Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop


Are you a photography enthusiast looking for the perfect laptop to enhance your editing skills and take your photos to the next level?

Look no further! Adobe Photoshop is one of the most powerful and comprehensive photo editing tools on the market, offering a wide range of features and AI-powered tools that make editing a breeze.

But, running this powerful software requires a laptop with the right specs and performance to handle its demands.

Finding the perfect laptop for Photoshop doesn’t have to break the bank.

There are now budget-friendly options available with powerful processors, graphics cards, and memory optimized for running photo editing and illustration software.

Not only that, but these laptops also come with comfortable keyboards and trackpads, essential for an enjoyable editing experience.

This guide will help you find the best budget laptop for Photoshop that can handle the most complex editing tasks with ease without breaking the bank.

Get ready to take your photography to new heights and elevate your editing game with the best budget laptops for Photoshop.

Our Top 3 Recommendations

Best Pick Dell XPS 15 2020 Dell XPS 15 2020

Gorgeous, immersive display

Bright, vivid, 16:10 display

Great overall performance

Most Popular ASUS ZenBook 13 ASUS ZenBook 13

Compact, lightweight, and premium feel

Brilliant OLED screen

IR face recognition

Budget Pick Acer Aspire 5 Acer Aspire 5

Portable.

Perfect in looks

High quality mic

Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop Summary

Award Image Model Price
Budget Laptop for Photoshop and Illustrator Dell XPS 15 2020 Dell XPS 15 2020 See On Amazon
Budget-Friendly Laptop for Photoshop ASUS ZenBook 13 ASUS ZenBook 13 See On Amazon
Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop 2023 Acer Aspire 5 Acer Aspire 5 See On Amazon
Best Budget Laptops for Photoshop and Lightroom Lenovo Yoga 720 Lenovo Yoga 720 See On Amazon
Budget Laptop for Photoshop and Video Editing Macbook Air 2018 Macbook Air 2018 See On Amazon

Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop At a Glance:

Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop Reviews

Dell XPS 15 2020 (Image credit: Amazon)

Dell XPS 15 2020

Budget Laptop for Photoshop and Illustrator

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i7-10875H | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | SSD / HDD: 512GB SSD | Screen Size: 15.6 inches | Max Resolution: 3840 x 2400 | Panel Type: InfinityEdge display | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti | Battery Life: 8 hours | Weight: 2.05 kg |

REASONS TO BUY

Gorgeous, immersive display

Bright, vivid, 16:10 display

Great overall performance

SD card reader still included

REASONS TO AVOID

Lackluster webcam

Expensive

Runs a bit hot

Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, the Dell XPS 15 2020 is the perfect choice for all your editing needs.

Featuring the latest version of Windows 10, this laptop is the perfect alternative to Apple’s MacBooks. Dell has proven that it can match Apple’s style and design, but goes even further with its svelte and portable design. The 15.6-inch display offers bright and vibrant colors, making it ideal for editing photos throughout the day.

Featuring outstanding speakers, a comfortable keyboard, and Dell’s renowned build quality, this laptop is a top pick for any photographer. Although the price tag may be high, the Dell XPS 15 2020 is worth every penny for its powerful performance, portability, and stunning design. Upgrade your editing game and experience the best of Photoshop with the Dell XPS 15 2020.

Also Read: Best CPU Cooler for Ryzen 5 5600X

ASUS ZenBook 13 (Image credit: Amazon)

ASUS ZenBook 13

Budget-Friendly Laptop for Photoshop

SPECIFICATIONS

**CPU:**Intel i5-8265U 4-core @ 1.6 GHz | RAM: 8 GB | SSD / HDD: 256 GB SSD | Screen Size: 13.3 Inches | Max Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080) | Panel Type: IPS Touch Screen | Graphics: Nvidia Geforce MX150 | Battery Life: 5 hours | Weight: 2.5 lbs |

REASONS TO BUY

Compact, lightweight, and premium feel

Brilliant OLED screen

IR face recognition

REASONS TO AVOID

Lacks 3.5 mm jack, finger-sensor, or touchscreen option

Only available with an OLED screen, and beware of flickering at low brightness

This one of the smallest and lightest laptops we reviewed here might suffer from poor performance. I consider the Zenbook best for Photoshop and the best budget laptop for photography, and I believe it outperforms several other laptops.

