Best laptops for photo editing in 2021

A content creator’s dream laptop for photo editing should be a reality. It should also have enough storage to keep a large library of photo files and a GPU capable of running all of your graphics-intensive programs. The best laptops for photo editors come with a fast hard drive, plenty of artist-friendly ports, and a ton of great photo-editing software.

If you edit photos, you’ll need a

beautiful display

We’ve reviewed a wide range of best laptops for photo editors and photographers here at Laptop Mag, so we know which devices are ideal for content creators. We’ve compiled a list of the best laptops for photo editors based on these criteria. We also look for important photo editor benchmarks like Delta-E scores, sRGB gamut volume, and graphics performance. that is capable of reproducing a wide range of colors accurately

• Best cheap photo editing laptops
• 4 best photography apps for tablets

Check out our video section if you’re into that. best video editing laptopsIf you prefer to edit photos with your finger or a stylus on a touch screen, check out our top picks. .. touch screen laptops and best 2-in-1 pages for more specific recommendations. 

Amazon Prime Day 2021

Amazon Prime Dayis upon us, which means it’s the ideal time to go shopping for the best laptops for photo editing. There are a lot of excellent options. Prime Day laptop deals and Prime Day 2021 gaming laptop deals that are available between June 21 and June 22, for a two-day period.

If you’re looking for a more straightforward laptop category, look into the Prime Day Chromebook dealsChromebooks from Acer, HP, and even Samsung are excellent. .. There are also some fantastic options. Prime Day 2021 tablet deals if you need to focus on portability.

If you’re looking for something more specific, you’ll have no trouble finding it. Prime Day 2021 iPad deals and Prime Day MacBook dealsIt’s important to remember that this isn’t just about laptops and tablets. During Prime Day, there are a lot of products on sale. ..

You can also find amazing Prime Day 2021 monitor deals, which are ideal for people who work from home and require a more productive environment. Also, splurge on some audio luxury with Prime Day headphone dealsIf you’re in the market for a new phone, we’ve got you covered with these fantastic options. .. Prime Day phone deals.

If you don’t want to shop on Amazon, you can also find great deals on eBay. Walmart Prime Day sale and Best Buy Prime Day dealsThere are also plenty of options if you’re just a hardcore gamer who doesn’t require any high-tech. , as both companies try to outperform one another. Prime Day PS5 and Prime Day Xbox deals.

What is the best laptop for photo editing?

One of the laptop’s most striking features is that it reproduces a whopping 256% of the sRGB color gamut, meaning you’ll get rich, luxurious colors with sharp details and contrast. The HP Spectre x360 15 is the best laptop for photo editing.

Imagine the heart-stopping visuals we saw on the HP Spectre x360 15 when it came through our lab, covering such a wide spectrum of the color wheel. The HP Spectre x360 15’s discrete graphics card will help you run some of the most demanding photo-editing software on the market, making photo editing a real pleasure. The x360 15’s 4K OLED display is absolutely stunning.

It’s ideal for those who work with other creative colleagues in the office. For collaborative content creators, the laptop’s innovative flip-and-share mode makes it an easy choice. One of the best laptops for photo editing is the MSI Prestige 15.

While the HP Spectre x360 15 is our favorite laptop for photo editing, there are a slew of other photo-editing-capable laptops that have impressed us to no end. There are some drawbacks to this laptop, but depending on your needs and desires, those drawbacks may not be an issue for you, especially if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

We’ve outlined the advantages and disadvantages of the best laptop for photo editors in this buying guide so you can get a good idea of which laptop is best for you.

These are the best laptops for photo editing that you can buy right now.

