The best laptops for photo editing provide the power to run resource-intensive software such as Photoshop without breaking a sweat. They also boast high-resolution, colour-accurate displays so you can see everything clearly and in detail. And best of all, they're light and compact, so you can just stick them in your bag and go.
Why you can trust Creative Bloq
✅ We are solely focused on what creatives need ✅ Benchmark tests based on real workflows ✅ We consult designers and creative pros ✅ Over 100 laptops tested over 10,000 hours
To narrow down your choices, our experts have tested a wide range of laptops, running benchmark tests to check their capabilities, and using them to edit images in some of best photo editing software, to make sure they actually do the job well in practice. We've used those experiences to whittle down this list to the absolute best laptops for photo editing on the market today. And with Black Friday just around the corner, now is a good time to grab yourself a bargain.
Matt has been a technology journalist for over 15 years. He's a managing editor of TechRadar, Creative Bloq's sister site, where he can be found writing about and reviewing laptops, computers, monitors and more. He's Creative Bloq's go-to expert on laptops and has reviewed over 250 laptops and computer accessories.
Black Friday 2024
Black Friday is coming up (29 November) and this is great news for those looking for a laptop. We've been covering Black Friday for at least six years now, so we're well versed on what to look for. We'll be covering all the deals throughout Black Friday and as we move into Cyber Monday (2 December), bringing you the deals that are worth bothering with and letting you know when they're not. Here are a few early deals we've spotted so far.
We reviewed the Acer Swift Edge 16 and found it to be a great all round laptop for photo editing. The Swift 14 AI has a smaller screen and a focus on AI capabilities and there are savings to be had right now.
We think Apple's latest MacBook Airs provide the best balance of power, build and display quality and price. They're slim and light, the M3 chip is fast and efficient, and we found battery life to be excellent too. Read more below
If you prefer Windows to Mac, the ASUS ProArt P16 stands as a top contender for pro photo editors. Equipped with powerful processors and up to 64GB of RAM, it will handle demanding photo editing software with ease. Read more below
With a versatile touchscreen that can be placed in three positions, we think this is a great option for those who want to edit photos using a stylus. It's also ideal for digital artists who use Windows. Read more below
This thin Windows laptop weighs just 1kg, making it ideal for photo editors who travel a lot. It also has the best screen we've ever seen on a small-format laptop; one that provides excellent colour coverage. Read more below
If you edit video as well as photos, the powerful M3 Pro MacBook Pro has you covered. The 16-inch screen, bright mini-LED screen provides excellent contrast, and battery life is superb as well. Read more below
We found this to be a great value laptop for photo editing, providing solid performance and colour accuracy for a more accessible price tag than the other options in our guide. The OLED display provides excellent contrast. Read more below
✅ You want a balance between size and portability: The screen is large enough to work on, but it isn't too large to carry. ✅ You want to balance price and power: There are more powerful MacBooks, but they're overkill for photo editing.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want a touchscreen: Apple has yet to make a tablet with a touchscreen, so that's a no-go. ❌ You need more powerful performance: The MacBook Air 15 makes light work of photo editing software, but for video editing you'll want a MacBook Pro.
The bottom line
🔎 Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3) is our top pick for image editing tasks. It's thin and light for its size and provides more than enough power for photo editing, at a price point below that of the more powerful MacBook Pro. ★★★★½
What you need to know: The MacBook Air may not be as powerful as its Pro cousin further down our list, but we think it's the better buy for photo editing (and is on our list of the best graphic design laptops). A MacBook Pro will be overkill for most people for photo editing alone, and we found that the latest M3-powered Airs are more than capable of running the most popular editing software such as Lightroom, Photoshop and Luminar Neo without a struggle.
Design and build: The MacBook Air was redesigned a couple of years ago, with the reduced bezels maximising the screen space. The 2024 MacBook Airs don't change things from recent models, but then they didn't need too. They're slim and light, look sleek and have a premium feel. They come in two sizes, 13in and 15in, and we're recommending the latter as the larger screen is better for photo editing. Bear in mind, though, that there are only two ports (Thunderbolt 4), so you may need a dock if you need more than this.
