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10 Best Laptops For Photo Editing And Graphic Design 2025 in the United States

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Our Top Picks

#1

Winner

Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M4 chip: Built for Apple Intelligence, 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, 12MP Center Stage Camera, Touch ID; Starlight

Rating
9.9
Chosen by1,408
Processor (CPU)
Display
Portability

Most important from
257 reviews

Processor (CPU)
The new M4 Air is significantly faster and costs less than the M3, making it better in every way.
Display
The display is clear and the overall quality is great, making it a worthy investment despite the high price.
Portability
The laptop's screen size is perfect and its lightweight design makes it highly portable.

The Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch laptop, equipped with the M4 chip, stands out for photo editing and graphic design thanks to several strong features. Its 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU within the M4 chip provide ample power for running demanding graphic design software and multitasking. The 16GB of unified memory ensures smooth performance, even when working with large files or multiple applications simultaneously. The 256GB SSD offers fast storage, although users handling extensive media files might find this capacity limiting and may need external storage solutions.

The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, with its 1 billion color support and 2880x1864 resolution, ensures vibrant and accurate color reproduction, essential for any visual content creator. Additionally, the high color accuracy with wide P3 color support and True Tone technology enhances the color fidelity, ensuring that what you see on the screen closely matches print outputs or other displays. Portability is a key strength with its lightweight design, weighing just 3.32 pounds, and a slim profile of 0.45 inches, making it easy to carry around. The impressive battery life of up to 18 hours further supports working on the go without frequent recharges.

Its integrated graphics card, while powerful, might not match the performance of dedicated GPUs found in some high-end laptops tailored for intensive graphic design tasks. Connectivity options include two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which are versatile but limited in number, potentially requiring adapters or hubs for more extensive peripheral setups. This laptop is excellent for someone who values portability, a high-quality display, and seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem but might not be the best fit for users requiring extensive storage or the most powerful dedicated graphics capabilities.

Rating
9.9
Chosen by1,408
Processor (CPU)
Display
Portability

Most important from
257 reviews

Processor (CPU)
The new M4 Air is significantly faster and costs less than the M3, making it better in every way.
Display
The display is clear and the overall quality is great, making it a worthy investment despite the high price.
Portability
The laptop's screen size is perfect and its lightweight design makes it highly portable.
#2

MSI Katana 17 Gaming Laptop: 13th Gen Intel Core i7, GeForce RTX 4060, 17.3" 144Hz FHD Display, 32GB DDR5, 1TB NVMe SSD, USB-Type C, Cooler Boost 5, Win11 Home: Black B13VFK-835US

Rating
9.8
Graphics Card (GPU)
Display
Portability

Most important from
276 reviews

Graphics Card (GPU)
Runs all small business software silently, with the cooling system only kicking in during graphic-intensive gaming.
Display
A great deal for the specs, especially when on sale, with a bright and crisp screen that handles fast action scenes well.
Portability
Lighter and more powerful than previous models, generating less heat and featuring solid, non-wiggly ports.
Battery Life
Battery drains quickly under heavy use, especially with multiple monitors and maxed-out graphics.

The MSI Katana 17 Gaming Laptop is well-equipped for photo editing and graphic design with its 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 32GB DDR5 RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and fast processing of complex graphics. The 1TB NVMe SSD provides ample and quick storage for large files. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card is powerful, offering excellent performance for rendering and graphic-intensive tasks, although it is primarily geared towards gaming, and may not be fully optimized for professional graphic work.

The 17.3” FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate delivers smooth visuals but is limited to a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which may not be ideal for detailed graphic design work that demands higher resolution. At 9.86 pounds, the laptop is on the heavier side, impacting portability. Battery life is not detailed but, given its gaming orientation and powerful components, it might require frequent charging.

This laptop is a solid choice for those who need considerable power and storage for photo editing and graphic design but falls short on aspects like display resolution and portability that some professionals might prioritize.

Rating
9.8
Graphics Card (GPU)
Display
Portability

Most important from
276 reviews

Graphics Card (GPU)
Runs all small business software silently, with the cooling system only kicking in during graphic-intensive gaming.
Display
A great deal for the specs, especially when on sale, with a bright and crisp screen that handles fast action scenes well.
Portability
Lighter and more powerful than previous models, generating less heat and featuring solid, non-wiggly ports.
Battery Life
Battery drains quickly under heavy use, especially with multiple monitors and maxed-out graphics.
#3

HP Envy Business AI Laptop, 17.3" FHD Touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 64GB DDR5 RAM, 2TB SSD, Numeric Keypad, HDMI, Webcam, Backlit Keyboard, Wi-Fi 7, Windows 11 Pro, Silver

Rating
9.6
Display
Battery Life

Most important from
86 reviews

Display
The screen is vivid, clear, and bright, making it easy to see and read.
Battery Life
Battery life doesn't last as long as advertised, but the charging time is fast.

