Whether you are a college student who has just started or a professional web developer/designer, you need a laptop that must be reliable and suitable for web designing and development. If you are looking for such a laptop, you are at the right place because we have made a list of the best laptops for web design.
As a web designer, you will be using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD, web mockups, Figma to create UI/UX, sketch, or assets for your website. Moreover, you will also use MAMP, XAMPP, WebStorm, IDE’s such as PhpStrom, Microsoft Visual Studio, and others to compile programs.
Additionally, you will also use text editors such as Notepad++, Sublime Text, and Atom to write code. Building professional websites also take a lot of time. As mentioned above, both web development and web designing use different kinds of software that involve a different set of activities. So, both do have a different area of interest.
After knowing this, we have enlisted a few best laptops for web designers. Not only this, but we have also discussed and mentioned minimum as well as recommended specs that a good laptop for web design must-have. Before reviewing the best laptops for designing, let’s first look at the minimum and recommended system specs.
Minimum System Specs:
- 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB SSD storage
- 13.3-inch FHD display
- Battery life up to 5 hours
- Integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics card
Recommended System Specs:
- 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU
- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD or Dual Storage
- 15.6-inch FHD IPS display
- Battery life up to 10 hours
- 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX350
Best Laptops for Web Development:
These are some recommended specs that you should consider while buying a good laptop for web designing. Without wasting further time, let’s jump to the list of reviewed laptops that are the best for web development and web designing.
• Apple MacBook Pro:
As Apple is a name of the trust, so is its model MacBook Pro in every category. This web design computer is lightweight, portable, and fast enough to perform design-related tasks. This one of the best laptops for web developers has everything that a professional web designer looks for. Coming to design, this web design laptop comes with a newly designed keyboard and a large display that makes viewing helpful when doing your classwork.
When it comes to power, this laptop for web design has eight cores and a powerful CPU that is the fastest among its competitors and other Apple products. Other specifications of this website design computer are 16GB to 64GB RAM, 512GB to 1TB storage, mac OS, display of 16 inches with resolutions of 2072*1920 pixels, and battery life up to 10 hours.
The specs mentioned above ensure the outstanding performance of this one of the best laptops for web design. The keyboard is an exciting thing that gives a smooth and easy typing experience. This best computer for web design can perform the computing tasks of business students without a sweat.
Simply putting, this one of the best laptops for web designers is a good option for professional web designers in both look and performance.
• ASUS ZenBook 13:
ASUS is known worldwide for its best and latest laptops that are good for computer web designing. ASUS ZenBook 13 is one of those models that are suitable for computer web design.
Being very compact, this best laptop for web designers is very portable and one of the lightest ultrabooks in the market since it has a wide view display of 13.3 inches full HD. Although this laptop has a small size, the screen is good enough compared to other ultrabooks. When it comes to internals, Intel Core i5 8th Gen processor supports this high-speed laptop.
Moreover, 8GB DDR3 RAM and a 512GB hard drive allow students to store and save large files and a huge amount of data with ease. This best MacBook for web development can perform all functions with ease and more efficiently.
In addition to this, a battery that lasts for up t0 9 hours lets you carry this lightweight without worrying about the charger. The overall performance of this best laptop for web developers is impressive and a suitable option for professional web designers and developers.
• LG Gram 17:
Writing codes and compiling them is important to web development tasks, and the LG Gram 17 is the best laptop for web design and suitable for such kinds of activities. The 17-inch display with a native resolution of 2560*1600 pixels of this one of the best laptops for web development improves visual quality and is suitable for designers.
Moreover, the built-in Intel HD 610 GPU can handle high intensive web design software such as Photoshop, Adobe XD, etc. In addition to this, Intel Core i7 powers this best computer for web development and improves its overall performance.
Like other high-end laptops, this best laptop for web development comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage that only makes it possible to save large files and multitask simultaneously. This one of the best laptops for web developers is also lightweight.
