What Are The 5 Best Graphic Design Laptops In 2019?

Choosing The Right Laptop For You

Graphic design is a challenging profession that requires talent, knowledge, skill and serious hardware and software. In the current digital world, many graphic designers rely on a laptop computer. Characteristics such as weight, power, storage, screen size and more are extremely important, so choosing the right laptop isn’t always easy. You need performance, portability and affordability.

Fortunately, laptop manufacturers produce products for different needs. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the characteristics you should consider so you can select the perfect laptop for your graphic design purposes.

What Characteristics Should You Look For When Shopping For A Laptop?

There are 4:

1. Performance

Laptop performance and speed are the sum of three parts:

1. The Processor
2. RAM (Random Access Memory)
3. The Storage Drive (Hard Drive)

1. Processor: The processor ensures that when you use multiple open applications that they’ll run smoothly. There are a number of different processors to choose from. Here are the best one for graphic design projects: Core i5, Core i7, AMD Ryzen and Intel Xeon.

2. RAM: This is hardware that stores data inside the laptop. It allows the processor to process more data. This can dramatically improve laptop performance. However, it stores data temporarily so, when you switch off the computer, all the RAM data gets lost.

3. Storage: Unlike RAM, the Storage Drive can store information permanently. A Solid State Drive (SSD) ensures super-fast boot and wake times and better processor performance.

2. The Screen

Perhaps, the most important part of a laptop selection process for graphic designers is to choose the best screen. A screen with higher resolution provides clear and crisp details and color accuracy.

The size of a screen matters as well. A larger screen makes tinkering with the design a lot easier. A 15-inch screen size is a golden standard in the graphic design world.

3. The Keyboard and Touchscreen

A convenient keyboard is a must. Graphic designers rarely just handle design projects. They often work in conjunction with team members or with clients. You don’t want to spend hours editing emails because you’re missing keys and making mistakes. Plus, graphic designers typically use keyboard shortcuts. Proper placement of keys and ergonomic design in a laptop can be critical for efficiency and work speed.

In terms of a touchscreen, there’s no universal approach when it comes to this. Some graphic designers like them because they offer an easy way to zoom in and out. Others don’t because they don’t really add that much to the experience.

4. Battery Life

When you’re working in your favorite coffee shop or waiting for a flight at an airport gate, it’s frustrating when you can’t find a plug to keep your laptop charged. So, a good battery is a must. Look for a laptop with 12 to 14 hours of battery life to give you all the juice you need wherever you are.

What Are The 5 Best Graphic Design Laptops In 2019?

1. Apple MacBook Pro

Many graphic designers won’t use anything other than a MacBook. This is due to the quality that Apple has been building into their products for so many years. Graphic designers have been Apple’s biggest fans since they first started making computers. Brand image and operating system are the two main reasons why graphic designers choose Apple laptops.

The Apple MacBook Pro is a powerful laptop with an Intel i7 Quad Core processor and 16GB of RAM. However, if you’re an avid Windows user, it will take some time for you to get used to the Apple set up.

The MacBook Pro doesn’t have any USB ports, something that most of us use for various peripherals. But for many, this doesn’t matter. The outstanding graphic design experience that Apple offers makes it a favorite. You’ll also find the AMD Radeon Pro Graphics and the high-resolution screen a plus.

2. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Although the Surface Book screen is smaller than the Apple MacBook Pro, the performance is on par. This laptop runs on a Core i7 processor and has a screen resolution of 3000 x 2000. Many consider it the best laptop screen for sketching and creating graphics.

The Surface Book is very portable and, unlike the MacBook, can easily be transformed into a tablet. If you add a touchscreen and the included stylus, you’ll have a laptop that’s perfect for designers who like having this option along with a keyboard. It comes in two sizes: 13.5” and 15″.

3. Dell XPS 15

Dell’s XPS laptops are considered the gold standard and the newest XPS 15 is no exception. This is one of the most powerful laptops on the market. It includes an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics. Plus, it can switch between tablet and laptop modes. It comes with a new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPU featuring “discrete-class” Radeon graphics. It’s lightweight, slim, and has a modern industrial design. Other than an ill-placed webcam, its characteristics make it one of the best Windows laptops you can buy for the price.

4. Acer Predator

This laptop is promoted as a Gaming Laptop, and that it can process high-level graphics. Because you depend on the way your laptop displays graphics, it makes sense to consider a Gaming Laptop. The Acer Predator is equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060.

Depending on your needs, you can choose from two different sized screens: 17.3’’ and 15.6’’ The larger weighs 9.26 pounds, while the smaller one weighs 8.16 pounds.

5. Lenovo Flex 5

This is another high-quality laptop that you can get for a reasonable price. The Lenovo Flex 5 comes with a 14-inch screen, is equipped with an Intel Core i5 and possesses 8GB of RAM with 256GB of space that you can upgrade. You might find the touchpad a bit too reactive, but you can solve this problem by using an external mouse. While this laptop might not run as smoothly as the Apple MacBook Pro or Microsoft Surface Book, it’s a great option for graphic designers.

Source – justcreative.com