Best 17 Inch Laptops for Photography 2018
Seasoned photographers know that the search for the right laptop comes down to far more than a list of individually impressive specs. The perfect laptop for photo editing will not e'er be the one with the near bells and whistles, because perfection hither is about then much more: usability, ease, intuition — all the things that combine to create not only powerful imagery, but a powerful workflow equally well.
With this total feel in heed, nosotros accept created a listing of the best laptops for photograph editing in 2022.
What We're Looking For
A photographer has many competing needs when selecting a laptop, and then we have attempted to cover the nearly mutual areas for this list. We accept considered toll, functionality, performance, and immovability to come to the post-obit selections.
At a Glance
All-time Overall Laptop for Photographers: Apple tree MacBook Pro with M1 Max (sixteen-inch)
CPU: M1 Max x-Core (viii loftier-performance and 2 high-efficiency cores)
GPU: M1 32-Core integrated
RAM: 64GB unified RAM
Storage: 1TB Integrated PCle 4.0 SSD
Display: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR (3,456 ten 2,234 pixels)
Size: fourteen.01 x nine.77 x 0.66-inches
Weight: 4.8 pounds
Price: Starting at $3,899
If your core focus is having access to the all-time possible hardware bachelor, then look no further than the new MacBook Pro powered by the M1 Max. This laptop combines an incredible brandish and the return of the HDMI port and SD card reader with an outstanding keyboard and insane performance.
Read PetaPixel'south Apple MacBook Pro with M1 Max Review
Looking at the performance metrics in our testing, the new MacBook Pro is without a doubtfulness the best and most powerful laptop money can buy. It smokes the contest beyond most every i of our tests and has an insane battery life and near-silent operation. From a pure performance standpoint, this is the virtually impressive laptop we at PetaPixel accept e'er tested. I feel like we just said that when the M1 originally launched, and nevertheless Apple i-upped themselves once more.
That said, this machine is likely likewise much power for the average lensman, and only those with a true hybrid workflow of photo and video will actually find themselves needing all that the M1 Max chip is capable of. It'due south too a very expensive machine. For that reason, it's not our pick for the best Mac that photographers should buy (that however goes to the MacBook Pro with M1) just we accept to tip our cap to Apple: the company has fabricated a seriously impressive machine that isn't beat by anyone. If you need ability and the nigh you tin can perhaps find, this is it.
Best PC Laptop for Photographers: Dell XPS 15 (9510)
CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H (11th Gen)
CPU: Intel Cadre i7-11800H (11th Gen)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6
RAM: 32GB DDR4
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCle NVMe SSD
Brandish: fifteen.half-dozen-inch, 3.5K OLED (3456×2160)
Size: xiii.57 x 9.06 ten 0.71-inch
Weight: 3.99lb
Cost: Starting at $2,008.99
The key to any pick for "Best PC" on a list like this is not that it does a few things flawlessly or that it'south loaded to the brim with features that are frankly excessive for 99% of photographers, but that it does everything "well." No laptop on this list fits that bill ameliorate than Dell's XPS xv (9510): it just flat-out works.
No matter your need, skill, or financial situation, there is a configuration of the XPS 15 that is going to make you happy, and, most chiefly, get the job done. The massive configuration and options that are bachelor are a big part of what makes this our top choice. Every spec is user-selectable without changing the unabridged organization. For instance, if you don't intendance about the three.5K OLED screen, you tin downgrade to the 15.6-inch FHD+ InfinityEdge and knock most $200 off, for example. That said, we recollect that an extra $200 is more worth the extra expense given how much of an improvement you become.
We have picked what we view equally the optimal combination for processing power, storage, screen quality, and cost and it volition run you around $2,000. Its 15.six-inch 3.5K (3456×2160) Anti-Glare Screen is incredibly impressive, with 400-nits effulgence and razor-thin Infinity Edge bezels on all four sides. In terms of processing ability, y'all will become the 11th Generation Intel Core i7, a whopping 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, which is plenty suitable for most — particularly since many photographers piece of work off external storage.
Design across all configurations is sleek and comfortable, with the already-pleasant keycaps and touchpad getting a size increase over prior models. In keeping with the "Do everything pretty well" vibe of an all-arounder, port selection is mostly fine, offering three USB-C ports for charging and connecting to peripherals. Two of these are Thunderbolt 4, which is extremely welcome and something that not many PCs avowal. There'southward also a full-sized SD card reader.
