Dogzily.com – Graphic design is a job that requires a high specification laptop. It’s not surprising that the price of a graphic design laptop on the market is not cheap, starting from 6 million. With so many graphic design laptops, you might feel confused when you want to buy a product.

Therefore, we will provide tips on choosing laptop specifications for graphic design. We will also provide recommendations for good laptops with high specifications for 3D and 2D graphic design. The best laptop brands, such as ASUS, Acer, and MSI, you will find here. This article has been reviewed by our software engineer, Yosua Surojo.

Laptop Characteristics for Graphic Design

Laptops for graphic design are manufactured by prioritizing speed and durability. This is because graphic design laptops run more software with heavy work processes and large output files. Some examples are CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, 3Ds Max, and AutoCAD, Inkscape software.

You may ask, can a gaming laptop be used to run various graphic design software? The answer is yes. To create 2D and 3D designs, a laptop with quite high specifications is needed, especially in terms of the GPU and processor. This point is met not only by laptops specifically for graphic design, but also gaming laptops.

However, not all gaming laptops support graphic design work. In addition, most gaming laptops have large bodies, which makes them quite inconvenient to carry.

Collaborating with experts: How to choose a laptop for graphic design

Determining a laptop that can support graphic design work is not an easy matter. Check out the following explanation to get the right product.

① Adjust according to usage level

The higher the specifications of a laptop, the higher the price. For that, before you spend a lot of money, make sure you choose a laptop according to your usage needs.

Intel Core i5, for light design work

When you open a design application, the laptop processor will work harder. On the other hand, the higher the series of graphic design software you use, the heavier the processor will work. For this reason, if you want to update your graphic design software series, also consider the processor’s capabilities.

Actually, using an Intel Core i3 type processor is not a problem. However, the workload of the laptop will be heavier. For that, choose a laptop with at least an Intel Core i5 processor.

That way, it is less likely that the software will experience lag or delay in response. This type of processor can also be used for light design work, such as cropping, creating logos, or designing posters.

In addition, you will find laptops that use AMD processors. As a competitor of the Intel brand, AMD processor prices are relatively more affordable. For the AMD processor brand itself, choose the AMD Ryzen 5 series. This type of processor has performance equivalent to Intel Core i5.

Intel Core i7, for professionals and multitasking jobs

Core is a very important component in the processor. The more the number of cores in the processor, the lighter the laptop’s work process. In addition, you can do multitasking work by opening applications simultaneously without fear of slowing down the laptop’s performance.

Even though an Intel Core i3 laptop is capable of opening many applications at once, the speed is still not on par with an Intel Core i7 laptop. If you are a professional designer, choosing a laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor is the best solution. \

For now, the Intel Core i7 processor is still one of the highest types of processors in the Intel class. Meanwhile for the AMD brand, we recommend the AMD Ryzen 7 processor.

The advantage of these two processors lies in their better durability. When you open applications simultaneously, the laptop engine doesn’t heat up easily. In addition, both also offer high speed in opening and closing software.

② Pay attention to the GPU or graphics card

GPU or graphics processing unit is a laptop component that works to produce images on the monitor screen. GPU is often referred to as a graphics card. The better the type of GPU used, the smoother and sharper the image on the screen will look. The effect is very pronounced, especially for work related to creating objects in 2D, 3D, and rendering.

Therefore, choose a laptop with a minimum mid-end level graphics card, such as NVIDIA GeForce, NVIDIA Quadro, and AMD Radeon. Apart from these three brands, there is also the Intel Graphics brand to consider. This type of GPU is suitable for running light software with standard design requirements.

③ Check the screen size and resolution

When you use a laptop with a large screen, you will get a large work area. However, for those of you who want practicality, the presence of a large screen might even seem inconvenient.

If you carry your laptop around a lot, we recommend a lightweight product that’s around 13 inches. Laptops of this size have an average weight of about 1 kg so they are not that heavy when carried. Meanwhile, for those of you who often use a laptop at home, please use a product that is 14 inches or more.

Apart from the screen size, pay attention to the resolution. The bigger the screen resolution, the more detail and higher the contrast. Ideally, for graphic design work, choose a laptop that has at least full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution.

④ Use a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM

RAM or random access memory is a place to temporarily store data and execute various program instructions. Generally, graphic design software has a heavy work process so it will take up quite a large amount of RAM capacity. For that, the required RAM will be greater.

