The 6 Best Laptops for Drawing in 2024 – Artchive (2024)

In the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of new cool digital drawing tools pop up, really changing the game in the art world, this technology boom has made it more exciting than ever for artists and graphic designers to dive into digital creativity, however, it also has made the task of finding the best digital art tool more confusing and overwhelming than ever.

There are graphic tablets, pen displays, tablet computers, standalone tablets, 2-in-1 laptops, and even smartphones with styluses, which makes it even more difficult to pick the right devices.

So we’ve made it simple, I mean, why carry around a drawing tablet, a laptop, or an iPad with limited capabilities when you can get a laptop that will handle the full power of every professional creative software while also being able to capture your lines and strokes all on the same device?.

In this guide, we’re going to learn about laptops that are specially designed for drawing, from the different resolutions and how they might affect your work to the stylus compatibility and battery life. We’ll also present you with a carefully curated list of laptops that meet the expectations any digital artist has, all so you can make an informed purchase that will level up your digital art game.

Let’s get started!

Why a Laptop for Drawing?

Now you might be wondering, why do I need a laptop for drawing? Why can’t I get a graphics tablet and plug it into my PC or just use my iPad? Well, besides the portability and comfort issues that using a desktop PC with a graphics tablet causes, the price of getting a good tablet with a screen and a PC that handles creative software is quite high, besides, among the many digital art apps and software that exist, only a few selected ones are fully compatible with mobile versions, which means if you only use your iPad you’ll be limited to those few options.

Hobbyists and professionals might differ here, since if you’re only using your iPad with Procreate and other light drawing apps, you might find no issue in continuing to use it, however for a professional who needs apps like Photoshop (and I don’t mean the weakened version of photoshop for iPad but the full thing), Illustrator, Toon Boom, Gimp, Maya, Blender, etc, then you’ll find devices like the iPad very limiting.

At the same time, being tied down to your desk by your PC and drawing tablet or carrying around a laptop along with a drawing tablet or a small pen display is a bit of a hassle for professionals and freelancers who need to work from different places or work on the go.

That’s why a laptop you can use for drawing is the solution that checks all the boxes: portability, processing power, and versatility.

How To Find the Best Laptop for Drawing

Display Quality

Artists are extremely visual beings, which means any display just won’t do, and I’m not only talking about the quality and resolution of the display which is super important as well, but about the color accuracy.

Having a color-accurate display is one of the most important things both for the drawing experience as well as for the professional aspects of using a laptop for drawing.

A color-accurate display will cover more than the standard sRGB color spectrum we are used to, and in the best case will try to reach for full coverage of the Adobe RGB color space which will allow artists to portray colors as they are, ensuring that the hues and shades on screen match those in print or other media. We recommend going for devices with no less than 70% Adobe RGB Coverage, which is a pretty high standard but is more than advisable.

In addition to color space coverage, factors like display brightness, contrast ratio, and panel type (such as IPS, and OLED) also play a significant role in the overall quality of the visual experience and contribute directly to how colors are rendered and perceived. We recommend going for devices with IPS screens and no less than 300 nits, which will allow you to work under different light settings without causing eye strain.

Stylus and Touch Interface

When looking for a laptop for drawing, a stylus is always a must. And although they are still relatively rare, finding a good laptop for drawing that has a decent stylus is kinda hard, so let’s go over the basics of what a proper stylus for drawing means:

First, not because a laptop has a touch screen means you can use it for drawing. While you can use a “passive” stylus, it won’t be a good fit for drawing and painting since it won’t support palm rejection and won’t have any pressure sensitivity.

Second, having a stylus with pressure sensitivity doesn’t always mean that your lines will be perfect. The stylus technology for laptops is still not fully developed to work as efficiently and accurately as when using a pen display, so you must carefully choose the right laptop or device that has that “extra” drawing stylus support. We recommend going for devices with more than 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity and that have Wacom or Huion technology on their styluses.

Third, pricier doesn’t always mean better. Some new models appear to be any artist’s dream, with fancy foldable screens and other interesting features that cost an arm and a leg but don’t have the pen technology or all the performance and connectivity features you might need. Don’t rush to buy the latest model without first thoroughly researching it and seeing if it fits your workspace, creative process, and budget.

Performance, RAM, and Storage

Performance and RAM are always important, and we all know it. Getting a laptop that covers the basic requirements of your preferred professional software is a must. We recommend going for 8 GB of RAM or more and for at least an i5 or i7 Intel Core processor or for a Ryzen 7 or 9 AMD processor.

