---
title: 'The Best & Worst Laptops for Graphic Design in 2026'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=fZDd-gQzhec'
video_id: 'fZDd-gQzhec'
date: 2026-08-24
duration_sec: 576
channel: '10BestOnes'
---

# The Best & Worst Laptops for Graphic Design in 2026

> Source: [The Best & Worst Laptops for Graphic Design in 2026](https://youtube.com/watch?v=fZDd-gQzhec)

## Summary

This video provides a rapid-fire review of 20 laptops for graphic design, giving a personal verdict on each. The creator evaluates performance, display quality, portability, and build, offering a mix of 'buy' and 'skip' recommendations. The focus is on practical, honest opinions rather than technical deep dives.

### Key Points

- **MacBook Pro 16: Powerhouse with a Weight Issue** [00:01] — The 16-inch MacBook Pro is a desktop replacement with excellent battery life and a bright screen, but it's heavy. Verdict: Buy for raw power.
- **MacBook Pro 14: Performance in a Smaller Frame** [00:43] — The 14-inch model offers the same performance in a smaller size, but the screen feels cramped and the notch is a design flaw. Verdict: Maybe, prefer the 16-inch.
- **Asus ProArt P16: Color Accuracy, but Loud Fans** [01:13] — The ProArt P16 has a color-accurate display and a dedicated dial, but the fans are very loud and software integration is poor. Verdict: No.
- **Asus ZenBook Duo: Gimmicky Dual-Screen Setup** [01:50] — The dual-screen design causes glare and neck pain, and the keyboard attachment feels flimsy. Verdict: No, it's a gimmick.
- **Dell XPS 16: Minimalist Design, Functional Flaws** [02:17] — The XPS 16 looks futuristic but has a problematic touch-sensitive function row and lacks ports. Verdict: Maybe, but frustrating to use.
- **Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: Overheating Workstation** [02:44] — The ThinkPad P1 gets too hot and throttles under load, despite a good keyboard. Verdict: No, the Yoga Pro 9i is a better value.
- **Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: The Best Balance** [03:09] — The Yoga Pro 9i balances power and display quality well, with manageable fan noise. Verdict: Yes, it delivers on performance.
- **MSI Creator Z17 HX: Overpriced and Bloated** [03:37] — The MSI Creator has a fragile hinge and aggressive software bloat, making it a poor value. Verdict: No.
- **HP ZBook Fury 16: Powerful but Impractical** [04:06] — The ZBook Fury is powerful but has terrible battery life and is very heavy. Verdict: Maybe, for desk-bound users needing ports.
- **Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360: Thin but Flimsy** [04:36] — The Galaxy Book has a gorgeous screen but flexes under stylus pressure and lacks cooling. Verdict: Maybe, for light sketching only.
- **Gigabyte Aero 16 OLED: Great Screen, Buggy Software** [05:02] — The Aero 16 has a beautiful OLED display but the software suite is unstable and crashes. Verdict: No.
- **Surface Laptop Studio 2: Premium Price, Weird Form Factor** [05:35] — The Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a unique hinge but feels fragile and is overpriced. Verdict: Maybe, for specific drawing needs.
- **ASUS ProArt PX13: Portable and Powerful** [06:02] — The ProArt PX13 is portable, handles heavy rendering, and stays cool. Verdict: Yes, it's a great on-the-go machine.
- **ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14: Gaming Laptop, Not for Creatives** [06:29] — The G14 has loud fans and limited ports, making it better for gaming than professional work. Verdict: Maybe, for gamers who design.
- **Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Reliable Workhorse** [06:55] — The Legion Pro 7i is a heavy, ugly brick that performs reliably without drama. Verdict: Yes, for those who prioritize function over form.
- **HP OmniBook 7: Underpowered for Design** [07:24] — The OmniBook 7 is fine for basic tasks but chokes on complex renders. Verdict: No, it's overpriced for its performance.
- **Lenovo ThinkPad P16S Gen 3: Durable but Dull** [07:50] — The ThinkPad P16S is a workhorse with a poor, dim screen. Verdict: Maybe, for durability over display quality.
- **Acer Swift Go 14: Light but Cheaply Built** [08:20] — The Swift Go is light with a good screen, but the build quality is poor and the fan is loud. Verdict: Maybe, as a budget option.
- **Razer Blade 14: Powerful and Stylish** [08:35] — The Razer Blade 14 handles design software well and looks great, but runs hot and is expensive. Verdict: Yes, for power and aesthetics.
- **Dell Precision 3591: Overpriced and Unremarkable** [09:04] — The Dell Precision is heavy, clunky, and offers nothing special for the price. Verdict: No.

