Unlike the old days, most of the clothing designers don’t use messy canvas, pen, and paper. Nowadays, a laptop is the only thing that you need; it allows pouring your imagination into the designs in the most effective way. With the computer and designing software, you can change the color or texture of your design with just a few clicks; you can also create realistic three-dimensional models.
Top Rated Budget Laptops
Last update on 2024-12-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
However, finding the best laptop for clothing design a bit complicated as there are lots of options in the market. Moreover, it depends on which software you’re going to work with.
After hours of research and discussing with our technical experts, I am writing this guide, which will help you to select your best designing laptop in 2024. Moreover, we will suggest you some reliable and popular notebook as well. So let’s get started! If you’re in a hurry, check out our top choice SURFACE BOOK 2 Check price at Amazon.
Before discussing laptops hardware requirements, here are some popular clothing designing software, you might have already familiar with most of them.
- Adobe Illustrator
- CorelDRAW
- C-Design
- SmartDesigner
- Digital Fashion Pro
- Phimatrix Professional
- My Label 3D Fashion Pattern
- Kaledo
- Optitex
- Browzwear
- Apparel Innovator
- Vetigraph
- Clo 3D
- TUKA3D
- NedGraphics Fashion Design
After thoroughly analyzing the hardware requirements of these software programs, I have come up with some useful information that will help you to choose your laptop. Let’s start with the processor first, which is undoubtedly an essential feature of any computer.
Best Laptops for Fashion Designers in 2024 – Buyer’s Guide
Processor
While choosing the best laptop for clothing design, you have to select at least an Intel Core i5 processor. However, an Intel Core i3 processor can work in some cases if you’re not a professional, and I won’t suggest. The processor should be future-proof as you’re not going to change your laptop every year. Also, keep in mind, if you’re looking for longer battery life, always choose the Intel “U” product line processor, such as – i3-8145U, i5-8265U, and i7-8565U. On the other hand, if you just want robust performance and work with a stable setup, then you should choose the Intel high-watt “H” series processor. Such as – i5-9300H and i7-8750H.
Should I choose an Intel Core i7 processor for clothing design?
There are many robust processors available in the Intel Core i5 series, but if you work with several programs and do heavy multitasking, you should go with an Intel Core i7 processor. The powerful Intel Core i7 processor might reduce the battery life of your laptop, but it will save you quite precious time and provide a seamless working experience.
Memory
After a robust processor, you’ll also need a large memory to ensure hassle-free work. Nowadays, memory isn’t much expensive, so it’s a good idea to start with at least 8GB memory; it can handle all clothing designing software along with multitasking. If you’re a professional, you should think about more memory, at least make sure your laptop is upgradeable in the future.
Storage
There is nothing special about the storage; you can choose as per your requirements. However, I recommend an SSD. No doubt, it would be a bit expensive, but it can boost your laptop speed tremendously.
Dedicated GPU
Having a dedicated GPU in a designing laptop would be beneficial; it will not only provide a faster graphics performance but also reduce the processor workload. If you choose the latest laptop with a powerful processor, chances are you’ll automatically get a dedicated GPU with it. If you’re going with a budget laptop, try to get a dedicated GPU with at least 2GB VRAM.
Display Size and Resolution
Usually, the designers prefer a big-screen notebook as it provides more working area for designing and multitasking. However, if someone uses a big external monitor with the laptop, the size doesn’t matter much. Moreover, nowadays, most of the laptops come with full HD resolution, which is enough for clothing or graphics design.
You should also pay attention to the laptops panel type, color gamut, and brightness level. However, it doesn’t differ on many laptops, but I would suggest choosing an IPS panel. The broad color gamut ensures higher color accuracy between design and production. You should target at least 99% sRGB color gamut.
If you use your laptop outdoor, you should pay attention to the screen brightness level, which is measured in the nits – above 300 nits considered as proper brightness levels.
Touch screen or not
The touchscreen might be lucrative for designing purposes, especially if you choose a convertible laptop. If you go with a detachable notebook, it can provide a completely free working experience as a tablet computer.
Ok, that was some crucial points that you should keep in mind when choosing the best laptops for fashion designing in 2024. Now let’s check out my reliable recommendations.
