Here to find out the best laptop for drawing? Look no further as this guide includes everything about getting a reliable laptop for drawing purposes.
Hey there! I know the tablet or any other device you’ve been using for drawing isn’t working out perfectly. I mean that’s the only reason you are here to get a drawing laptop right?
Well, good news is that I’ve done my homework finding out the best laptops for drawing in the market.
During the process, I only picked machines with a portable shape, large screen and resolution, better graphics, and convertible option.
All in all, you’d surely get hooked up and find yourself the laptop that’s worthy enough of your next drawing partner.
So, have a look, without any further ado:
Contents
- Top 7 Best Laptops for Drawing [2021] – Comparison B/W the Fresh Picks
- HP Pavilion x360 – Best Selling Laptop for Drawing 2021
- Pros
- Cons
- 2. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook – Best Laptop for Drawing and Animation [2021]
- Pros
- Cons
- 3. Lenovo Flex 14 – Best Convertible Laptop for Drawing
- 4. HP ef1020n – Best 15” Laptop for Drawing in 2021
- 5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – Best Lightweight Laptop for Drawing
- 6. Lenovo Flex 5 – Fully Convertible Laptop with Digital Pen
- 7. ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 – Best Cheap Laptop for Drawing:
- Things to Consider Before Selecting the Best Laptop for Drawing – A Buying Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions:
Top 7 Best Laptops for Drawing [2021] – Comparison B/W the Fresh Picks
Laptop Name | Processor | Convertible | Price |
---|---|---|---|
HP Pavilion x360 | Intel Core i5, 10th gen. | Yes | |
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook | Intel Core i5, 10th gen. | Yes | |
Lenovo Flex 14 | AMD Ryzen 5 | Yes | |
HP ef1020n | AMD Ryzen | No | |
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 | Intel Core i5, 10th gen. | No | |
Lenovo Flex 5 | AMD Ryzen 5 | Yes | |
ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 | Intel Celeron | Yes |
Top Pick # 1
HP Pavilion x360 – Best Selling Laptop for Drawing 2021
SSD: 500 GB, SDRAM: 544 MB, Screen: 16 Inch, Battery: 24h, HHD: 1T, Keyboard: Soft, Operating System: Windows 10, Warrenty: 1 year
Buy on AmazonPavilion x360 from HP works like heaven for animators and graphics designers who have to work with drawing sketches and illustrations all the time. With a convertible shape, touchscreen interface, and a digital pen, the laptop has all necessary specs that would prove crucial for painting artists. The overall shape and design is portable and compact and that’s the reason I keep HP Pavilion x360 in high regard.
To start with some basics:
Pavilion x360 features a lightning fast Intel Core i5, 10th gen. processor for superb processing speed. It can run almost all drawing and animation programs in a single go. In fact, you won’t face any lags or crashes while running different applications at once.
Combined with Intel UHD graphics, animators and graphic designers will enjoy pitch-perfect detailing of their sketches.
The story doesn’t end here!
HP Pavilion laptop does come with a large 14” full HD screen. Not to forget, the laptop has a better touchscreen compared to so-called laptops. So, that’s the double benefit of getting this drawing laptop.
Wanna know why I kept this laptop on top position?
Well, if you don’t feel comfortable using the laptop as a whole, then simply detach the keyboard from it and VIOLA! You’ll get a full-fledged tablet laptop to carry anywhere you want.
Hardware peripherals such as 8GB DDR4 ram along with 512GB SSD storage prove crucial for an enhanced multitasking experience. Running different drawing apps at once is as easy as eating a hot piece of cake for HP x360.
Bonus quality of the laptop comes in with improved battery timing. The work machine offers a 12 hours battery timing, which counts as a half day and that’s simply enormous.
Pros
- Powerful Core i5, 10th gen. processor.
- Intel integrated UHD graphics for improved rendering.
- Slim and sleek laptop.
- 2 in 1 design makes it extremely portable.
- Full HD 14” touchscreen with a digital pen.
- Perfect for digital drawing artists.
Cons
- Overheating issues with HP laptops are common.
- A bit expensive from a beginner’s point of view.
Bottom Line:
HP Pavilion x360 with a portable design, lightweight body, long-lasting battery, and superb performance becomes a top priority for those who want to enhance their drawing skills. Investing in it won’t be a bad idea, especially if you can spend around 1000 bucks on a laptop.
2. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook – Best Laptop for Drawing and Animation [2021]
Up next is a laptop from Samsung that’s catching the eye of painting and drawing artists for quite some time. The Galaxy Chromebook is a definition of subliminal power and performance confined in a small portable machine. It’s convertible, comes with a sleek body, features a digital pen, and most of all, it comes with a 4K UHD display.
