digital artist

5 Best Laptops for Artists and Art Students in 2024 [updated]

“What laptop should I get?” I get this question a lot from art students. My answer is simple and always the same. What do you want to use it for and how much money can you spend?  In this post, I’m going to tell you my picks for the best laptops for artists based on my 20 years as a professional artist and 14 years as a professor of art and design. 

In the Visual Arts at CU Denver where I teach, we are heavily Mac-based. I’m an absolute Mac nerd, so forgive my bias, but I just think Apple has put a lot into their color displays and user interface, and it’s the same across all their machines. If you want great color, Macs have your back hands down. Although I prefer Macs, I do work on PCs – particularly for 3D animation – and I’m comfortable jumping back and forth. So, what you choose, really depends on what you’re going to use it for.

My main piece of advice for purchasing any computer is always to get the BIGGEST, BADEST, BEEFIEST machine you can possibly afford.
It will last you longer.    It will be faster.    You’ll be happier when you use it!

BTW – If you’re looking for gift ideas for an artist in your life, check out my Best Gifts for Digital Artists suggestions!

At a Glance

Here’s a quick look at my top picks. Read on for more details.

UPDATE: Apple recently announced their new machines for late 2023 and they look incredible! I’ll include my top selections for the new releases here – links are direct to the Apple Store on Amazon

2023 MacBook Air 15.3-inch with M2, 16 Gb Ram, 512 Gb SSD

Best Starter Machine for 2D & Motion Artists

$1449.00 list
See Current Price

2023 MacBook Pro 14.2-inch with M3 Pro, 18 Gb Ram, 1 TB SSD

Best Mid-Range for 2D & Motion Artists

$2,399.00 list
See Current Price

2023 MacBook Pro 16.2-inch with M3 Max, 36 Gb Ram, 1 TB SSD

Best Overall for 2D & Motion Artists

$3499 list
See Current Price

Here are my personal picks for the best laptops for artists and art students

I’m going to break these down by use type and budget.

If you’re going to be using mainly the Adobe software suite, you don’t need a screaming fast gaming machine or a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro. You’ll still need some power though, and plenty of storage space.

If you’re planning to do 3D modeling and animation on this laptop, you’ll definitely need to consider graphics cards, and maybe even an external GPU down the road. 

While you’re looking, you might also consider some of the accessories on my post about gifts for digital artists. 🙂

Whatever you’re into in terms of art-making, one of these machines should fit your needs and make you feel happy to start making new work!

Best laptop for digital artists working in 2D and Motion – Apple’s 16.2-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max Chip

Overview

The Apple MacBook Pro is hands-down my top pick for artists working in 2D art like design, illustration, digital painting, web graphics, motion design, or video. Why? It’s beautiful, fast, sleek, and powerful. Whether you’re on the go or working in your studio, this laptop will bring you loads of digital art-making joy. 

Key Benefits

  • The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display provides incredible color detail, super-sharp graphics, and a smooth, satisfying experience. Your color work will look stunning, and Apple’s color is unmatched. I love this screen and you will too.
  • This laptop is powered by Apple’s new M3 Max chip – the fastest they’ve ever made. It will even handle 3D applications like Cinema 4D or Blender without a hiccup. 
  • It’s thin! At only .66 inches, you’ll find yourself wondering how they possibly packed so much in here. It glides into carry-bags like a breeze. 
  • It has super-long battery life. This baby will last up to 22 hours watching videos and 16 hours using wifi to surf the web. You can easily put in a full art-making day without a charge. When you’re on the go, at a meeting, or giving a presentation, you won’t need to worry about running out of juice. 

