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12+ Best Laptops for Animation 2024: Ultimate Guide to Find the Best Animation Laptops

When working with 2D and 3D animation softwares, it is essential to have the best laptop for animation because rendering such kind of data demands high speed system specifications.

That said, you must research thoroughly to come up with the right machine packed with cutting-edge configurations which require investing a lot of time and effort.

We did hours of analysis, compared different computers and notebooks, and finally crafted the list of best animation laptops of 2024. So, you can trust our research if your primary concern is smooth as well as flawless performance.

Here let us clarify a few things before you make any decision. As designing involves every inch of detail, so picking the larger display screen and powerful graphics processor should be your priority. However, if you feel comfortable with a smaller size like 14 inches or 13 inches screen, then there is no problem at all. Regarding memory, CPU, and storage, 8GB RAM (at least), Core i5 processor would work fine (but Core i7 is a win-win), and SSD storage will perform exceptionally under heavy loads.

Without further ado, let’s move to the real topics.

12+ Best Laptops for Animation 2024: Ultimate Guide to Find the Best Animation Laptops

Dell XPS 15 – Editor’s Choice

Dell XPS 15 is an incredible laptop that will last long for your desired purpose (animation). It serves you high-performance for 2D and 3D animation with its top-notch hardware. The beautiful aesthetics and incredible performance make it an appealing laptop for animators.

Its remarkable minimalist bezels offer you a spacious 15.6” Full HD IPS display which is primarily desired by the animators. Furthermore, H series processor (8TH gen Intel Core i7-8750H with 9MB cache) is quite powerful for animating and rendering tasks.

Plentiful RAM is much needed for animation software like Cinema 4D to run without lags. Dell XPS 15 comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM which is more than enough for most of the applications. The animator will really love the speed of SSDs which are amazingly faster than HDDs. Dell XPS armed with replaceable 256GB SSD for faster application loading and boot-up time.

The GPU has significant importance in rendering to get detailed previews. A humble GPU can provide you pretty sufficient details in creating animations while a more powerful graphics processor with dedicated VRAM can do more for you. The laptop holds the power of GeForce GTX 1050Ti with dedicated 4GB VRAM that present more accurate textures and shades.

There are many ports including Thunderbolt and HDMI. Dell XPS 15 comes with a durable battery (up to 8hr) and extremely slim 0.66 inches thickness with just 4lbs weight.

Acer Aspire E15

Acer Aspire is an affordable laptop for animation and graphics designing packed with impressive features and technology. After pressing the power button, its 15.6” wide LED display will light up that comprise with Acer blasting color technology so to present you color-rich display with realism.  Under the hood, it encompasses 7th generation Intel Core i7-7500U CPU with a base frequency of 2.5GHz. Its robust energy saving processor can quickly perform the general creation processes during animation. Plus, its multi-core ability makes tasks like rendering twice faster than a single core.

Acer Aspire E15 ensures lag-free experience on heavy graphical applications due to the combination of 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB SSD, and discrete 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 940MX GPU. The laptop features a backlit soft keyboard with numeric keypad. Other features include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, and HD webcam. Aspire E15 contains 1 USB 3.1 (Type-C), 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, VGA, and some others. With just 2.39kg / 5.27lbs weight and 1.19 thickness, it is comfortably portable without needing a specific backpack. Because of its energy-saving hardware and extended 6-cell Li-ion battery, it provides exceptional 12 hours battery life. For an affordable solution, Aspire E15 surely worth your money.

Apple MacBook Pro

Apple MacBook Pro is the best animation laptop that comes true the dream of animators through its beneficial features and high-end specifications. Through its high-resolution screen and retina display (2880 x 1800) you will get a more substantial 15 inches color-rich screen that compiled with over 5M pixels. This also enables you to show up the various software related tools on just a single screen. Its 2.97 GHz Intel Quad-core i7 processor can handle multiple threads simultaneously, and so the processes go seamlessly especially in rendering.

Apple MacBook Pro equipped with ample 16GB DDR4 RAM that is efficient to store animation information so to load the scene quickly. As animation files usually require more storage, you should be mindful in case of Apple laptops because usually RAM and storage are not extendable. This laptop offers you fast 2TB SSD storage which is pretty sufficient for storing animation and media files. There is also 4GB AMD Radeon Pro 460 graphics unit to display animation scenes with greater details.

