Searching for the best budget laptops for photo editing?
You’re in the right place! I’ve combed through the market and handpicked a list of the top choices just for you.
In this article, you’ll discover everything you need to know about the 10 best laptops for photo editing.
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- I highly recommend the Apple 2020 MacBook Air for its exceptional performance and reliability
- I recommend the ASUS VivoBook 15 for those who need a quality laptop for photo editing at an affordable price
10 Best Budget Laptops For Photo Editing
Here are the 10 best budget laptops for photo editing that I suggest:
ASUS VivoBook 15
- Powerful performance: ASUS Vivobook 15 laptop comes with 11th Generation Intel Core...
- Immersive visuals: experience incredible visuals with the 15.6 inch Full HD NanoEdge...
- Durable design: the laptop is carefully constructed to protect internal components,...
What sets this laptop apart is its impressive range of features suitable for both basic and advanced photo editing.
It boasts a powerful 11th-generation i5 processor, ample RAM options ranging from 4GB to 20GB, and up to 1TB of SSD storage, ensuring smooth performance with any photo editing software.
The Asus Vivobook 15 offers several other noteworthy features that we appreciate.
These include the latest version of Windows 11, a fingerprint reader for enhanced security, and a 15.6-inch Full HD NanoEdge display with an impressive 88% screen-to-body ratio.
These features contribute to an immersive viewing experience and add to the overall appeal of this budget-friendly laptop.
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 2
- 12th Generation Intel Deca-Core i7-1255U ; 16GB (8GB Soldered + 8GB SODIMM) DDR4...
- Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (1 always on), HDMI...
- Windows 11 Pro 64-bit; Ideal for School Education, Designers, Professionals, Small...
With a slim and lightweight design, measuring just 18.9mm thick and weighing a mere 1.7kg, it combines portability and aesthetics, making it an ideal choice for both home and work environments.
In terms of battery life, the ThinkBook 15 impresses with up to 8 hours of usage.
The laptop’s screen specifications are equally impressive, boasting a Full HD 1920×1080 display. For optimal viewing experience, it is recommended to choose a model with an IPS screen, providing high-quality viewing angles, accurate color reproduction, and excellent contrast.
However, it’s advisable to avoid the entry-level LCD version based on TN technology, as it may result in sub-par color and contrast accuracy.
Among its notable pros, the ThinkBook 15 Gen 2 stands out with its powerful processor, ensuring smooth performance during demanding photo editing tasks.
The laptop’s screen quality is excellent, allowing you to appreciate your visual creations in all its glory. And of course, the price point is a major advantage, making it an attractive option for those on a tight budget.
On the downside, the ThinkBook 15 has limited RAM options, which may require additional consideration depending on your specific editing needs.
Lenovo Ideapad 5i Pro
- 【Memory & Storage】8GB high-bandwidth Onboard 3200MHz DDR4 RAM to smoothly run...
- 【Unconstrained Performance】11th Genernation Intel Core i5-11300H Processor (4...
- 【Superior Views】 16" QHD 2.5K (2560 x 1600) IPS Non-Touch 350-Nit Display with...
With its affordable price tag, this laptop delivers excellent performance and features that cater to your editing needs.
One standout feature of the Ideapad 5i Pro is its stunning 16-inch 2.5K (2880 x 1800) IPS display.
It boasts ideal brightness, vividness, and color accuracy, making your editing experience visually pleasing.
Equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics card, the laptop provides a significant boost to both work and play.
While the Intel Core i5/i7 processor and 8GB/16GB of RAM may not be the most powerful combination for professional editing, they still offer solid multitasking capabilities, allowing you to handle multiple tasks efficiently.
The only downside, in our opinion, is the laptop’s bulkiness, which may not be ideal for photographers who frequently travel.
However, if portability isn’t a priority, the Ideapad 5i Pro offers the perfect balance of affordability and performance for your photo editing needs. .
ASUS TUF F15
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GDDR6 Graphics up to 1585MHz at 60W (75W with Dynamic...
- Intel Core i5-11400H Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.5 GHz, 6 Cores)
- 15.6” 144Hz Full HD (1920x1080) IPS-Type display
The Asus TUF F15 stands out as the top choice for a high-performance laptop on a budget, specifically tailored for photo editing needs.
Equipped with a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display featuring a remarkable 144Hz refresh rate, this laptop delivers smooth and visually captivating visuals.
It boasts a powerful 12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card with 6GB of RAM.
One standout feature we appreciated is the adaptive sync technology, which synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the GPU’s frame rate.
This reduces lag and provides a more immersive experience, whether you’re editing photos or engaging in gaming sessions.
The Asus TUF F15 is built with military-grade materials, ensuring durability while maintaining an elegant all-metal chassis design.
While the laptop excels in gaming, our research suggests that it also delivers improved outcomes for photo editing tasks.
However, there is room for improvement in terms of the speakers and webcam, despite the powerful components that make it a great option for photo editing.
Dell Inspiron 13 5310
- 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
- Equipped With The Powerful and Latest 11th Generation Intel Quad-Core i5-11320H (Max...
- 13.3" FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Anti-Glare Display (300 Nits), Integrated Intel Iris Xe...
I was impressed by its 13.3-inch 16:10 display panel, which offered a generous QHD resolution, exceptional color reproduction, clarity, and wide viewing angles, enabling us to discern fine details in both images and videos.