Actually, using a laptop with 4 GB of RAM is not a problem. However, your software work process will slow down and be prone to delays or even crashes. For this reason, we recommend that you use a laptop with at least 8 GB of RAM so that the design process is maximized.

⑤ Consider SSD storage media for faster processing

Generally, the rendering results of graphic design software are quite large in size. This of course will take up the capacity of the internal storage media on the laptop. It’s different if you have more budget to buy an external hard disk and store all your files there. Considering this, choose a laptop with at least 1 TB of storage media.

In addition, the type of storage media on a laptop has a considerable influence on the process of reading data. There are two types of laptop storage media on the market, namely the type of HDD (hard disk drive) and SSD (solid-state drive). Each storage media has a different performance and price.

For those of you who want light work processes and data transfers, choose SSD storage media. Unfortunately, the price of SSD storage media on the market is 3x higher than the price of HDD. As a solution, choosing an SSD with a capacity of 512 GB is sufficient. The rest, you can use an external hard disk.

10 Best Laptop Recommendations for Graphic Design

Next, we will recommend the ten best laptop products for graphic design that we have determined based on how to choose above. These products are carefully selected by considering product quality, buyer reviews, and the level of trust in the seller.

1. Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-57)

If you need a laptop with a clear and responsive display, make sure you don’t miss this product. Acer Nitro 5 is supported by Intel’s 11th generation processor so that the display is smoother.

Laptop performance is also more stable and has longer durability with the Acer CoolBoost technology. So, your laptop won’t get hot easily when you work for hours on end.

Pros:

Cool design with the dominant matte bCons color and red accents on the tail of the laptop
The brightness level reaches 300 nits so that the color accuracy is quite good
The keyboard is equipped with RGB backlit lights with four color zones

Cons:

The weight is still relatively heavy so it is not comfortable for those of you who work with high mobility

2. HUAWEI MateBook D15

This laptop for graphic design is suitable if you are concerned with aesthetics as the main consideration when choosing a laptop. The Huawei Matebook D15 has a very good build quality by applying metal materials to several parts of the outer body.

Apart from that, this laptop is also equipped with the best specifications to be run by novice designers. Coupled with the support of an Intel Core i5 Gen 11 processor and 8 GB of RAM, the laptop’s performance is still optimal. Well, for those of you who are new to the world of graphic design, there’s nothing wrong with choosing this product.

Pros:

Premium design, simple and classy
The size of the touchpad is wide so that it is easy to implement various mouse functions
Laptop screens have a high level of color accuracy

Cons:

The keyboard is not equipped with a backlight so it is quite a hassle to type in a place where the light is dim

3. Lenovo Legions 5

Lenovo Legion 5 is known as a laptop with gaming specifications. However, this is a distinct advantage for those of you who are looking for a multifunctional graphic design laptop.

This laptop is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card to maximize performance. Plus large capacity storage, you can be more flexible when storing important data and files on your laptop. The memory of this laptop is also large so that the rendering process runs smoother without a hitch.

Pros:

Large SSD capacity and can still be added with an optional hard disk
Has a good cooling system with a relatively quiet fan performance
The keyboard is comfortable to use

Cons:

Port connectivity is incomplete in the absence of an SD memory card slot

4. MSI Modern 14 C11M

This MSI laptop has an affordable price, but is equipped with a kitchen runway that cannot be underestimated. Equipped with an Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU, this sleek laptop is more efficient in using power while working.

If you are looking for a laptop for graphic design that is simple, simple, and has good resistance, this product is the right choice. This laptop also meets MIL-STD-810G military standards so there is no need to doubt its durability.

Pros:

The price is fairly affordable with qualified specifications
The size of the keys on the keyboard is concise so that it is comfortable to use

Cons:

The color gamut is still 45% NTSC so colors are less accurate

5. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401

With a metallic gray color, this laptop looks luxurious. The casing is also uniquely designed and features the AniMe Matrix™. This feature consists of 1,215 mini LEDs that can display animation, text, and various interesting effects. He cried again, you can also set and modify its appearance.

Not only does it look cool, this laptop is certainly sufficient to support your profession as a designer. The high-quality processor also ensures that you can operate heavy software at the same time. If you are looking for a laptop for graphic design with flexible display personalization, this product is the best partner.