### Conclusion

The video concludes with a summary of the best and worst laptops for graphic design, emphasizing that the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i and ASUS ProArt PX13 are top picks, while the MSI Creator Z17 and Dell Precision 3591 are to be avoided. The creator encourages viewers to ask questions in the comments and provides links to all products in the description.

## Transcript

graphic design are worth your money, stick around. After we run through each product, I'll give you my personal take. Would I buy it or would I skip it? No fluff, just my honest opinion. Let's get into it. Apple MacBook Pro 16. This
massive slab of aluminum is basically a desktop replacement that actually fits in a bag and runs for an eternity on battery. The screen [music] is so bright it could probably signal aliens, but carrying this heavy brick around all day
is a genuine workout for your spine. Would I buy it? Yes, because when you need to render heavy projects without hunting for an outlet, nothing else even comes close to this level of raw power. Apple MacBook Pro 14. You get all that
insane performance stuffed into a smaller frame, which is perfect until you realize the screen real estate feels like working through a mail slot. It intense exports, [music] and the notch at the top still looks
like a design mistake from 5 years ago. Would I buy it? Maybe, because while it is technically a beast, I would rather just deal with the extra weight of the 16-in model than [music] squint at this tiny display all day. Asus ProArt P16.
This machine is clearly trying to be the cool kid at the design studio with its dedicated dial and color accurate display that makes everything look gorgeous. The fans scream [music] like a jet engine taking off the moment you
open a complex file, and the software integration feels like it was coded by someone who hates joy. Would I buy it? No, because for [music] this kind of cash, I expect a machine that does not sound like it is about to explode every
sound like it is about to explode every time I move a layer. Asus ZenBook Duo. Having two screens sounds like a dream for multitasking, until you realize you're just doubling the amount of glare and neck pain you have to deal with. The
keyboard attachment is a flimsy nightmare that feels like it might snap making the whole setup feel like a glorified science experiment. Would I buy [music] it? No, because it is a gimmicky mess that
makes me miss having a normal, reliable laptop that does not require a manual to laptop that does not require a manual to assemble. Dell XPS 16. This laptop looks like a futuristic spaceship on my desk, but the touch-sensitive function row is
a hilarious disaster that I accidentally trigger every single time I try to hit escape. It tries so hard to be minimalist that [music] it forgets to include enough ports for a real workflow, forcing me to live that dongle
life forever. Would I buy it? Maybe, because it is stunning to look at and handles design work well, but I honestly hate using it for more than an [music] hate using it for more than an [music] hour at a time. Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen
7. This thing is a total tank [music] that acts like a workstation, but feels like it wants to be a sleek ultrabook, which just results in it getting hotter than the surface of the sun. The keyboard is fantastic, but I am tired of
throttles the second I open a heavy project. Would I buy it? No, because the Yoga Pro 9i does the same job for less money without the identity crisis.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i. I actually love how this machine balances raw power with a display that makes my eyes happy, even if the fan noise sounds like a jet engine preparing for takeoff. It handles creative suites like a champ and does
not try to pretend it is something it is not. Would I buy [music] it? Yes, because it's the only one here that actually delivers on performance without making me want to throw it out a window. MSI Creator Z17 HX Studio. This laptop
[music] is massive, heavy, and comes with a hinge that feels like it might snap if I look at it wrong, which is a joke for this price point. It has a nice screen, but the software bloat is so aggressive that I spent more time
uninstalling garbage than actually designing anything. Would I buy it? No, because it is an overpriced paperweight that is trying way too hard to look cool while failing [music] at the basics. HP ZBook Fury 16 G11. This is a loud,
chunky monster that is clearly built for people who never actually leave their desk and enjoy carrying a brick in their backpack. It is powerful enough to render anything, but the battery life is so pathetic that I am basically tethered
ages. [music] Would I buy it? Maybe, because if you absolutely need every port known to man and do not care about portability, it gets the job done. Samsung Galaxy Book 5 [music] Pro 360. The screen is gorgeous