For those who desire more spring in their step, yous can increment your investment past moving to the Core i9 CPU, double your RAM to 64GB, and raise your storage capacity all the style up to 8TB, and even heave your graphics to NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. You also accept the pick to upgrade to the UHD+ 3740×2400 500-nit brightness screen. All of these upgrades are overkill for nigh all photographers, only those whose work entails a hybrid of both photo and video may notice the increased CPU, RAM, storage, and graphics power to be well worth the actress greenbacks.
Conversely, the base level model is available starting at $1,273.99 — if y'all're willing to drop to a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, integrated Intel UHD graphics, and a basic FHD+ (1920×1200) display. Only, every bit mentioned, you can adjust many of these specs to suit your needs (and budget). And perhaps best of all, both the RAM and SSD are user-upgradeable (cypher soldered here), making the jump from the base of operations model to 16GB or even 32GB of RAM fairly easy and affordable afterward purchase. The integrated graphics of the base of operations model are a demerit, merely casual photographers will have no complaints as well-nigh photo editing applications rely largely on CPU processing.
No thing which configuration yous choose for the XPS xv, you lot are going to find yourself steadily working without fuss, without outcome, and with a good bit of enjoyment. The simply downside to this auto is that it is and so popular you might have a little more problem locating ane in stock. If all else fails, they are e'er available directly from Dell, and the website offers a price-match guarantee.
If you're non a fan of Dell, a solid culling option would exist the Razer Bract 14 QHD thanks to its excellent build quality, AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU, big 1TB SSD, and impressive port choice. In our review, we noted it was made for gamers, but is bully for creators. The Razer Bract 14 was fabricated for gamers, but photographers accept no pick only to love it, too. Razer makes higher-finish options (noted further down), merely the Bract xiv gives photographers pretty much all they demand, and and then some.
Best Apple Laptop for Phototographers: MacBook Pro M1 (xiii.3")
CPU: M1 eight-Core (4 high-functioning and iv high-efficiency cores)
GPU: M1 8-Core Integrated
RAM: 8GB Embedded DRAM
Storage: 256GB Integrated PCle SSD
Display: 13.three-inch, Retina Display (2560 x 1600)
Size: eleven.97 x 8.36 ten 0.61-inch
Weight: 3 pounds
Price: Starting at $i,199
The 2019 MacBook Pro xvi-inch was, and remains, one of the most impressive laptops in the industry. So why focus on the MacBook Pro with M1? Predictably, information technology all goes back to that M1 chip, which nosotros described as "a revolution" in our review of the M1 MacBook Pro. It may seem like an exaggeration if you take non used this device, simply the M1 makes for a legitimately transformational experience. This thing moves at the speed of your whims.
It is possible to bog the M1 downwardly, only you take to sweat to do information technology by opening an insane number of windows and programs before the hint of a stutter appears. When information technology comes to Photoshop, this machine apartment-out smokes much of the competition, especially those in the same toll tier. Gene in the bombardment life and the M1 starts to feel unbeatable.
From a design perspective, it is exactly what you would expect from a MacBook, complete with all the benefits and drawbacks one expects. The 13-inch screen, while boasting that cute Retina brandish (with 100% DCI-P3 coverage), yet suffers from the annoyingly thick bezels. That said, it is far brighter than yous look, surpassing numerous competitors (even popular members of the MacBook line), and delivers quality color information. The Magic Keyboard may not exist suited to everyone, only those who love information technology will really, really dearest it. Overall weight is however an event, but manageable.
The maximum 16GB of RAM is one cede here, though it should exist noted that the M1's RAM goes much further than those with Intel or AMD-based processors — the 16GB model will serve those who edit very high-resolution photos and/or video, while the 8GB model is a great option for the everyday photographer on a budget. The other niggle is its mere two Thunderbolt 4 ports, but this is hands expanded with excellent products like the OWC Thunderbolt 4 Hub or Thunderbolt 4 Dock.
While the M1 MacBook Pro isn't Apple's top-of-the-line offering, it is likely the best value. Even though the M1 Max-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro might exist tempting, only those who actually demand the most performance are going to want to shell out the large bucks to pick one upwards. For the rest of us, the original M1 is enough powerful.