Regarding GPU, although integrated GPUs have a pretty decent level and can handle most drawing software, we recommend going for a dedicated GPU, especially for resource-intensive design, animation, and 3D modeling software like Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Blender, Cinema 4D, or Maya.

Storage is crucial as well since this laptop will carry your art, portfolio, and work files, we recommend going for at least 512 GB or 1 TB if possible since less will only result in you having to go for external solutions or to rely on cloud storage. Also, make sure the type of storage is the right type and look for SSD instead of the outdated HDD that some models might offer but will only end up slowing down your device.

Battery Life

One of the selling points of most laptops besides the size is the portability that they offer, allowing you to work from anywhere thanks to the battery, however, most laptops have a relatively short battery life, which in combination with the power-demanding creative apps and software, end up reduced to a couple of hours at best.

That’s why having a laptop that offers a rather long and consistent battery life is important, as well as a power-efficient CPU and GPU to optimize the energy consumption of your laptop.

Price

And lastly, the price. There are laptops for every budget, however, devices that can handle drawing software and are made for drawing are usually quite expensive. Prices for laptops made for drawing go from $600 to $5000, which is quite an ample range, however, you must consider this an investment since you won’t have to buy a pen display separately. Although we can’t promise a great device for less than $600 we can definitely promise that you will get the best value for your money on our list below.

Best Laptops for Drawing in 2024

1. Best Laptop for Drawing Overall — Surface Laptop Studio 2
2. Best Portable Laptop for Drawing —- Surface Pro 9
3. Best Budget Laptop for Drawing — Robo & Kala 2-in-1
4. Best Value Laptop for Drawing — Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 15″
5. Best Professional Laptop for Drawing — Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel 15″
6. Best laptop for Drawing for Artists — Huion Kamvas Studio 16’’

#1. Best Laptop for Drawing Overall — Surface Laptop Studio 2

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: 14.4 Inches, ‎2400 x 1600 Pixels, 4.5K “PixelSense”. 102% of the sRGB gamut and 72.1% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: Surface Slim Pen 2 with 4096 levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Core i7-13700KF / NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4050 / 32GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 1 TB SSD.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: Up to 18 hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $2,519.99.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Surface Laptop Studio 2

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is one of the few “proper laptops” that we have on the list, it has a flexible stand that allows you to place the screen in different positions for drawing comfort. It has enormous processing power and a configurable GPU which is the main advantage it has over the other devices on our list. This laptop has it all, Windows OS, an amazing display, a great (and highly improved) stylus pen, and great battery life. The only downside is the price because yes, this laptop is amazing and a portable workstation for any artist, but also is very expensive. Starting at $2000 at the lowest configuration, this laptop becomes a big investment that needs to be considered thoroughly,

Pros

• High-resolution screen
• Powerful performance
• Versatile design

Cons

• Very Pricey
• Limited ports
• Heavier build

2. Best Portable Laptop for Drawing — Surface Pro 9

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: 13 Inches, 2880 x 1920 Pixels, “PixelSense”, 106.1% of the sRGB gamut, and 75.1% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: Surface Slim Pen 2 with 4096 levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Intel 12th Gen i5 / ‎Intel Iris Xe Graphics / 8GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 256GB SSD.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: Up to 15.5 hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $854.20.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Surface Pro 9

The latest addition to the Microsoft Surface Family, the Surface Pro 9 is not really a laptop but a tablet instead, however since it runs on Windows OS and has an Intel-powered CPU and GPU, we decided to include it on the list.

This tablet’s size might not seem too much compared to professional pen displays, however, the aspect ratio makes it the perfect drawing device. It’s light, comfortable to hold, and with the proper accessories, it pretty much becomes a laptop to draw on.

The Surface Pro 9 has the new (and improved) Slim Pen, which is sold separately but is a great addition to the tablet. It has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and also tilt recognition.

This tablet is much more affordable compared to the Surface Studio Laptop, however, it doesn’t have a dedicated GPU which might be a downside for many.

