Opting for the optimal budget laptop for UI/UX designers can prove to be quite a daunting task. An ideal laptop for designers must boast a robust processor, spacious storage, and ample RAM. Additionally, a high-resolution display is crucial to facilitate seamless working.
UI/UX designers are responsible for designing the functionality and aesthetics of websites or products. They aim to create designs that are user-friendly, visually appealing, and easy to navigate.
To do this, they need a high-quality computer or laptop. This article tells you about the best laptops for UI/UX designers and what you should consider when looking for one.
There are many different types of laptops from many brands, and it can be hard to decide which is the best for a UI UX designer.
Things to Consider while Choosing the Best UX Designer Laptop:
You must consider five important things when looking for a UI/UX designer laptop. Make sure your laptop has all of these features.
Central Processing Unit (CPU):
It is also called a processor. The computer needs to have this for it to work. The CPU helps the computer carry out instructions that programs ask it to do.
UI UX designers should use an Intel Core i7 or i5 processor. If you have a limited budget, you can also go for an i3 processor, but it will be slow.
If you want an even faster processor, you can get an i9, but it will be very expensive.
Also Read: Beginner’s laptop buying guides
Screen Size:
UI UX design makes a product or website easy and fun to use. The display of a laptop is very important for this reason.
Screen size is important when you are choosing a UI-UX laptop. The bigger the screen, the more expensive the laptop will be.
It is because larger laptops usually have better specs than smaller laptops. Keep in mind the resolution of your laptop screen when you are doing UI UX or UI design work.
We recommend at least you should buy a Full HD (1920×1080) resolution for high-quality work, but if you can afford it, go for a 4K screen.
If you don’t mind things being crowded on your screen, a 13 or 14-inch screen size will work fine. But if a 13-inch display doesn’t work for you, go for a 15 or 17-inch size.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU):
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is the part of the computer that is responsible for doing the graphics tasks.
UX designers need laptops with good graphics and screens. Getting a laptop with a graphics card is a good idea for people who want to be UI UX designers.
GPUs come in two categories. You can pick according to your budget and requirements.
- Integrated GPU
- Dedicated GPU
Integrated GPU:
It is called integrated because the GPU is a part of the CPU. This kind of GPU is cheaper and more common in cheaper laptops. But these are not powerful.
Dedicated GPU:
The second is a GPU on a separate chip, which is more expensive and powerful. This one is also known as a dedicated GPU.
Some designers don’t need the best GPU. They mostly use vector-based tools. But if you want to work on more than one tool simultaneously, You should invest some money in GPU.
Random Access Memory (RAM):
Your laptop’s “random-access memory” is like its brain. It is where it stores files and programs that you use every day. That way, you can quickly access them when you need them.
Your computer will use more ram if you run more tasks or applications simultaneously. RAM remembers all the information your application needs to start up quickly.
When you start an application a second time, you’ll notice that it starts faster than before. 8Gb RAM is considered average.
But if you want to run your design applications smoothly, you need at least 16 GB of RAM. More is always better. RAM is cheap to upgrade, an important spec for budget laptop for UI/UX designers.
Internal Storage:
There are two main types of storage on a computer. You can have a solid-state drive (SSD) or a hard drive (HDD).
The storage of the latest high-quality laptop for ux design is a solid-state drive (SSD).
A solid-state drive is a lot quicker than the traditional HDD, and it also has fewer moving parts, makes less sound, and uses less power.
The only downside of an SSD is it is more expensive. If you are looking for the best budget laptop for a UI UX designer, you should choose a model with 256GB SSD or larger because your files are likely to be large.
Choosing between Mac or Windows for UI UX design:
When choosing the best laptop for UI UX designer, the first thing to decide is if you want a Mac or Windows computer.
A long time ago, Macs were the best for design. But you can use a Windows PC for designing tasks as well these days.
Most designers still use Macs because Sketch (a program designers use) is only available on macOS. Nobody knows why this is the case.
You don’t have to choose only a Mac as a UI or UX designer. Many people do, but there are other reasons to consider too.
Ask yourself these two questions to help make your decision:
- What one among Mac or Windows do my colleagues use?
- Do I own a Windows or Mac laptop before?
Some people think that you should get the same computer as your colleagues. They say this because these computers will be easy to use as your colleagues are already working on them. So, if all of your colleagues have a Mac, you may get one too.
And if you had already used any Mac or Windows laptop before and were satisfied with them then again, go for it.
Some people also think Macs are more expensive than Windows laptops, but this isn’t always true. The high-end MacBook Pro is expensive, but so is the Surface Book 3.
Tips for Getting Cheap Laptops for UI UX Designers:
If you can’t afford expensive laptops, you may be wondering how you can find cheap laptops for UX designers. Here are some tips:
- Choose a second-hand laptop instead of a brand-new one. You can get great deals on laptops that are slightly used.
- Look for sales and discounts. Many stores offer sales and discounts on laptops from time to time. Keep an eye out for these deals.
- Look at laptops that have smaller screens. You can often find the same laptop model in different sizes. The smaller laptops are cheaper.