The HP Envy Business AI Laptop features a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with 16 cores and 64GB of DDR5 RAM, making it highly capable of handling demanding photo editing and graphic design applications. The 2TB SSD offers ample storage and fast data transfer rates, which is essential for managing large files and projects. The 17.3-inch FHD touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 300 nits brightness provides a decent workspace, although it might fall short in color accuracy crucial for professional graphic design work.

The integrated Intel Arc Graphics card, while competent, may not match the performance levels of dedicated GPUs found in high-end laptops. This could be a limitation for intensive graphic design tasks requiring robust graphical performance. With a weight of 5.55 pounds and dimensions of 15.59 x 10.18 x 0.77 inches, it is relatively portable for its size, but might still be on the heavier side for those who prioritize mobility.

Other notable features include a backlit keyboard, numeric keypad, multiple USB ports, Wi-Fi 7, and Windows 11 Pro, which enhance productivity and connectivity. This laptop is well-suited for users who need a powerful machine for photo editing and graphic design, but professionals seeking top-tier graphics performance and color accuracy might need to consider other options.

Rating
9.6
Display
Battery Life

Most important from
86 reviews

Display
The screen is vivid, clear, and bright, making it easy to see and read.
Battery Life
Battery life doesn't last as long as advertised, but the charging time is fast.

Buying Guide for the Best Laptops For Photo Editing And Graphic Design

When choosing a laptop for photo editing and graphic design, it's important to focus on specifications that will ensure smooth performance, accurate color representation, and the ability to handle large files and complex software. The right laptop will help you work efficiently and produce high-quality results. Here are the key specs to consider and how to choose the best fit for your needs.
Processor (CPU)The processor, or CPU, is the brain of your laptop and determines how quickly it can process tasks. For photo editing and graphic design, a powerful CPU is essential to handle demanding software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. CPUs are typically divided into segments like Intel Core i5, i7, and i9, or AMD Ryzen 5, 7, and 9. For most users, an Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 will provide a good balance of performance and cost. If you work with very large files or complex 3D designs, consider an Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 for even better performance.
Graphics Card (GPU)The graphics card, or GPU, is crucial for rendering images and videos smoothly. A dedicated GPU is important for graphic design and photo editing as it offloads tasks from the CPU and speeds up rendering times. GPUs are categorized into entry-level, mid-range, and high-end. For basic photo editing, an entry-level GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 might suffice. For more intensive tasks, a mid-range GPU like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or higher is recommended. High-end GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 are ideal for professional graphic designers who need top-tier performance.
RAMRAM, or memory, affects how many tasks your laptop can handle simultaneously and how quickly it can access data. For photo editing and graphic design, having enough RAM is crucial to avoid slowdowns when working with large files or multiple applications. Laptops typically come with 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of RAM. For most users, 16GB of RAM is a good starting point. If you frequently work with very large files or run multiple demanding programs at once, consider 32GB of RAM to ensure smooth performance.
StorageStorage determines how much data you can keep on your laptop and how quickly you can access it. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are much faster than traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) and are essential for quick boot times and fast file access. For photo editing and graphic design, an SSD is a must. Storage capacities typically range from 256GB to 2TB. A 512GB SSD is a good starting point for most users, but if you work with very large files or need to store a lot of data, consider a 1TB or 2TB SSD.
DisplayThe display is one of the most important aspects of a laptop for photo editing and graphic design, as it affects how accurately you can see and edit your work. Look for a high-resolution display (at least Full HD, but preferably 4K) with good color accuracy and coverage of color spaces like Adobe RGB or sRGB. IPS panels are preferred for their better color reproduction and viewing angles. A 15-inch display is a good balance between portability and screen real estate, but a 17-inch display can provide more space for detailed work.
Color AccuracyColor accuracy is crucial for graphic design and photo editing, as it ensures that the colors you see on your screen match the final output. Look for laptops that offer high color accuracy and cover a wide color gamut, such as 100% sRGB or a high percentage of Adobe RGB. Some laptops come with factory-calibrated displays, which can save you time and ensure accurate colors right out of the box. If color accuracy is critical for your work, consider investing in a laptop with a high-quality display and possibly a color calibration tool.
PortabilityPortability is an important factor if you need to work on the go. Laptops vary in weight and size, with ultrabooks being lighter and more portable, while larger laptops offer more power and screen space. If you travel frequently or need to work in different locations, consider a laptop that is lightweight and has good battery life. However, if you primarily work from a single location, a larger, more powerful laptop might be a better choice.

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