The Best Laptops for Photoshop in 2024
Posted on January 20, 2023 | Updated on June 13, 2024
With Adobe Photoshop being the most popular software for creatives, you need a laptop powerful enough to run it. While any computer can run Photoshop in basic settings, some can’t withstand multiple layers, large canvas files and even short animations.
Therefore, a laptop that can run this design software is essential for completing your creative work.
Here are the best laptops for Photoshop that you can buy.
20 Best Laptops for Photoshop
1. Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch
The best overall laptop for designers and photographers to do their work is the Apple MacBook Pro. Most creatives favor MacBooks because of their multi-core performance and high-end integrated graphics.
This model has a particularly beautiful display — a Liquid Retina XDR with a 16-inch screen size — allowing you to deliver your most accurate work.
The battery also lasts up to 21 hours, giving you long-lasting work sessions. Plus, the MacBook Pro 16 is perfect for taking your work on the go.
The only downside is the cost as it’s quite expensive. However, it’s the most ideal for using it as a top-performing workstation.
2. Razer Blade 15
While this laptop is top-notch for gamers, it presents itself as one of the best laptops for photoshop. Your creative endeavors are endless when you have the gaming specs to run high-performance design software for photography and designing.
One feature that could be improved is the 120Hz display. However, it works well enough with its high refresh rate and color accuracy — 111% of the sRGB gamut — great for video and photo editing.
While the laptop is quite expensive, its optimal performance provides everything you need to complete your creative work.
3. ASUS ZenBook 13
The ASUS ZenBook is a great laptop built specifically for creative professionals. With this device, you get an insane amount of hardy components with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage — great for multitasking and storing all your files.
One thing that makes this one of the best laptops for Photoshop is its OLED 13.3-inch screen. Its immaculate display gives you the color accuracy you need to implement all your design work.
A few things it lacks are Thunderbolt 4 support and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Yet, you can use the BlueTooth connection in place if you need it.
4. Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 4
The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 might not be the most exquisite laptop. But what it lacks in looks makes up for with serious power.
This high-end workstation works seamlessly for creators. It’s packed with tons of features alternatively used as a desktop. Therefore, there’s nothing this Lenovo ThinkPad can’t run — meaning you can configure it with professional component upgrades.
For instance, you have the 11th Gen Intel i7 or i9 processors as well as up to Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics. Additionally, you can configure the display. Its highest spec is a 16-inch 3840×2400 IPS and 600 nits of screen brightness.
The powerful components can cost you a pretty penny, though. That’s why this laptop is for those considered industry professionals or someone with money to burn.
5. MSI Stealth 15M
The MSI Stealth 15M is another gaming laptop that gives you the perfect mix between style and performance. With its Nvidia graphics card and Intel Core i7 processor, nothing can stop you from effortlessly working on Adobe Photoshop.
You also got 16GB of RAM for speedy processing. Plus, its slim design makes it sufficient for working while you travel. However, you might find yourself looking for a nearby plug as its battery life is average.
While that is the biggest downside, you shouldn’t let that stop you from reaping the benefits of its specs.
6. ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16-inch
The ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16-inch OLED laptop is one of the best laptops for photoshop because it’s portable and has an incredible display.
It comes with a full HD IPS display capable of displaying a wide range of colors — making it perfect for photographers who need to see their work in great detail. It also has a sleek design that makes it easy to carry around.
The laptop also comes with an array of ports, including a USB, HDMI, SD card slot and Ethernet port. That way, you can connect it to various devices or transfer files from one device to another.
This one might be the right choice if you’re looking for a laptop that can handle professional-grade photo editing software.
7. Apple MacBook Air M2
If you’re a fan of Apple, then you might want to check out the MacBook Air M2. It comes with up to 10-core GPU and 512GB of storage to handle your photo editing needs — even if you’re using the most intensive plugins.
If you’re looking for a lightweight laptop with long battery life, this is it. It weighs 2.7 pounds, making it easy to carry around without feeling weighed down.
The MacBook Air M2 also has a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, which makes editing photos easier. The screen resolution is 2560×1600 pixels with 500 nits of brightness for a sharp image display. It also comes with True Tone technology, so the images appear natural in any lighting situation — a crucial feature to have while editing photos.