Performance: The M3 chip was easily capable of handling heavy-duty photo editing tools such as Photoshop. It can get warm under pressure since it doesn't have a fan, but you should only need more power if you're also doing more demanding tasks, such as video editing. We got over 16 hours' battery in our tests, which makes this a great option if you like to work on the move.
Display: We found the LED-backlit display to be a delight for working in Photoshop. Colour support and accuracy were sound, while 500 nits of brightness was enough to allow us to work comfortably without reflections interfering. Those working in HDR, though, might want to jump down the MacBook Pro further down our list.
Pricing: The MacBook Air is a 'mid-range' laptop as far as Apple goes: neither it's cheapest or nor its most expensive. Overall, it strikes a great balance of price, performance, screen size and portability.
The MacBook Air may be Apple's cheapest portable Mac but it's a serious laptop for creative pros. Its battery life is exceptional, it's silent in use and it's wonderfully thin and light.
Ports: 2x USB 4.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio, microSD card reader
Weight: 1.38kg
Reasons to buy
+
GPU and NPU
+
Compact 2-in-1 convenience
+
OLED screen
Reasons to avoid
-
Display only 60 Hz
-
Finicky touchpad
-
Battery life could be better
Buy it if
✅ You prefer Windows to Mac: The specs here are comparable to high-end MacBooks, but without tying you in to Apple's ecosystem. ✅ You want a fabulous display: This 16-inch 4K OLED screen is quite incredible.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You don't want a hybrid: If you're not bothered about tablet functionality, there are better ways to spend your money. ❌ You're a keen gamer: The screen only offers 60Hz.
The bottom line
🔎 The ASUS ProArt PX13 is a small laptop with a lot of power and potential. Together with fantastic OLED screen, 2-in-1 functionality, and decent battery life, that makes it our top pick for photo editing on Windows. ★★★★½
What you need to know: If you prefer Windows to Mac, the ASUS ProArt P16 stands as a top contender for professional photo editors. Equipped with powerful processors and up to 64GB of RAM, this machine will handle demanding photo editing software like Photoshop and Lightroom with ease, even with large RAW image files or complex edits.
Design and build: The design is understated, with slab-sided edges and rounded corners, offering a professional look without unnecessary frills. Its 13-inch size makes it highly portable, weighing only 1.38kg, while the 2-in-1 hinge allows for flexible use in multiple modes such as laptop, tent, or tablet. Another key feature is the ASUS Dial, a tactile control tool built into the laptop, allowing you to fine-tune adjustments such as brush sizes, opacity, or exposure settings with incredible precision.
Performance: In our tests, the ProArt P16 excelled, enabling fast loading and smooth multitasking across multiple editing applications. Whether you're working on high-res image composites or batch-editing large photo libraries, this machine handles it with ease.
Display: Our reviewer loved the 16-inch 4K OLED display, boasting 100% DCI-P3 colour accuracy. This level of precision is crucial for photo editing, ensuring that colours, contrast, and tones are represented accurately. The OLED panel delivers deep blacks, vibrant colours, and excellent brightness, making it easier to assess fine details and subtle gradients in your images.
Pricing: The ASUS ProArt PX13 is positioned as a premium laptop, comparative in price to options like the MacBook Pro. However, given its 2-in-1 functionality, stylus support, and AI-driven enhancements, it still offers good value.
The ASUS ProArt PX13 is small but mighty. It's well-built, has a gorgeous OLED screen and some smart 2-in-1 functionality that could be handy for photo editing.
✅ You want the flexibility of a hybrid: You can use it flat like a tablet or propped up like an easel. ✅ You want a powerful Windows laptop: It can be configured with Nvidia graphics and up to 64GB RAM.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You don't want a touchscreen: That's its big selling point, basically. ❌ Price is a priority: You could get similar specs cheaper elsewhere.