Cost and Specs

The list price for this machine is $3499.00 for the following specs: 
  • Apple M3 Max
  • 14-core CPU
  • 30-core GPU
  • 36GB Unified Memory
  • 1TB SSD Storage
  • 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display²

Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • A big beautiful screen that is super-crisp with accurate color – what more could an artist want in a laptop display?
  • Super fast M3 Max – this thing screams. Adobe applications feel like they were made to run on this machine.
  • Slim and relatively light – It’s only .66 inches thick and weighs just under 5 pounds. 
  • Long battery life – This means you can easily work an 8-hour day without the need to charge, and still have battery life left to surf the web or watch a movie.
Cons:
  • Well, lets just get the elephant in the room out of the way. The only real con is the price. At $3499.00, it is an expensive machine. But, consider how long it will last you and how happy you’ll be every time you’re making art on this beauty.

Side-Note: I just retired my 2013 MacBook Pro, and that was only because I had a fan problem that was going to cost too much to fix. That’s 10 years! This machine is decked out and it will easily last you 6 years, and that’ is’s being conservative. That’s $583 a year, or about $50 bucks a month. If you’re using this machine to run a business or make work to sell, you will easily recoup the cost in time-savings. Not to mention the joy you will feel when you’re working. 

The Takeaway

The 2023 16.2” MacBook Pro is a machine you’ll absolutely love. I’ve owned 4 MacBook Pros in my professional career and I’ve loved each and every one. Get it now – you’ll love yours too!

Teachers and Students: Consider checking out the refurbished section on Apple’s Website. Also, Don’t forget to use the Apple Education Store for special discounts

Best mid-range laptop for artists doing 2D and motion – Apple’s 14.2” MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip

Overview

The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip is extremely similar to the first pick, but a little cheaper without sacrificing too much power. For me, it is really all about that screen. Apple’s Retina Displays are amazing, and even at the slightly smaller 14.2″, this thing is still beautiful.  

Key Benefits

  • The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display provides incredible color detail, super-sharp graphics, and a smooth, satisfying experience. Your color work will look stunning, and Apple’s color is unmatched. I love this screen and you will too.
  • This laptop is powered by Apple’s new M3 Pro chip. It’s fast and powerful enough to handle any of your 2D and motion art needs. 
  • It’s thin! At only .61 inches, It is a marvel to behold. Slip it easily into your shoulder bag and hit the road. 
  • It has super-long battery life. This battery will last up to 18 hours watching video and 16 hours using wifi to surf the web. You can easily put in a full art-making day without a charge. When you’re on the go, and whatever you’re working on, you won’t need to worry about running out of power. 

Cost and Specs

The list price for this machine is $2399.00 for the following specs: 
  • Apple M3 Pro with 12‑core CPU, 18‑core GPU
  • 18GB unified memory
  • 1TB SSD storage
  • 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display²

Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • Beautiful screen that is super-crisp with accurate color – what more could an artist want in a laptop display?
  • Super fast M3 chip – this thing screams. Adobe applications feel like they were made to run on this machine.
  • Slim and relatively light – It’s only .61 inches thick and weighs just under 5 pounds. 
  • Long battery life – This means you can easily work an 8-hour day without the need to charge.
Cons:
  • At $2399, it is still an expensive computer, but it will do everything you need it to do and runs all your favorite creative art-making software smooth as a dream.
  • While the M3 Pro Chip is a great option, its not as powerful as the M3 Max version, but it still packs a punch and will last you a long, long time. It will make you happy every time you use it.

The Takeaway

Apple’s MacBook Pro laptops are designed incredibly well. They’re sturdy, sleek, and extremely easy to use. This is a machine sure to make you feel joy every time you work on it.

Teachers and Students: Consider checking out the refurbished section on Apple’s Website. Also, Don’t forget to use the Apple Education Store for special discounts

Best Starter Laptop for 2D and motion artists – Apple’s 15.3-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip

Overview

Apple’s newest MacBook Airs are just beautiful machines. I’ve seen students working on the 13-inch models in my classes for years and they really seem to love them, but this new 15.3″ screen is just amazingly nice looking. The screen is so much bigger and it is a powerful machine. Maybe the best thing about it, it is so thin and so light – it makes the machine even more portable. You can fit it into just about any bag. The M2 processor is incredibly fast and will handle just about anything you throw at it.