Best Budget Laptop for Photographers: MacBook Air M1
CPU: M1 8-Core
GPU: M1 7-Core
RAM: 8GB DDR4
Storage: 256GB PCle SSD
Brandish: 13.3-inch (2,560 x ane,600)
Size: 11.97 x eight.36 x 0.63-inch
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Cost: Starting at $949
Like the MacBook Pro M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max models, the MacBook Air M1 is office of Apple'due south foray into ARM-based SoC (organisation on a chip) technology. The MacBook Air M1 represents the lowest tier of the MacBooks armed with Apple silicon, but don't be fooled — this is a powerful piece of applied science that punches far above its cost course.
With an eight-core CPU (four high efficiency and iv free energy efficiency cores) and a seven-core GPU, along with either 8GB or 16GB of integrated RAM, the Air is capable of incredibly demanding tasks — it will take just near whatsoever photo editing you can throw at it and tin can cut through 4K (and higher) video footage like butter for all but the most intense editing or graphics work. It can do that all while boasting one of the longest — if non the longest — battery life of whatsoever laptop yous tin can buy (rated at 17 hours of wireless web browsing by Apple and tests show that is not far off).
Perchance best of all, the MacBook Air M1 loses very little to the MacBook Pro M1 — both have the same M1 CPU, RAM options of either 8GB or 16GB, SSD upwards to 2TB, and the aforementioned 13.3" 2560×1600 100% DCI-P3 Retina display. Essentially, the only divergence is the size and weight, the lack of the Impact Bar on the MacBook Air, and a 7-cadre GPU versus eight-core GPU. For the beginning time in a Mac, or any calculator, you lose practically zip in functioning between the base model, the Pro laptop, and even the Mac Mini and iMac M1.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the limitation of simply two Thunderbolt 4 ports, but, at least for me, this is easily solved using a Thunderbolt dock or a smaller Thunderbolt hub — the OWC Thunderbolt four Hub is the best out there, and gives you two additional Thunderbolt four ports. The OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock gives you the aforementioned, along with three USB-A iii.0, one USB 2.0, an SD card slot, headphone jack, and ethernet port.
For the price, portability, and versatility, the MacBook Air M1 merely cannot be beaten. Notwithstanding, if you're not a fan of Apple, the Asus Vivobook S15 S533 is the most complete laptop you're likely to find for those pinching pennies.
All-time Detachable 2-In-one Laptop for Photographers: Microsoft Surface Pro 8
CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7 Quad-Cadre
GPU: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x
Storage: 128GB SSD
Display: thirteen-inch, PixelSense Flow 10-Bespeak Touchscreen (2880 10 1920)
Size: 11.iii x 8.2 x 0.37-inch
Weight: 1.96lb
Price: Starting at $ane,099.99
Every company makes them at this point, merely Microsoft remains king of the colina when it comes to tablet-style "2-in-one" PC. The company's Surface line remains a juggernaut in an always-expanding marketplace, and the Surface Pro 8 is the latest instance of that authorization. Combining the performance increases of the seven with the modern blueprint of the X, then improving on both, the Surface Pro 8 is the best the line has always offered.
One look at the screen and the jump forrad becomes articulate — literally. Gone are the chunkier bezels of the past, making room for a larger 13-inch PixelSense display. Size isn't the simply upgrade; resolution has been additional to a welcome 2880 x 1920. If you are in the market for a detachable 2-in-1, y'all are already aware your screen volition non compete directly with a defended laptop, only this sharper display goes a long fashion toward making you forget. Add together in the surprising new 120Hz refresh charge per unit and PixelSense's stellar track record with color and brightness, and you have i gorgeous display. Your optics are not alone in their excitement, though. Your fingers get their due likewise. That increased refresh rate ways every touch practically glides across the display at the speed of thought. There is no usage for the touchscreen not improved by this upgrade, and yous volition notice.
What you may non detect, however, is that the weight and thickness of the Surface Pro 8 have expanded with the revamp — and this is a good thing. The Surface Pro has always been meaty and light, an obvious positive in the 2-in-i space. This provided Microsoft the space to bulk up for the correct reasons without condign cumbersome. So what does the actress size mean for you? Increased thermal space, and thus increased performance. Using the Puget Systems' PugetBench for the Photoshop exam, Surface Pro eight shows itself to be nigh the height of the pack amid peers for the tasks about crucial for a lensman.