The bottom line
🔎 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a pro laptop with a beautifully engineered design and a stunningly good display. It looks great at every angle, and its hybrid nature could be a game changer for photo editing on the go. ★★★★
What you need to know: If you like to use a stylus for photo editing, Microsoft's Laptop Studio 2 could provide the versatility you're looking for. As well as the traditional position, this laptop can also be placed in tablet or easel positions. The screen resolution is better than FHD, and it's a nice size for editing too.
Design and build: The laptop has a premium feel, with a well-engineered flexible design that allows it to smoothly be switched between three different positions: standard laptop, easel mode and tablet. The size is a nice compromise as well. At 14.4in, the laptop is fairly compact without making everything feel too cramped on screen.
Performance: There are RAM options from 16GB to 64GB, and along with 13th Gen CPUs from Intel, you get a choice of Intel Xe graphics or an Nvidia RTX 4060 and RTX 2000 Ada professional GPUs, so there's plenty of power here. Battery life could have been better, though – we saw nowhere near the 16 hours that Microsoft claims in our tests.
Display: The screen resolution is better than FHD, and it's a nice size for editing too. Most of the laptops we have recommended for photo editing have 16:10 aspect ratios. That gives a little more vertical height than a traditional 16:9 display, which is good for working with images in portrait orientation. But the Studio 2 has a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is a little taller again. We found the 120Hz refresh rate was sufficient to ensure responsive performance from the Surface Slim Pen (not included).
Pricing: Starting at over $2,000 / £2,000, this is an expensive laptop. We feel the price is justified if you specifically want a hybrid that you can use a stylus with. But if not, you can find comparable power in cheaper packages.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 looks good from every angle. Its 120Hz refresh rate is impressive and the screen looks great – it's ideal for viewing images.
✅ You want a super portable laptop: The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED is light and compact, with superb battery life. ✅ You want a great screen: The bright OLED screen is the best we've experienced on a laptop of this size.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're on a tight budget: It's more expensive than the Vivobook Pro 16 above, and even the MacBook Air. ❌ You do video editing too: The lack of dedicated graphics card will count against you here.
The bottom line
🔎 Asus ZenBook S 13 OLED is a nicely designed, compact and lightweight laptop with enough power to handle photo editing. However, its lack of integrated graphics mean it may struggle with video editing workloads. ★★★★½
What you need to know: Larger screens are great for comfortable editing, but not so great for carrying in hand luggage or working on cafe tables. This almost impossibly light device from Asus is a different story. It's a 13-inch laptop that weights just 1kg.
Design and build: The design is beautiful to look at, and despite the small size, the neat chiclet keyboard and trackpad are comfortable and responsive. Such a thin body doesn't leave much space for ports, but there is still a USB-A 3.2, two Thunderbolt 4 (which can support a display and power delivery), HDMI 2.1 port and an audio jack.
Performance: Photo-editing worked well for our reviewer, with the SSD and plentiful RAM keeping things nice and smooth in operation, although the fan did start working a little hard with the more intensive tasks and documents. We also found battery to be excellent, further backing up the Zenbook S 13 OLED's credentials as an ideal laptop for travel and for working on the go. Our streaming video test gave us 13 hours and 10 minutes on a single charge.
Display: Our reviewer described the screen as the best he had ever tested on a small-form laptop. With 550 nits of brightness, it's comfortable to work on even in bright sunlight, while and Pantone-certified colour coverage of up to 100% DCI-P3 (we also tested sRGB coverage of 113%) ensures you can rely on what you're seeing. With a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, the OLED display also boasts excellent resolution of dark and light areas. It's also a pleasure to watch films and TV on the device.
Pricing: It's little on the expensive side for a laptop that doesn't have a dedicated graphics card. But on the other hand, it's one of the best compact Windows laptops we've used, so you do get what you pay for.
✅ You want one of the most powerful laptops: It's hugely powerful and makes light work of heavy video editing and 3D animation, let alone photo editing. ✅ You want a large screen: The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display provides plenty of space for editing.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You only do photo editing: If you don't use other more demanding software, such as video editing, you'll really have no need for the power of even the base version. ❌ You want a compact portable laptop: It's slim for its size, but this 16-incher weighs 2.1kg and isn't ideal for travel.