It brings out a touch bar in place of the function keys. Through this, you can quickly access relevant features to the application you are using. The laptop comprised of 4 Thunderbolt Type-C port and offer extreme portability.

HP Pavilion 15 2018

If you are searching a somewhat affordable yet heavenly laptop for animators and artists, this HP flagship notebook is made to run heavy software like Maya, Cinema 4d, and Autodesk 3ds, etc. The lid holds a 15.6” wide Full HD (1920×1080) display that provides clear display from every angle because of IPS technology. Inside the body there is an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U Quad-core processor, so unlike the single core, the 3D creations do not rely on just a single core. Therefore on this laptop 2D, 3D or the CAD Architect runs seamlessly.

For faster software components loading and 3d previews, this HP Pavilion laptop comes with lightning fast 1TB SSD. Furthermore, the 4GB dedicated Nvidia GeForce 940MX 4GB and 8GB of RAM enable it to perform complex tasks without any hesitation. It offers you plenty of ways for connectivity such as 2 USB 3.1, 1 USB 2.0, USB Type-C, HDMI, LAN, Bluetooth, and WiFi, etc. It is an excellent laptop with numeric pad and because of the backlit, you can even work in the dim light situation.

For students, portability is one of the foremost factors while considering the laptop. HP Pavilion is just 4.67 lbs (2.11 kg) hence offer greater portability. You will get Windows 10 home with it.

Razer Blade

This slim and sleek Razer laptop is an ideal choice for the artists, drawing, and animators. The computer holds plenty of resources to efficiently allocate them to various processes in 3d creations. Its QHD 13.3” touch display (3200 x 1800) not only make it a superlative laptop but also great for designers and artists. Razor Stealth presents you a crystal clear display and remarkable saturation with wide viewing angle (up to 178 degrees). Because of its energy saving 8th generation i7- 8550U quad-core processor, it offers long lasting battery as well as faster rendering process.

Razer Blade Stealth is quite efficient from graphics card side; it holds Intel UHD 620 GPU that is enough to show the scene with details.  The laptop gets you more power with its generous 16GB RAM and speed known SSD (256 GB). Razer adds the chroma powered keyboard that adds color to every key of the keyboard – just for style. The company offers you a durable aluminum made laptop. With just 3lbs. / 1.36kg weight you can travel with it easily. It supports multiple ports such as Thunderbolt, USB Type A, and HDMI, etc. for making connections with peripheral devices. It also delivers impressive battery life, i.e., a full recharge, depending on your type of work, can give you up to 10hr timing.

Microsoft Surface

Surface Pro laptop by Microsoft designed for ultimate drawing work as it is compatible with Surface Pen, Surface Dial, and packs with Surface Studio Mode. Dial and Pen provides a great level of ease to sketch 2D and 3D animation thus making it one of the best laptops for animation. You can craft precise drawings with thin and thick lines just like a traditional pen because it supports 4096 pressure points. The built quality, base material, and aesthetics are stunning, its keyboard coated with Luxurious Alcantara fabric which looks fantastic and feels great while typing.

The notebook equipped with Intel Core i7 from the seventh generation which holds up to 4.0GHz speed, 8GB Ram, and 256GB storage. With the default Windows 10 S edition and free Microsoft Office, one can easily maintain office and graphical tasks on the go. You can choose from 4 color combinations depending on your preferences such as Platinum, Burgundy, Cobalt Blue, and Graphite Gold; each color scheme has an incredible look. It also includes 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth 4.0, and WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n for strongest wireless connectivity. At just 2.83lbs, it’s super easy to carry. You can also switch between Windows 10 and S without any hassle.

Dell Inspiron 17″

Here is another Dell laptop but it’s less expensive compared to XPS mentioned above, in fact, this one is an affordable animation laptop for designers and animators. Inspiron 17 comes with a wide view anti-glare 17.3″ screen panel and renders full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels). It includes Intel Core i7-8550U CPU from 8th generation family that clocks at 1.8GHz and can be reached to 4.0GHz with turbo technology. It consumes only 15 watts of power but deliver outstanding performance and can easily handle multiple browser tabs, graphical applications.

