Arek Dvornechcuck
Branding Expert
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
I'm a branding expert and graphic designer based in NY. I specialize in the development of brands: brand strategy, identity & web design. Need help with your project?—Get in touch
For creatives, laptops and computers are now a part of their career now, especially for editing photos or videos.
Also, it is important to have a high-quality laptop, which is great to show how amazing your work is.
What is the best laptop for photo editing?
Many brands of laptops offer amazing specifications, which are all perfect for photo editing.
Also, laptops nowadays are a necessary gadget for those editors that want to have the best and most creative work.
All the advantages of heavy-duty desktop picture editing can be found in a laptop that weighs so little.
But for creatives that want to have the best laptop that gives excellent overall performance, then you can check out this ASUS ZenBook Pro.
Don’t worry because everything on my list of laptops is definitely suitable for every creative need and you can choose which device is best for you.
So without keeping you waiting, let's move to my top picks of the 10 best laptops for photo editing in 2022.
Before purchasing a laptop for photo editing, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Consider the following aspects when looking for this year's best photo editing laptop purchase:
In order to better understand the importance of these features, here are the reasons why they should be considered.
When it comes to editing photos on your laptop, you can choose between Windows 10 or Chrome OS.
These operations have complete command over everything that happens on the computer.
The operating system is the most important piece of software on a computer.
If you're looking to do any editing, I'd say either of these operating systems will work well.
Laptops that are powerful, efficient, and speedy are ideal for you.
When looking for a laptop to use for picture editing, the processor is an important thing to think about.
As the brain of your laptop, the central processing unit (CPU) delivers the instructions and processing power it needs to carry out its job.
As a result, the type and performance of a laptop's processor are crucial when editing.
It is up to the display to ensure that your photo editing is clear.
In order to succeed as an editor, you need to be able to create images that are both visually appealing and visually accurate.
Laptops with 13-inch screens can be bought, as well as bigger 17-inch models, but they're heavier and take up more space when you're on the go.
Photo editors like 2K and 4K resolutions because they produce better photographs and more brilliant color schemes.
In an application, RAM serves as a kind of short-term storage for the data you're working with.
If you're a multitasker, saving RAM is out of the question because animation software needs a lot of RAM to work well.
When working with 2D and 3D animations, 8GB of RAM should be plenty, but 16GB of RAM is strongly suggested, as it will help you avoid crashes when editing photos, which can cause your computer to freeze up.
Consider upgrading your RAM even if you don't plan to do so anytime soon.
Laptops that are used for picture editing, like the ASUS ZenBook Pro, benefit a lot from having quick storage space.
For 3D files generated by programs like 3DS Max and Maya, it's recommended that you have at least 512GB or 1TB of internal SSD or HDD storage.
A solid-state drive (SSD) is speedier and more expensive than a hard drive (HDD).
An external hard drive or an upgrade to your laptop's internal storage, including SSDs and hard disk drives, is an option for people who require more storage space (HDDs).
Now that you've read my detailed buying guide for the laptop, let's move on to my list of the top 10 best laptops for photo editing in 2022.
If you’re looking for a laptop that gives you the best overall performance and is perfect for photo editing, then the ASUS ZenBook Pro is for you.
The best overall laptop for photo editing.
Multitasking on the 14-inch 4K matte touchscreen is as easy as expanding the screen or splitting windows and apps across the two screens.
It is powered by an Intel Core i7-9750H quad-core processor from the 9th generation and the main panel has a 15.6-inch 4K UHD NanoEdge touchscreen glossy.
In contrast, it boasts a 1TB SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM to give blazing-fast storage and memory.
For Windows Hello sign-in, you can also take advantage of the laptop's thermal sensor and Bluetooth 5.0 module.
Finally, thanks to the Ergo Lift design, we were able to improve cooling and sound performance.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro is an ideal choice for those who are searching for the best overall laptop that is great for photo editing.