The bottom line
🔎 Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Pro) has more power than most people need, but it's a great option if you're a creative professionals who also works in video, motion design, 3D modelling or similar. ★★★★★
What you need to know: Coming with Apple's M3 Pro or M3 Max chip, this laptop provides way more graphical processing power than you need for photo editing, but it could be worth the extra investment if you also do video editing or 3D work too.
Design and build: The MacBook Pro looks good and it feels good to use. The smooth matte-like finish on the Space Black model feels very premium and wipes down easily. The newest Pro also retains an HDMI port, so you can plug in an external screen easily for even more comfortable image editing, and there's a SD card slot for those who like to transfer their images the traditional way. On the downside, this is the largest MacBook and not the most comfortable for carrying about in a backpack.
Performance: In our tests, the M3 Pro chip could easily handle complex video editing workflows, let alone photo editing. Even the M3 Pro-powered configuration is more than you need for photo editing: the base M3 version of the 14-inch device will also handle the software with ease, and it's cheaper. Then there's the incredible battery life – we measured up to 22 hours for streaming.
Display: The 16-inch screen is perfect for photo editing and all kind of creative work. We found that the superior contrast of the mini-LED tech in the Liquid Retina XDR display is notable when compared to the cheaper MacBook Air, with deep blacks and bright whites. You also get support for HDR with 1600 nits peak XDR brightness, and a faster 240Hz refresh rate, which makes the display feel super responsive.
Pricing: This is the most expensive MacBook by some way. There are sometimes discounts about, though, which can shave up to around $300 off the price of higher-spec configurations.
Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
RAM: 8GB or 16GB
Screen: 16-inch 2560 x 1600 or 3200 x 2000, 16:10 aspect ratio
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
Ports: 1x USB C power delivery, 2x USB 3 A, 1x Thunderbolt 4 with display support and power delivery, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio, 1x Ethernet, SD card reader, Micro SD card reader
Reasons to buy
+
Good value
+
Dedicated graphics card
+
OLED display
Reasons to avoid
-
Fewer features compared to ProArt Studiobook
-
Battery life could be better
Buy it if
✅ You want a large screen: The 16-inch screen provides plenty of space to work with. ✅ You don't need super amounts of power: Although the Surface Studio 7 is more powerful, this has more than enough power for photo editing, and is cheaper.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want the best battery life: We only got up to three hours of life when photo editing. ❌ You're a pro video editor: This can handle light video editing with no problem, but only light.
The bottom line
🔎 Asus Vivobook 16 Pro is a 16-inch laptop with integrated graphics, good colour coverage and a premium feel: that's a real bargain for this affordable price. ★★★★½
What you need to know: If you don't need such a huge amount of power for tasks other than photo editing, we highly rate the Asus Vivobook Pro 16. It's a very affordable laptop for creatives in general, providing dedicated graphics for a great price. The colour coverage is narrower than on some other Asus models, but it's still accurate and broad enough for digital use.
Design and build: Our reviewer found the metallic casing felt robust and premium. The laptop weighs 1.9 kg, which is fairly light for a 16in device. And at just 19mm thick, it's lovely and portable.
Performance: The VivoBook wasn't as capable as the Studiobook in our testing but it was still perfectly capable of handling even the most demanding tools in Photoshop easily thanks to the dedicated Nvidia GPU. Battery life can't compare to that of a MacBook, however. We only got up to three hours of life when photo editing, although it lasts longer for general browsing and entertainment.
Display: The OLED display provides excellent contrast, and the 600 nits of peak brightness were enough to make the screen comfortable to use in bright light in our testing. It's not a touchscreen, so no stylus support here, but the display provides solid colour accuracy, validated by Pantone. We would opt for the 3.2K version (3200 x 2000) for the best definition.
Pricing: We think the Vivobook Pro 16 offers excellent value considering it has a dedicated graphics card and an OLED display, as well as an overall premium feel.