The trouble, of form, is that to really feel the upgrade the Surface Pro 8 represents, i needs to commit to the $1599 model featuring the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7. At this point, cost-do good has to come up into play, specially considering Microsoft refuses to include a keyboard out of the box. The good news is, both the keyboard cover and Slim Pen are wonderful to utilize. The bad news is, you are looking at nearly $300 more for the pleasure (or the necessity, as it were). Of grade, if yous are in the market for a Surface, you have probable made peace with these realities already, and the heading hither is "Best Detachable ii-in-one", non "Best Upkeep 2-in-one." The Surface Pro 8 is a truly cute device, and the best on offering from the leader in the field.
It probably doesn't come up as much of a surprise that the best option outside of the newest Surface Pro is… Microsoft'due south next-to-newest" the Microsoft Surface Pro 7. With the introduction of the 8, the Pro seven is due for a discount.
All-time Overall Workstation-Class Laptop for Photographers: HP ZBook Studio G8
CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H 8-Core
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro T1200 4GB GDDR6 VRAM
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 512 GB PCle M.2 SSD
Display: 15.6-inch Anti-Glare IPS (1920 x 1080)
Size: thirteen.94 10 9.24 x 0.7-inch
Weight: three.95lb
Price: Starting at $2,349
As nosotros noted in our recent review, the ZBook line has always vied for attention in the mobile workstation segment merely has continually gone under the radar. With the ZBook Studio G8, nosotros think that should change. In some ways, information technology should come as no surprise that a line seemingly arguing with itself over whether it wants to pump out business laptops or gaming rigs would eventually split the deviation and stumble on a car ideal for photograph editing.
The price may raise eyebrows, but the ZBook Studio G8 positions itself in directly contest with premium machines available from the likes of Razer. In one case expectations arrange, y'all will notice the Studio G8 a more than worthy option in that infinite. The G8 is an all-in-one machine meant to facilitate any work, play, or viewing experience you throw at information technology.
The structure alone confirms the dual focus on luxury and force. The magnesium and aluminum alloy build is as rugged as it is refined. The design is abrupt, sleek, but its durability is never in question. We touch on how extensive the testing is on these machines in our review but suffice to say: you can be confident the G8 can handle whatever you throw at it. Literally.
The keyboard action is pleasing and precise, and the glass-topped trackpad, while smaller than y'all may await, is quite responsive and provides a very satisfying, tactile click. The 15.half-dozen-inch 4K OLED touchscreen is brilliant and one of the most satisfying screens on this list. Playing back into that matrimony of shine and durability, it is too covered in Gorilla Drinking glass 6.
Nether the hood, there is quite a lot to cheer for. The wedlock of the 8-cadre Intel Core i9-11950H, 16GB of RAM, and the Nvidia Quadro T1200 4GB GDDR6 graphics card makes this a fantastic fit for any photographer. The 512GB Thou.2 SSD is plenty for those who piece of work off external SSDs or hard drives as well.
Only the ZBook Studio G8 can take the bound from beingness a very proficient photo editing machine to an absolute monster for photo, video, and graphics editing — or pretty much anything else you can throw at information technology. Maxed out with an Intel Cadre i9-11950H processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, and a 120hz 3840 x 2160 DreamColor IPS Display, it can handle just about anything you throw at information technology — all while remaining equally sleek and convenient as whatsoever mid-sized laptop should exist. It will cost you an eye-watering $5,198.95, however.
The 1 deficit — and information technology seems a rather noticeable i given the goals of the device — is the famine of available ports. The 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB4 Type-C are certainly welcome, merely they are accompanied merely by a single USB-A 3.2 Gen i port, ane three.5 mm headphone/mic combo audio jack, ane HDMI 2.1, and ane Mini DisplayPort. It is a survivable corporeality, but for the price HP is asking, we would hope and await a flake more. Predictably, for a desk-passenger similar this, battery life is only middling — Five hours is simply frustrating at this level.
Nevertheless, this is one of the more than beautiful, more than powerful laptops on the market place, and, despite its price, will probable be under-considered past those who could almost capeesh information technology. Reliability and operation are the keys to high volume, consistent piece of work confronting a borderline. On this front, the Studio G8 is a marvel. In the finish, it may be most heady for what it portends. If this is a indicate to the management the ZBook line is moving, the future is incredibly exciting.