CPU: Intel Core i7-9750HIntel Core i7-9750H
Display: 15.6 4K UHD
Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB
Buy ASUS ZenBook Pro on Amazon
Next on my list is the Razer Blade 15, which is the best photo editing laptop for editors.
The best laptop for editors.
For photo editing, the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H CPU has six cores and can run at a maximum speed of 5.0 GHz.
These NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics are great for modern video games and creative projects like photo editing because they're so fast.
On the other hand, in the smallest possible space, the CNC aluminum unibody frame holds a lot of power while being very durable and only 0.78" thick.
It also has a webcam, wireless-AC, Bluetooth 5, two USB Type-A ports, and two USB Type-C ports.
The Razer Blade 15 is an amazing option for people that are wondering about finding a high-quality laptop for editors.
CPU: 110th/11th gen Intel i7
Display: 15″ FHD 360Hz/QHD 165Hz/240Hz
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX
RAM: 32 GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
For professionals that are looking for an excellent laptop that is great for photo editing, the Apple MacBook Pro is a must-have.
The best laptop for professionals.
When it has the Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, its CPU, GPU, and machine learning speed go way up.
Up to a 10-core CPU can do professional tasks like mass production up to 3.7x faster.
There is a GPU that has up to 32 cores and a 13x speed boost for use with graphics-heavy software like photo editing.
Because its battery life is 17 hours, you don't have to worry about running out of power.
The Apple MacBook Pro is one of the high-quality laptops you can buy today.
The Apple MacBook Pro is a good pick if you’re searching for the best photo editing laptop for professionals.
Display: 14-inch
Processor: Apple M1 Pro chip
RAM: 16GB RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Buy Apple MacBook Pro on Amazon
Are you a beginner and you want to buy a laptop that is good for editing photos?—No need to look further, because the Microsoft Surface Pro is for you.
The best laptop for beginners.
With an 11th generation Intel Core processor, you have the speed and power to do anything you set your mind to, no matter how big or small.
Make movies come to life while you're editing photos with Omnisonic Speakers and Dolby Atmos 6.
Also, there are two sizes: a 13.5" model that's small and lightweight, and a 15" model that's big enough for two monitors at the same time.
With a front-facing 720p HD camera, you can take clear videos and pictures even when there isn't a lot of light.
The Microsoft Surface Pro is a great choice for those looking for a high-quality laptop for beginners.
CPU: Intel Core i5
Display: 12.3 Inches
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics
RAM: 8GB RAM
Storage: 128GB
Buy Microsoft Surface Pro on Amazon
For students that want to have a high-quality laptop that is suitable for photo editing, then the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is for you.
The best laptop for students.
Having a Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB of DDR4 2666mhz RAM, and a 500 GB SATA hard drive, the Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Notebook Laptop is great for any type of company.
On the other hand, it has a fixed focus and microphone on a webcam that has 720p HD.
As a bonus, Iris Xe graphics are built into Intel's processor and act as UHD Graphics for better working speed too.
High Definition (HD) Audio, a Realtek ALC3287 codec, stereo speakers, 2W x 2, Dolby Audio, and HARMAN-branded speakers are also in the box.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is a good choice if you’re searching for an amazing photo editing laptop for students.
CPU: Intel Quad Core i7
Display: 15.6" FHD Display
Graphics: Integrated
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad X1 on Amazon
For creatives that are wondering about the best mid-range laptop for photo editing, the ASUS ZenBook Duo is for you.
The best mid-range laptop for photo editing.
It has a 14-inch 4K matte touchscreen that lets you do more than one thing at a time by expanding the screen or splitting the windows.
It also has a 15.6-inch OLED UHD Nano Edge touchscreen glossy primary display with a 1920x1080 resolution.
Also, a Core i9-11900H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3060 Laptop GPU with 6GB of VRAM for editors.
The ASUS ZenBook Duo is an excellent choice for people that are searching for a high-end laptop for photo editing.
So, if you’re looking for the best mid-range laptop for editing photos, then the ASUS ZenBook Duo is a great choice.
