The 10 Best Laptops for Photography in 2021

Best Overall: Dell XPS 15 (2021)

View On Best Buy View On Dell

It might not have been specifically designed for creatives or photography, but the XPS 15 (2020) sure works like a laptop that was. It’s quite attractive too, with its lightweight design, thin bezels, and gorgeous display; it weighs just 4.4 pounds.

The 15-inch edge-to-edge 4K resolution screen offers crystal-clear imagery and incredibly accurate color representation. Whether you’re working with photos, editing videos, or something in between, you’ll find yourself right at home.

As with most Dell laptops, the XPS 15 is configurable, which means you can pick and choose which hardware specs are included—that also affects the price. Most models include an 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor and a choice between integrated Intel UHD or Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards.

We recommend choosing a model with the dedicated Nvidia GPU, which offers incredible performance for media editing. Some models do have an OLED touchscreen so you can choose whether you want a standard non-touch display or not.

_{Size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 | CPU: 11th-Gen Intel Core i7-11800H (24MB cache, up to 4.6GHz) | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti with 4GB GDDR6 VRAM | RAM: 8GB to 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB to 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD | Touchscreen: Both options available}

Best Power: Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR XD

View On Amazon View On Adorama.com

The Gigabyte Aero 17 is a mobile workstation meant for productivity and power-hungry tasks. The build quality is superior, but it’s what’s under the hood that makes it so impressive.

It’s one of the first machines to support Microsoft Azure AI technology. It also includes a 144Hz display with ultra-thin bezels, and it’s Pantone certified to offer unprecedented clarity and color accuracy. It comes with either Windows 10 Home or Pro—you choose.

It does have a propensity to run hot, but that’s because of how much power it’s rocking, including the latest Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics cards. One drawback is that the battery life isn’t great, up to eight hours with settings turned down.

When you have something this powerful, however, you will have to make certain concessions, and the battery life is an obvious choice. Prices vary, but they’re comparable to similar brands and models.

_{Size: 17.3 inches | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | CPU: Intel Core i9-10980HK | GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q with 8GB of GDDR6 dedicated VRAM | RAM: 32GB to 64GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB to 1TB SSD | Touchscreen: No}

Best for Color Accuracy: Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (i9, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

View On Amazon View On Best Buy View On Apple

Apple’s Retina display is hard to match, especially when it comes to color accuracy and vibrancy. As a photographer, no matter what screen size you’re working with, you’ll need the colors to be true to life. The Apple Macbook 16-inch has it, and even though it didn’t get a refresh for 2020, it’s still a contender on the list.

Powered by either an Intel Core i7 or Core i9 processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU (with 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM), there’s plenty to like under the hood. Apple also makes it easy for creatives to work, offering a host of tools and software applications. It reliably runs Photoshop and photo editing tools as well.

Some of the other notable features include top-notch speakers with quality sound, a larger overall display with more screen real estate—perfect for touching up 4K and 8K photos—and the Apple TouchBar across the top edge of the keyboard.

There are several models available so you can personalize the internals based on just how much power you need or want. It can be expensive, especially for a late-2019 model, but the ticket price is still worth it.

_{Size: 16 inches | Resolution: 3072 x 1920 | CPU: Intel Core i7 or i9 | GPU: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB to 1TB SSD | Touchscreen: No}

Best Splurge: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

View On Amazon View On B&H Photo Video View On Razer.com

While it’s somewhat of a departure from Razer’s sleek, gamer-oriented designs, the Blade 15 Studio Edition is refined, gorgeous, and incredibly powerful. In fact, it was created to be a mobile workstation for schoolwork, productivity, and everything in between.

It is an ideal choice for photographers and would make a suitable daily driver—the primary machine for all work and play. It features an Intel Core i7 8-core processor with clock speeds up to 5.1GHz, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. The power is all there, but so is the visual fidelity.

The Blade 15 also includes a 15.6-inch OLED touchscreen display, running at 60Hz and capable of delivering 4K resolutions. The 100-percent factory-calibrated DCI-P3 color gamut doesn’t hurt either, as it provides a crystal-clear picture with accurate color representation.

The biggest drawback is the price, because this thing is expensive, more so than comparable models. That said, the hardware, display, and design all warrant the cost.

_{Size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | CPU: Intel Core i7 | GPU: Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM | RAM: 32GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes}

Best Workstation: Acer ConceptD 7

View On Amazon View On B&H Photo Video

Ready to get down to business? The Acer ConceptD 7 is a powerful mobile workstation, tailored for work-from-home setups, creatives, and more. It offers a reliable dose of power for a more affordable price compared to other options.

It also comes with a powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card, offering dedicated video memory for graphic-intensive tasks like photo and video editing, something you’d normally have to process on a desktop.

Inside is a 9th-Gen Intel Core i7 6-core processor with clock speeds up to 4.5GHz, 16GB to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM. The 15.6-inch Ultra HD and widescreen display supports 4K, with a native resolution of 3840 x 2160.