Alternatively, we retrieve the Razer Bract 15 Advanced is a solid choice. While not necessarily a "workstation" like the Studio G8 is, we reviewed the Razer Blade xv Advanced and found it to be an excellent, powerful option. Slimmer and sleeker than you would await for the power it contains, information technology is one of the most usable, enjoyable laptops on the market. Its half-inch thick frame holds an 11th-Gen Intel Core i7 with 32 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA RTX 3080 graphics card that will rip through any creative multitasking you throw its way.
Best Value Workstation-Class Laptop for Photographers: Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR XD
CPU: Intel Cadre i7-11800H
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 17.3-inch 4K UHD HDR OLED (3840 10 2160)
Size: 15.half-dozen ten x.vi 10 0.85-inch
Weight: 5.5lb
Toll: Starting at $2,149
The Gigabyte Aero 17 successfully goes beyond "best laptop" into "best workstation" territory in a way few rivals can claim. The raw power of the Aero 17 is impressive, even more so one time one considers its very reasonable price.
The first thing that catches my attending about the Aero is its GPU. 1 of the showtime laptops released in 2021, it boasts the latest in NVIDIA GeForce RTX xxx-series GPUs. Whether you opt for the 8GB GDD6 3070 or 16GB GDDR6 3080, the graphics processing force of this motorcar places it ahead of the pack. These may not exist the desktop versions of these much-hyped (and impossible to detect for anywhere near a reasonable price) cards, but they will nevertheless knock your socks off.
Whether it's Adobe Premiere or Da Vinci Resolve or something else, the Aero is built to easily handle 8K footage, ray tracing, virtual reality, 3D modeling and blitheness, and visual furnishings piece of work. NVIDIA DLSS utilizes the Tensor Cores for a boost in AI rendering, while the AI-powered Dynamic Boost 2.0 manages power on a per-frame ground, allowing the computer's AI to constantly optimize the CPU, GPU, and GPU memory for the maximum performance boost. These features are entirely overkill for those who solely engage in photo piece of work, merely I imagine 3D artists and video editors read these specs and immediately suspension into a sweat, nodding and auspicious. This makes it the ultimate choice for those of us who edit photos as well as video, or any other graphics-intensive work.
The build quality here is infrequent. While certainly non a slim device, it is far less bulky than i would conceptualize given its robust functioning. The Gigabyte Fusion RGB Per-Key Backlit Keyboard may beal some who value cleaner and sleeker aesthetics, but this is part and parcel with a rig that screams "game on." Unlike another laptops on the list, yous are practically spoiled with ports on the Aero 17, which features three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, 1 Thunderbolt 4, an HDMI ii.1 port (which supports 4K up to 120Hz), a Mini DisplayPort 1.4, a UHS-II SD Card Reader, also every bit headphone out and mic in ports. As far as audio, the Aero sports DTS: X Ultra speakers which enable virtual vii.one surround sound, and Two-Way AI Noise Cancelation for class-leading incoming and outgoing audio.
If at that place is a thwarting to be plant with the Aero, information technology comes in battery life. This tracks, given how much processing power is packed into this affair, just for those on the go, planning out a charging strategy will be a must. Information technology also tends to run somewhat hot and a lilliputian noisier than some may adopt; just tell yourself these are the prices you pay for power. To its benefit, yet, the Aero sports Microsoft Azure AI, which Gigabyte touts as "the world's first AI laptop." As yous apply the laptop and diverse applications, the Microsoft Azure Automobile Learning platform gathers information and then optimizes the CPU and GPU usage for both processing speed and to limit wattage consumption, thus enhancing bombardment life.
All this, and nosotros failed to touch on the 17.iii-inch 4K UHD OLED Anti-glare screen with 100% Adobe RGB coverage all surrounded by "the world's beginning" ultra-thin 3mm three-sided bezel. Oh, and every individual unit is factory X-Rite calibrated with a Pantone Validated certification. Want authentic colors correct out of the box? Yep, I retrieve I do, cheers.
Upgrade to the Aero 17 HDR YD and you bump the specs up to a Cadre i9-11980HK, 32GB RAM, a GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with 16GB GDDR6, and a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD as well as a 2d 1TB Gen3 hard drive for additional storage.
If you desire a suggestion beyond Gigabyte, the Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 1 is a solid alternative. It is blazing fast, has a astounding screen, and sports a generous port option which makes the Lenovo ThinkPad P15 one of the best mobile workstations for creatives out there. With Gen 2 simply around the corner, Gen 1 is already seeing massive discounts online. Not only a great value pick, this one is a steal.
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