Coming with 8GB DDR4 RAM with the clock speed of 2400MHz, however, you can upgrade to 32GB as well. One of the most noteworthy thing about this best laptop for animation is you get two options for storage; 128GB SSD M.2 module and 1TB HDD. Which means, instant files rendering and faster data transmission. Animators can use HDD for raw data storage and solid state drive for the operating system.

For high-end graphics quality, Inspiron shipped with a rip-roaring AMD Radeon 530 GDDR5 4GB chipset so no lags at all when working with huge animation projects. There are multiple ports including USB 2.0, USB 3.1 Type-A, Combo jack, HDMI port, 3 in 1 card reader, and optical drive, etc. At 6.15 lbs or 2.79 kg, you may find it a bit heavier.

Huawei MateBook X Pro

Huawei MateBook X Pro is one of the most stylish, slim and lightweight laptops. The most notable part of this laptop is its 13.9 inches screen with minimal bezels (91% screen to body ratio) than any notebook so far available in the market. The 3K high resolution (3,000 x 2,000) touchscreen work great for drawing and animators. This Huawei MateBook X Pro comes with 8^th generation Intel Core i5 8250U (1.6GHz) processor – fast and energy saving. Plus there will be 8GB of RAM to resource small to big animation projects.

MateBook X Pro incorporated with lightning-fast 256GB SSD storage. It has a backlit keyboard with a satisfying key travel distance. You can log in by proving your identity via fingerprint sensor built beneath the power button. Huawei moves the camera underneath a key that pop-up when you press the button. Honestly, it’s really appreciatable from the privacy perspective but not a good position for a camera because of its bad angle.

The laptop support 2 Type C ports including the Thunderbolt. Huawei includes a dongle that comprised various ports such as USB-A, Type-C, HDMI, and VGA port. Overall built quality of this machine is quite impressive and worth your investment. You will get a free 1-year office 365 personal license and limited 1-year manufacturer warranty.

MSI GL62M

MSI is a leading name when we talk about hardcore gaming laptops and high-end machines solely made for resource intensive applications including AutoCAD, Illustrator, and 2D/3D Animation. MSI GL2 is another sturdy machine just like Acer Aspire E15 and ThinkPad E580 made with durable material for a long lasting lifetime. Because it is designed for gaming so you get outstanding performance while working in animation tools, graphics softwares, and editing videos, thanks to mighty GTX 1050Ti dedicated GPU which renders high frames per second. Intensive applications demands dedicated system power, right? So to ensure ultimate system performance and keep it cool, it packs Cooler Boost 4 technology.

GL62M is available in multiple versions such as Core i5 and Core i7 with 8th and 7th generation alongside different internal specs. Our reviewing model consists of Intel Core i7 7700HQ from 7th generation with 2.8GHz base frequency. However, when running heavy tasks, it can clock up to 3.8GHz through turbo boost feature. Its 15.6″ full HD panel outputs 1920×1080 pixels resolution with 94% NTSC color range and delivers immersive graphics.

Regarding RAM and storage, the laptop shipped with 128GB M.2 SATA SSD, 1TB HDD, and 8GB DDR4 Ram having a 2400MHz frequency. From the portability perspective, you may find it a bit heavier to carry at 5.29lbs. Furthermore, GL62M does have gaming keyboard where each key has 1.9mm travel and RGB SteelSeries backlit.

Acer Nitro 5

Acer Nitro 5 is a perfect combination of elegant aesthetics and flashy red color resulting in stunning look. The lid cover with precise lining pattern and curves on the left and right side provides fantastic exterior. The premium material and potent internal specs make it an excellent animation laptop for the faster general creation process.

Besides its 7th generation Intel Core i5-7300HQ CPU, you get top class GTX 1050Ti graphics unit carrying 4GB GDDR5 VRAM. On top of that, it packs 4GB memory, 128GB SSD storage, and full HD 1920×1080 display resolution. However, you can customize the storage and RAM before ordering. We suggest you at least 8GB RAM. The panel has IPS technology which means immersive display quality even in brighter rooms and outdoor.

There are two variants available with the main difference of SSD and HDD so that you can choose the desired one depending on your requirements. However, we personally recommend picking SSD variant as it renders the fastest possible speed when working in animation applications. With preinstalled Windows 10, up to 8.5 hours of battery uptime, there are multiple ports available including USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Type-C, RJ-45, HDMI external display port, and audio jack.