QUICK OVERVIEW:
Best laptops for clothing design at a glance
LENOVO FLEX 14 BUDGET 2-IN-1 |
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ACER ASPIRE E 15 CHEAPEST OPTION |
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HP PAVILION 15 BUDGET POWERFUL |
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HP ENVY 13 PORTABLE 4K |
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LG GRAM 14 BEST BATTERY LIFE |
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HP ENVY 17-AE110NR LARGE SCREEN |
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HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO PREMIUM NOTEBOOK |
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DELL XPS 15 9570 BEST 4K NOTEBOOK |
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ALIENWARE NEW M17 MOST POWERFUL |
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MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2 BEST 2-IN-1 LAPTOP |
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APPLE MACBOOK PRO 16 EDITOR’S CHOICE |
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Last update on 2024-12-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Laptops for Clothing Design in 2024 – Reviews
1. Lenovo Flex 14 (Best Budget Convertible Laptop for Clothing Design in 2024)
Processor: Ryzen 5 3500U @3.7GHz | GPU: Radeon Vega 8 | Memory: 8GB | Storage: 256GB NVMe | Screen: 14-inch touch, 1920 x 1080| Battery: 8 hours
The Lenovo Flex 14 is offering many great features for its price; if you’re looking for a budget laptop, it might be a solid choice. This machine is featuring a convertible design with a touchscreen, which is beneficial for designers. Additionally, there is a stylus included.
Under the hood, it’s offering an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, 8GB memory, and 256GB NVMe SSD along with Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The performance is quite satisfying for this low price; it can run almost any designing software smoothly. However, keep in mind, this machine isn’t recommended for professionals or who do heavy multitasking.
Along with a gorgeous touchscreen, this machine is backed with good battery life and fast charging technology. Moreover, you’re getting a fingerprint sensor along with the latest USB Type-C port.
Altogether, the Lenovo Flex 14 is probably the best budget laptop for fashion designers in 2024, which comes with a touchscreen as well.
PROS
- Gorgeous full HD touchscreen with stylus
- Impressive performance for the price
- Acceptable battery life
- Fast charging technology
- Fingerprint sensor and USB Type-C port is available
- Slim and lightweight design
CONS
- Not ideal for heavy multitasking
2. Acer Aspire E 15 (Best Budget Laptop for Fashion Designing Students)
Processor: i5-8250U @3.4GHz @3.4GHz | Memory: 8GB | GPU: GeForce MX150 2GB | Storage: 256GB SSD | Screen: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Battery Life: 15-hours | OS: Win10 Home
If you don’t want to spend much on your designing laptop, the Acer Aspire E15 is one of the most cost-efficient machines in 2024. For a budget price, you’re getting a lot of great features such as longer battery life, robust performance, and sharper IPS display.
Start from the performance; the Aspire E15 is powered by the Intel Core i5-8250U processor, 8GB memory, 256GB SSD storage, and NVidia MX150 dedicated GPU. The best thing about this machine is, it’s easily upgradable with removing a single cover, and you can do it yourself.
The battery life is also promising; according to the Acer, it can last up to 15 hours with a single charge. However, you have to deal with its massive body.
With the 15.6-inch full HD IPS display, this machine can deliver high-quality images. Additionally, it’s equipped with the latest USB Type-C port, which provides faster data transfer.
Overall, the Acer Aspire E15 might be the best choice for you, if you’re looking for a cheap and powerful designing laptop in 2024.
PROS
- Impressive quality full HD IPS display
- Great performance
- Easily upgradable
- Whopping battery life
- Extensive connectivity options
CONS
- Slightly heavy and dated design
3. HP Pavilion 15 (Powerful Laptop for Designers in Budget)
Processor: i5-9300H @4.0GHz | GPU: GTX 1050 3GB | Memory: 8GB | Storage: 512GB PCIe HDD | Screen: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 | Battery Life: 8-hours
You might be wondering why I have listed this gaming laptop, but you know this machine is offering pretty decent GPU along with a robust processor, which can make your workflow like liquid. For this budget price, this notebook is offering extraordinary performance, which is not only ideal for gaming but also can run any graphics or clothing designing software effortlessly.
But you know everything comes at a cost, that’s why you have to compromise with the bulky design and inferior battery life.
If we talk about the display, which is equally excellent as the performance, it’s offering a full HD 15.6-inch IPS panel with anti-glare technology, which can produce crisp and vivid picture quality along with wide-view angles.
As a gaming machine, you’re getting a green color backlit keyboard along with the latest USB Type-C port and rich sound quality.
Overall, if you don’t work outdoor and don’t need long battery life, this machine is way batter than our previous laptop in terms of performance.