Except that, 15-hour long battery life is another aspect that adds appeal to this laptop for web development. Overall, this web design laptop is one of the best laptops for web developers.
• Microsoft Surface Book 2:
If you are looking for the best computer for web design, Microsoft Surface Book 2 ends your search. The 13.5-inch display with a native resolution of 3000*2000 pixels of this web design laptop offers a great user experience, especially while designing colorful websites.
Moreover, the Intel Core i7 dual-core processor powers this one of the best laptops for web developers that is helpful for those web designing software. In addition to this, the Intel HD 620 built-in graphics of this best laptop for web designers is suitable for designing new websites.
When it comes to memory and storage, this best laptop for web developers comes with 6GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage that is enough for installing high-end web designing software.
Except for power, the time for which its battery lasts is another appealing factor of this web developer laptop. It lasts for 15 hours on a single charge. In short, this best laptop for web design is a good option for professional and new designers and one of the best computers for web developers.
• Dell Inspiron:
Dell is dominant in the market of professional laptops that has earned its name due to affordability and performance. Dell Inspiron is one of the best computers for web developers. This web developer laptop is equipped with preinstalled Windows 10 OS.
Moreover, the very best laptop for UX designers is armed with an Intel i7 7700HQ processor that has four cores along with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB graphics that fulfill the requirements required for CAD software-related computing tasks. 8GB DDR4 RAM with 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD add another appealing factor in this website design computer.
In addition to this, one of the best computers for web design comes at an affordable price. If you have a limited budget, this best laptop for building websites is the best buy within the range. There is a sufficient number of port connections in this best web developer laptop when it comes to port connectivity. In short, all these features along with low price make this laptop for web developers is one of the best computers for web development.
• Acer Aspire 5:
Image by Unsplash
If you are looking for the best laptop for web developers, the Acer Aspire 5 is a good deal. By making available this best laptop for web designers. Acer did a very good job. A dedicated GPU, an i5, and an SSD drive come with this best computer for web design.
The result of this configuration is that the very best pc for web development is capable of running modern and high-end designing websites and apps with comfort on low setting and will rip through most crowd favorites with ease.
Moreover, this one of the best computers for web development is armed with a good 15-inch HD display though a little dim, very good build quality, and a quite powerful CPU. Acer has spotted a sweet spot in the market for those budget-conscious web designers by providing this web development laptop.
They cannot afford the latest and greeted NVIDIA graphics. Overall, this best pc for web design is a good machine for gamers thanks to its extremely affordable dedicated Radeon graphics cards. So, if you are searching for a web developer workstation, the laptop at a glance is a good choice.
• Dell XPS 9570:
Another laptop that is best for professional web designers is the Dell XPS 15. Along with the power that this best laptop for web designers possesses to drive assemblies, the aesthetic of this one of the best laptops for web designers is also appealing.
The configuration of this best laptop for UX designers is concerned, high-end Intel Core i9-8950HK processor with a clock speed of up to 4.8GHz, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 4GB VRAM is suitable for designing and developing tasks making Dell XPS 9570 the most powerful laptop workstation. Moreover, the 32GB RAM support makes you handle several large-sized assemblies with ease and comfort.
Except that 1TB SSD is a welcome addition on this web developer laptop. But the Windows 10 Pro OS is what you get out of the box. The best computer for web design is a 15.6-inch touch screen with 4K resolution and 3840*2160 pixels of resolution when it comes to displaying. This vibrant display ensures decent sunlight visibility.
Dell also provides a standard keyboard with a backlight and a responsive touchpad that gives a pleasant typing experience. An HD webcam, a functional microphone, decent speakers, and good port connectivity are some remaining features of this best laptop for web designers. In battery life, this best laptop for web design has a battery with up to 7 hours of backup on a single charge, making this good laptop for web design suitable for the said purpose.