1. HP Spectre x360 15
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (5th Gen, 2020)
3. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
4. HP ZBook Studio x360 G5
5. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
6. Microsoft Surface Pro 6
7. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
8. Lenovo Legion Y7000
9. HP Spectre x360 14
10. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
11. Dell XPS 15 (2019)
12. LG Gram 17
13. Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
14. MSI Prestige 15

There is no laptop that is better for photo editing than this one. HP’s Spectre x360 15Only that panel will divert your attention away from the Spectre x360 15’s elegant chassis, which appears to be something only the wealthy could afford. .. The highlight of this machine is a 15.6-inch 4K OLED display that is exceptionally bright (483 nits) and vivid (256% of the sRGB color gamut).

Photographers will appreciate the laptop’s discrete MX150 GPU, which has enough graphics horsepower to run demanding photo-editing programs with the help of a Core i7-8565U processor. And the Spectre x360 15 has one of the best keyboards on the market.

See our full

HP Spectre x360 (15-inch) review

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In 2020, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga was updated internally, with 10th Gen Intel Comet Lake vPro CPUs and Wi-Fi 6 support. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 is the fifth generation of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga.best 2-in-1 laptopFor professionals, it’s still a great option for photo editors.

The 4K model’s display covers a massive 133% of the sRGB color gamut. We recommend the latter for photo editing. It also has a brilliant brightness of 488 nits, allowing you to edit on bright, sunny days without straining to see what’s on your screen. You can choose between a full HD model and one with a stunning 4K display.

See our full 

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (5th Gen, 2020) review.

 

 The 16-inch MacBook ProThis premium laptop’s Magic Keyboard replaces the Butterfly mechanism with a scissor switch, resulting in a much more comfortable typing experience. If you’ve been waiting for Apple to release a better keyboard, this is the one for you. A bright, sharp 16-inch display with slimmer bezels, powerful performance from an available Core i9 CPU, and powerful AMD Radeon 5300M or 5500M graphics are also included.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is expensive, and Apple still doesn’t include full-size USB ports, but it’s a powerful workstation for creative professionals. If you really want to go all out, you can get up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. Another advantage of this laptop is its 11-hour battery life, which far exceeds that of its competitors.

See our full

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) review

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The HP ZBook Studio x360 G5’sThe 4K display on the 15.6-inch laptop is extremely detailed and vibrant. Even better, the x360 G5 has a tough chassis for when you’re out in the field, and its long battery life means you don’t have to be near an outlet. This beastly machine, which boasts workstation-class performance, is an excellent choice for photo editors who require the most powerful setup to run demanding programs.

The 4K touch screen is recommended over the FHD model for photo editors. Premium components, such as an Intel Xeon E-2186M CPU (with Quadro P1000 graphics), 32GB of RAM, and two 2TB SSDs, are available for the x360 G5.

See our full

ZBook Studio x360 G5 review

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The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1To dethrone HP’s excellent Spectre x360 13, it had to be nearly perfect — and it is. You also get a slim, premium chassis and a unique 13.4-inch (16:10 aspect ratio) display that is bright and vivid. The 10th Gen Intel Ice Lake processors in Dell’s newest flagship 2-in-1 provide excellent performance. The battery life is also excellent, clocking in at nearly 11 hours.

See our full

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 review

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Editor’s Note:

The clamshell XPS 13 is another excellent laptop with a stunning 4K display. You’re not sure you need a 2-in-1 convertible? Take a look at our

Dell XPS 13 (Late 2019) review

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With the addition of the, our favorite detachable just got better. Surface Pro 6When compared to its predecessors, it has a significantly longer battery life and better performance. The bright, vivid, and accurate 12.3-inch 2736 x 1823 resolution display is everything a photo editor could want. In fact, it covered 136 percent of the sRGB color gamut and had a brightness of more than 400 nits. The 2-in-1 can now run Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom without breaking a sweat thanks to its quad-core CPU.

The Surface Pen and Type Cover must be purchased separately, but they add a lot of functionality to this light (1.7 pound) tablet.

What about the Surface Pro 7In our review, we praised the tablet, but until the price drops, we can’t recommend it over the Pro 6. What are your thoughts on this?

