THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE MARKETING LINKS! IN CASE YOU MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH ONE OF THE LINKS, WE'LL GET A SMALL COMMISSION. WITH NO EXTRA CHARGES TO YOU. THANKS!!
Table of Contents
If you have found your way here that means you are looking for a budget laptop that is powerful and does not empty your pockets. This post is all about Best Budget Laptop for Graphic Design.
Each and every art form has its set of tools and no work can be done without them. Graphic design is not far from this. So, having an efficient, and effective tool is necessary.
Every designer dreams about working on a high-end laptop capable of handling anything thrown at it. But, not everyone can afford such a costly item. A laptop is like a companion for a graphic designer as it is easy to carry around and work with. But, in order to have a great companion (laptop) great cost (money) must be paid. While it is true that costly equipment does provide better performance. There are also great options present for those who are on a budget. Let’s a take look at the best budget laptop for graphic design in the list below.
List of Best Budget Laptop for Graphic Design
- Dell Vostro 3401
- HP 15
- Acer Aspire 5
- Asus VivoBook Ultra 15
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
- Asus VivoBook Flip 14
- Lenovo V15
- Acer Aspire 3
- Dell 15
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (Intel Core i5)
Top 10 Best Budget Laptop for Graphic Design
Dell Vostro 3401
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 1 TB HDD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.590 Kg
Dell Vostro 3401 is a reasonably fast and affordable laptop. It comes with 11th gen Intel core i3 processor. And powered by a 42Wh lithium battery. Vostro is very compact in design and weighs just over one and a half kilograms.
Dell Vostro also has an express charge feature which allows up to 80% of battery charge in 1 hour. With its FHD panel laptop provides vivid colors and more brightness for an enhanced front-of-screen experience.
This laptop comes with a full-size chiclet keyboard. So, it is Ergonomically-designed, sturdy, and provides a comfortable typing experience. Its touchpad is very comfortable and has an elegant design with precision multi-touch gestures.
HP 15s
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 1 TB HDD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.75 Kg
HP 15s offers good performance in this price range. It comes with 11th gen Intel Core i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and an M.2 slot. This laptop is lightweight, and compact in design making it easy to carry around.
This laptop also has a sturdy, and ergonomic standard Notebook Keyboard which is comfortable for long working hours. It does not come with an optical drive.
Buy Here.
Acer Aspire 5
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 4 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 256 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.65 Kg
Acer Aspire 5 comes with 256 GB NVMe SSD with up to 2 TB HDD support. And its RAM can also be extended to 12 GB. Aspire 5 has very narrow borders which gives it an 81.61% screen-to-body ratio.
With its ergonomic hinge design, the laptop has a comfortable typing experience along with improved cooling and a better sound experience. Aspire 5 is also easy to carry around because of its lightweight. This laptop also offers easy thermal management with three different modes which are, silent, normal, and performance.
Asus VivoBook Ultra 15
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 256 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.8 Kg
VivoBook Ultra 15 is a very good device, with high speed due to SSD. It comes with 11th gen Intel Core i3. VivoBook Ultra 15 also supports a dual-storage design, it has a fast speed of SSD with a large space of HDD. Its sleek, and elegant design stand apart from the rest of the devices.
Asus VivoBook Ultra 15 comes with Asus Intelligent Performance Technology which provides ultra-efficient thermal design, and power-saving. It also has Backlit Chiclet Keyboard with Num-Key, which is ergonomic for the best typing experience. And it also supports fingerprint recognition.
Buy Here.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (11th Gen Intel Core i3)
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.65 Kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is very fast as it comes with 512 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and 11th gen Intel Core i3. IdeaPad Slim 3 is powered by a 3 cell 45Wh battery with rapid charge technology for fast charging.
IdeaPad Slim 3 has a compact design and is lightweight making it perfect for traveling and keeping it in a backpack. It comes with an ergonomic, and sturdy standard Notebook keyboard. Other than these features it also has Lenovo Aware feature which gives tips and reminders to correct your posture, and to be attentive.
Asus VivoBook Flip 14
CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 256 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.5 Kg
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 is a 2-in-1 hybrid. It supports full FHD touch, and comes with Asus Pen, and works well with fingers. VivoBook Flip 14 comes with 10th gen Intel Core i3, and 256 Solid State Drive (SSD) out of the box making it fast.
This hybrid laptop has 10-point multi-touch technology which enables the trackpad or touchscreen to recognize more than one or more points of contact. It is a great choice for graphic design due to its touchscreen capabilities and 82% screen-to-body ratio. It also has a standard notebook keyboard which is ergonomic and good for long working time.
Buy Here.
Lenovo V 15
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 256 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.7 Kg
Lenovo V 15 comes with 11th gen Intel Core i5 and 256 GB Solid State Drive (SSD). Thus making it a very fast and powerful laptop. It also has rapid charging, laptop can charge up to 80% in 1 hour. V 15 has a sleek and elegant design that looks bold.
V 15’s keyboard is Spill-resistant, and its touchpad is a Buttonless Mylar surface with multi-touch, precision support. It also comes with a personal assistant called Lenovo Vantage which keeps the device up-to-date with updates, and regularly runs diagnostics, and improves security.
Buy Here.