It is Pantone validated, with a 100-percent Adobe RGB color gamut for accurate on-screen representation. The amber-colored backlit keyboard adds a nice touch as well, and makes it easy to work in low-light conditions, whether in a dark room or putting in some hours in the evening. It’s a solid MacBook alternative that runs Windows 10 Home or Pro.

_{Size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | CPU: 9th-Gen Intel Core i7 | GPU: Nvidia RTX 20 Series | RAM: 16GB to 32GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB to 2TB SSD | Touchscreen: No}

Best 2-in-1: Microsoft Surface Book 3

View On Amazon View On Best Buy View On B&H Photo Video

2-in-1 computers are great when you want the best of both worlds, as they can swap seamlessly between a laptop and a tablet. The problem is that you usually have to sacrifice some power, but that’s not the case with the Microsoft Surface Book 3. It’s super thin and lightweight at just 2.79 pounds, but it also has plenty of power to sustain performance-laden work like photography and creative endeavors.

The optional Surface pen means you can add a stylus to the mix for sketches, drawing, and more precise editing. Battery life is about 11.5 hours with a single charge, offering ample field time. The removable hard drive is a bonus and makes it easy to transfer digital content like documents or photos.

There are a lot of hardware options to choose from too, so you can personalize the system to your liking. You can pick between a 13-inch or 15-inch display, Core i5 or i7 processors, 8GB to 32GB of RAM, and the size of the hard drive. It comes with a detachable keyboard, and when Windows 11 releases, you get a free upgrade to the new OS, too.

_{Size: 13 or 15 inches | Resolution: 3000 x 2000 (13-inch) or 3240 x 2160 (15-inch) | CPU: 10th-Gen Intel Core i5 to Intel Core i7 processor | GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM | RAM: 8GB to 32GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB to 2TB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes}

Best for Media: HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 15.6" 4K Ultra HD TouchScreen Laptop

4.6

View On Amazon

The HP Spectre X360 may be running some older hardware, like an 8th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor and a Nvidia GeForce MX150, but it still offers 4K-resolution video and photo editing. You can also connect two external 5K displays when you’re working from a desk for some pretty intense productivity and editing tasks.

The 13-inch or 15.6-inch IPS touchscreen display supports a native resolution of 3840 x 2160, with LED backlighting. The system also comes with a stylus you can use to write, draw, or edit content.

The overall design is sleek, featuring a 360-degree rotating hinge that can seamlessly swap between a laptop or tablet-style device. Four Bang & Olufsen speakers ensure sound quality is fantastic and clear.

Altogether, it’s one of the best laptops for entertainment, media, and browsing visual content, which also makes it an awesome choice for photographers and editors.

_{Size: 13 or 15.6 inches | Resolution: 3840 x 2160 | CPU: 8th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor | GPU: Nvidia GeForce MX150 with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: Up to 512GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes}

Best Value: MSI Creator 15 Multi-Touch Laptop

View On Msi.com View On Office Depot

The best thing about the MSI Creator 15 Multi-Touch is that while it has a premium build and excels at creative tasks, the price isn’t ridiculous. We’ll go even further to say it’s a downright enticing price compared to some of the other options.

The Creator 15 has a sleek, cool metal exterior that’s not just stylish, but it’s also durable and practical for use out in the field. The 15.6-inch HD IPS display runs at a native resolution of 1920 x 1080, but it’s also Calman-verified for true color accuracy, with a Delta E rating. The 180-degree lay-flat hinge means you can fold back the keyboard to focus on the screen and digital content.

Inside, it’s powered by an Intel Core i7 8-core processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM. For storage, it has a 512GB solid-state drive, and it’s running Windows 10 Home and comes pre-installed with MSI Creator Center, an optimized mode for working with Adobe tools like Photoshop.

_{Size: 15.6 inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1080 | CPU: Intel Core i7 | GPU: Nvidia RTX 20 Series | RAM: 16GB to 32GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB+ SSD | Touchscreen: No}

Most Portable: Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 6

View On Amazon View On Lenovo View On B&H Photo Video

The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 6 is what you get when you cross the professional design of workstations with 2-in-1 devices. It comes with a built-in, garaged stylus, meaning there’s a dedicated place to store it. The touchscreen display and folding hinge allow you to use it as a tablet or sketchbook, or swap it back to a conventional laptop with a keyboard.

It employs a unique PrivacyGuard feature to ensure on-screen content remains private and invisible to snooping eyes. It’s a 14-inch IPS touchscreen with a native resolution of 1920 x 1200, and both anti-reflective and anti-smudge properties are applied.

For power, it has an 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and relies on Intel Iris Xe graphics with shared memory. While more power would be nice, it gets the job done. Plus it’s lightweight, which is beneficial when you’re working in the field or from somewhere out of the office.

_{Size: 14 inches | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 | CPU: 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor | GPU: Intel Iris Xe graphics with shared memory | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 256GB to 512GB SSD | Touchscreen: Yes}