Best Laptop for Drawing and Animation in 2023

When looking for the best laptop for drawing, you need to be on cue with the features and the parts they play on the computer.

Laptops have improved gradually to serve diverse Users’ needs, and companies have kept in mind artists and designers.

This is by producing quality touchscreen drawing laptops and adding a Stylus to help achieve efficiency in the fields, similar to what you have on drawing tablets.  

What is the Best Laptop for Drawing

• Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio – Best Overall
• Apple MacBook Pro M2 – Best Laptop for Animation
• Microsoft Surface Pro 9 – Best Runner Up
• Microsoft Book 3 – An Older Microsoft laptop studio
• HP Spectre x360 – Best Value for Money

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio – Best Overall

• Screen Size: 14.4 inches
• Resolution: 2400 x 1600 Pixels touchscreen
• RAM: 16 and 32 GB options
• Storage Space: 256 GB to 2 TB
• GPU: Intel Iris Xe and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti  options
• Processor: Intel Core i7 Quad-core 11th Gen

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is our pick for the Best laptop for drawing. First, this laptop comes with a large 14.4-inch screen with full touchscreen capabilities.

This will allow you to use a stylus to draw on it like you would on a piece of paper or drawing tablet. For the display quality, the screen is 16:10 aspect ratio which makes it seem even larger and more comfortable than it actually is.

Finally, the 2400 x 1600 Pixels resolution and the 120Hz screen refresh rate, allow you to view your work in rich vivid colors while at the same time creating a fast responsive experience to smoothly work with a stylus pen.

To save your files and install software, you will have different storage space options ranging from 256 GB up to 2 TB. 512 GB and 1 TB options are however perfect for artists and animators.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio comes with impressive features that make it a perfect powerhouse laptop even for complex professional tasks.

You will the new Intel Core i7 Quad-core 11th Gen and up to 32 GB RAM with a 16 GB option.

Both are powerful and free from lags even with heavy applications running.

Additionally, a dedicated graphics processing unit, either Intel Iris Xe or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti  will help increase the overall performance of your laptop.

Unfortunately, this is a premium-level laptop and will not come cheap.

Additionally, the number of ports is surprisingly few for such an expensive device.

Apple MacBook Pro M2 – Best Laptop for Animation

• Screen Size: 13-inch
• Resolution:  2560 x 1600 Pixels with Liquid Retina Display
• Brightness Levels: 500 nits
• Processor: M2 chip
• RAM: 8 GB to 16 GB
• Storage: 256 GB ​​​​​​​SSD to 2 TB
• Touch Bar, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera

The Apple MacBook Pro M2 is the Best Laptop for Animation and comes second only to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio because its screen is neither 16:10 nor touch screen.

However, when it comes to clarity and brightness levels, it has by far a better screen thanks to its 2560 x 1600 Pixels resolution with unique Liquid Retina Display.

500 nits of brightness will allow you to use it comfortably both in high and low light conditions without problems.

Just like the top pick, you will have 256 GB to 2 TB storage options and a perfect processor.

The Apple MacBook Pro M2 comes with Apple’s newest M2 Chip processor that will work perfectly with no lags.

For multitasking, you will have 8 to 16 GB RAM options, but we recommend 16 GB for animators. For illustration or digital art, 8 GB is good enough.

Unfortunately, the Apple MacBook Pro M2 is a premium laptop and does not come cheap. Accessories are also very expensive compared to other laptop models.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 – Best Runner Up

• Screen Size: 13 Inches
• Resolution: ‎2880 x 1920 pixels, touchscreen
• Processor: Intel Core i5/ i7
• RAM: 8/16/32 GB
• Storage: 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB
• Battery Life: 15.5 hours
• GPU Integrated: Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 takes the spot as the overall second-best laptop for drawing and animation. The wide variety of choices makes it a versatile choice that can suit many needs and budget levels.

Under the power and performance, you have a choice between the powerful Intel Core i5 and the new Intel Core i7 processor models. The RAM is also varied and you have a choice from 8 GB up to 32 GB RAM.

For drawing 8 GB will work perfectly but for animation software to work perfectly, we recommend Intel Core i7 and 16 to 32 GB RAM.

You will also have a wide range of choices for the storage space ranging from as low as 128 GB to as high as 1 TB. For drawing, we recommend 256 GB while for animation, we recommend 512 GB to 1 TB storage space.

The overall tablet size and weight a medium, making this tablet easily portable. Additionally, the long battery life of up to 15.5 hours will allow you to easily work on the go even without a power source.

Microsoft Book 3 – An Older Microsoft laptop studio

• Screen Size: 15 inches
• Resolution: 3000 x 2000 pixels
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti
• Processor: Intel Core i7
• Storage Space: 512 GB
• RAM: 32 GB

Microsoft brought to the market the Microsoft Book Series, and it has never been the same again. This is because every time you come across the products, you realize something unique about the build, design, and features of the embody.