• Acer Aspire 7:
Image by Unsplash
Another laptop that is the best laptop for web design is Acer Aspire 7, offering an advanced set of configurations at an affordable price. If your preference is performance rather than the look, then this one of the best computers for web design is something you would like.
Moreover, this best laptop for building websites comes with a 15.6-inch display with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels, making this one of the good computers for web design from other competitors. When it comes to power, this best web developer laptop is powered by Intel Core i7 8th Gen capable of running any software with ease.
As far as memory and storage are concerned, this laptop for web developers has 128GB SSD with 1TB HDD that is enough to store your large files and programs.
Moreover, the battery lasts for an average of 6 hours with 2 hours refilling. That means the battery of this computer for web design is adequate. In short, Acer is the best pc for web development, and it is due to its performance and power that it is one of the best computers for web development.
• Lenovo Yoga 730:
Another web development laptop known for its performance and is among the best laptops for web design is the Lenovo Yoga 730. This best laptop web development comes with a 15.6-inch display with a maximum resolution of 1920*1080 pixels that is very suitable for web designing.
Moreover, 8th Gen Intel Core i5 powers this best laptop for web designing. This one of the good website design computers has 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage that is enough for installing all we are developing apps and related software. Such is an appeal of this best laptop for web development and programming.
As far as the battery is concerned, this best laptop for web development comes with a battery that lasts for 7 hours on a single charge and can be refilled using a fast charger. Another appealing factor of this web development computer is its being lightweight and travel-friendly.
Overall, this best computer for web development can easily handle your designing and development tasks with comfort. That is why it is among the list of best laptops for web developers.
Things to consider before buying the best laptop for web design
If you’re a professional web developer, you will need a powerful laptop computer to get a smooth experience while you work. Web developers put a lot of effort and time into making the websites more user-friendly.
As a web developer, you need to perform different types of activities and use different software. You don’t need a costly laptop for web design, but you cannot overlook the requirements.
You may experience stutters, noisy fans, uncomfortable keyboards with the wrong laptop. It will disrupt your productivity. Indeed, you don’t want that. Hence, getting a good laptop is an investment for web designers.
This article will point out the crucial factors you need to keep in mind before buying a laptop for web design. So, let’s get started.
How to pick the best laptop for web design
You need a good display, a powerful processor, and enough memory and storage to get the most out of your computer while designing web pages. The following guide will walk you through everything you need to look for when you pick laptops for web design.
Processor
A good processor is one of the most fundamental requirements while picking a laptop for web design. You may need to use heavy creativity software for design purposes. An incompetent processor will hold you back.
You need to consider the brand and the model of the processor. Intel and AMD are the major players in this sector. AMD is comparatively more affordable, while Intel processors are expensive. Depending on the model of the processor, both brands manufacture potent processors.
Intel processors strike a balance between power and efficiency. Thus, they are good in the long run. On the other hand, recent AMD processors are focusing on power. AMD processors are more powerful for web design but less efficient.
If you’re considering an Intel processor, go for a Core i5 or core i7. These processors have excellent power and efficiency. Remember to get newer processors (7th gen at least or higher). Core i3 is not cut out for the job, while i9 is unnecessary (not vital and too much expensive). If you’re opting for AMD processors, pick from Ryzen 5 or 7 series.
Dedicated graphics card
If you use software like Adobe XD, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, you should get a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. It will help you do the tasks smoothly.
You will be okay with integrated graphics cards if you use lighter software like Figma. Many laptops come with great integrated graphics cards these days. You don’t need to worry about web browsing. All laptops are capable of dealing with it.
Backend web developers will be fine with integrated graphics. They can easily use XAMPP, PHP software, Java programming, VS studio, code editors without a dedicated graphics card. As a web designer, you may also need to use a lot of web browser extensions. You will not face any issues with these tasks without a dedicated GPU.
You need to decide what type of laptop you will buy. Your work type and workload will determine the kind of GPU you need for your web designing endeavors.