See our full

Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review

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Photographers who want the advantages of a business laptop should consider the HP Pavilion. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 ExtremeIt has a great keyboard, a ton of security features, and a ton of ports, all housed in a stylish, long-lasting chassis. While the X1 Extreme’s battery life could be improved, it is one of the fastest laptops we’ve ever tested. The ThinkPad 15.6-inch laptop takes everything we like about the series to the next level. ..

The X1 Extreme’s panel was also bright, reaching 366 nits. The Dell XPS 15, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro, and the Asus ZenBook Pro 15 all have better displays. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme’s crown jewel, however, is its stunning 4K HDR display, which covers an incredible 186 percent of the sRGB color gamut.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme review

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What is the reason for this? Because they have discrete graphics, which is a huge advantage when using GPU-intensive programs like Photoshop. Photo editing is a natural fit for gaming laptops.

An excellent balance of price and performance, the Lenovo Legion Y7000Finally, the Legion Y7000 is one of the best. is, for the most part, the best gaming laptop for photo editing. The Lenovo Y7000 has a bright 15.6-inch 1080p display and a keyboard that lives up to Lenovo’s high standards. best gaming laptops. 

See our full

Lenovo Legion Y7000 review

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A stunning design, bright and vivid 1920 x 1280-pixel IPS and 3K2K OLED display options, epic 12+ hour battery life, and fast overall performance are all features of this laptop. The Spectre x360 14 is the best 2-in-1 laptop that has ever been made. The 13.5-inch model, which was just released for 2021, builds on its predecessors while also adding useful new features like a 3:2 aspect ratio display and 11th Gen Intel CPUs with Iris Xe graphics.

With a large, silky touchpad, a comfortable (albeit shallow) keyboard, excellent security options (fingerprint sensor and facial recognition), and a good selection of ports, it’s easy to see why we like this laptop so much.

In fact, if you want a convertible notebook, the Spectre x360 14 is the best HP laptop. If you have the money, we recommend the Spectre x360 14 over the Envy 13, especially if you need the flexible design. Sure, it has flaws, but once you hold it in your hands, you’ll quickly forget about them.

See our

HP Spectre x360 14 review

In almost every way, the follow-up to one of our favorite laptops improves on a winning formula. ‘The’ Surface Laptop 3The laptop has a slim aluminum chassis with Intel CPUs, giving it a sleek, premium feel. In addition, the Surface Laptop 2 has a long battery life, quick performance, and a handy magnetic Surface connector. The new 15-inch 2K display (3:2 aspect ratio) is vibrant for photographers, capable of reproducing an incredible 105 percent of the sRGB color gamut.

Microsoft sells an AMD version This is a good example. We recommend skipping the Surface Laptop 3 for this “for business” edition, which is available at Best Buy and other popular retailers. face-off between the two versions shows why.

See our full

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 review

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You haven’t seen a good laptop display until you’ve seen the OLED panel that graces the newest MacBook Pro. Dell XPS 15.. This costly upgrade is a photographer’s dream, with exceptional brightness and color reproduction.

The webcam has returned to its proper position above the display on the 2019 model, which is our favorite feature. The 15.6-inch laptop also has plenty of horsepower to run even the most demanding photo-editing software, all while being housed in a chassis that’s easy to transport from shoot to shoot.

See our full

Dell XPS 15 review

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When photographers touch up their photos, they need to be able to see every last detail, which is why they frequently edit on a large monitor. But how can you achieve the same level of precision while on the go? Get to know the LG Gram 17, a remarkably portable laptop with a large, high-resolution 17-inch display and excellent battery life.

The laptop’s bright and vibrant panel has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, and its unique 16:10 aspect ratio allows you to see more content at once without having to scroll. The Gram 17’s display is another feature that photographers will appreciate. Is it truly transportable? What’s more, the Gram 17 packs a 17-inch display into a 3-pound chassis that’s about the size of a 15-inch laptop.

