If you work with high-resolution RAW files and large projects, you need a good laptop for editing photos in Photoshop. Having these characteristics, I reviewed the best laptops for Photoshop currently available on the market.
To understand what characteristics matter, it is necessary to learn system requirements that affect Photoshop operating speed.
High-quality screen. The resolution and type of screen are crucial factors when picking the best laptop for Photoshop. Full HD or higher resolution screens are the best variant. The perfect option is the OLED screen, but an IPS matrix is a good choice as well. If you use a PC, check out the article about the best monitor for photo editing.
Powerful processor. The processor is responsible for all logical operations as well as graphics displaying. So, it is better not to save on it. With the Intel Core i5 or i7 series, you will feel confident while using Photoshop.
RAM. RAM is also very important when working with large files and resource-demanding websites like gamblizard.com. Usually, Adobe software requires a lot of RAM. That is why it is better to choose a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM, although 16GB or more will be even better.
1. Microsoft Surface Book 2
+ Ultra-light and versatile
+ High-quality and touch-sensitive screen
+ Excellent battery life
– Connecting external monitors causes problems due to underpowered dock
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is an incredible 2-in-1 laptop for Photoshop. It is fast and powerful thanks to the quad-core Intel Core i7-8650 processor and 16GB RAM. Moreover, it has an impressive battery life as well as a wonderful screen with excellent color accuracy.
It is possible to detach the keyboard to use your Surface Book as a tablet with Surface Pen. For those who are looking for cheaper products, I recommend reading about the cheap computer desks and the best laptops for photo editing on a budget.
2. MacBook Pro 16” with Touchbar
+ Incredibly fast with amazing screen
+ The touchpad works great with Photoshop
– Poor set of external connectors
MacBook Pro 16” offers nice speakers, high-quality microphones, new graphics cards as well as slightly larger and heavier chassis. As a result, Apple designed a device that has similar features with both 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro and 2015 one.
This laptop is great for photographers running their own business, along with developers and other creative professionals who want to have the most sophisticated and expensive laptop in their arsenal.
Although the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro is not a brand-new device on the market, some improvements can make it stand out from its predecessors. This model is suitable for performance-minded users, if they can afford it.
If you are looking for the best computer for photo editing, head over to this article to get all the necessary information.
3. Dell XPS 15 7590
+ Excellent price
+ High-quality screen
– Uneven display backlight
-Relatively small touchpad
Dell XPS 15 is one of the most powerful laptops for Photoshop which features a striking 15.6-inch InfinityEdge OLED screen with 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) resolution.
Dell XPS 15 laptop lineup is rather confusing as there are currently 10 different configuration types of this device and the prices can change rather quickly. I think the best configuration is Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB DDR4, 512GB SSD. It is the most suitable option for work with color.
Apart from 100% Adobe RGB coverage, you can make the best use of a 6-core processor as well as a large amount of RAM for carrying out large projects.
4. Dell Precision 7530
+ Two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports
+ Class-leading performance
– Thin and heavy
– Poor battery life
Precision 7530 is an example of a good laptop for Photoshop. Being modern and rather compact, this ultrabook deserves a worthy place in the Dell laptop lineup. The laptop features exceptional hardware such as a 6-core Intel processor and a new generation of NVIDIA graphics cards. With these parameters, it is possible to explore the potential of VR in graphic design.
5. Razer Blade 15 4K
+ Impressive performance
+ High-quality screen and assembly
– A fast graphics card is not very helpful for photographers
Razer mainly focuses on the gaming market, and the Blade 15 4K is primarily a gaming laptop with the style that will not stand out in the office. The main advantage that makes Blade 15 a good laptop for Photoshop is its 15.6-inch 4K screen, which has 100% Adobe RGB coverage and factory-calibrated color. This screen is similar to those used in the high-performance Dell XPS 15 laptop series.
6. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
+ Compact and lightweight
+ Excellent screen quality
+ Long battery life
– Rather small trackpad
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon of the 6th generation has different display options. They are all 14-inch IPS panels. However, I recommend paying attention to Dolby Vision with 500 cd/m² brightness and 1500:1 contrast ratio.
This screen is not touch-sensitive and the 2560×1440 resolution is inferior to 4K, but you will hardly notice the difference. Moreover, using the screen with fewer pixels allows you to increase the battery life. I measured the color accuracy of Delta-E and got a value of 1.2. Also, this model has 100% Adobe RGB coverage and excellent brightness which makes it one of the best laptops for graphic designers.
7. ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580
+ Excellent screen
+ Very fast performance
+ Reasonable cost
– The potential of ScreenPad hasn’t isn’t used to the full extent
– Average battery life
Zenbook Pro UX580 is mainly popular because of its touchpad, which serves as an additional screen. Asus calls it ScreenPad, and you can use it as a calculator, media player interface or just as an on-screen keyboard. However, the latest Photoshop version doesn’t support ScreenPad, otherwise, it could compete with the MacBook touchpad.
Fortunately, the main screen doesn’t have any drawbacks. Moreover, it has 100% Adobe RGB coverage. The brightness of the screen is slightly inferior to MacBook’s Retina display, but you will hardly notice the difference when viewing images with the naked eye.