If you have a limited budget, you can get a 13-inch instead of a 15 or 17-inch screen. It will save you some money.
- Get a laptop with an i3 or i5 processor. The i7 is great, but it comes at a higher price tag. The i5 will still perform well for most UX design tasks.
- Think about getting a laptop with less storage. You can save money if you get a model with less storage. You might also want to consider an HDD instead of an SSD.
- If your budget is limited, you can find a laptop with 4GB of RAM, but know that it will not work well for your needs. It is better to have more RAM if you can afford it.
Best laptop for UI UX Designer in 2022
To help you decide, we have compiled a list of the best laptops for UI/UX designers in 2022.
Apple MacBook Pro
Specification:
RAM 8GB RAM
Processor Apple’s M1 Chip
Storage 256GB
GPU SSD Graphics Apple 8-core
Display 13.3″ Retina Display
Operating System macOS
Weight 1.4 KG
According to many designers, the Apple MacBook Pro is the best UX/UI design laptop. It has a “Retina display,” which gives very accurate colors and makes everything look crisp.
It also has great performance and can do a lot of multitasking, thanks to its M1 chip. The 8GB of RAM will help you do things quickly if you like to switch between programs. And the 256GB SSD will store your important files safely.
Obviously it is not a budget laptop for UI UX designers because it is expensive but it will be totally worth it.
We picked the MacBook Pro because it has a touch bar, making it easier to work. The battery life is really good on this laptop, so it will last all day without needing to be charged again.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Specifications:
RAM 8GB RAM
Processor 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
Storage 512GB SSD
Graphics Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Display 13.5” multi-touch Display
Operating System Windows 10
Weight 1.28 KG
This laptop has a great display. The resolution is very good and will show your work or pictures well. It also has a Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. It means that it can do a lot of things quickly and easily. So it is another best laptop for UI UX designers.
Having an SSD is a must-have in this day and age. When you have an SSD, your laptop will start up faster and have a better overall experience.
With 512GB of storage, you’ll have plenty of space for all your files on the new Microsoft Surface laptop. This laptop is very portable, it only weighs 2.76 pounds. So you can easily take it with you when you travel.
Plus, the battery life is excellent; Microsoft says the battery will last up to 17 hours on a single charge. It is it if you’re looking for a great laptop for designers.
ASUS ZenBook 13
Specification:
RAM 8GB RAM
Processor 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
Storage 256GB SSD
Graphics Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Display 13.3″ OLED Full HD Display
Operating System Windows 10
Weight 1.1 KG
The Asus ZenBook 13 is a good laptop that costs less than 800$. So you can get this if you’re looking for the best budget laptop for UI UX designer.
This laptop is perfect for people who want a powerful and portable laptop at an affordable price. It has a great display with sharp and colorful colors.
You can get an OLED display on this laptop, improving your work. It is compact and small, but it has powerful components for UI-UX design.
This laptop is good because it doesn’t compromise quality. The laptop has a high-quality feel, even though it’s affordable.
You’ll like this laptop, especially because of the 11th generation Core i5 processor. This powerful processor will let you do lots of things on your UI-UX laptop.
The 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD combo make it worth double. And it’s light so you can carry it wherever you go.
HP Spectre 13T
Specification:
RAM 16GB RAM
Processor 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7
Storage 512GB SSD
Graphics Intel Iris Plus Graphics
Display 13.3″ 4K UHD OLED touch screen display
Operating System Windows 10
Weight 1.26 KG
The Spectre 13T has a 4K OLED display, which looks very good. The colors are excellent, and the picture quality is great. Plus, it has a nice touchscreen.
Another cool thing about this laptop is that it comes with a Stylus pen. This can help improve your designs.
Overall, this laptop has a cool design that looks futuristic and high-quality. It’s sure to impress anyone who sees it.
The Intel Core i7 10th generation is a very fast processor. This means you will be able to work faster. The 16GB will ensure that all your programs run quickly, even if they are open simultaneously.
The Spectre 13T has a fast bootup time because of its 512GB SSD. Another good thing about the Spectre 13T is that it doesn’t overheat, no matter what you’re doing on it.
Even better, the battery life is long, so you don’t have to worry about charging it all the time. If you’re looking for a great laptop that doesn’t have any problems, the HP Spectre 13 is a good choice.
Conclusion:
Finding the best budget laptop for a UI/UX designer isn’t easy because there are so many different laptops out there, and they all have different specs.
It depends on what you need and wants from a laptop. If you’re mainly going to be using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc., then you’ll need a powerful processor, good RAM, and a good graphics card.
However, you will be able to get one by following the tips we discussed above.
Although you can pick any laptop we have recommended, our favorite is the Apple MacBook Pro because it is powerful enough to handle any design software and has a beautiful retina display.
It is also very portable, perfect for designers who travel often. But if you are looking for a budget laptop for UI UX designer then ASUS ZenBook 13 is for you.
After going through this guide, we hope you understand better what to look for when choosing the best UI/UX design laptop.
Keep in mind that there is no perfect laptop for everyone. It all depends on your own needs and preferences.
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