See our full

LG Gram 17 review

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Asus’ ZenBook Pro Duois unlike any other laptop we’ve tried. Instead of a single display, the Duo has two: a primary 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel and a secondary 14-inch 4K panel on the deck. Multitasking is a breeze with the dual displays, which allow photographers to move their tools to another screen while keeping their main canvas clutter-free.

When you combine the ZenBook Pro Duo’s beautiful displays with fast performance and adequate cooling, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best laptops for photographers.

See our full

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo review

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The MSI Prestige features an innovative flip-and-share mode that enables photo editors to quickly show their work to team members across the table. The MSI Prestige 15 is a powerful computer designed specifically for content creators, particularly collaborative artists.

Because it’s an ultraportable, lightweight laptop with a 10th Gen CPU and discrete graphics, the MSI Prestige is ideal for on-the-go photo editors. The MSI Prestige 15 also covered an impressive 159% of the sRGB gamut. The Prestige 15 also has a stunning, eye-catching 4K screen that, thanks to its true-to-life, vivid display, will make photo editing a breeze.

See our full MSI Prestige 15 review.

How do you pick the best laptop for photo editing?

Here are some things to consider when selecting the best photo editing laptop for you. The best photo editing laptop has plenty of ports, good color reproduction, and can handle demanding photo editing software, among other things.

The sRGB gamut coverage:  The sRGB gamut coverage of a laptop indicates how well it can reproduce all of the colors on the color wheel. This standard is exceeded by all of the best photo editing laptops in our buying guide. This is what distinguishes a mediocre viewing experience from a riveting, can’t-look-away-from-the-screen experience. Color quality is measured at Laptop Mag using the sRGB color gamut, with 100% being the accepted minimum.

Delta-E score: The ‘distance’ between two colors is represented by theDelta-E, which is a single number. A perfect score of 0 indicates excellent color accuracy.

Ports: If the laptop you really want doesn’t have a port you want, you can always get an adapter. SD card readers, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and other artist-friendly ports are necessary for transferring files and optimizing the photo editing experience for photo editors. Keep an eye out for the ports you’ll need and see if your laptop has everything you’ll require.

High-performing graphics card: Look for discrete graphics cards rather than integrated GPUs because they will be able to handle the most demanding photo editing platforms.

Software: Some laptops will come with high-quality photo editing software pre-installed, which will make your photo editing experience a breeze.

Brightness: As a photo editor, you must be extremely detail-oriented, and being nitpicky with details is difficult when your display is dim. Look for laptops that have a brightness rating of at least 250 nits.

Storage: If you need a lot of storage space to handle your workload, make sure your laptop has enough storage so you don’t get frustrated when you get a message saying you’ve run out of space.

How we put the best laptops for photo editors through their paces

Our labs perform sRGB gamut coverage, Delta E accuracy, screen brightness, and other tests. We begin our evaluation of the best laptops for photo editors by conducting tests on the laptop’s display.

We also use the Geekbench benchmark to look at processor performance. We also use the 3DMark benchmark to test the graphics card’s performance and determine the laptop’s ability to run graphic-intensive applications.

Our labs also check how quickly the laptop transfers files, which is critical information for impatient photo editors with a lot of content to output and input on their laptops.

Photo editors frequently run multiple programs in the background, and a laptop that lacks multitasking capabilities will become slow and sluggish. Another feature we look for in laptops is multitasking ability.

We also look at tests that have nothing to do with photo editing but may be of interest to photo editors based on their needs, such as webcam image quality, speaker crispness, and gaming capabilities.

Phillip Tracy works as an assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag, where he reviews laptops, phones, and other gadgets as well as reporting on industry news. Phillip joined the Daily Dot as a tech reporter after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a journalism degree. He covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity while there, writing reviews for a variety of gadgets. Prior to that, he covered 5G and IoT for RCR Wireless News. Phillip can be found playing video games, reading, traveling, or watching soccer when he’s not tinkering with gadgets.