PROS
- Robust performance for the budget
- Impressive full HD display with anti-glare coating
- Upgradable design
- Backlit keyboard, and USB Type-C port
- Rich sound quality
CONS
- Miserable battery life
- Slightly heavy
4. HP ENVY 13 (Portable and Powerful 4K Laptop for Fashion Designers in 2024)
Processor: i7-8565U @4.6GHz | GPU: GeForce MX250 | Memory: 16GB | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD | Screen: 13.3-inch touch, 3840 x 2160 | Battery Life: 12-hours | OS: Windows 10 Home
If you can spend a bit more and looking for a portable and powerful laptop for designing, you should take a look at the HP Envy 13 laptop. This machine is offering a 13.3-inch 4K touch display; therefore, It can deliver highly color-accurate images along with exceptional sharpness. With the robust Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 512GB SSD storage, 16GB memory, and GeForce MX250 GPU, it won’t give you any chance for complaining in terms of performance.
The best thing about this machine is its design, it’s quite portable, slim, and lightweight and you can take it anywhere. Apart from that, it’s offering up to 12 hours of battery life with mix usage and comes with fast charging technology.
Along with portability, the design is highly durable as it has an all-metal design, which lasts longer. Additionally, you’re getting all the latest features such as fingerprint sensor, backlit keyboard, and USB Type-C (support DisplayPort). With the USB Type-C port, you can transfer data at breakneck speed, charge your device, or connect an external display.
As compared to the previous laptops, HP Envy 13 comes at a higher price as it’s offering premium many features. If you’re an on-the-go user, this convertible and powerful laptop might be a viable option.
PROS
- Premium quality 4K touch display ensures great visuals
- Commendable performance
- Latest Type-C port, fingerprint sensor, and backlit keyboard
- Longer battery life with fast charging technology
- Utmost durability with metal design
- Highly secure
- Very lightweight and portable
CONS
- Slightly costly
- Screen size might be small for some
5. LG Gram 14 (Best Touch Laptop for Designer with Most Extended Battery Life)
Processor: i7-8565U @ 4.6GHz | GPU: GeForce MX250 | Memory: 16GB | Storage: 512 NVMe | Screen: 14-inch touch, 1920 x 1080 | Battery: 21-hours | OS: Windows 10 Home
Having slightly identical specs like our previous HP Envy 13 laptop, the LG Gram 14 is another reliable option in mid-range. This machine is offering a 14-inch full HD IPS touchscreen along with Wacom AES 2.0 pen, which ensures precise designing experience. The screen comes with a full HD resolution; therefore, the screen color accuracy and sharpness is pretty good.
In terms of performance, it’s also offering an Intel Core i7-8565U processor with 16GB memory and 512GB SSD storage as per your previous recommendation, but there is no dedicated GPU. However, you can run any designing program with its integrated Intel HD 620 GPU.
Along with a versatile design, another best thing about this machine is battery life, it can last up to 21 hours, according to Mobile Mark Standard 2014, which is insane. Additionally, it comes with a very lightweight body contracted into 2.5 lbs, which makes it ideal for traveling and on-the-go use.
The LG Gram 14 comes with a versatile design, stable performance, marathon battery life, lightweight body, and precise touchscreen with Wacom Stylus, what else we need in an ideal designing laptop. However, this machine isn’t coming in budget radar, but we can’t complain while considering these features.
PROS
- Beautiful convertible design with full HD touchscreen
- Solid performance
- Comes with a Wacom Stylus
- Most extended battery life
- Slim and lightweight
- Fingerprint reader available
CONS
- Slightly expensive
- No dedicated GPU
6. HP Envy 17 (Best Budget Large Laptop for Clothing Designing in 2024)
Processor: i7-8550U | GPU: MX150 4 GB | Memory: 12GB | Storage: 1TB HDD | Screen: 17.3-inch touch, 1920 x 1080 | OS: Windows 10 Home
As I said in the buyer’s guide, a large laptop is always a preferable option for designers as it provides more working area. But, most of the large laptops come at a higher price. The HP Envy 17 is a real exception, which is offering many decent features for an appealing price.
The best thing about this machine is a 17.3-inch large display, which comes with a full HD resolution. It can provide a comfortable working experience with multitasking.
If we talk about the performance, this buddy is featuring an Intel Core i7-8550U processor, 12GB memory, and 1TB HDD storage along with an NVidia MX150 GPU. You can smoothly run any designing software without any issue; even you use several programs simultaneously.
According to HP, the Envy 17 is offering up to 9 hours of battery life on mix usage, which isn’t bad for a large machine. But keep in mind, this machine is quite heavy and large, and might not ideal for carrying.
If you’re not going to use an external monitor and looking for a large laptop for your designing work, the HP Envy 17 deserves your attention.