Acer Aspire 3
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | Storage: 1 TB HDD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.7 Kg
Acer Aspire 3 is equipped with 11th gen Intel Core i5 processor, and it also has a 1 TB Hard Disk Drive (HDD). It provides fast speed, and performance while multitasking. Aspire 3 also has a narrow border thus giving more viewable space. Along with this Aspire 3 also have Acer BlueLightShield to protect users’ eyes from blue light.
Aspire 3 comes in a slimmed-down design which makes it easier to carry and includes an ergonomic hinge for additional airflow beneath the laptop. It also has an ergonomic, sturdy, and standard notebook keyboard.
Dell 15 Inspiron 3501
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Storage: 256 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.96 Kg
Dell 15 Inspiron 3501 is fast and performs very well. It comes equipped with 11th gen Intel Core i5 processor, and 256 GB Solid State Drive (SSD). This laptop works great while multitasking without lags.
Inspiron 3501 comes with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and its feature includes narrow borders, elegant design, and an ergonomic, and sturdy standard notebook keyboard. It is a solid laptop with good battery life which is ideal for graphic design.
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (11th Gen Intel Core i5)
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5 | RAM: 8 GB | Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics | Storage: 512 GB NVMe SSD | OS: Windows 10 | Weight: 1.65 Kg
This version of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 comes with 11th gen Intel Core i5, and 512 GB Solid State Drive (SSD). IdeaPad Slim 3 also has Intel Iris Xe graphics. And a very fast and great performing laptop.
IdeaPad Slim 3 also has an ergonomic backlit keyboard which provides a great typing experience. Overall it is a stylish and powerful laptop and can be a great companion for a graphic designer.
Buying a new laptop can be daunting sometimes but we have got your back. Let’s talk about some key things to know about before buying a laptop.
7 Things to look for before buying a Laptop
- Operating System
- Traditional or 2-in-1
- Screen Size
- Weight
- Keyboard and Touchpad
- Specification
- Battery Life
Operating System
A laptop generally comes with one of these three operating systems, which are macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS.
- macOS
Apple manufactured laptops come with macOS. There are quite a few differences between macOS and Windows. Some of them are macOS has Apple dock instead of Start menu, it has Siri as a voice assistant, etc.
One of the main drawbacks of macOS laptops is that they are quite expensive. Thus, cannot fall in the budget category.
- Windows
It is one of the most used operating systems out of the three. Windows is regarded as the most flexible OS. It also has a voice assistant named Cortana.
Due to its availability on a wide range of products. Windows becomes a go-to choice for the best budget laptops.
- ChromeOS
It is made by Google, and it mainly runs Chromebooks. ChromeOS looks, and feels like Windows and has Chrome browser as its default browser. One of the drawbacks of Chrome OS is that some web applications do not work properly offline.
Traditional or 2-in-1
Nowadays, laptops come in two variations, first is Traditional type and 2-in-1 hybrids. Traditional style laptops are standard notebooks in design on the other hand 2-in-1 hybrids can be placed in various different positions due to hinges. Some 2-in-1 hybrids come with a detachable keyboard giving the laptop a tablet experience.
Screen Size
Being a digital and visual medium Graphic Design requires a laptop with a screen which has high pixel density, and accurate colors. Well, a 15inch screen with a 1920×1080 resolution is a bare minimum to go for.
Laptops come in different screen sizes,
- 11 to 12 inches
- 13 to 14 inches
- 15 inches
- 17 to 18 inches
Weight
The laptop’s weight should also be taken into consideration because if you want to travel around with your laptop it should be lighter in weight. The more powerful the laptop the heavier it will be.
The screen size of the laptop is also a good indicator of the weight of the laptop. A bigger screen requires more juice thus bigger the battery and heavier the laptop.
Keyboard and Touchpad
All the specification and power of a laptop is for nothing if you cannot work properly on it. So, having a laptop with a good keyboard and touchpad is a must. Both of these should feel comfortable to use. Such as the keyboard should fit your hands the right way, and the touchpad must respond to movement, and gestures well.
Specification
A laptop’s specifications can be very daunting at first. But knowing what is under the hood of your laptop is necessary to know its pros and cons.
Some of the most common components in the laptop are,
- Processor(CPU) :- The brain of every laptop or PC. Having a fast processor is essential for graphic design.
- Memory(RAM) :- RAM effects your laptop’s ability to run, and manage multiple open software. So, more memory means more simultaneous work. Most of the budget laptops come with 4Gb of RAM.
- Storage :- Hard Disk Drives (HDD) or Solid State Drives (SSD) are the most popular form of storage present for laptops. Storage is required to install software, save your work, and so on. Thus, more storage means more space to store your things on laptop.
- Display :- While working as a graphic design having a small display device hurts more than it helps. Mainly because the small display cannot show as many details and data at once. So, bigger the display better.
- Graphics(GPU) :- Graphics Processing Unit, or GPU is responsible for showing pictures, running games, movies, and so on. They essential for gaming.
- Ports and Connectivity Options :- For connectivity laptops come with various USB ports, mainly USB 2.0, and USB 3.1 ports. So, that other devices with USB can be connected to laptop. Most laptops also have HDMI port with standard 3.5 mm jack. And also support wireless connectivity with Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and an Ethernet port for LAN.
Battery Life
A laptop’s battery life directly affects the time you can spend working on it. Most of the laptops come with a very good battery life of between 7 and 12 hours. The battery life of a laptop can also vary depending on the use as gaming drains the battery faster than just casually browsing through the internet.