Display quality and size
As a web designer, you need to have a good quality display. A mediocre display will not show true colors and details. These can cause a lot of frustration to a web designer. So, keep it in mind.
First, let’s talk about screen quality. There are a lot of things about display quality. It’s not just about resolution. It’s much more than that. Screen quality can vary for screen type.
You can get IPS displays for better color production. They are affordable as well. Don’t just get displays with high resolution. You need to look at the screen for long hours. Quality is important. Try to make sure the display has anti-flickering technology. It will protect your eyes from fatigue, irritation, and lots of other problems.
If possible, get an OLED display. But they are quite expensive. OLED panels are the best in terms of color production, accuracy, and details. If you don’t have the budget, don’t sweat it. Get an IPS panel that has some technology for protecting your eyes.
As for display size, the bigger, the better. A 15-inch or 17-inch laptop display is ideal for web design. You can also use an external bigger monitor.
Memory
We are talking about the RAM here. It’s a temporary space. It’s different from the storage of a computer. Most laptops come with an 8 GB RAm these days. Depending on the type of RAM, it’s enough for all sorts of web designing tasks.
We recommend getting a laptop with 8 GB RAM with a BUS speed of 2400 MHz or more. An 8 GB RAM is enough, while more than 32 GB is unnecessary. You don’t want to spend money on unnecessary things.
Storage
Storage is important. As a web designer, you will have a lot of media files. These files can eat up a lot of storage over time. So, think about getting fast and powerful storage with a decent memory.
There are basically two types of storage- SSD and HDD. SSDs are way faster than traditional HDDs. But SSDs are also expensive. There are lots of categories of SSDs as well.
SATA III SSDs are the most basic category of SSDs these days. SATA SSDs are fast enough and affordable. If you want an SSD of the highest quality, you should look for m.2.nVme SSDs. However, this type of SSDs is significantly pricier than the SATA ones.
Battery backup
Most probably, you will keep your laptop plugged in while you work. But you should get a laptop with decent battery life. But keeping the laptop plugged in reduces the longevity of the battery.
Battery life is shown as estimations. The actual battery life depends on the type of activity you do. As a web designer, you need to use apps that take a toll on the battery life of the computer.
Ergonomics
You are looking for a laptop that is best for web design. The aesthetics and extras are not necessary, but they feel good. Such as having a backlit keyboard, one-hand operable hinge, comfortable hand rest, good quality trackpad, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of laptop do I need for web design?
First of all, you need a powerful processor. The latest versions are preferable. You need a good amount of RAM (at least 8 GB DDR4), a dedicated GPU, good battery life, good quality, and a sized laptop.
Do I need a touch screen laptop for web design?
You don’t actually need touch screen laptops for web design. It is a cool feature and feels good to have it, but it does not provide any value to your web design efforts.
Windows vs. Mac- which is better for web design?
It depends on preference and the model of the laptops. The operating system is a significant consideration as well. If you’re into the Windows operating system, you should get the best Windows laptop.
It will boil down to operating system preferences. Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. But many people prefer the Apple experience more. If you ask us, we will pick an Apple MacBook Air M1 laptop over Windows computers every time. Microsoft Surface laptop is a great choice as well. Microsoft has a lot of good laptops that will deal with web design challenges efficiently.
Do I need a laptop with SSD for web design?
You should get a laptop with SSD. SSDs are the standard these days. You will need to do a lot of heavy activities. Having an SSD will make your job simpler. It will reduce software load time and reduce stuttering.
Conclusion:
In short, web designers have their specific computing tasks such as software apps and building designing websites. As they have their specific computing needs, so laptops required by them must have recommended or at least minimum requirements. Based on this, we have reviewed some of the best laptops for web designing and programming. These laptops are up to the mark as far as developers and designers are concerned.
Final Words
You put a lot of time and effort into web design projects. Why would you jeopardize your efforts by using incompetent laptops? You should get yourself a good laptop. Consider it as an investment. A good laptop will increase your productivity, save hours of work.