Pros:

The design looks modern and luxurious
It is supported by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor so that the laptop can operate heavy software at the same time

Cons:

With a price of tens of millions, unfortunately this laptop is not equipped with a webcam

6. Acer Spin 3 Active (SP313-51N)

For those of you workers who are active, mobile, and want to be more productive, we recommend this product for you. Having a unique Spin style design with a light weight, this laptop is easy to carry anywhere.

In addition, this laptop is equipped with a 13.3-inch multi-touch screen with 2K resolution. Plus IPS panel technology and color coverage of up to 100% sRGB, you get accurate colors. So, the content you create will look more detailed and sharp.

Pros:

The screen can be rotated 360 degrees downwards
Supports touch input of more than one finger
Comes with a stylus certified by Wacom

Cons:

The bezel on the screen is still quite thick so it seems less modern

7. MSI Creator Z17 A12UGST

For creative workers, this laptop really supports your performance with capable hardware and various interesting features. Supported by a high-accuracy 17-inch IPS touch screen, this laptop helps you in color selection when designing a masterpiece.

In addition, a reliable stylus pen is also provided for navigating and drawing objects. With its various advanced features, this graphic design laptop is highly recommended for professional workers.

Pros:

Equipped with a spacious touch screen with detailed QHD + resolution and accurate colors
Able to produce smoother animations with a refresh rate of 165 Hz

Cons:

The price is high and it is not suitable for beginner content creators because some of the features are quite complicated to understand

8. ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (2022)

You need a laptop for graphic design that is comfortable to use for hours without tiring your eyes? Please consider this ASUS laptop. This laptop incorporates an eye care feature so that the eyes don’t get tired quickly when staring at the monitor for a long time.

In addition, the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is powered by a capable processor, namely the 12th generation Core i7 H series. As a result, your work will be lighter and faster even though you open many heavy applications.

Pros:

CPU and GPU performance is fast in its class
Smooth screen with 300Hz refresh rate
It has an eye care feature to protect the eyes so they don’t get tired easily

Cons:

Prices are still high enough for novice designers to use

9. Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel NX.C5KSN.001

Maybe you need a laptop with multiple usage modes to help you design. Well, this product is right for you to choose. For its design, this laptop carries a white body equipped with an orange backlit keyboard. Another advantage of this laptop lies in its touch screen support and capable processor.

Also, this laptop can be used in six different modes. If you want to present your work, use display mode. When drawing, use stand mode. You can also use the float mode to get the ideal shooting angle. Plus, you can switch it to laptop, share, or pad mode whenever needed. Fun!

Pros:

The screen can rotate up to six different usage modes
Color accuracy is 100% sRGB so the colors displayed are clearer

Cons:

The brightness of the screen when used outdoors is still Consing in contrast

10. ASUS ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

This laptop offers dual screens with superior technology. The secondary screen or ScreenPad Plus of this laptop is equipped with a touch screen feature. For a designer who has solid experience, ScreenPad Plus is certainly very helpful.

Through the ScreenPad screen, you can expand views, task groups, or access the control panel. In addition, the navigator app on the ScreenPad and the main screen will also give you better and more practical control. With its sophisticated performance, this laptop is ideal for those of you who want practicality when designing.

Pros:

Equipped with a dual screen feature to make work more productive
Equipped with ScreenPad Plus so that your work is more multitasking
Using a Full HD resolution touchscreen display

Cons:

The keyboard design is on the edge so it is less comfortable when typing on your lap

Conclusion

How? Have you found a product that fits your needs? Before buying a laptop for graphic design needs, you have to consider many things. Basically, laptop specifications for graphic design are similar to gaming laptops.

The type of processor, the amount of RAM and storage media, up to the screen size are not absolute requirements. Even so, laptops with high specifications are a smart solution for completing any graphic design project quickly. Happy designing!

5 Laptop Recommendations for the best Graphic Design

Acer ｜Nitro 5(AN515-57)
HUAWEI ｜MateBook D15
Lenovo ｜Legion 5
MSI ｜Modern 14 C11M
ASUS ｜ROG Zephyrus G14 ｜GA401

Other recomendations:

Best Laptop for Graphic Design – Reviewed by Software Engineer

Laptop Characteristics for Graphic Design