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We’ve found some of the best laptops for creative work that you can get on a budget. Read these laptop deals here.
Finding a great laptop for creative work at an affordable price can be a challenge. With so many options, specs, and configurations out there, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. But don’t worry—I’ve done the research and found the best budget-friendly creative laptops that deliver excellent performance for tasks like graphic design, video editing, and digital art.
Just keep in mind you’ll want to consider what you’ll need yours for specifically. For example, if you need colour accuracy, you’ll want one with 100% srgb and for more demanding work you’ll need a decent amount of RAM and a reliable GPU. I’ll do my best to mention these in the list.
| Laptop | Processor | Graphics Card | RAM | Storage | Display | Weight | Ports | Best For | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | Ryzen 5 5600H | RTX 3050 TI | 8GB (Upgradeable to 16GB/32GB) | 512GB SSD | 120Hz Full HD (165Hz option with 100% sRGB) | 4.95 pounds | 2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI | Entry-level gaming & editing | Laptop Deal |
| Acer Swift Go | Ultra 5 processor 125H | Integrated | 8GB LPDDR5 | 512GB SSD | 14-inch OLED (2880x1800) | 2.87 pounds | Limited | Color accuracy & portability | Laptop Deal |
| Acer Swift X | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | RTX 3050 | 8GB LPDDR4X | 512GB SSD | Full HD IPS (100% sRGB) | 3.3 pounds | Limited | Creative tasks with added graphics and AI | Laptop Deal |
| Dell Inspiron 14 | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | AMD Radeon Graphics | 8GB | 512GB SSD | FHD+ | 3.4 pounds | Limited | General use & light design work | Laptop Deal |
| Acer Nitro 5 | Intel Core i5/i7 | RTX 4050 | 8GB / 16GB | 512GB SSD | 15.6-inch Full HD IPS (144Hz) | 4.66 pounds | 3x USB-A,1x USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet | Multipurpose (Gaming & creative work) | 8GB MODEL Laptop Deal 16GB MODEL Laptop Deal |
| HP Victus 15 | Intel Core i5-12450H | RTX 3050 | 32GB | 1TB SSD | 144Hz, 64% sRGB | 5.06 pounds | 2x USB-A, 1x USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI, SD card reader | Entry-level gaming & editing | Laptop Deal |
| Asus TUF Gaming A15 | AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS | RTX 4050 | 16GB | Not specified | 144Hz, 100% sRGB | Close to 5 pounds | Not specified | High-performance creative work & gaming | Laptop Deal |
So, let’s jump straight into our best laptops list, and start with our first pick!
Lenovo IdeaPad gaming 3 – Entry level gaming and editing laptop
I’ve reviewed this one on my channel a few times now and I still think it’s an awesome laptop deal for the price. It may not be the best laptop out there but it’s one of the best laptops for entry level editors and gamers on a budget. It’s really intended as a budget gaming laptop but it’s also a great choice for creative work too, due to its hardware.
This one is equipped with the Ryzen 5 5600H processor and RTX 3050 TI graphics card. It’s not going to be able to handle gaming in super high settings, and the 3000 series cards are getting a little older now with the 5000 series out. But it’s still enough to handle demanding creative software such as Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and other video editing apps. However, if you’re editing quality rich content like 4k at 60 frames then this will struggle especially in something like davinci resole. Better see our other options for more power.
But still, it does have a 120Hz Full HD display with vibrant colours that makes it a good option for video editing and design work. It has around 300 nits in brightness which is about average and I think the colour accuracy isn’t great unless you go for the screen with 165Hz Refresh Rate then it will be 100% srgb but at that rate, it changes the price bracket.
The base model comes with 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD, which is suitable for lighter creative tasks, but those who need more efficiency should consider upgrading to 16GB or even 32GB of RAM to allow for smoother multitasking and improved performance in creative applications.
You also get a nice range of ports including 2 usb-a ports, a usbc, ethernet and HDMI with are the less common.
But as with any gaming laptop, the battery isn’t going to be amazing. Having said that, the ideapad gaming 3 delivers around 8 hours with moderate usage. However, those engaging in intensive creative tasks may find that the battery drains more quickly and it can also get noisy too.
Lenovo LOQ a Better Laptop Deal ?
You can also go for the higher spec model of this laptop for a stronger setup, but then at that rate you’re moving towards mid-range laptops and I’d probably prefer to go for the Lenovo LOQ for the better build quality, AI features and cooling system.
This LOQ model even has 100% srgb so when it comes to display performance for design work, it surpasses the gaming 3. The best laptops for design work really need to have 100% color gamut, especilally if you need colour accuracy. So the next two options are some of the best laptops for display quality on a budget.
