The best laptops for photo editing, according to expert editors and photographers

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Spectre x360 14.

Who it's for:

For thrifty shoppers that need both a tablet and a laptop, the HP Spectre x360 14 is a stellar option. Its hinges are stronger in this most recent model, and the beveled-edge chassis is a sleek sight to behold. It’s also a great pick for anyone who needs a delightfully clicky, springy keyboard.

Why we picked this:

The HP Spectre x360 14 was one of the first Windows laptops we tested that actually had great battery life, a welcome change for long-time Windows users. On top of that, it’s equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, which delivered an impressive Geekbench 6 score worthy of calling it “the most powerful Windows laptop” at the time of review.

Tech editor Kimberly Gedeon also had great things to say about the laptop’s keyboard, display, and speakers. Gedeon says she “couldn’t stop typing” on the Spectre x360 14’s larger, rhythmic keys. Then, the laptop’s display is “eye-catching,” with “rich, colorful visuals,” and crisp sound that “would definitely be a decadent piece of apple pie” if sound were edible.

If you’re searching for a 2-in-1 laptop, there’s a good chance you might want to use the webcam on video chats with the laptop in tablet mode. Luckily, in a laptop market full of lackluster webcams, the HP Spectre x360 14 has a 9-megapixel webcam that’s sharp, “excellent at recreating colors,” and features a wide viewing angle.

One of the only downsides to consider before buying the Spectre 360 14 is an oddly placed USB-C port. Right next to the only other USB-C port on the back right edge, there’s a USB-C port on the corner. If your charging setup is to your right or you don’t mind maneuvering a cable, this minor con won’t be a dealbreaker.

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3).

Who it's for:

The M3 MacBook Pro is best suited for creatives who regularly run processor-intensive apps — photo and video editing software, for example. Its long battery life and high-quality speakers also make it a solid pick for anyone who likes to listen to music during marathon work sessions. You may just want this MacBook because it's Apple's most recent MacBook Pro release, which is also okay! However, if you're not using power-hungry apps every day, we think your money may be better spent elsewhere, perhaps on an older model.

Why we picked this:

Apple's recently released MacBook Pro equipped with the M3 chip is one of the most powerful MacBook models on the market. Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon praised the laptop for its performance and battery life, as it was able to handle heavy usage for around 17 hours. She also noted the display as a highlight, not only for the beauty of the Liquid Retina XDR screen, but also for its size. The 14-inch model is, in our opinion, the perfect median between the MacBook's usual 13-inch and 16-inch options. Gedeon also enjoyed the device's audio system, saying that this MacBook Pro in particular "arguably has the best set of speakers on the laptop market."

Unfortunately, the M3 MacBook Pro is one of the most expensive MacBooks out there, so make sure you're ready for the investment before you lock in your choice. The selection of ports is also pretty underwhelming on this model — you'll have to be willing to switch over to a mostly-USB-C setup.

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.

Who it's for:

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is an unconventional and versatile machine for deep-pocketed professional artists. Gedeon also "[recommended] this laptop for differently abled users who could take full advantage of [its] adaptive touch trackpad feature."

Why we picked this:

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is, as its name suggests, a laptop. But the unique pull-forward design of its 120Hz, 14.4-inch touchscreen display means it can also "transform into a digital easel and a tablet," said Gedeon, "[making] it an artist's playground." Just like its predecessor from 2021, it's fine-tuned for drawing, sketching, and other creative work — though it still doesn't come bundled with a stylus, which feels like a silly omission on Microsoft's part. (It does have built-in storage and charging for the Surface Slim Pen 2, at least.) Notably, though, its silky-smooth haptic touchpad has an adaptive touch mode for users with limited mobility; it's the same one on the Surface Laptop 7.

Things start looking more familiar once you move inside the Surface Laptop Studio 2, as far as higher-end laptops go. There's a desktop-grade Intel Core H-Series processor and an Intel Iris Xe graphics card in the base model, which you can opt to upgrade to a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU for more oomph. It's not technically a Copilot+ PC, since it doesn't have a Snapdragon X Series CPU, but it does have an NPU that equips its 1080p webcam with Windows Studio Effects. It also counts a microSD card reader among its ample array of ports. All that machinery means it's quite a bit heavy and doesn't last very long away from a power supply, so it'll probably pass on plein air doodling sessions in favor of staying parked on a desk.

Read Mashable's full review of the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch.

Who it's for:

HP's Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is a low-cost, large-screened laptop for those who work in the Google productivity ecosystem and watch a lot of YouTube in their free time. If you like numpads, all the better.

Why we picked this:

This HP Chromebook Plus is helmed by a huge, vibrant display that blew me away when I reviewed it: "The colors are intense, with good contrast and rich blacks, and an anti-reflective panel preserves that quality at most viewing angles," to quote my write-up. I loved using it for movie-watching and light gaming (via Xbox Game Pass). On the clock, it was fast enough to handle my daily workflow, which involves a lot of Gmailing and Google Meeting, though its battery life disappointingly drained before the end of my eight-hour shift. I also found it hard to listen to anything playing on it while naked-eared: Its speakers stink.

As one of eight new Chromebook Plus devices, this puppy comes with some interesting new software extras like File Sync, AI-powered webcam settings, and support for some multimedia tools (including Google Magic Eraser and Adobe Express). None of them felt revolutionary in my testing, but they're decent value-adds for such a cheap machine.

Read Mashable's full review of the Asus Zenbook Duo laptop.

Who it's for:

Working with multiple monitors can be a huge advantage for photo editors, and the Asus Zenbook Duo offers dual displays and a detachable keyboard in a single laptop. The device's stacked screens allow you to work on more than one screen without giving up the convenience of a laptop, which saves a ton of space and maintains portability. Add in solid performance, and you've got a great option for jumping between photo editing apps without having to minimize a bunch of windows. It's truly a whole workspace shrunk down into one laptop.

If you prize a crisp OLED display, multitasking, and plenty of screen space in a photo editing laptop, then this is a worthy alternative to a MacBook or Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. Plus, for early adopters who love innovative design, it just looks really cool.

Why we picked this:

“Single-display laptops are now canceled,” Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon wrote in her review of the Asus ZenBook Duo laptop. The portable workstation comes with two 1900 x 1200, 14-inch OLED screens stacked on top of one another, making it effortless to switch between two screens while you edit photos. More screen space means more multitasking, and luckily this machine has all the specs to make that happen, including up to 32GB of RAM.

The ZenBook Duo laptop comes with an included stylus (we're side-eyeing the Microsoft Laptop Studio 2 right now, as its stylus costs extra), and did we mention that one of the screens is touch-enabled? The laptop also brings a great variety of ports, which allows for even more screens — you can connect an external monitor using HDMI, USB-A, or a Thunderbolt cable.

If you're a multitasking photo editor (which you probably are), you'll find a lot to love about the Asus ZenBook Duo laptop.