Yeah, you heard that right! Moving on:
The best 2 in 1 laptop for drawing also comes with an Intel Core i5, 10th gen. processor just like the x360 we mentioned above. It offers a boost to the overall processing speed and runs heavy applications with convenience.
Coming towards the display, it has a 13.3” size but offers a 4K UHD interface. On top of that, it has a responsive touchscreen. A digital pen included within the laptop allows drawing artists to bring the Picasso out of them using Galaxy Chromebook.
Although the graphics used are Intel UHD, the machine offers an indulged screen-viewing experience. In fact, you’ll get to see each color in full detail and brightness, thanks to its 4K UHD display.
8GB DDR4 memory combined with 256GB SSD also counts for advanced multitasking. You’ll get to store large drawing projects, movies, or videos, etc. without facing any problem.
Galaxy Chromebook uses Chrome Operating system, which supports Android Playstore. In doing so, it allows the painting artists to download their favorite apps from Google Playstore and use them as per their preferences.
Finally, the laptop is convertible. You can detach the keyboard from it and use the machine as a 4K tablet with limitless drawing features. However, keep in mind that Samsung Galaxy Chromebook ain’t affordable. I won’t suggest it to newbies at all.
Pros
- 4K UHD touchscreen display.
- Built-in digital pen lets you create anything out of your imagination.
- One of the sleekest laptops for drawings.
- Powerful core i5 CPU chipset with integrated UHD graphics.
- Suitable for professional drawing artists,
- Convertible option included.
Cons
- Expensive as compared to x360.
- No custom graphics card.
Bottom Line:
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is a portable machine that has gained the trust of professional painting artists. I’d suggest getting it if spending a huge sum of money ain’t a problem for you.
3. Lenovo Flex 14 – Best Convertible Laptop for Drawing
Lenovo is doing a great job when it comes to discussing convertible laptops with touch screen features. Laptops from this manufacturer are affordable, durable, and efficient enough. In this aspect, I’d want to say that if you can’t afford Galaxy Chromebook, then Flex 14 has got your back. With glittering specs and qualities, the laptop already becomes a favorite of those who want to polish their drawing skills.
Have a go at some of its features as under:
Flex 14 comes with a mobile AMD Ryzen 3500 processor. Icing on the cake is that it has also got Radeon graphics to enhance the overall rendering speed of the laptop. Drawing artists can thus enjoy doing their work on Flex 14 perfectly.
More than that, the display is 14” and comes with a full HD interface. Besides, the presence of a responsive touch screen and a digital pen helps the graphics designer make intuitive sketches and portraits with convenience.
The laptop surprisingly comes with 12GB DDR4 memory and 256GB SSD for storing purposes. Compared to the laptops we’ve discussed above, the multitasking Lenovo Flex 14 offers is simply unparalleled.
Anyway, the portable machine is also convertible. You can use the best laptop tablet for drawing or for taking art and designing classes with convenience.
Lastly, I’d want to talk about the laptop’s battery timing, which is rated at around 10 hours. Means, you could use the laptop consistently for 10 hours without worrying about power shortage problems.
- Affordable yet powerful.
- Runs almost all drawing apps without crashing.
- Portable laptop for drawing.
- Responsive touchscreen with full HD display.
- Radeon Graphics with Ryzen 5 processor.
- Long-lasting battery.
- You cannot detach the keyboard from laptop.
- No proper way of ventilation.
Bottom Line:
Lenovo Flex 14 is indeed one of the best laptops for drawing in 2021. The qualities it possesses are hard to find in other work machines and that’s the reason it makes its place in top 3 picks of 2021.
4. HP ef1020n – Best 15” Laptop for Drawing in 2021
Need a laptop with a large screen and resolution at an affordable price tag? HP’s newest addition to the Touchscreen laptop will solve this problem for you. This robust drawing laptop comes with a large 15” touchscreen. Not only that, but the presence of a powerful CPU chipset and Radeon graphics makes this laptop, one of the standouts among other brands in 2021.
For starters,
The laptop comes with a full HD 15” display screen. The touchscreen interface is quite responsive and can help the artists explore different options using their hands with convenience.
Powered by AMD Ryzen 3 CPU chipset and Radeon graphics, HP ef1020n can ensure a robust working interface. Updated graphics also count for increasing the rendering speed.
What impressed me the most about this laptop is security and protection it offers. Using the BIOS protection feature, you can completely lock out your laptop and no one could access it no matter how hard they try.