✅ You need fast performance: The powerful internals mean photo editing will be fast and smooth. ✅ You want a big display: The 17.3-inch screen shows you everything in detail.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want something portable: At 3.05 kg, this isn't great for popping in a bag. ❌ You work away from power sockets: The battery life isn't the most impressive.
The bottom line
🔎 Dell Precision 7780 is a high-powered workstation laptop that will cope with even the most demanding of photo editing software with ease, although it's a little heavy, so not great if you work on the go a lot. ★★★★½
What you need to know: Want a bigger screen for your photo editing? The Precision 7780 boasts a massive 17.3-inch FHD+ display, offering a 16:9 aspect ratio. While some may miss 4K resolution, the large display size and colour accuracy it offers ensure a smooth photo-editing experience, especially for those who require a lot of screen real estate. This extra space allows for side-by-side editing windows and detailed zooms without feeling cramped.
Design: This laptop's chassis is classic Dell; with a metallic finish to the outer and a dark grey plastic finish to the interior. It also has numerous connectivity options, including multiple USB-C, HDMI, and SD card slots, make it easy to transfer files and connect peripherals. However, the laptop’s design isn’t without drawbacks. Weighing over 3 kg, it’s not a portable option for creatives who need to work on the go. Additionally, while the build is solid and durable, the off-centre trackpad detracts from the user experience, often causing mis-clicks during extended use.
Performance: Where the Precision 7780 excels is in sheer processing power. In our tests, it delivered fluid performance even in the most demanding editing software. In addition to photo editing, the machine is perfect for video editors, graphic designers, and even casual gaming with its 120Hz refresh rate.
Battery: The battery life isn't very good at all. The 93 Wh battery only managed around three hours of creative work. This is a laptop that will need to be permanently plugged in.
Pricing: The Dell Precision 7780 is on the expensive side. The base model costs $2,499 / £3,118.82 while storage upgrades range from an extra 512GB for £155.22 up to 4TB for £989.82. Read more:Dell Precision 7780 review
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Test results
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
Premium pricing
★★★★
Design
Does the job but doesn't exite
★★★½
Performance
Impressive speed and responsiveness
★★★★½
Battery life
Limited in our tests
★★★
Our expert says
Our expert says
Paul Hatton
I love the 17.3-inch display of the Dell Precision 7780. It has enough screen real-estate to handle all manner of applications. This is an impressive laptop.
Ports: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm combo jack
Weight: 1.6kg
Reasons to buy
+
Great specs
+
A full-size second screen
+
Very good processor
Reasons to avoid
-
Not ideal for lap use
-
Short battery life
Buy it if
✅ You want two screens: The second screen is great for looking at references while editing a photo. ✅ You want a stylus for direct screen input: The included Asus Pen 2.0 provides 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're not sure you'll use the second screen: Otherwise there's no real point in buying this. ❌ You want a dedicated GPU: A dedicated graphics isn't necessary for photo editing, but is good for other demanding software such as video editing tools.
The bottom line
🔎 Zenbook Duo OLED is an exciting laptop with a novel design. It's reasonably powerful and well priced. The second screen can be very useful for Photoshop but may not be practical to use in all scenarios, and some may prefer an external monitor. ★★★★★
What you need to know: The Asus Zenbook Duo OLED (2024) is a major update on what was already a hugely innovative laptop. Equipped with the latest AI-boosted 14th-gen Intel Core Ultra processor and NPU, it has not one, but two full-size 14-inch screens, the second one revealed by detaching the removable keyboard.
Design and build: Our reviewer was impressed with the build quality of this laptop. It might not be the most compact laptop for using on the go, but it should be able to take some mistreatment thanks to the all-metal build. Ports are present and correct, with 2x Thunderbolt and 1x HDMI, though no SD card.
Performance: There's plenty of power, and even with 'only' the Intel Arc Graphics on board it rattled through visually demanding tasks. We didn’t notice any hanging when working on projects, and the benchmarking scores agreed.