8. HP Spectre Luxury 14T x360
The HP Spectre Luxury 14T x360 is a top-of-the-line laptop for photo editing. It has a beautiful, sleek design and an excellent keyboard, making it enjoyable to use.
The machine itself is extremely powerful, with an i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM so you won’t have any trouble with heavy workloads.
The Spectre boasts a stunning 4K display that is perfect for viewing your work in high resolution. Plus, it has a rechargeable HP Tilt Pen that lets you sketch your edits seamlessly on the screen.
If you’re looking for a laptop designed specifically with photo editing in mind — the Spectre Luxury 14T x360 is one of the best options on this list!
9. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is an immaculate machine made to last — and comes with all the power you need to get your creative work done.
The laptop’s body is made from sturdy aluminum and has a screen just over 14 inches in size. The screen has an anti-glare finish, so it’s easy to use outdoors or in bright light.
The Studio has an Intel Core i7 processor with up to 32GB of Ram and 2TB of storage. With this amount of power, you can run multiple programs at once without any trouble — even if you’re going through large files or processing large batches of photos.
You’ll also have a large, high-resolution display and the option to purchase a Surface Pen stylus for seamless editing and drawing on your photos.
10. Dell XPS 15
The Dell XPS 15 is a great laptop for Photoshop because it comes with an Intel Core i7 processor — which can handle the heavy computational workloads that come with running Photoshop. It also has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card that can take anything you throw at it.
With up to 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage, you have more than enough room to store all your files. The display on this laptop is stunning — it has QHD+ resolution with 100% Adobe RGB color gamut support. That means that whatever you’re editing will look rich and vivid on the screen.
Dell XPS makes an excellent choice for photo editing and graphic design work.
11. Acer Swift 3
The Acer Swift 3 is one of the most reliable options when looking for a laptop that can handle Photoshop. It’s a powerful computer with a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and up to 16GB of RAM to handle even the most demanding tasks.
The Swift 3 also has a large 1TB solid-state drive, which improves performance by storing data in memory instead of on the hard drive. This feature allows your laptop to boot up quickly and apps to load faster.
Additionally, the Acer Swift 3 has a dedicated AMD Radeon graphics card — enough to handle photo and video editing. It also has an HDMI port to connect your laptop directly to an external display without an adapter.
The Acer Swift 3 may be on the more affordable side — and it doesn’t have the same specs as a pro laptop — but it does let you get the job done when you need to.
12. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 offers all the power and precision you need to work on Photoshop. With this laptop, you can run image editing software without lagging or slowing down.
The Intel Core i7 processor also supports multiple programs you can run simultaneously. It’s also a lightweight, portable powerhouse made with high-quality aluminum casing.
The screen also has an incredibly gorgeous display — bright and sharp for excellent contrast. The colors are vivid and vibrant, even when the brightness levels are on the lower side.
13. Asus ZenBook Duo 14
The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 is one of the best laptops for photoshop because it’s a thin, lightweight laptop with a great keyboard and trackpad that will last all day. You’ll also see that it comes with 32 GB of RAM, which is more than enough for most people who want to use Photoshop only.
The Asus also has two screens — one sits on the keyboard, so it’s easy to work on two things simultaneously when editing photos. It comes with an Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics card to ensure that your editing process is fast and smooth.
The battery life is amazing — about 17 hours! If you’re looking for a great laptop for photoshop on the go, this one’s for you.
14. AERO 15 OLED
The AERO 15 OLED is the perfect laptop for designers because it processes images fast but is still thin and light enough to transport anywhere. The display is a bit larger for viewing images at 15.6 inches instead of a mere 14 most smaller devices claim.
The entire thing is less than one inch thick and weighs under five pounds. One thing we really love about this model is the Samsung 4K UHD AMOLED display with HDR 400 True Black Standard. The result is images that look almost alive. It’s perfect for anyone editing images in Photoshop.
If you’re creating images for games or book covers, you’ll appreciate the more realistic display of colors and seeing how they’ll appear in the finished product.
You’ll get around eight hours of battery before needing to recharge, making it perfect to take on the road.
15. Samsung Galaxy Book3
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro Laptop offers some strong advantages for storage and processing power. The laptop comes with 1 TB of storage but is expandable to 2 TB. A 13th generation Intel Core i7-1360P processor means you don’t get bogged down even when working with multiple windows open.
