check if it has this feature if you want to draw comfortably.
Lenovo Yoga C940 2-in-1
Another 2-in-1 makes it to the list for a good reason. Artists need malleability in their tech that adapts to their creative process. The aptly named Lenovo Yoga has flexibility for any drawing style and personality with a sleek design to boot.
Included is an Intel Core i7 processor, which is higher than the recommended minimum. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU allows artists to run numerous things at once without sacrificing speed or visuals. It has a 4K screen on its 14-inch display alongside a 1920×1080 resolution.
It has 1 TB of solid-state storage to store every draft of every project with no issues. Want to edit video too or make 3D models? It can handle it.
A few additional features — it weighs a modest six pounds, so it’s painless to cart around. It comes with its own touchscreen pen so you don’t have to worry about adding peripherals to your cart. And, it’s battery life can be up to 11 hours if you’re smart with your work. It has a higher price tag than some, but it’s a solid choice comparatively.
Apple Macbook Air M2
For Apple stans, this is the obvious choice. For people unfamiliar with the Apple suite, you might want to consider this laptop. It has 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy for the most authentic art displays, so your pieces always come out shining.
The M2 processor helps with this. It’s one of the most efficient on the market for its price, which is why it has such astonishing battery life. You could draw for hours and never have a concern, even if you’re throttling the machine. This is perfect for long rides on public transportation or not worrying about carrying additional chargers for a long day at the coffee shop.
Visually, it has a 13.6-inch display with 500 nits brightness. The QHD resolution, sitting at 2560×1664, makes everything beautifully crisp.
A major drawback is its lack of solid-state memory in lieu of integrated memory. Like many Apple products, this isn’t something you can replace — you just have to live with it. However, the other benefits might outweigh this con.
But, those already in the Apple ecosystem can enjoy compatibility with other Apple devices.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook
Not every drawing laptop has to be a bank-breaking investment. Chromebooks are known for their affordability, and this offering from Lenovo can help artists save some money. At the same time, Chromebooks aren’t known to be powerhouses. Artists may want to stick to limited application use, but maybe you already intended to work this way anyway.
It has 4 GB of RAM, which isn’t the most on the market, but you must always consider the price in this equation. It has a 10.1-inch screen in FHD with a 1920×1200 screen resolution. Its touchscreen can have 400 nits brightness.
Don’t dismiss the smaller screen — it provides the nicety of a tablet-sized machine with Chromebook hardware and functionality. The removable keyboard is another nice touch. It makes it ideal for travelers and nomadic artists. It also has 128 GB storage, which is fairly high for most Chromebooks.
Its battery life is another draw to the Lenovo Chromebook. Because it isn’t running the most intensive hardware, it can save you charging hours.
Choosing the Best Laptops for Drawing
How do you know which of these are the best laptops for drawing? All of these devices make a great option. However, the best choice depends on your budget.
If you’re looking for a good laptop that’s on the affordable side, consider the Lenovo Flex 5i or Microsoft Surface Pro Go. Both are intuitive and powerful enough to handle daily tasks and run creative applications.
Yet, a laptop that has all the specs for professional needs is the Dell XPS 13 because of its powerful hardware and display. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a stylish design if that’s on your list of requirements.
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About The Author
Eleanor Hecks is the Editor-in-Chief of Designerly Magazine, an online publication dedicated to providing in-depth content from the design and marketing industries. When she's not designing or writing code, you can find her exploring the outdoors with her husband and dog in their RV, burning calories at a local Zumba class, or curled up with a good book with her cats Gem and Cali.
You can find more of Eleanor's work at www.eleanorhecks.com.