For one, the laptop is a 2-in-1 gadget, originally a drawing tablet with a detachable keyboard to transform it into a drawing laptop.

The screen size is large enough for a working area, with a small build designed for easy mobility and portability. If you are in search of a larger model, you are well taken care of by a 15-inch diagonal screen size that is lovely for gaming.

The powerful and fast 10th Gen Intel Core combines with a high 32 GB RAM level, to provide you with a fast and efficient laptop for drawing.

 Additionally, your GPU is handled by the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti, which is perfect for both efficient renderings of files and gaming.

As for internal storage, both sizes come with the same internal size, ranging from 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB to the massive 2 TB SSD sizes.

An added advantage is the internal storage is upgradable making it easy to increase to your liking.

Drawing is what this tablet is specialized to do with a quality Microsoft Surface Pen 3 exposing you to an impressive 4096 level of pressure sensitivity. This allows you to have a natural canvas-to-pen experience with the production of authentic and well-detailed strokes.

You can write, draw, and navigate via the Microsoft Surface 3 touchscreen. Moreover, the 13’ model display is to die for since the screen resolution is a massive 3000 by 2000 pixels and when you add a 1600:1 contrast ratio, the visuals only get better.

The 15-inch model only gets better, with a lovely 3450 by 2160 level of screen resolution.

Lenovo Idea pad Duet Chromebook Best Budget for Drawing

• Screen Size: 10.1 inches
• Resolution: 1920 x 1200 Pixels
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage Space: 64 GB
• Operating System: Chrome OS
• Processor: MediaTek Helio P60T
• Battery Life: 10 hours

Budget can be an issue for beginners and the Lenovo Idea pad Duet Chromebook ensures you get a great product at an affordable price.

It goes for below $300 and if you compare the price with other laptops in this article you can see the large difference in prices.

However, it is quite obvious there are a few features you will find less in comparison to its competitors.

To begin with, the CPU is run by the Media-Tek Helio P60T, exposing you to 1.2GHz worth of processing speed. This is backed up by 4 GB RAM and to be honest, is quite low and you may experience some lagging when rendering and using multiple programs simultaneously.

Additionally, the ARM G72 MP3 is responsible for the Graphics Processing Unit and this may back up the low RAM levels the laptop contains.

Similar to the RAM, the internal storage of 64 GB is quite low compared to the rest, but you actually can work with it.

The screen display is lovely with 1920 by 1200 screen resolution levels enhancing your visuals for rich and crisp colors.

Furthermore, IPS technology aligns liquid crystals in parallel to enhance color production for a better visual.

The 10.1-inch touchscreen combines with the USI Active Pen to expose to you a quality drawing experience. The pen offers you 4096 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, producing quality drawing conditions for artists and designers.

It is however not battery-free but once charged you will be able to use it for close to 150 days without the need to plug it into a charger.

HP Spectre x360 – Best Value Tablet for Drawing

• Screen Size: 13.5 inches
• Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Pixels, Touchscreen
• RAM: 16 GB
• Storage: 2 TB
• Processor: Intel Core i7
• Brightness Level: 1000 nits
• Fingerprint Reader

The 15.6-inch HP Spectre x360 harbors quite a large working area and when you combine this with the impressively featured screen and processor features it is a great laptop for gaming.

The problem may come up with the size and weight leaving it out on mobility and portability.

When it comes to processing the Spectre x360 is powered by Intel Core i7-10510U processors for a memory speed of 1.8 GHz.

When you combine this with 16 GB RAM levels and the Intel Iris Xe Graphics or are offered a powerful and efficient gadget for drawing and file rendering.

As for the internal storage, you get to store more of your large files comfortably courtesy of the 512 GB internal storage size.

The visuals are well brought out since the laptop unveils a lovely UHD 3840 by 2160 level of screen resolution. It only gets better when you consider the addition of the IPS technology on the screen making the colors come out richer and better.

The Spectre x360 uses an HP Spectre x360 pen for drawing and they blend in quite nicely with touchscreen features.

However, the pen presents you with 1024 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, which are quite low compared to other pens in the field.

In their defense, the strokes come out cleaner and delicate, you certainly won’t have that much of a bad experience.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 – Best Laptop for Professionals

• Screen Size: 14 inches
• Resolution: 1920 x 1200 Pixels, Touchscreen
• RAM: 8 GB
• Storage: 256 / 512 GB
• Processor: 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5
• Brightness Level: 400 nits
• Fingerprint Reader

If you are a professional looking for a laptop to help you spice your drawings and efficient productivity then the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6, is for you.