High speed WiFi and Bluetooth modules also packed for redundant connectivity and blazingly fast browsing experience. Compared to Helio 300, this laptop is much more elegant so one can choose for both purposes; seamless gaming and smooth animations.

Acer Helios 300

You might say why this “flashy” laptop for animators listed here? If so, you can skip, but we suggest considering this rip-roaring laptop as it comprised with killer specifications to achieve more with less hassle. Another reason to add it here is, it’s a multi-purpose notebook computer made for hardcore gaming alongside heavy-duty graphical 3D and 2D animation tasks.

Helios 300 available in different variants, we are talking about Intel Core i7-7700HQ 3.8GHz processor which is paired with NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB memory and also VR ready. You might know that HQ series processors deliver ultimate performance and usually, used for resource hungry tasks. That said, it can quickly perform general creation process in animation work.

Acer Helios 300 utilizing the power of DDR4 16GB RAM, 256GB solid state drive, and 15.6″ FHD widescreen IPS ready display panel. No matter, you do animations, photo editing, or play extreme games, it delivers exceptional performance. The company has taken care of cooling system as well and included exclusive utilities like “PredatorSense” which control the CPU and system fan speed for optimal speed. However, you can also customize cooling settings and gaming features according to your needs.

Furthermore, the ergonomically designed keyboard also has iron-red backlit and shiny edge around the touchpad so to provide clear visuals in darker rooms. All in all, Predator Helios 300 is the best animation laptop which is also suitable for gaming too if you don’t mind a flashy machine.

Acer Swift 5

Swift 5 belongs to Acer high performance, slim, and premium quality laptops. The specs which are integrated into this notebook makes Acer swift 5 a top-notch choice for animators. The 14” IPS touch-enabled Full HD display makes it a great laptop for animation and especially for digital art. You will love its lag free impressive performance driven by 8th generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor. The processor’s base speed 1.80 GHz (up to 4.0GHz) and 4 cores makes it capable to efficiently allocate the resources for rendering, modeling, and general tasking.

The deficiency of RAM can be a real bottleneck while creating 2D or 3D animations. Acer Swift 5 equipped with abundant 16 GB DDR3 RAM, which helps in faster component loading as well as quickly deals with complex tasks in animation applications. Another thing that makes it a faster computer for animation is SSD. The 512GB SSD provides extensive storage even for storing plentiful uncompressed files. Like other most of the latest laptops, Acer Swift 5 has integrated fingerprint sensor for secure and quick login. The laptop has 1 USB 3.1 via Type-C, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, HD webcam and a backlit keyboard. This 0.59” slim machine provide you up to 8 hr. battery life through 2-cell 4670 mAh battery.

ThinkPad E580

Lenovo ThinkPad E580 is a sturdy yet powerful cheap laptop for animation and animators build for high-class performance and fastest processing speeds. One can know its stiffness by knowing the fact that it has passed MIL-STD-810G military certification. With 15.6″ anti-glare display screen and 1366×768 resolution, you get quite enough pixels to craft detailed images. However, we recommend buying something high definition if budget isn’t an issue for you. ThinkPad is also a writer’s friendly notebook as it has a unique key design.

The company manufactured E580 with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor having 2.5GHz base speed but can be clocked to 3.10GHz when turbo boost activated. The CPU holds up to 3MB smartcache which is considerably low but sufficient to some extent. On the other hand, it has 500GB hard disk drive, 4GB DDR4 RAM, and Integrated Intel HD 620 graphics chipset. You also get WiFi, Bluetooth, HD Webcam, Fingerprint reader, and Windows 10 Professional edition. Unbelievably, it supports up to 32GB of RAM which is something noteworthy where many machines allow only 16GB max. memory in the same category.

Which is the Best Laptop for Animation?

Now, it’s your turn to decide which one will be the right device for your animation work. We tried our best to put together some of the top choices.

We generally suggest the buyers figure out their needs, workload, and job nature before making the purchase. It also helps to save some money and is a recommended way to come up with the perfect animation laptop without investing extra money.

For your ease, we listed a range of machines from low to high-end, just compare them with your budget and pick the most suitable one. You are also welcome to ask in the comments for more information.