PROS
- Large display with full HD resolution
- Acceptable performance for the price
- Sufficient battery life
- Beautiful and professional design
- Impressive sound quality with Bang & Olufsen
CONS
- Cumbersome and large
- No SSD storage
- Not for heavy gamer
7. Huawei MateBook X Pro (Beautiful and Powerful Laptop for Fashion Designers)
Processor: i5-8250U/i7-8550U | GPU: MX150 | Memory: 8/16GB | Storage: 256 – 512 GB SSD | Screen: 13.9-inch touch, 3000 x 2000 | Battery: 12 hours | OS: Windows 10
Yeah, another portable and touchscreen laptop, which might be a viable option for those people who often work on-the-go or travel a lot. This lightweight notebook is offering a 13.9-inch touchscreen with 3K resolution, which can deliver a remarkable picture quality, and ideal for designing, reading or watching videos.
From the design aspect, this notebook looks very premium as it has a higher screen-to-body ratio. The overall body is also enthralling, which is made of aluminum and ensures higher durability as well.
The Huawei MateBook X Pro is equipped with the latest USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, and they provide the fastest data transfer speed. This machine also has an innovative Privacy Pop-up Camera, which supports high-quality video conferencing. However, some users find it a bit annoying as it has given under the screen.
Battery life is also quite promising and can last up to for a whole day, which is commendable for this portable machine. Undoubtedly, this machine is expensive, but if you’re looking for premium features, the Huawei won’t let you down.
PROS
- Stunning quality 3K touchscreen with 91% screen-to-body ratio
- Excellent performance
- Astonishing and durable metal design
- Comes with the Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C ports
- A fingerprint sensor is available
- A whole day battery life
- Dolby Atmos sound
- Ideal for carrying
CONS
- Average graphics performance
- Gets slightly hot sometimes
- Slightly higher price
8. Dell XPS 15 9570 (Best Workstation Laptop for Fashion Designing Professionals)
Processor: i7-8750H @4.10GHz | GPU: GTX 1050Ti 4GB | Memory: 32GB | Storage: 1TB NVMe | Screen: 15.6-inch touch, 3840 x 2160
Till now, HP Pavilion 15 is the only laptop of this rundown, which is offering a robust dedicated GPU. However, unless you’re a professional, a notebook with a budget GPU just works fantastic. The
Dell XPS 15 9570 is a powerful workstation laptop, which is recommended for professionals as it’s packed with an NVidia GTX 1050Ti GPU with an Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 32GB memory, and 1TB SSD storage. The performance is phenomenal; it allows doing rigorous multitasking or heavy graphics designing work; it doesn’t matter which software you’re going to use.
The XPS 9570 is featuring a 15.6-inch 4K touch display, which can produce paramount colors along with life-like image accuracy. You don’t have to worry about when working with any color-sensitive design as it comes with 100% Adobe RGB color gamut. The display brightness is also excellent with can go up to 400 nits.
This machine is made of aluminum metal, which gives it a professional and clutter-free look along with supreme durability. Additionally, there are plenty of ports available, and you can connect any external device that you want. This model accompanies, the most versatile and powerful Thunderbolt 3 as well.
I don’t need to tell you about the price of this machine because most workstations come at a higher price. The best thing about this workstation, it isn’t heavy or thick like traditional machines and still ensures a dependable performance.
If you’re looking for a stable and reliable machine for your fashion designing work, the Dell XPS 15 9570 is one of the best choices in 2024.
PROS
- The best quality 4K touch display with 100% Adobe RGB color gamut and 400 nit brightness
- Potent performance with high-watt processors and robust NVidia GPU
- Paramount durability and professional design
- Utmost secure machine
- Comes with a backlit keyboard, fingerprint sensor, and Thunderbolt 3 port
CONS
- Battery life isn’t much impressive
- Expensive
9. Alienware M17 (Best Large Laptop for Clothes Designing Software in 2024)
Processor: i7-9750H @4.5GHz | GPU: RTX 2070 8GB | Memory: 16GB | Storage: 2x 512GB PCIe SSD RAID 0 | Screen: 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080
Meet the latest Alienware M17 beast; this machine is packed with the latest and potent hardware, which can rule out any latest gaming title or software programs without any hiccup. Even more impressive, this machine is quite thin, which is just incredible.
The Alienware M17 is powered by the Intel Ci7-9750H processor, 16GB memory, and 1TB SSD storage (2x 512GB PCIe, RAID 0) along with the potent NVidia RTX 2070 (8GB VRAM) graphics card. Apart from that, it’s featuring a 17.3-inch full HD display with a 144Hz refresh rate, which is not only ideal for gaming but allows doing anything you want.
Another exciting thing about this giant gaming machine is connectivity options. It’s equipped with all the required ports that you’ll need. You can connect multiple external displays or storage devices without any hassle.