The Intel Core i7-1185G7 are powerful and fast processors and they play the part to deliver a stunning 2.8GHz memory speed. When you place that together with the Intel Iris GPU plus 16GB RAM, you get yourself an efficient and fast laptop for drawing and gaming.

 Additionally, the laptop enhances your storage area offering you a lovely 512GB internal storage size for saving files and documents.

The 14-inch screen size is a good size for a working area and is quite small meaning easy to move around with.

A touch screen is key in making it possible to draw using the laptop, but the display should also match the technology. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 offers you a screen resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels and this provides quality and detailed color reproduction.

Drawing is encouraged by the touchscreen feature and you can go ahead and draw using the ThinkPad Pen 10. It offers a lovely 4096 level of pen pressure sensitivity, unveiling a natural canvas to pen experience with authentic line production.

To add to that, the pen is lightweight and the design it is built with makes it comfortable to use for long working hours with minimum fatigue.

Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo – The Best 2 in 1 laptop drawing pad

• Screen Size: 14.5 inches
• Resolution: ‎2560 x 1600 pixels, Touchscreen
• Aspect Ratio: 16:10
• GPU: 8 GB NVIDIA Geforce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU
• Processor: 13th generation Intel Core i9-13900H
• Pen Support: ASUS Pen 2.0
• Pen Pressure Levels: 4096 pressure levels
• RAM: 32 GB
• Storage Space: 2 TB

If you are not on a tight budget, the Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is one of the Best 2-in-1 laptop drawing pads that you can buy for both drawing and animation.

The screen is large at 14.5 inches and I made it seem even larger thanks to its 16:10 aspect ratio. It is fully touch-sensitive ‎with 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution for a clear and crisp display.

Its processing power stands out with a unique 13th generation Intel Core i9 processor and large 32 GB RAM. This will not lag even when running powerful animation applications.

An 8 GB NVIDIA Geforce RTX 4060 Laptop graphic processing unit further makes it fast and reliable.

The Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo can either be used as a laptop or a drawing tablet. As a tablet, is compatible with ASUS Pen 2.0, which allows a pen-to-paper-like drawing experience.

4096 pressure levels on the pen and 4 free interchangeable pen tips that come on purchase, will help kick start your drawing career.

Although the pen will charge reasonably fast, it would be better if the pen was battery-free. Finally, the Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo does not come cheap.

You will have to spend a little extra to buy one. You however will not regret it.

How to Choose the Best Laptop for Drawing

Processors and RAM

Processors are one of the most important features of a laptop. They help to reduce lagging by increasing CPU speeds.

Powerful processors are mostly the newest in generations and when combined with high levels of RAM, working on the laptop is quite efficient.

Additionally, RAM also plays a part in enabling the laptop to run multiple programs simultaneously, without slowing the speeds.

While most may believe that the Graphics Processing Unit is mostly responsible for Graphics, it is best used for video rendering and unlocking Gaming possibilities. Latest GPU technologies overpower traditional tech.

Screen Size and Resolution

Large screen-sized laptops might be the preferred option for the large working area, but small laptops also come through in terms of portability and mobility.

One important screen feature is the screen resolution. Everyone loves an HD screen with crisp and rich color representation. The standard resolution level is 1920 by 1080 and the higher the resolution, the better the experience.

Moreover, different companies embed different technologies like full laminated technology, IPS technology, and Anti-glare technology. These technologies help enhance your visual quality in terms of reducing parallax and increasing transparency.

Lastly, a good touchscreen effect on a drawing laptop will go to great lengths to enable a seamless experience when you bring a compatible stylus on board.

Stylus Pen

A drawing laptop is only as good as the interaction between the pen and the screen. A quality stylus with high levels of pen pressure sensitivity offers you a natural experience, with authentic stroke production.

Additional features like faster response rate, reading height, and resolution play a part in making the stylus responsive and an instant and lag-free moment.

Though most users do not use this feature, an added tilt function support can do your brush and paint game some good.

Internal storage

Large internal storage comes in handy all day. Whether you need a laptop for entertainment or professional use, a small storage unit may put you off sometimes.

The internal storage of 128 GB to 2 TB may sound just right for long-term storage for your files and documents.

Price

The amount of money you intend to spend will highly influence the type of laptop you will go for. You will need to not only consider the laptop’s purchase price but the price of the required accessories as well.

Laptop or Tablet, Which one is best for drawing

A tablet is a better device for drawing than a laptop. This is made possible by a natural pen-like stylus on a tablet and the full touch-sensitive screen on a tablet that mimics paper.

Best Laptops for Drawing and Animation

1. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio – Best Overall
2. Apple MacBook Pro M2 – Best Laptop for Animation
3. Microsoft Surface Pro 9 – Best Runner Up
4. Microsoft Book 3 – An Older Microsoft laptop studio
5. HP Spectre x360 – Best Value for Money