Acer Swift Go & Swift X – Some of the best laptops for colour accuracy
Now, if you don’t care too much about gaming and would prefer to balance create work, portability and everyday tasks. Acer swift go and swift x have some good options. The swift go is the cheaper of the two and this one comes with a stunning 14 inch oled display with a resolution of 2880×1800. It also has AI features to help it be more efficient and it’s a touch screen for users to require that functionality.
But it’s not great in performance in terms of demanding tasks. If your budget allows it, the Acer swift x gives you the RTX 3050 gpu with an IPS ful HD display that also puts out 100% srgb. So not quite OLED, but this one has been made specifically for creative tasks in mind and the added graphics really help boost it’s performance. In terms for power, it’s definitely the best laptop of the two.
Dell Inspiron 14 – Cheap laptop, great for general use and light design work
For something much cheaper, the dell inspiron 14 is in the similar category of being lightweight, portable and colour rich especially when you go for the one with the QHD+ display.
But keep in mind, this laptop is really made for portability so its port range is very limited. And while it’s great for tasks and doing creative work that requires colour accuracy, it’s going to struggle with video editing software especially with higher quality video files.
But if budget, portability and light design work with web tools is your priority, this is a good option.
Acer Nitro 5 – One of the best laptops for multipurpose use
If you need something for applications like video editing apps such as daVinci resolve, premier pro and so on. The Acer Nitro 5 is a fantastic laptop deal right now.
This is another one I’ve mentioned before and it’s still an awesome choice. It balances budget, performance and practicality really well. This is another one that’s primarily marketed as a gaming laptop deal, but its specs make it highly suitable for creative professionals who need power for intensive applications.
The combination of an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU ensures that it can handle demanding creative software like Adobe After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and even 3D rendering applications.
It’s a more standard screen size at 15.6 inch and it gives you a full HD IPS display. This one has the intel core i5 13420h processor and the RTX 4050 GPU. The 4050 is the entry graphics to the 4000 series but it’s still better than the previous 3050 gpu reviewed in the lenovo gaming 3 due to it being newer. The standout feature of this laptop has to be it’s 144htz refresh rate. So, you’ll love this for gaming as you’ll be able to experience much smoother playback.
This laptop also has a great range of ports too, only 1 usbc but it does have HDMI and ethernet.
I’ll link two models below, one has the 8gb of RAM and other has 16gb for a little higher price. I’d recommend going for the 16gb as most applications and gaming titles are recommending 16gb now so if you’re budget allows it I think it’s worth it. They come with 512gb ssd which isn’t much but you can always get external hard drives for creative work which is what I use.
However, you can upgrade components if you need more internal space. It has a duel-fan cooling system for better cooling but as with any gaming centered laptop, battery life isn’t amazing. In ideal conditions it can get around 4-5 hours so if portability is a priority, this could be an issue.
The best laptops for video editing on a budget really need a good GPU, the Acer Nitro 5, Lenovo Gaming 3 and Acer Swift X feature some decent hardware for the price. The next two are also some of the best laptops for GPU power on a budget, especially the final choice.
HP Victus 15 – One of the best laptops for entry level gaming and editing
The HP Victus 15 is another solid option for creative work performance on a budget. This one has the 3050 GPU combined with the I5-12450H processor but what stands out is this one is packing a substantial 32 GB of ram and 1 tb SSD giving you enough internal memory. This one also gives you 144htz refresh rate for gaming, so excellent if you want a mix of a laptop for gaming and creative work.
Although in terms of display accuracy, this one isn’t the best. The screen has been noted to cover approximately 64% of the sRGB color gamut so if you need to be colour accurate, you’d require 100%. So, while this one is good for power power and entry level gaming, it’s not great for display performance.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 – One of the best laptops for performance on a budget
For good colour accuracy, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 Laptop has 100% srgb, RTX 4050 GPU combined with the AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS and 16gb of ram. This is the better option for creative work in my opinion however it’s more costly. At the moment there’s currently a sale so it just about fits within budget but I can’t say how long I can keep this one on the list for best laptops for creative work.
This one really does deliver excellent performance for the price, it also has a 144 htz refresh rate like the nitro 5 and the processor puts out 4.5 ghz with the ryzen 7.
However, don’t expect this to be light weight. It does weigh close to 5 pounds and the battery life isn’t great either. You also might want to keep hold of the warranty as a few problems have been reported with some shutting down issues.
But if that doesn’t put you off, this is definitely one of the best laptops and deals on the list despite it being a little pricier. Especially if you want yours for gaming and heavier design work.
But if your not sure about which laptop to choose, try our Laptop Finder Quiz and be matched with instant recommendations.
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