Pros

• Lightweight, portable
• Detachable keyboard
• Excellent display

Cons

• Pricey accessories
• Average battery
• Less power

3. Best Budget Laptop for Drawing — Robo & Kala 2-in-1

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: ‎12.6 Inches, ‎2560 x 1600 pixels, 2.5K AMOLED Touch Screen with a 600 nits screen.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: Robo & Kala Smart Pen with 4096 levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 / ‎Rear /‎ 16 GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: Up to 20 Hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $799.99.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Robo & Kala 2-in-1

The Robo & Kala 1-in-1 is a device that surprised many of us this year, this new 2-in-1 hybrid Laptop and Tablet is packed with an Intel Core i7 processor coupled with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD offers plenty of power and space for all your artistic projects, with the added benefit of quick access to files and applications. It transitions from a high-performance laptop to a versatile tablet in less than a second and has a dazzling 2.5K touchscreen display which is also very bright (600 nits), offering vivid colors and sharp details for an immersive drawing and viewing experience.

The advanced stylus that comes with the laptop has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, it mirrors the precision and feel of a traditional pen, but on a digital canvas. The laptop battery is also impressive, lasting up to 20 hours, but what we love the most is the price, is one of the most affordable devices made for artists to this day.

Pros

• Versatile Functionality
• Space-Saving Design
• User-Friendly Interface

Cons

• Limited Capacity
• Potential Maintenance Issues

4. Best Value Laptop for Drawing — Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 15″

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: 15.6 Inches, FHD (1920 x 1080) AMOLED Touchscreen Display.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: S Pen with 4096 levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Core i7-1260P / Intel Iris Xe Graphics / 16 GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: ‎1 TB SSD.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: Up to 14 hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $1,349.99.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 15″

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 is one of the first lines of devices that supported drawing directly on the screen, which has made them keep improving as time passed. This laptop not only has a good display and a great CPU but also enough RAM and storage for all your files and software. Samsung also included an SD Card slot in case you want to go for a cheaper option but still need the extra storage. The S Pen is one of the best battery-powered styluses for drawing on mobile devices, only inferior to the Apple Pencil and EMR pens made for professional pen tablets and pen displays, so you’ll have a great drawing experience with it.

The GalaxyBook Pro2 360 is not the latest model, however, is currently on sale so it’s a good opportunity to get a great device for less than $1500. The only downside is the standard screen resolution (1920×1080), which was improved in the new GalalxyBook Pro3 360, but also represents a much higher price.

Pros

• AMOLED display
• Good battery life
• Slim design

Cons

• Average speakers
• No HDMI port

5. Best Professional Laptop for Drawing — Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel 15″

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: 15.6 Inches, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160), 100% Adobe RGB Color Gamut.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: Wacom EMR pen with 4000 levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Core i7-10875H / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER / 32 GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 2 TB SSD.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: 10 Hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $2 999.99.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel 15″

The Acer Concept D7 Ezel is the dream laptop of any creative, truly powerful device made for artists by artists. It has it all. Amazing display with full-color accuracy, a Wacom EMR pencil, a lot of RAM and Storage, and great battery life. Besides that, the “easel” function allows you to play with the screen and adjust it a several different angles, and it holds its position while you draw which is even better.

The major downside of this laptop is that it doesn’t have the latest CPU and GPU and that it’s incredibly expensive. Despite this being what I’d call a “perfect” laptop for drawing, the price is really a turning point. If you can afford this and need the color accuracy and excellent stylus, go for it, if you don’t, more affordable models will always be an option.

Pros

• Powerful graphics
• Flexible hinge
• Color-accurate display

Cons

• Very expensive
• Heavy

6. Best laptop for Drawing for Artists — Huion Kamvas Studio 16

Selection Criteria

• Display Quality: 15.8 Inches, QHD (2560 x 1440), 100% Adobe RGB.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus and Pressure Sensitivity: PW550S with 8192 Levels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Performance and RAM: Core i7-1165G7 / 16GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 512G SSD.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Battery Life: 6 Hours.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $1,699.00.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the Huion Kamvas Studio 16

And last, the “Surface Killer” that Huion brought us last year, the Kamvas Studio 16 is a tablet that also runs on Windows, but that in contrast with the Surface, is specially made for artists. It has an amazing 2.5K display, a pen with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and improved ergonomics, 16 GB of RAM, and enough storage for your creations. This tablet also has the usual features like a camera, microphone, Bluetooth connectivity, etc, however since the user target was artists, those features are not something out of this world. The display is extremely accurate and laminated and etched to avoid parallax and to protect your eyes. Is very comfortable to use and the dual USB-C ports are more than enough with the right dongle. On the downside, the battery life is average at best and it is also a quite expensive tablet.

Pros

• High-Quality display
• Stand included
• Made for Artists

Cons

• Lesser-known brand
• Limited GPU