Guide to choosing the right Laptop for photo editing
These are the finest computers for post-processing, with enough power and clarity for any software you're using.
The finest laptops for picture editing will have many comparable features and traits, but that doesn't imply that each model doesn't have anything unique to offer. Instead, it means that the market is brimming with possible offers for a wide variety of budgets and unique needs – but with so much choice, it's easy to become overwhelmed.
Fortunately, you've got this article now. Many of the alternatives on the list below will support professional-standard color gamuts, ensuring that even if you can't manually calibrate the display, you'll obtain realistic colors and tones when editing photographs in programs like Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom.
Speaking of Adobe, we have also ensured that all of the models can run and support all of the most popular photo-editing programs, so you won't have to worry too much about how much power you'll have at your disposal. This list has a laptop for any photographer and picture editor, with everything from the latest CPUs and a large chunk of RAM memory to fast SSD storage and even dedicated graphics cards.
What computer specifications do I need to edit photos?
For a laptop used for photo editing, you should aim for 32 GB of RAM because 16 GB might be a problem for applications like Lightroom when working with high-resolution RAW photographs. Additionally, you should aim for a contemporary Intel Core i7 (or AMD Ryzen 5) CPU. These CPUs have good integrated graphics that are more than enough for processing photos.
You should buy the most color-accurate screen you can. The advice is to go for 1080p screens since they let you view more of your images, but a laptop with a 4K screen can be worthwhile if your budget can accommodate it.
Some displays have factory calibration built in to assure the highest possible image quality, however, we also advise calibrating your display with a color calibrator.
The SSD drive's storage capacity should be at least 500 GB. If you want to save a lot of photographs on the device – getting as big as possible is preferable. If you want to save many photographs on the device, a larger drive is preferable. If you edit RAW images, a drive with a capacity of less than 1 TB can rapidly become full. However, you can also utilize cloud storage.
The ability to edit images practically anywhere rather than being confined to a desk with a traditional PC is one of the nicest aspects of using a laptop for photo editing. Therefore, battery life is a crucial factor to take into account, as you'll need something that can operate for several hours without requiring a plug.
Even though programs like Photoshop don't need a dedicated GPU to function, these programs may nevertheless significantly increase productivity since certain picture editing suites, particularly those from Adobe, employ AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning with some of its features to assist eliminate repetitive work and provide more eye-catching and realistic effects.
Top laptops for editing photos are currently on the market
1. Gigabyte AERO 16 YE5
NVIDIA 30 Series GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6, Boost Clock 1125MHz, Maximum Graphics Power 105 W
Intel 12th Gen Ready: 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H
DDR5 Ready: DDR5 4800 16GB*2, 2x DDR5 Slots - Max 64GB, 2TB Storage
Cutting-Edge Display: 16" Thin Bezel 4K/UHD+ 3840x2400 Samsung AMOLED Display, VESA DisplayHDR 500, 100% DCI-P3, X-Rite Factory Calibration & Pantone Validated Dual Certification
Next-Gen Interface: Windows 11 Pro, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (Gig+), Bluetooth V5.2
AERO Hub: External Adaptor with HDMI, miniDP, USB 3.1 Type-A, RJ45
Dynamic Audio: DTS:X Ultra Audio Technology, Built-in Microphone, 2x 2W Speakers
I/O: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-C), 1x 3.5mm Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC-in Jack
2. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
Complimentary 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud subscription with the purchase. Learn more on ASUS website for more details
ScreenPad Plus: 14 inch 4K matte touchscreen, giving your endless way to optimize your multitasking experience by extending the screen or split windows and apps on both displays
15.6 inch OLED 4K (3840 x 2160) NanoEdge touch main display, Pantone Validated, VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 500
12th generation Intel Core i9-12900H Processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU with 8GB VRAM – NVIDIA Studio Ready
Windows 11 Professional, fast storage and memory featuring 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD with 32GB LPDDR5 RAM
3. Newest Dell XPS 9710 Laptop
32GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive for fast boot up and data transfer
Intel Core i7-11800H Processor (8 Cores, 16 Threads, 24MB Cache, Base 2.30GHz up to 4.6GHz Max Turbo Frequency); GeForce RTX 3050 with 4GB GDDR6 dedicated graphic memory
17.0-inch UHD+ InfinityEdge Touchscreen Anti-Reflecitve 500-Nit Display, 16:10 ratio, edge-to-edge view, Dolby Vision
4 x Thunderbolt 4 with power delivery & DisplayPort, 1 x Full size SD card reader v6.0, 1 x Headphone & Mic Audio Jack; HD RGB Camera with digital microphone; Backlit Keyboard; Fingerprint Reader; Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2x2) + Bluetooth 5.1
Windows 11 Home-Beautiful, more consistent new design, Great window layout options, Better multi-monitor functionality, Improved performance features, New video game selection and capabilities, Compatible with Android Apps
4. Dell XPS 9310
See Every Detail: The UHD+ 4K (3840 x 2400) 500-nit touchscreen display offers pinpoint accuracy for all your computing needs. See the detail of every pixel in photos without needing to zoom in.
Guaranteed Power: With 11th Gen InteI Core mobile processors, it’s now possible to enjoy incredibly immersive entertainment on a remarkably thin and lightweight touchscreen laptop.
Powerful Graphics: Intel Iris Plus graphics take a huge leap forward in gaming, streaming and creativity, pushing a smoother, more detailed, and more vivid experience than ever before.
Killer Wireless: With advanced Wi-Fi 6 technology and theoretical throughput speeds of up to 2.4 Gbps, it prioritizes traffic in your lightweight laptop for fast, smooth online experiences.
Advanced Thermal Engineering: Dual fans separated to spread heat over a larger area ensure you have the best performing system in the thinnest form factor possible.
5. HIDevolution ASUS ProArt StudioBook H5600QM
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8 Core - 16 Thread Processor (3.3 GHz | Turbo to 4.5 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 w/ 6 GB GDDR6
HIDevolution upgrades the 16" WQUXGA OLED (3840 x 2400), 400-nits, 100% DCI-P3, Glossy, Pantone Validated Display Gaming Laptop with stocked Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut on CPU by adding Gelid GC Extreme on GPU for improved performance and optimal system temperature
HIDevolution installed PCIe based storage--4 TB (2 x 2 TB) M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD--ensures that you experience the fastest boot up & load times
Installed by HIDevolution--64 GB (2 x 32 GB) of fast DDR4 3200MHz memory--run memory hungry applications and multitask with ease
HIDevolution Promise: Authorized ASUS Build to Order Dealer, thorough quality testing, a 1 Year Warranty, and access to our expert support staff.