Key Benefits

  • 13-inch Retina Display – This display is stunning and delivers the incredible color quality that Apple is known for – especially in the art and design world.
  • The M2 Processor is screaming fast and can handle all the needs you have for working in 2D applications like the Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
  • It’s small and you can take it with you anywhere.
  • The price – at $1899.00 it is the least expensive of the best laptops for artists that I recommend.

Cost and Specs

The list price for this machine is $1899.00 for the following specs: 
  • Apple M2 chip with 8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • 16GB unified memory
  • 1TB SSD storage
  • 13-inch Retina display with True Tone

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Beautiful 13” display that will make your work shine. It’s crisp and clear!
  • Apple’s M2 processor is a really fast option that will keep you in business making art for years to come.
  • It’s so small! If you want a laptop you can just grab and shove into nearly any bag, this is the one for you. 
  • The Price – at $1899.00, this is a great laptop that you’ll love working on without breaking your budget.
Cons
  • I like working on a large screen, and this one is a little small for me. Still a lot of people like the small screen. If you want a big screen, you can always buy one down the road and just plug it in while you are working at home or in your office. 
  • The battery life isn’t quite as long, but it is still up to 20 hrs! 
  • The M2 Processor isn’t the fastest option. Still – it’s fast!

The Takeaway

Apple’s MacBook Pro laptops are designed incredibly well. They’re sturdy, sleek, and extremely easy to use. This is a machine sure to make you feel joy every time you work on it.

Teachers and Students: Consider checking out the refurbished section on Apple’s Website. Also, Don’t forget to use the Apple Education Store for special discounts

MacBookPro 13 Inch

16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro Chip
$1899.00

Apple M2 chip with 8‑core CPU, 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine
16GB unified memory
1TB SSD storage
13-inch Retina display with True Tone

Best Laptop for 3D Artists On the Go – Alienware 16X Gaming Laptop

Overview

I’ve always been a big fan of the Alienware machines. They’re reliable, fast, well-made, and hey, they just look cool! I’f you’re getting into 3D art-making and need a machine that will fit the bill from modeling to animation and rendering, not to mention complex particle simulations like X-Particles with Cinema 4D, this machine will do the trick and look good doing it. Not only that, but the power of this machine will also handle any other 2D or motion and video editing needs you might have. It screams!

Key Benefits

  • Beautiful 16” Display so you can clearly see what you’re working on. 
  • Intel’s Core i9 Processor will give you all the processing power you need on the go.
  • Here’s the big one! – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Graphics Card. This card makes working in 3D space like a dream. You’ll have a smooth buttery experience working in your favorite 3D art-making packages with this card.
  • Amazing Cooling System – Alienware is known for their top-of-the-line cooling system. You won’t need to worry about overheating this baby!
  • Slim Design – at only .73 inches thick, this machine will fit into any laptop bag with ease.
  • Colors! – Micro LEDs line the back of the machine and the keyboard lighting is a joy.

Cost and Specs

The list price for this machine is $3299.00 for the following specs: 
  • Alienware X16 R1 Gaming Laptop
  • 16-inch QHD+ 240Hz Display
  • Core i9-13900HK
  • 32GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6
  • Windows 11 Home
  • 1 Year Premium Support

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Stunning Display for making beautiful 3D artwork – or any other kind for that matter!
  • Ripping fast graphics card that works phenomenally with Unreal Engine, or any other 3D package.
  • Fantastic cooling system to keep you worry-free
  • Slim Design
Cons
  • It’s expensive. But, what do you expect when you pack the power of a gaming desktop into something so small? This is a great machine and the cost is completely justified in my opinion.
  • Its heavy. At 8 pounds, This is one of the more weighty laptops. Considering what is included though, it isn’t too surprising.
  • The battery life could be better. When you’re rendering, gaming, or doing anything that really tasks the processor and graphics card, the battery drains pretty quickly. This is pretty common with gaming laptops so just make sure you have a place to plug in when you’re on the go.

The Takeaway

This is a beast of a machine that will challenge a lot of beefy desktops out there. You can use it easily for all of your 3D art-making and gaming, and it comes in much cheaper than options like pro workstation laptops. It will do all of your 3D art generation bidding!