In terms of design, this buddy is utterly different; it’s looks something futuristic. With the advanced thermal construction, it ensures even stable performance during rigorous multitasking or intricate gaming.
As a premium laptop, the Alienware is offering many unique features such as Alienfx per-key RGB lighting or unmatched build quality, which makes your purchase more satisfying.
The Alienware is a premium range laptop and only recommended for those who do extreme graphics designing or high-end gaming and don’t want any compromise in the performance.
PROS
- A brilliant quality full HD display with 144Hz refresh rate and anti-glare coating
- Top-notch performance
- Dependable build quality
- Premium and innovative design
- Advanced thermal control
- Extensive connectivity options
- Per-key RGB lighting
- Impressive battery life
CONS
- Very costly
- Slightly heavy due to bigger size
10 Microsoft Surface Book 2 (Best Windows Laptop for Fashion Designers in 2024)
Processor: i7-8650U @4.2 GHz| GPU: GTX 1060 | Memory: 16GB | Storage: up to 1TB NVMe | Screen: 15-inch touch, 3260×2160 | Battery Life: 17-hours | OS: Win10 Pro
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is the best laptop for fashion designers in 2024 without any doubt, why?
First of all, this machine is offering a detachable keyboard design; therefore, you can use it in different modes. Especially for designers, its studio and tablet mode is quite useful; you can make the most of it.
Surface Book 2 is available in two sizes 15-inch and 13.4-inch, and you can choose as per your requirements. Moreover, you can also select with different specification as it can be found with Intel Core i5 or i7 models with up to 16GB memory, and 2TB SSD. Don’t worry; this portable notebook is also offering NVidia GTX 1060 GPU, which would be helpful for graphics designing or gaming.
You won’t believe this machine is quite slim and lightweight, especially while considering its powerful features. Mainly the detachable design makes it more portable and useful for designers.
The Surface Book comes with a PixelSense touchscreen, which is packed with 3260×2160 pixels of resolution. The display is not only decidedly sharper but also produces color-accurate images, which is essential for designers.
The only problem with this premium machine is its price, which is touching the sky, especially you have to purchase the accessories separately. But you know, we shouldn’t complain about it as we are getting many unique features.
According to Microsoft, the Surface Book 2 can provide up to 17 hours of battery backup on video playback, which is impressive.
Overall, if you can spend significant money on your designing laptop and looking for a portable and powerful windows laptop with a touchscreen, probably the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is the best option right now.
PROS
- Innovative detachable design
- Outstanding PixelSense display with life-like color quality
- Available with several configurations
- Marathon battery life
- Lightweight and slim body
CONS
- Very expensive
- Lack of connectivity ports, and you’ll need a Type-C hub for connecting other devices
11. Apple MacBook Pro (Overall Best Laptop for Graphics or Fashion Designers in 2024)
No products found.Processor: i7-9750H @4.5GHz | GPU: Radeon Pro 5300M 4GB | Memory: up to 64GB | Storage: 256GB – 8TB SSD | Screen: 16-inch, 3072×1920 | Battery Life: up to 11-hours
It’s quite evident, MacBook Pro always considered one of the most reliable and durable options among professionals. I know, in a previous model, there were some issues with that butterfly keyboard, but now it’s over.
The latest MacBook Pro has come with many remarkable upgrades and features, which justifies its higher price. Whether we talk about the performance, design, battery life, sound quality, or display, all things will satisfy you.
You can choose your MacBook with up to Core i9 processor along with up to 8TB SSD storage and 64GB memory, which is insane. Additionally, this series is coming with the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU. However, you don’t need to spend as much as a fashion designer; even you can go with its previous Intel Core i5 model, which is still a fantastic option.
The latest MacBook comes with four latest Thunderbolt 3 ports, and you can connect everything that you want. However, you’ll need a Thunderbolt Hub or adapter for connecting non-Type-C devices.
If you want to invest in a reliable and durable machine that must last for years, the MacBook Pro might be the right option.
PROS
- Best-in-class Retina display with highest color-accuracy and brightness
- Paramount performance
- Top-notch security
- Premium build quality
- Blazing sound with six-speaker systems
- Available in different variants
- Four versatile Thunderbolt 3 ports available
CONS
- Too costly
Best Notebooks for Fashion Designers in 2024
I hope you have got your best laptop for clothing designing in 2024. Here is a thing, I want you to pick a bit more capable machine than your actual requirements because notebooks aren’t upgradable like the desktop systems. I have tried to list almost all types of laptops with different budgets and features that will cover all users’ needs.
Thank you for this helpful guide.