Display: The main screen provides solid specs for photo editing. It's an OLED display, and we tested 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut. We found the second screen, meanwhile, makes this a compelling choice for photo editing. For instance, our reviewer was able to use the second screen to use Adobe Photoshop's tools while working on a full-size image on the main one. Using extra screen does impact battery life significantly, however. Another downside is that they are treated as two separate screens in Windows, and there is a space between them, plus an angle that can cause some reflections.
Pricing: The price of this laptop is surprisingly reasonable for an innovative device with two displays, starting at around the same price as the 14-inch Zenbook higher up our list. And you get the ASUS Pen 2.0 included.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo OLED 2024 allows incredible flexibility in how you set it up and means you'll no longer need a portable external monitor. This one is fun to use.
These laptops also scored very well in our tests and are strong options should you not find what you're looking for above...
Asus ProArt Studiobook OLED (H7604) The predecessor to number 2 on our list is still very capable, and able to handle all kinds of photo editing tasks well. Our reviewer loved the colour accuracy of its 16-inch 3.2K OLED display but it is pricey, heavy, and has limited battery life. Read our 4.5-star Asus ProArt Studiobook OLED review
Dell XPS 17 (9710)While it's a couple of years old now, the Dell XPS 17 9710 remains a a capable and compelling choice for creative professionals who need to edit photos as part of their job. In our tests, it tackled graphically demanding and processor-intensive tasks well, all the time staying cool. Plus it's pretty good for gaming too. Read our 4.5-star Dell XPS 17 (9710) review
Dell Precision 5470 We found this powerful laptop handles photo editing and more with ease. We experienced no lag with 3D rendering, and it gives the MacBook Pro a run for its money. Read our 4.5-star Dell Precision 5470 review.
Framework Framework is harder to find, but it could be worth it as a sustainable investment since it's designed to be easy to take it apart and swap components. That means it can keep up with changes as internal components improve, and the demands of editing software increase, which may happen as more AI tech is incorporated. Read our 4.5-star Framework review.
Acer Swift Edge 16 Our reviewer's verdict was that the Acer Swift Edge 16 is an excellent all-around laptop. It strikes a fine balance between power and portability, and is surprisingly light and agile for a 16-inch laptop. While it’s not built for the beefiest of 3D rendering tasks or video editing, it is still capable of handling image-editing tasks with ease. Read our 4.5-star Acer Swift Edge 16 review.
What we look for in a laptop for photo editing
When we're testing laptops for photo editing we're looking at colour coverage, processing power (including RAM and CPU) and screen. We look at screen and colour coverage because it's really important that you can view the photos you're editing well, and that what you see on screen reflects what you'll get when/if you print them out.
We also look at processing power because Raw files can be heavy and you'll want a laptop that can handle you dealing with big batches of images.
Elsewhere, we test battery life because we assume that you won't always be working at your desk, and so we recommend laptops that can handle a day's work without being plugged in, or if not, we'll state that clearly.
We also look at price-value ratio. Does each laptop offer good value for money and could you get more if you looked elsewhere? Sometimes you may be paying a premium for one feature in particular – an extra screen, for example, and it won't be worth buying that laptop if you don't want that feature. We have outlined where we think this is the case in our analysis above.
How to choose the best laptop for photo editing
The best laptop for photo editing for you will depend on your priorities and your workflow. All of the laptops what we have tested and included in this guide and capable of editing Raw images in professional editing software without struggling, and they all offer sufficient colour coverage and accuracy to allow precise editing. However, beyond that, they each have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of size, portability, price and power for other tasks.
If you also do video editing or want to explore 3D work, you are more likely to benefit from the power of a device like the MacBook Pro, Asus ProArt Studiobook OLED or Dell XPS 17. However, these are large and expensive laptops and may be an unnecessary expense if you don't need so much power. In that case, you may wish to prioritise portability. The Asus ZenBook S OLED and MacBook Air are our top picks here.
How we test laptops for photo editing
We've picked the devices on our list of the best laptops for photo editing based on our own reviews, for which we carry out standardised lab tests and also put the laptops through real-life use over several weeks.
