The 3 Best Laptops For Photo Editing of 2025

The best laptop for photo editing we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2024). This premium model is amazing for anything related to visual content creation. With a pixel density of 254 PPI, its Mini LED display is one of the sharpest screens on the market. It gets bright enough to combat intense glare, but if glare is a big issue in your workspace, you can now opt for Apple's nano-texture finish. As usual, the display's factory calibration is superb; unfortunately, it doesn't have full coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, as it can't reproduce the highly saturated greens. Performance is fantastic— the M4 SoCs have more than enough processing power to handle the most complex photo editing tasks. Also new is the addition of Thunderbolt 5 support on the M4 Pro and Max models, boosting file transfer speed up to 120Gbps. 

On the Windows side, we recommend the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024). Also a 14-inch model, this compact gaming laptop is well suited for photo editing. It has plenty of processing power to provide a smooth experience and sports a gorgeous OLED display with near-full Adobe RGB coverage, making it suitable for those in print photography. Plus, it can double as your gaming rig, as there are far more games for Windows than macOS. While the overall user experience is great, its relatively short eight-hour battery life and non-haptic touchpad fall short of the MacBook Pro. Its OLED display also flickers at 120Hz, which may be a dealbreaker for some people who are sensitive to this phenomenon. 

If you don't need a discrete GPU for your workflow, get the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (2024) instead. This premium 2-in-1 convertible has a beautiful 2.8k OLED display with near-full Adobe RGB coverage. The display supports pen input if you prefer working with a stylus, but depending on the retailer, you might need to buy the stylus separately. Its Intel Lunar Lake SoC can handle most photo editing tasks. That said, its integrated graphics can't quite compete with discrete GPUs, so you may see some slowdowns when applying complex filters or blurs. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports for fast file transfers, though there's no dedicated SD card reader. One thing to know: the OLED display has a 480Hz flicker frequency, which may bother people sensitive to flickering, causing eye strain.

For Mac users, we recommend the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2024). This premium ultraportable sports a large, bright 15-inch display that lets you work more comfortably. However, it's an IPS panel, so the contrast ratio is worse than the picks above, and it doesn't have full Adobe RGB coverage (it's missing highly saturated greens). Still, it offers a fantastic user experience. It has a sturdy build, all-day battery life, and a fast M3 SoC that can easily handle photo editing tasks. It's a fanless device, so you don't have to worry about loud fan noise distracting you from your work. Its port selection is its biggest weakness, as it only has two USB-C ports. Also, while it can output to two external monitors, it can only do so with the lid closed.

Finally, Apple has released new M4 MacBook Airs. Notable upgrades include using two external displays simultaneously with the built-in display, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a new 12MP webcam with Center Stage support. We're currently testing the Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, 2025); check back soon for the full reviews! 

The best budget laptop for photo editing we've tested is the Acer Swift Go 14 (2024). Though more affordable than other picks, this 14-inch ultraportable still packs more than enough processing power to handle most photo editing tasks. It's available with Intel Meteor Lake CPUs, up to a Core Ultra 9 185H, and up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. The latter is user-replaceable, and there are two M.2 2280 slots, so you can easily store thousands of photos without the need for an external drive. The Meteor Lake CPUs sport an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), which will speed up many AI features in photo editing apps, like object removal and image generation.

You can choose an FHD+ IPS or a 2.8k OLED panel for the display. The OLED is sharper and better suited for color-critical work, but remember that it's susceptible to permanent burn-in, will drain the battery faster, and adds to the price tag. Build-wise, this laptop feels pretty sturdy despite having a little more plastic in its construction than the picks above. It has Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, a fingerprint sensor for quick logins, and a wide port selection, including two Thunderbolt 4s, a MicroSD card reader, and an HDMI. Battery life is excellent at around 11 hours of light use—you can charge the laptop via USB-C.