Teachers and Students: Check out Dell’s Education Store for special discounts!

Alienware_X16

Alienware 16X Gaming Laptop
$3299.00 List Price

16-inch QHD+ 240Hz Display
Core i9-13900HK
32GB LPDDR5 RAM
1TB SSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6

Best Laptop for 3D Artists on a Tight Budget – Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop

Overview

3D artists need a machine that delivers speed and power so they aren’t held back from making the things they want to make. This machine will do everything you need it to while saving a little bit of money and really not sacrificing much at all.

Key Benefits

  • Sharp and crisp 15-inch display with stunning graphics
  • The Intel Core i9 processor will do all of your bidding quick as a flash
  • NVIDIA’s Geforce RTX 3080 graphics card is a powerhouse! This graphics card will easily keep up with all of your 3D creative software needs and it won’t disappoint.

Cost and Specs

The list price for this machine is $2449.00 for the following specs: 
  • Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop
  • 15.6-inch 240Hz 2ms QHD
  • Intel Core i9-12900H
  • 32GB DDR5 RAM
  • 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3080 Graphics
  • Killer AX 1675i with Dell services
  • Windows 11 Home

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Gorgeous 15” display
  • Fast Intel Core i9 processor
  • Plenty of storage space with the ability to add more if you need it
  • Lots of rams to keep your applications happy
  • Alienware’s top-of-the-line cooling system will keep your processors from overheating
  • A great price for a fast laptop that will work for any 3D artist on the go
Cons
  • Not a huge screen, but still pretty big at 15 inches. 
  • Not the most powerful graphics card out there, but the NVIDA 3080 is still a really powerful card that can handle just about anything you throw at it.

The Takeaway

This is a really great laptop that I’d recommend for any artist or art student who needs a portable machine to run 3D software. It will handle the workload while staying cool, and saving you a little bit of money.

Teachers and Students: Check out Dell’s Education Store for special discounts!

Alienware M15r7

Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop
$2449.00 List Price

Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop
15.6-inch 240Hz 2ms QHD
Intel Core i9-12900H
32GB DDR5 RAM
1TB SSD
NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3080 Graphics

What’s different about the best laptops for artists vs other types?

Artists have specific needs, and I’m not just talking about personalities. 🙂

The digital software tools artists use to create their work are powerful and the computers they run on need to be built to handle that power. If you don’t have enough storage space, you’ll run out of room for your files. If you don’t have a fast processor, you’ll be waiting for the computer to catch up to your creative brain. If you’re only using microsoft word or just surfing the web, an inexpensive computer will suit you fine. If you’re an artist, you need a good machine to work on. 

How I made decisions for the best laptops for artists recommendations. 

I’ve been making digital art from 2D to 3D, still images to moving images, and even working with medical image data like CT and MRI scans for 20 years. I’ve been teaching art and design students for 14 years. During that time, I’ve helped countless art students make choices about which computer would be best for them. I’m using the same process here for you.

Doing research about what is currently out there, I considered a few things:

  • Cost: What is the most I could get for the least price?
  • Power: What are the fastest processors and graphics cards available and what are the various software requirements for optimal performance?
  • Minimum needs: What is the least I could get by with and still meet the minimum software needs?
  • Quality: I only looked at machines that I know are good quality and have good reputations. Apple and Dell (makers of Alienware) have longstanding reputations, particularly in education settings, as tried and true companies.
  • Design: I only recommend machines that I think are designed well.

Wrap Up

When you buy a new computer, it is a big deal. They’re expensive and it’s a financial commitment. But, they do so much for us! As a digital artist and educator, I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have the best equipment I could possibly afford to work on. A great machine will save you time and headaches and will allow you to do the work you want to do and be happy doing it. 

Disclaimer: Some links that appear in this article allow me to earn money using affiliate advertising programs. I only recommend products I truly believe in. Any advice or instructions given in this article are purely my own and supplied with the very best intentions.

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