With a quad-core processor running at 1.6 GHz and an old Intel 8th gen processor, this laptop efficiently runs Photoshop at high speeds. A 256 GB SSD gives you plenty of storage you will not run out of any time soon.

Despite its small screen size, the 13-inch laptop looks like a 15-inch laptop because of the Full HD 1080p resolution. One of the advantages is that it displays 100% of sRGB color space, which makes it an excellent choice for editing photos for the web and one of the most colorful laptops it has to offer.

A one-year accidental damage warranty is included with the laptop (which can be purchased separately), which means that if you damage the laptop, Asus will replace it, and that’s a great extra.

This model adds a discrete GeForce MX150 graphics card and a touch screen to make it an even better laptop for Photoshop and Lightroom. A few hundred dollars more, but it turns this laptop into the best Photoshop laptop you’ll find.

Also Read: How To Use Laptop as Monitor for Xbox One

Acer Aspire 5 (Image credit: Amazon)

Acer Aspire 5

Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop 2023

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U 2-core @ 2.6 GHz | RAM: 8 GB | SSD / HDD: 256 GB SSD / 1 TB HDD | Screen Size: 15.6 Inches | Max Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080) | Panel Type: IPS | Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3 | Battery Life: 7.5 hours | Weight: 3.97 lbs |

REASONS TO BUY

Portable.

Perfect in looks

High quality mic

REASONS TO AVOID

Not good for high-end games

No Backlit keyboard

The Acer Aspire 5 is a budget-friendly laptop that offers great value for money for users looking to run Photoshop and other editing software. The laptop comes with a combination of SSD and HDD for storage.

The SSD provides fast boot times and quick access to programs like Photoshop, while the HDD can be used for storing large files like photos and videos.

The 16.6-inch, full HD IPS display offers good color reproduction and makes it ideal for editing and viewing photos. Although the laptop does not have a dedicated graphics card, the Ryzen 3 two-core processor is still powerful enough to handle running Photoshop and other editing software without any issues.

Overall, the Acer Aspire 5 is a great option for anyone looking for a budget-friendly laptop that can handle running Photoshop and other editing software efficiently.

Also Read: Best Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Lenovo Yoga 720 (Image credit: Amazon)

Lenovo Yoga 720

Best Budget Laptops for Photoshop and Lightroom

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700 | RAM: 16GB RAM | SSD / HDD: 512GB SSD | Screen Size: 15.6 Inches | Max Resolution: 3840 x 2400 | Panel Type: LCD touch screen | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 2GB | Battery Life: 5 Hours | Weight: 1.30 kg |

REASONS TO BUY

Vibrant screen

Lightweight

Great Keyboard & Trackpad

Stylish design

REASONS TO AVOID

Screen glare in bright light

Typical laptop speakers

Doesn’t charge via USB Type-C

This was the first manufacturer to implement the screen flip feature. You should use this cheap laptop if you take high-resolution photos. A Quad-core Intel i7-7700HQ processor and a 512 GB SSD provide ample storage for photos and movies on Yoga 720.

Weighing a little more than 2.6 kg, all of this is quite heavy. So you won’t be able to bring the laptop with you. Encoding tons of images in RAW format is easy due to all this equipment.

It improves picture editing efficiency by removing the keyboard and zooming in on the picture. Regarding photos and videos, the color and accuracy of 4K displays are far superior compared to FHD screens. 

You should be able to use it for 8-9 hours without charging it, so that should be enough.