All the laptops in this guide have been tested either by using software used by photo editing pros or benchmarked to ensure the CPU and GPU are capable of the most intensive photo-editing tasks. We run different benchmark tests on each device depending on its intended use by its maker, but the laptops we've included in this guide have all been run through the following:
• Cinebench R23/2024 - this assesses the performance of a computer's CPU and GPU using real-world 3D rendering tasks
• Geekbench 5/6 - this tests the CPU's processing power, both by using a single core for a single task at a time as well as all the CPU's core to see its ability to multitask
• PCMark 10 - this test assesses a computer’s ability to run all everyday tasks from web browsing to digital content creation, testing app launch speeds, graphic rendering and even battery life
But perhaps more importantly than technical benchmarking, we evaluate machines in real-world situations, pushing them to the limit with multiple applications running to see how they perform in real project-like conditions.
Power, speed, flexibility, and what a computer looks and feels like to use are all criteria in our reviewing process. We do much more than simply unpack a test unit, run some benchmarks and then pack it up again; we have lived and worked with all of the above computers, running them in real-life scenarios and completed projects relevant to the subject of this guide, otherwise we wouldn't recommend these models to you.
In terms of specs, you may be able to get away with 8GB of RAM in a laptop for photo editing, but ideally you will go for 16GB because software such as Lightroom can struggle with 8GB if you’re editing high-resolution RAW images. You’ll also want a modern Intel Core i5 processor (or AMD Ryzen 5) as a minimum. These processors come with decent integrated graphics which will be more than enough for photo editing, but a dedicated graphics chip can make a world of difference if you use GPU-accelerated tools in a program like Photoshop.
As for the display, you’ll want the most colour-accurate screen you can afford. Some displays come with factory calibration to ensure image quality is as good as possible, though we also recommend adjusting your display with one of the best monitor calibrator tools). Screen size is also a consideration, although you may prefer to pair a smaller laptop with an external monitor. We recommend at least 1080p resolution, and the higher resolution you get. If your budget can stretch to it, a laptop with a 4K screen may be worth investing in if you're going for a larger size device since it will allow you to see more details when zoomed out and provide more working space.
As for storage space, the SSD drive should be 256GB at a minimum. Bigger is better if you’ll be storing a lot of photos on the device. If you’re editing RAW images, anything less than 1TB can fill up pretty quickly, but you can also use cloud storage.
One of the best things about using a laptop for photo editing is that it gives you the freedom to work on your photos almost anywhere rather than being stuck at a desk with a traditional PC. That means that battery life is an important consideration, as you’ll want something that will last for hours without needing to be plugged in.
What laptop is best for photo editing?
Right now, we think the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) is the best fit for photo editing. That’s because of the giant screen, power that can handle any workflow and unbeatable battery life. We also love the overall build and design, and it has the ports we want. If you're not an Apple fan, we would go for the ASUS ProArt Studiobook OLED (H7604). It has an excellent screen, more than enough power, and a handy dial that can speed up your workflow once you’re used to it.
Are Macs or PCs best for photo editing?
This is entirely subjective. There is nothing inherent in either PCs or Macs that makes one better than the other for photo editing, and most major photo editing software is available for both Windows and MacOS. All MacBooks have enough power for photo editing, but many Windows PCs also make the grade. The most important thing are the specs provided.
Many people like the design and feel of Macs and the Mac operating system, while others are more familiar with Windows. Of course, a Windows PC is the only way to go if you want a touchscreen device that can run desktop photo editing software. This can be handy for making selections and navigating panels using a stylus. There are no touchscreen MacBooks.
Get top Black Friday deals sent straight to your inbox: Sign up now!
We curate the best offers on creative kit and give our expert recommendations to save you time this Black Friday. Upgrade your setup for less with Creative Bloq.
Matt has been a technology journalist for over 15 years, writing for publications such as T3, MacFormat and Creative Bloq. He's a managing editor of TechRadar, Creative Bloq's sister site, where he can be found writing about and reviewing laptops, computers, monitors and more. He often writes for Creative Bloq, helping creatives find their perfect laptop or PC.