The larger, 16-inch screen gives you plenty of room to look at two images side-by-side or view the minute details during editing. The battery lasts a crazy 19 hours before needing recharged.
One thing we really love about this model is the ports. You’ll find Thunderbolt 4, USB-C and a micro SD slot. If you want to tap into the power of using a larger monitor at home or take your images to presentations, this computer can accommodate your needs.
16. MSI Creator Z16
The MSI Creator Z16 offers a number of advantages for use with Photoshop and video editing without adding too much to the cost. In addition to gaining a 2 TB hard drive, you’ll also ramp up speeds with an i9 processor and 32 GB of RAM.
Even though you’ll gain a lot in the way of memory and speed, the computer is still lightweight. Three fans keep the computer cool if you’re working on video editing or playing games. You’ll gain 40 Gbps of data transfer and a 90 Whr battery. The computer is Adobe compatible.
17. Dell Precision 5570
This offering from Dell is a secret weapon. Inside its sleek design is significant amounts of power — perfect for running Photoshop and a medley of other programs alongside it. It has an Intel Core i7-12800H CPU with an astounding 32GB DDR5 of RAM. An NVIDIA GeForce RTX A2000 powers the graphics.
It also has two USB-C ports. This laptop can run high-power programs while having several peripherals working beside it without compromising performance.
Rendering 3D projects or Photoshop projects on its 15.6-inch screen and 1920×1200 resolution operates like other laptops that cost significantly more.
18. LG Gram 17
See everything you’re working on with the largest display on this list. The LG Gram 17 has a titular colorful, 17-inch display and 2560×1600 resolution. Despite its size, it’s incredibly lightweight at only just over three pounds, making it an enticing option for travel because of how hefty yet easy it is at the same time. The battery helps this argument, too.
It wouldn’t be worth it if the large screen wasn’t luxurious — but put against the DCI-P3 test, it excelled with more than flying colors.
Working in Photoshop is even better if you have some tunes playing in the background. For jamming out, it has an excellent surround-sound system that also helps fellow video or audio editors running Photoshop in the background. It has 1TB of solid-state storage to hold all of these varieties of projects without bogging down the machine.
19. Alienware m17 R5
How about some AMD? The Radeon TX 6700M or 6850M XT GPU provides a high-class Photoshop-using experience. Its UHD screen puts many other FHD screens to dust, shining bright in its glorious 17.3-inch display and varying resolutions, depending on what kind of model you get.
That’s the best thing about the m17 R5 is they have numerous versions out there for your needs. Don’t need 4TB storage? Get the 256GB or 512GB instead. How about 16GB of RAM instead of 64GB? They thought about flexibility, and each one executes Photoshop extremely well.
It’s decked out with ports for even the most niche setups, including:
- Three USB-A
- One USB-C
- One Ethernet port
- A 3.5mm headphone jack
- One HDMI port
It’s battery life leaves a little to be desired, so be careful carting it around for a day out without a charger. The hardware is powerful, so it will use it — especially if you’re decked out with the backlit keyboard and using it for gaming on the side.
20. HP ZBook Fury 17 G8
Last but not least is the well-balanced ZBook Fury 17 G8. It has the Intel Xeon CPU alongside an NVIDIA RTX A5000 for tackling as many layers as you want to have in your Photoshop files. The 17-inch LED touch display even allows artists to get creative by using a pen peripheral for drawing.
It has at least 500-nits brightness in its 4K display, letting everyone see their projects in crisp, bright color. A bonus is its spill-resistant keyboard, so you could be working on this at your favorite brunch spot, spill your coffee, and have no fear of losing anything valuable.
Invest in a Powerful Device
Adobe Photoshop is more than a photo-editing software. It’s easily the industry’s standard for designing and producing creative work. However, its latest updates and functionality require users to invest in a high-performing laptop.
With this list in mind, you get the top five best laptops for running Photoshop. All you have to do is choose which one is most suitable for you.
Many creatives turn to Apple devices, like the MacBook Pro, to run their designer applications. However, some of the laptops listed here give you the option to upgrade your hardware — making it entirely worth the investment.
As an Amazon Associate, Designerly may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
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.