and it is incredibly thin, but trying to do serious graphic design on a flimsy two-in-one that flexes when I press the stylus is a nightmare. It feels more like a giant tablet [music] that got lost rather than a real creative
machine. And the lack of proper cooling makes it stutter under any real pressure. Would I buy it? Maybe, because it is fine for light sketching on the couch, but do not expect it to replace a real
Gigabyte Aero 16 [music] OLED. This thing has a screen that will make your eyeballs melt in the best way possible, but the software suite is a buggy nightmare that crashes if you look at it wrong. I spent more time fighting
with Control Center update than actually editing photos, which is a massive vibe it? [music] No, because I am not paid to be an unpaid beta tester for their software team. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.
trick until you realize it makes the whole chassis feel like it is held together by hope and dreams. It is powerful enough for design work, but you are paying a massive premium for a weird form factor that nobody actually asked
for. Would I buy it? Maybe, if you have money to burn and really need that specific screen tilt for drawing, but otherwise, it is just an expensive desk otherwise, it is just an expensive desk ornament. ASUS ProArt PX13. This little
beast is shockingly portable and handles heavy rendering without turning into a literal space heater on my lap. It feels like they actually listened to designers instead of just cramming specs into a box and calling it a day. Would I buy
it? Yes, because it is the only machine here that does not make me want to throw it out the window when I'm working on the go. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14. Everyone treats this laptop like it is the holy grail, but the fan noise under load
sounds like a jet engine trying to take off from my desk. It is a gaming laptop pretending to be a professional device, and the lack of port variety is a constant headache when I just want to plug in my peripherals. Would I buy it?
Maybe, if you are a gamer who occasionally does design work, but for [music] a pure creative workflow, it is just too loud and annoying. Lenovo just too loud and annoying. Lenovo Legion Pro 7i. This absolute unit is a
chunky brick that barely fits in my bag, but it crushes every task I throw at it without breaking a sweat. It is not pretty, it is not subtle, and it is [music] definitely not for people who care about aesthetics, but it just works
every single time I open the lid. Would I buy it? Yes, because sometimes you just need a reliable tank that gets the job done without any unnecessary drama. HP OmniBook 7. This thing looks like it was designed by someone who hates fun
and wants me to stare at a spreadsheet for eternity. The performance is fine for basic tasks, but it chokes the second I try to render anything remotely complex. Would I buy it? No, because it is basically a glorified calculator that
costs way too much money. Lenovo ThinkPad [music] P16S Gen 3. I feel like I am back in a corporate cubicle hellscape every time I touch this bland
plastic slab. It is a workhorse for sure, but the screen brightness is so pathetic that I have [music] to squint like a mole just to see my color grades. Would I buy it? Maybe, because it will survive a nuclear blast, even if using
it makes me want to cry. Acer Swift Go 14. This laptop is shockingly light, which is great until you realize the build quality feels like it was held together by dreams and cheap tape. The screen is actually gorgeous for the
price, but the fan noise sounds like a jet engine trying to take off in my >> Would I buy it? Maybe, because it is cheap enough to replace when the hinge inevitably snaps in 2 months. Razer Blade 14. This machine is a beast that
handles graphic design software like a hot knife through butter while looking cooler than everything else on my desk. It runs hot enough to fry an egg on the straight-up [music] crime against my bank account. Would I buy it? Yes,
because I am a sucker for power, and I enjoy having a laptop that does not look like a boring office toy. Dell Precision Mobile Workstation 3591. This is the definition of an identity crisis, acting like [music] a pro
laptop that got lost on its way to the factory. It is heavy, clunky, and makes me wonder why I did not just buy the Razer instead for the same ridiculous price. Would I buy it? No, because it is an overpriced paperweight that offers
absolutely nothing special for a creative professional. Thanks for watching. I hope this video helped you pick the best [music] laptop for graphic design for you. If you have any questions, drop a comment below. Links
to all of these products mentioned in this video will be in the description.