Nowadays, being a graphic designer implies that you will use a computer for almost everything in your work. Having the best laptop as a student will help you a lot in the future. This is why I did this Top 3 Of Best Laptops For Graphic Design Students.
This list includes excellent laptops for graphic design students, like the Apple MacBook. Also, if you’re on a budget, I’ve put together a list of the best budget laptop for graphic design, so be sure to check that article out.
Graphic design students need to think about the future. That’s why it’s recommended to use a professional laptop, even when you’re still studying. You will learn how to use all the designing tools from the beginning in a perfect way.
Before talking about the best laptops for graphic design students, you need to know everything we consider when choosing a notebook. Those things are the processor, Random Access Memory (RAM), graphics card, hard drive, and the screen plus its resolution.
The most important thing of them all is the processor. It’s all about that, and you will need a high-end one. A trustworthy option will always be an Intel System.
Almost every laptop uses Intel. Nowadays, the best option is the Intel i7 processor, but an Intel i5 one will be enough. Each year new processors appear, so these ones can become obsolete pretty quick.
The RAM is maybe the most flexible aspect. Here you don’t need to think about the best brand. The minimum amount you will need is 8 GB. The best option, of course, is to have 16 GB of RAM. The laptop’s speed must be at least 1600 MHz; the previous options are obsolete.
Knowing about the RAM of the laptops can be tricky. To determine the brand of the RAM is almost impossible. The most important thing we need to be sure about is how many GB it has and its speed.
The first thing we look for is the graphics card when we’re going to buy one. It’s a common mistake thinking this is the most important thing. Even though it is essential, you won’t use its full potential if you don’t have the proper processor and RAM.
When it comes to graphics cards, you need to search for a red label of ADM or a green one of NVIDIA. The graphics card is used to increase image processing, and using the ideal one will save you a lot of time.
The recommended brand is NVIDIA. This one has created a line for graphic designers called NVIDIA Quadro. If you can’t find this line, you can use NVIDIA GeForce GTX too.
All the programs you use to design are contained in the laptop’s hard disk, and the speed and capacity are the things you need to keep in mind when choosing a hard disk. Almost always, speed goes before the capacity for graphic designers.
That’s why we prefer Solid State Drive (SSD). For designers, it’s essential to work on our creations in a fast and fluid way. SSD units are swifter than a Hard Drive Disk (HDD), but they have less capacity.
It’s recommended for designers to have an SSD unit with a low capacity, around 128 GB. At the same time, they need to use an external HDD unit to increase the laptop’s storage capacity.
The screen of the gadget has to have excellent quality. In this aspect, the IPS screens are the best ones, and they show colors and images most realistically. Another great option is the LED Screen Full HD.
The size of the screen will determine the weight of the laptop. The bigger the screen, the heavier the laptop will be.
Countdown: Best Laptops For Graphic Design Students
As I said before, this list of best laptops for graphic design students isn’t just focused on them. Here, we’re going to talk about notebooks that work perfectly for designers. Having a good laptop is always essential; it doesn’t matter if you are a student or a professional.
Everyone is talking about the Microsoft Surface Book 2 and the MacBook Pro with touch bar as the best laptops for graphic designers. They could be too expensive for students and a new designer, and we will focus on other great options. These ones are cheaper and fit perfectly with their necessities too.
1. Apple MacBook
This is the best laptop for graphic design students, and it works perfectly for designers too. Its processor is a 7th-generation Intel Core, and it has a RAM of 8 GB and a speed of 1866 MHz. The hard disk is an SSD unit of 256 GB.
This powerful and lightweight laptop is the perfect mix between functionality and commodity. It weighs less than 2 pounds! One con of the Apple MacBook is that it only has one USB-C port. It may not have the screen or power of the MacBook Pro, but it’s a cheaper option, and it’s great too. Besides, it just looks fantastic.
If you’re looking for a cheap, light, and powerful laptop, the MacBook is perfect for you.
2. HP ZBook Studio G4 DreamColor
This is the most expensive laptop on the list, but it’s worth it. It has an Intel Xeon CPU processor, and its graphics card is an NVIDIA Quadro M1200. This laptop uses an SSD unit of 512 GB, and it has a RAM of 32 GB. It’s one of the newest laptops of the line workstation of HP.
It has many ports: 2 USB-C, 1 HDMI, 1 USB, 1 VGA, and 1 SD. It has ports for speakers too. Its 15.6-inch screen can be calibrated and show all the colors incredibly. Its graphics card allows designers and students to work with images easily and fast.
This is a high-end laptop with outstanding characteristics. If you’re searching for a laptop with a Windows operating system, this choice is the right for you.
3. Dell XPS 15
This is an excellent laptop. It has an i5 processor, and it uses an SSD unit of 32 GB. The Dell XPS 15 has a RAM of 8 GB. Its graphics card is an incredible NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050; you can’t imagine anything that this graphics card isn’t able to do.
You can turn its great borderless screen into a portable sketchbook, all this with the help of the Dell Stylus. This is maybe the most clear-cut screen on the list and one of the best portable sketchbooks of them all. This laptop is pretty lightweight, and its weight is less than 4 pounds.
This laptop offers the perfect balance between power and price, so be sure to check it out, and it might become your next favorite design device.
Final Words
These options are the best laptops for graphic design students and new designers, in my opinion. All of them are perfect for making almost any design you want, and they aren’t too expensive.
Once again, this is just my opinion. These laptops can be adapted to every one’s necessities. You need to consult with an expert before buying any laptop.