It excels with its 11th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce MX450 graphics card, providing enhanced performance for multitasking, gaming, and photo editing needs. Furthermore, we were able to upgrade it to the latest version of Windows 11 at no additional cost.
The chassis of the laptop features HDMI, USB Type-C ports, WiFi 6, Bluetooth connectivity, and an optimized thermal design with dual fans and heat pipes for efficient and consistent cooling.
The only drawback of the Dell Inspiron 13 5310 is its non-upgradable hardware, despite the overall reliability that Dell is known for.
Acer Nitro 5
- Take your game to the next level with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor. Get...
- RTX, It's On: The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (4GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is...
- Picture-Perfect. Furiously Fast: With the sharp visuals of a 15.6” Full HD IPS...
The 17.3-inch Full HD IPS display offered an expansive canvas, allowing us to make intricate edits without straining our eyes.
The display boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, resulting in incredibly smooth visuals whether we were gaming, browsing the web, or editing photos.
It’s worth noting that the laptop’s size and weight are on the larger side, which may limit its portability.
When it comes to power, the Acer Nitro 5 has it all. With the latest AMD Ryzen Hexa-core processor and up to 32GB of RAM, it effortlessly handles a wide range of tasks, from lightweight activities to demanding endeavors such as video editing or rendering photos in Photoshop.
This laptop is an ideal choice not only for beginners but also for professionals seeking high-performance capabilities.
The NVIDIA graphics card delivers gaming-grade performance, enhancing our photo editing experience without sacrificing battery life.
The inclusion of quad exhaust ports and Acer CoolBoost technology ensures effective cooling, keeping the notebook cool and quiet at all times.
MSI Modern 15A
- Smooth Performance: The 11th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor maximizes your efficiency,...
- Iris Xe Graphics: The Intel Iris Xe graphics delivers performance and reliability to...
- Thin Bezel Display: The 15-inch FHD display fully expands your screen estate...
Despite its lightweight and slim form factor, the MSI Modern 15A doesn’t compromise on power.
It boasts an 11th-generation i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and 1TB of SSD storage.
These specifications make it ideal for photographers who prioritize portability without sacrificing performance.
One downside we encountered during testing is the absence of dedicated graphics cards, which are essential for using graphic design tools.
Acer Aspire 5
- Powerful Productivity: 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 Dual Core processor...
- Visibly Stunning: Experience sharp details and crisp colors on the 15.6" Full HD IPS...
- Ergonomic Typing: Ergonomically designed hinge lifts the keyboard for comfortable...
This laptop can effortlessly handle various photo editing software such as Pixlr and Adobe Photoshop.
This was made possible by its 11th-generation Intel i3 processor and the option for up to 20GB of RAM.
Its 15.6-inch screen with its narrow bezels, vibrant colors, and a diverse range of connectivity options, including WiFi, USB, and HDMI ports is noteworthy.
These features allowed us to expand our setup with additional accessories and enhance our overall editing experience.
It’s important to note that the laptop’s battery life fell short of our expectations, which was disappointing.
Apple 2020 MacBook Air
Equipped with the powerful M1 chip, one of the fastest processors available, an Apple GPU, and the same impressive Liquid Retina display as the latest MacBooks, this notebook has stood the test of time and continues to deliver exceptional performance. The stunning design of the MacBook Air is universally admired.
In terms of functionality, this entry-level Apple laptop offers everything you need to complete your tasks. It provides the same user-friendly experience that has made MacBooks a favorite among photo editors, and its impressive 18-hour battery life ensures uninterrupted productivity throughout the day.
Prominent features are its large trackpad and the comfort provided by the MacBook Air’s Magic Keyboard for typing.
The only drawback I found was the limited selection of ports, which may be a minor inconvenience.
HP Pavilion 15
- POWER, PERFORMANCE, and SECURITY – Get work done on the go and experience...
- FHD plus DISPLAY – View all your photos, movies, and games in vibrant,...
- INTEL CORE PROCESSOR – 12th Generation Intel Core processor distributes performance...
The current Pavilion 15 range offers a minimum of 8GB of RAM, which is sufficient for photo editing tasks. However, if you frequently work with large image files, consider the 16GB RAM versions for smoother performance.
Despite its budget-friendly nature, the Pavilion line doesn’t compromise on connectivity options. You’ll find a diverse range of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and even an integrated SD card reader.
This allows for seamless connection to external devices and efficient file transfers. Moreover, the 15.6-inch Full HD 1920×1080 screen with IPS technology ensures that your photos are displayed with vivid detail and accurate colors, providing an optimal viewing experience.
One notable advantage of the HP Pavilion laptops is their excellent battery life, allowing you to work for extended periods without worrying about running out of power.
Find best photo editing programs:
Which One Do You Prefer?
I highly recommend the Apple 2020 MacBook Air for its exceptional performance and reliability.
As a long-time Mac user, I’ve always appreciated their speed and efficiency, especially in demanding tasks like photo and video editing.
One of the standout features for me is their stability; I’ve never experienced freezing or significant slowdowns.
I recommend the ASUS VivoBook 15 for those who need a quality laptop for photo editing at an affordable price.
It comes with an 11th-generation i5 processor, options for 4GB to 20GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage.
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