Remember to check out my previous guides on Adobe Illustrator CC laptops, AutoCAD laptops, and Adobe InDesing laptops.
Requirements for a Adobe Photoshop 2021 laptop
Major Deciding on a processor
The power of a processor is more important for some programs than others. Photoshop is one of those programs that doesn’t require a powerful CPU.
Requirements
We should be looking for an affordable laptop with at least an Intel Core i5-10300H or AMD Ryzen 5 3500U. Those processors have a good single-core performance and enough power to handle the Adobe Creative Cloud app. The most important specs for a laptop for Photoshop are its graphics card and storage capacity. A dedicated graphics card will allow Photoshop to utilize the GPU instead of the CPU to accelerate photo editing tasks. A faster SSD is better for faster loading times, so get one if you can afford it.
Recommendations
The first thing I recommend is not overpaying for the wrong laptop just because it has “i7” or “Ryzen 7” written on its cover. That’s because we don’t need that power for just photoshop alone and they’re usually more expensive than similar configurations with lesser processors and graphics cards.
So which laptop would be best? Since we don’t need anything more than single-core performance, any H-series i5 would be sufficient: i5-10300H, i5-1035G1, i5-1035G2 or even cheaper i3-10100H or i3-1030G4 that cost less than $500 at the time of writing this article!
Major My graphics card recommendations for Adobe Photoshop 2021
Entry-level: MX450
This graphics card is for entry-level laptops, not recommended for professionals.
Mid-range: RTX 2060
This graphics card is a mid-range card, has been tested to work with Adobe Photoshop 2021.
If you’re on a tight budget and have other priorities – get a laptop under $2000 with this graphics card.
High-end: RTX 2070
This graphics card is for high-end laptops and recommended for professionals.
Major Deciding on a memory
Minimum (8 GB)
I’m not sure how Photoshop 2021 would perform on an 8 GB machine. The way I see it, there are three things you need to keep in mind when choosing RAM for Photoshop 2021: the type of laptop, the power of the CPU, and the speed of the storage.
On a budget laptop with an average CPU and slow storage, it might be wiser to choose 8 GB over 16 GB. It’s better to spend more on your CPU or storage than on RAM.
In fact, there’s been a trend towards budget laptops that have lower RAM capacities – they’re still around, but their market share has been shrinking steadily over the years. That’s why I’m not sure how well Photoshop 2021 would run on 8 GB of RAM.
If you’re getting a laptop with a good CPU and a fast SSD drive – go for 16GB at least.
Recommended (16 GB)
For me, 16 GB is a sweet spot for most laptops under $2k – work, gaming, everything in-between. But if you want to future-proof your laptop with Adobe Photoshop 2021 – I recommend 32 GB. It’s been enough for me for many years now and I’m guessing it will do just fine in 2021 as well.
The thing is – RAM capacity can’t be upgraded easily like graphics cards or CPUs can. So when buying a new laptop – it’s wise to invest in components that can be upgraded later down the line. A 32 GB upgrade might seem expensive now but in five years when 32 GB is the standard it will be affordable enough without sacrificing too much from your initial investment in a higher-end laptop with a good CPU and a fast SSD drive.
Best (32 GB)
The best option for professionals is always 32 GB, since Adobe Photoshop 2021 is such an intensive application and it needs plenty of RAM to operate properly. If you don’t want to future-proof your new laptop and get something that will get outdated quickly – then 16GB should suffice just fine.
- get 16 GB if you want your laptop to last for many years and if you’re willing to spend extra money on your laptop in order to get more RAM in the future
- buy 32 GB if you can afford it
Optional requirements for a Adobe Photoshop 2021 laptop
Optional Storage
HDDs vs. SSDs
It’s worth pointing out that an HDD is an entirely different storage device than an SSD. So, while HDDs are often associated with cheaper prices, SSDs are the preferred storage medium for Photoshop. As for performance, this is where HDDs fall behind. You’ll want to go with a laptop with an SSD if you plan on doing heavy-duty work in Photoshop 2021.
The importance of size
I wouldn’t be surprised if you came across laptops with capacities up to 4 TB. But for most professionals, 1 TB will be more than enough space. However, for Adobe Photoshop 2021, it’s best to go with at least 256 GB or 512 GB – preferably the latter. If you’re buying a laptop for this application, you should be able to find one at any price point with either capacity option available.
for Photoshop 2021, it’s best to go with at least 256 GB or 512 GB – preferably the latter
Optional Display for Adobe Photoshop 2021
The right screen is indispensable for any graphic designer. The two most important features are contrast and brightness. Without them, it’s hard to see your image clearly.