CPU: 10th generation Intel Core i7
Display: 15.6” OLED 4K touch main display
Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060 6GB/RTX 3070
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Buy ASUS ZenBook Duo on Amazon
Next on my list is the Dell XPS 13 9310, which is the most powerful laptop for photo editing.
The most powerful laptop for photo editing.
If you're comfortable working with Windows 10 Home, you'll probably enjoy this machine.
There is a 13.3" 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) screen on this XPS 13. It's great for any kind of graphics work.
It is one of the lightest and most powerful travel laptops because it only weighs 2.7 pounds.
With its small size, it's great for working on editing photos.
This laptop is good for the environment because it has parts that can be reused or recycled, and the packaging trays are all made of paper.
The Dell XPS 13 9310 is an ideal option for creatives that are wondering for the most powerful laptop for photo editing.
CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7
Display: 13.3-inch
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Buy Dell XPS 13 9310 on Amazon
If you’re looking for an affordable but high-quality laptop for photo editing, then the Microsoft Book 2 is an excellent choice.
The best budget laptop for photo editing.
As a laptop, tablet, and mobile studio all in one, Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is an interesting idea.
It has a quad-core Intel processor and the most up-to-date NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, which give it the best graphics performance yet for professional-grade software.
Use a backlit keyboard and a touchscreen-ready screen to quickly write down your ideas and get them on paper.
In the end, the Microsoft Book 2 is a good choice for people who want to use a laptop to edit photos at a low price but don't want to spend too much.
You need to get the Microsoft Book 2 to start editing if you want to buy a laptop that is good for you to use.
CPU: 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7300U
Display: 13.5“
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB
Buy Microsoft Book 2 on Amazon
For editors that are searching for the most portable laptop that is good for photo editing, then the Dell XPS 15 is for you.
The most portable laptop for photo editing.
On the screen, it has a 400-nit OLED Infinity Edge anti-reflective screen, 100% DCI-P3 and 4K UHD (3840x2160) resolution, so you can see everything.
The computer also comes with 16GBof DDR4 2666MHz RAM, 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage, and 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GDDR5 graphics.
It makes things look better because there are 16 million colors in the world.
After all that, Dell put an Infinity Edge display on the XPS 15, which means there are fewer holes between the screens.
The Dell XPS 15 is an amazing choice for those who are wondering about the most portable laptop for photo editing.
CPU: 6-Core i7-9750H
Display: 15.6 Inch 4K UHD Non-Touch
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1650
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB SSD
For creatives or professionals that are looking for the best laptop that is excellent for photoshop, then the Lenovo Legion 5 is a must-have.
The best laptop for photoshops.
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor has up to 8 high-performance cores, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage, which can help you speed up your editing by letting you work faster.
I have Legion Coldfront 3.0 and Q Control, which are at the heart of the Legion AI Engine, running at their best.
If you buy this laptop, you'll get a 15.6-inch full HD screen and it can run at up to 165 Hz, has a response time of 3 ms, and is 100% sRGB in color.
People who work as editors can get a lot of performance out of the Legion 5 laptop, which looks good and is easy to use.
The Lenovo Legion 5 is a good option for people that are searching for an amazing laptop that is perfect for photoshopping.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
Display: 15.6" FHD Display
Graphics: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Buy Lenovo Legion 5 on Amazon
Laptops and computers are becoming an essential tool for picture and video editors.
In addition, a high-quality laptop is essential for showcasing the quality of your work.
Which laptop is best for editing photos?
If you’re going to ask me that question, my answer is definitely the laptops on my list because they are highly recommended gadgets for photo editing.
But for editors looking for an amazing laptop that is suitable for them, the Razer Blade 15 is a must-have.
On the other hand, for beginners that browse which laptop fits their needs, the Microsoft Surface Pro is for you.
I also included the Apple MacBook Pro for professionals that are looking for an outstanding laptop for editing pictures.
Lastly, my best overall pick is the ASUS ZenBook Pro because of its performance, especially for editors.
Now that I’m done giving you my top picks, which is your best laptop editing photos?—Leave a comment below.