Battery timing of up to 9 hours and 15 minutes allows the graphics designer to use this machine until and unless they finish their drawing tasks. The superb performance combined with an affordable price tag is what makes HP ef1020n a perfect alternative to other laptops I’ve mentioned above.
Finally, it’s time that I talk about some of the flaws this laptop has. For instance, it doesn’t come with a convertible design. Moreover, you won’t get any digital pen with it.
Pros:
15” full HD display for an immersive drawing experience.
Responsive touchscreen.
Perfect for beginner drawing artists.
Comes with a powerful AMD Ryzen 3 processor.
Radeon graphics increase rendering speed.
8GB DDR4 ram with 256GB storage option.
Cons:
Not convertible.
No digital pen included.
Might overheat with excessive use.
Bottom Line:
The drawing laptop from HP is catching the attention of newbie drawing artists quite well. As per my remarks, I do suggest it to newbies, but I’d recommend professionals to look out for better options.
5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – Best Lightweight Laptop for Drawing
If you want innovation, power, performance, and long-lasting battery combined in a single package, then there’s nothing better than Microsoft Surface Laptop 3. This intuitive laptop suits the demands of drawing artists and graphics designers quite well. Although there isn’t any digital pen available with it, the laptop does offer a responsive touchscreen. All in all, it’s a perfect option for professionals to utilize their drawing skills on something phenomenal.
Hovering on to some of its features:
The touchscreen laptop has got the backing of Intel Core i5, 10th gen. processing chip. It means you can literally run any drawing app or program on it without any hurdle.
On the other hand, it barely weighs 2.79 pounds and is no doubt one of the lightest drawing laptops in the market. You can carry it around in your art college or to your office with minimal effort.
Surface 3 also comes with a full HD 13.5” touchscreen to enhance the drawing experience for artists. They can animate, draw sketches, or portraits while keeping their focus on the display for a long time.
Lastly, the laptop offers a long-lasting battery timing of up to 11 hours, which means you get to carry out all drawing tasks with consistency. On top of that, the battery also gets charged to 80% within one hour only.
Pros:
Lightweight, simple, and minimalistic.
Powerful processing chipset with integrated graphics.
Perfect for professional graphic designers.
8GB DDR4 ram with 256GB SSD storage option available.
Free conversion of Windows 10 to Windows 11 operating system.
Cons:
A bit expensive as compared to other models.
Not convertible to a tablet.
Bottom Line:
Surface Laptop 3 with an exceptional performance make its way into the list of best laptops for drawing. Keep your tabs on it and choose it in case you have the budget.
6. Lenovo Flex 5 – Fully Convertible Laptop with Digital Pen
Flex 5 is another great addition from Lenovo to its “Convertible Laptops Family.” The machine performs way better than most of the so-called convertible laptops and comes with a digital pen as well. Good thing about this laptop is that it is available at a reasonable rate. Therefore, I often suggest it to beginners who want to excel in their drawing skills using a powerful laptop.
To begin with,
Flex 5 has got the power of AMD Ryzen 5 and Radeon graphics to increase the overall processing and rendering speed.
More than that, it also comes with a full HD 14” display with a responsive touch interface. On top of that, you’d get to enjoy using a responsive digital pen that comes in the package already.
The availability of 16GB DDR4 ram along with 256GB SSD storage makes it one of the best multitasking laptops for drawing without any doubt.
In the end, I’d want to point out the battery timing of Flex 5, which is around 10 hours. Icing on the cake is that it gets charged to 80% within one hour.
Pros:
Powerful performance.
Sleek and slim body.
Completely convertible.
Digital pen included.
Perfect for beginner drawing artists.
Cons:
Keyboard quality is bang average.
No other major problems.
Bottom Line:
Lenovo Flex 5 is yet another alternative that newbies could take a look at. Enjoy working on it via digital pen and touchscreen interface for many years to come.
7. ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 – Best Cheap Laptop for Drawing:
The last laptop on our list from ASUS is one of the cheapest options in the market for drawing enthusiasts. The VivoBook Flip 14 is a convertible laptop that comes with limited features. However, it can help newbies with a low budget to polish their drawing skills without any problem.
Starting with some of its features,
The best hybrid laptop for drawing comes with an Intel Celeron chipset with integrated graphics. Not too much, but good enough to run low-end drawing apps.
Other than that, it also features a 4GB DDR4 ram along with 64GB SSD storage to enhance the multitasking experience of drawing artists.
Lastly, the laptop offers protection. It offers fingerprint security, which will keep it away from any third-party interference no matter where you leave it.