Also Read: Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 5700G

Macbook Air 2018 (Image credit: Amazon)

Macbook Air 2018

Budget Laptop for Photoshop and Video Editing

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i5-8210Y | RAM: 8GB RAM | SSD / HDD: 128GB SSD | Screen Size: 13.3 inches | Max Resolution: 2560 x 1600 | Panel Type: LCD touch screen | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617 1GB | Battery Life: 12 hours | Weight: 2.75 lbs |

REASONS TO BUY

Long Battery Life

Thin and Light

Retina Display

REASONS TO AVOID

High Price

Limited Hardware Upgrade

Apple has responded to its customers’ requests by releasing the MacBook Air in 2018. Though it is an upgrade from the previous generation, it is, unfortunately, more expensive.

Some of its features are similar to those of the 13-inch MacBook Pro but without the touchpad. Just because of this laptop’s performance in photoshop, it is included in this list of budget laptops for photoshop.

The body of this model is slimmer, which also makes it cheaper. The new MacBook Air is the ideal personal laptop for users who do not want to spend more than $1,300. You’ll be able to post-process pictures with the updated Retina touch screen.

It might feel like a disappointment compared to previous devices that have offered significantly more power or for Windows users looking to switch to macOS. The Apple MacBook Air (2018) is a worthy competitor if you have an older MacBook Air or prefer Apple’s lightweight laptop.

Also Read: Best Graphics Cards for Fortnite

How To Choose The Best Budget Laptop for Photoshop

Processor

The heart of your laptop, the processor is one of the most crucial factors to consider when buying a laptop for Photoshop.

A powerful processor such as Intel’s i5 or i7 will ensure that your laptop can handle the demands of running Photoshop and other photo editing software with ease. For budget-friendly options, an i3 processor will also suffice, but keep in mind that it may not be as powerful as the i5 or i7.

Graphics Card

Another important factor to consider is the graphics card. Photoshop requires a powerful graphics card to handle its demands and ensure smooth performance. The NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon series are great options, but if you’re on a budget, Intel’s integrated graphics cards will also do the job.

RAM

Having enough RAM is essential for running Photoshop and other photo editing software. A minimum of 8GB RAM is recommended, but if you can afford it, go for 16GB RAM for even better performance.

Storage

Storage is another important factor to consider when buying a laptop for Photoshop. A solid-state drive (SSD) is recommended for faster performance, but if you’re on a budget, a traditional hard drive (HDD) with at least 1TB of storage will also do the job.

Display

The display is an important factor to consider when buying a laptop for Photoshop. A high-resolution display with good color accuracy will ensure that your photos look their best. A 1080p display is the minimum resolution you should aim for, but a 4K display will give you even better results.

Price

Finally, price is a crucial factor to consider when buying a laptop for Photoshop. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a great laptop that can handle the demands of Photoshop. With so many budget-friendly options available, you can find a laptop that fits your needs and budget.

Conclusion

Adobe Photoshop is a powerful and comprehensive editing tool that requires a laptop with the right specs and performance to handle its demands. The laptops highlighted in this guide are all excellent options that offer the perfect balance of power and affordability.

From powerful processors and graphics cards to high-resolution displays and enough storage, these laptops have everything you need to elevate your editing game and take your photos to the next level. Whether you’re a professional or a hobbyist, these budget laptops will provide you with the performance and features needed to handle any editing task with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you prioritize Adobe Photoshop CC over Photoshop CS6?

Adobe Photoshop CC is a subscription-based product that is available as part of Creative Cloud. Photoshop CS6 offers newer features, faster updates, and a smaller learning curve than the on-premise solution. Additionally, you can discontinue your subscription at any time.

How much RAM do I need for Photoshop?

Depending on what you are doing, you will need 16GB or 32GB of RAM for documents less than 500MB, and 64GB or more for even larger documents.

What is best for Photoshop?

Photoshop CC is the most comprehensive and advanced photo editing software. If you want more control over your photos, then you need it. Photoshop CC is not developed for photographers only

Will SSD Make Photoshop Faster?

The SSD provides a significant performance boost when working with the system. Photoshop CS5 launches 4 times faster with the SSD installed than with the HDD; a 1GB image file opens 3 times faster than before

Asad Malik
My name is Asad Malik, and I have done my intermediate in Computer Science, and I really enjoy finding out about the newest tech products, buying them, and writing reviews on them.
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