Display specs for Photoshop 2021
For a good display, you need a high contrast ratio and a high brightness. For most monitors, these specs are usually measured in nits or cd/sq. m. But not all displays measure the same way, so it’s best to compare their values directly by looking at the numbers on their product pages. In this case, look for a contrast ratio of 3000:1 or higher and a brightness of 250-300 cd/sq. m or higher.
Laptop display recommendations for Photoshop 2021
For most photographers, there are only two main requirements:
- an IPS panel with decent color accuracy – preferably with Adobe RGB coverage – and high contrast – preferably greater than 3000:1 – and a bright screen with an average brightness of 300 cd/sq. m or more
The best laptop display for Photoshop 2021 should have all three requirements met as well as a wide color gamut for those RGB purists out there who want to have as many colors as possible without dithering down from 16 million colors to 8 million colors (aka sRGB).
- look for a high contrast ratio and a high brightness
- avoid monitors with poor color accuracy and limited gamut
- look for an IPS panel with good color accuracy and wide gamut
5 Best Laptops for Adobe Photoshop 2021
MSI GF63035
Pros and cons
- Decent processor (i5-10200H)
- Exceptional graphics card (RTX 3050)
- Mediocre memory amount (8GB)
- Bulky (4.1 lbs)
Alternatives
Lenovo ThinkPad P53 20QN001VUS
- Decent display (15.6 IPS HDR Touch)
- Up to the mark memory amount (16GB)
- Unexceptional processor (i7-9850H)
- Substandard graphics card (Quadro T2000)
HP Pavilion 15
- Adequate processor (Ryzen 5 4600H)
- Numpad
- Unremarkable graphics card (GTX 1650)
- Ordinary memory amount (8GB)
Dell XPS 9710
Pros and cons
- Excellent processor (Ryzen 7 5800H)
- Decent graphics card (RTX 3050 Ti)
- No IPS Panel (limited viewing angles)
Alternatives
MSI GF65 Thin
- Great graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Sufficient display (15.6 144Hz IPS)
- Mediocre processor (i5-10500H)
ASUS TUF FX706
- Sufficient processor (i5-11400H)
- Up to scratch graphics card (RTX 3050 Ti)
- Garden-variety memory amount (32GB)
Dell XPS 9710
Pros and cons
- Superb processor (Ryzen 7 5800H)
- Excellent memory amount (128GB)
- Average graphics card (RTX 3050 Ti)
- Bulky (5.4 lbs)
Alternatives
Acer Predator Helios 300
- First-class processor (i7-11800H)
- Sufficient graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Not the best memory amount (32GB)
- Weighty (5.1 lbs)
ASUS TUF F17
- Up to scratch processor (i5-11260H)
- Adequate display (17.3 144Hz IPS G-Sync)
- Not the best graphics card (RTX 3050)
Acer Predator Helios 300
Pros and cons
- Very good processor (i7-11800H)
- Up to scratch graphics card (RTX 3060)
- Bulky (5.1 lbs)
Alternatives
ASUS ROG Zephyrus
- Terrific processor (Ryzen 9 5900HS)
- Great graphics card (RTX 3070)
Eluktronics MECH-15
- Splendid display (15.6 240Hz IPS)
- First-class memory amount (64GB)
- Mediocre processor (i7-12700H)
- Substandard graphics card (RTX 3060)
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen
Pros and cons
- Exceptional processor (i9-11950H)
- Very good graphics card (RTX 3080)
Alternatives
ASUS ROG 16
- Excellent processor (i9-11900H)
- Sufficient display (16 165Hz IPS)
- Ordinary graphics card (RTX 3060)
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R9QH
- First-class processor (Ryzen 9 5900HX)
- Superb graphics card (RTX 3080)
- Mediocre memory amount (32GB)
Table of Best Laptops for Adobe Photoshop 2021
Laptop | Price (approx) |
MSI GF63035 | $650 |
Dell XPS 9710 | $1140 |
Dell XPS 9710 | $1410 |
Acer Predator Helios 300 | $1840 |
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen | $3650 |