Pros:
Cheapest drawing laptop in the market.
Convertible to tablet.
Light in weight.
Windows 10 operating system.
4GB DDR4 ram.
Cons:
Insufficient storage problems.
Celeron processor works slowly.
Bottom Line:
The last option on our list is specifically meant for those who are low on budget. Consider VivoBook Flip 14 if you can’t afford all other laptops that I’ve mentioned above.
Top 3 Picks:
The top 3 recommendations go as under:
1. HP Pavilion x360 – as it’s no doubt the best laptop for drawing in 2021.
2. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook – if you want to enjoy drawing on a 4K UHD screen.
3. ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 – as it’s the cheapest option available in the market.
Things to Consider Before Selecting the Best Laptop for Drawing – A Buying Guide
While you are out there in search of a reliable work machine for drawing work, it’s better to know the Dos and Don’ts of getting a laptop.
That said, you need to make sure that your laptop has all suitable features to meet your demands and preferences.
Therefore, have a look at this buying guide where I have explained the crucial specs that you should never overlook while choosing a drawing a laptop:
Screen and Resolution:
The bigger the screen, the better the graphics.
I know you want to choose a portable laptop, but a small screen will halt your work and will make you irritated.
Better go for a machine that comes with either a 13” or a 14” size, so that you can at least carry on with your drawing tasks easily.
In terms of resolution, the laptop must offer either a full HD or 4K UHD interface. Anything below this standard is simply not worth it.
Powerful CPU:
A powerful CPU not only enhances the processing speed but also ensures running heavy programs without any lags.
If you want to avoid frequent crashing issues while running heavy apps, then you must get a laptop with an Intel Core i5, 10th gen. processor.
If budget is a problem, then simply go for laptops with AMD mobile processors as they work the best at an affordable rate.
Graphics Card:
Doesn’t matter a lot. But having a laptop with improved graphics ensures an enhanced display along with improved rendering speed.
All the laptops I’ve mentioned above either come with Intel UHD graphics or Radeon GPUs, which work out perfectly for drawing artists.
Don’t pick a laptop that doesn’t offer a good graphical interface as it will completely ruin the way you draw digital portraits and sketches.
2 in 1 Design:
That’s quite important.
Try getting a laptop that comes with a convertible or a 2 in 1 design.
What does it mean?
It simply means that work machines with a convertible shape can work both as laptop and a tablet.
This way, drawing enthusiasts could enjoy the perks of two devices in a single package.
So, it will turn out to be perfect for you if you choose to get a laptop with a convertible design.
Digital Pen:
The presence of a digital pen holds utmost importance for people who are interested in drawing their imaginations.
Many models that I’ve listed above already offer an integrated digital pen that could be used to draw pictures, sketches, and illustrations conveniently.
So, look out for this aspect before you choose a drawing laptop.
RAM and Storage:
For a drawing laptop, 8GB DDR4 ram is more than enough. Along with that, a storage space of around 256GB is ideal for drawing artists.
You can increase or decrease these two peripherals based on the kind of budget you have along with your preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What laptops are good for drawing?
Laptops with a convertible design, touchscreen HD display, and an integrated digital pen are perfect for drawing purposes. The likes of Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and HP Pavilion x360 are perfect devices with all necessary specs to facilitate a drawing expert.
2. Which hybrid laptop works best for drawing and animating?
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook works best for both drawing and animation. It comes with an ultra HD 4K touchscreen display. Besides, it has got a powerful 10th gen. Intel Core i5 processor with integrated UHD graphics from Intel. The presence of a digital pen makes it one of the best hybrid laptops for drawing and animating.
3. What is the best 2 in 1 laptop for stylus drawing?
I suggest choosing the Lenovo Flex 14 for stylus drawing as it comes with a powerful processing chipset, a Radeon graphics card, a responsive touchscreen, and an ample amount of memory.
4. Can you draw with a touch screen laptop?
Yeah, you can. But you’ll need a digital pen for that purpose if you want to work professionally while crafting different sketching ideas into your laptop.
5. How much RAM do I need for drawing?
Standard 8GB DDR4 ram is enough for a laptop to run all mandatory drawing apps and softwares. However, you can also go with the 4GB option if you are running low on budget.
To Conclude:
Digital drawing industry is growing at a higher rate and professionals simply can’t risk their work with a tablet that has limited features.
It’s, therefore, the need of the hour to save some bucks and choose from the best laptops from drawing.
The list I’ve mentioned above comprises powerful yet portable work machines with a convertible design. So, make up your mind and select the one you love the most from it as per your will and wish.
Good Luck!!