Last Updated on January 15, 2025 by LaptopResearcher
ASUS ROG Zephyrus S
- 15.6” Full HD 144Hz IPS Type Display | 3ms response time with slim 6.5mm Bezel
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 8GB GDDR5 *(with Max Q technology) | Base: 1101MHz, Boost: 1265MHz, TDP: 90W
- 8th Generation Intel Core i7 8750H (up to 3.9GHz) processor
- 0.62” thin, 4.6 lbs | ultraportable military grade magnesium alloy body gaming laptop with premium cover CNC milled from solid aluminum
- 16GB 2666Hz DDR4 | 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | Windows 10 Home
First on our list is a laptop that, on the surface, looks like it’s built purely around gaming. While this may be the case, the amount of performance offered here will work wonders if you choose to use this as your daily workhorse.
While the fans can be quite loud under heavy load, they do an excellent job of cooling down the system, which is something you should be aware of whether you are gaming or working or not. These fans are touted as “anti-dust” and “self-cleaning” and when combined with the 5mm vent that opens when the lid is up, they help increase airflow by up to 22% compared to a traditional design.
A great gaming laptop that will easily double as a durable workhorse. If you know you won’t be using your laptop solely for work, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus is a laptop that really can do it all. We are particularly impressed by the cooling system and the sleek design.
The ROG Zephyrus S is an amazing choice if you’re looking for a slim yet powerful machine that’s best suited for animators who are also interested in photo editing, 3D rendering, and more. The device is powered by an Intel Core i7-8750H processor with a Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.9GHz. This means a smoother animation process, even if you are using some of the most robust software out there.
Because there is a better approach to design, there are surely some lower sections. For example, the device has only 16GB of DDR4 RAM. However, on the plus side, you get 512GB of SSD storage, which would be enough to launch software packages quickly and faster boot speeds. Although not as high as the first option, this combination of RAM and storage would be enough to keep your animation projects refreshed.
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop
- Aspect Ratio:16:9.Voltage:230.0 volts.Control method:touch
- Extreme Performance: Crush the competition with the impressive power and speed of the 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H processor, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads to divide and conquer any task or run your most intensive games
- RTX, It's On: The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is powered by award-winning Ampere architecture with new Ray Tracing Cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate for the ultimate gaming performance
- Blazing-Fast Display: This 15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LED-backlit display with 16:9 aspect ratio features an incredibly fast 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms Overdrive response time for the gamers who demand the best visual experiences
- Internal Specifications: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz memory (2 DDR4 Slots Total, Maximum 32GB); 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots/1 x 2.5" Hard Drive Bay Available)
Acer has released this device with improved and more promising features. This is the most recent model in the Acer Helios line. The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a 15.6-inch laptop with dimensions of 14.31 x 10.04 x 0.9 inches and a weight of 5.07 pounds. Our reviewer could play practically any form of game, including esports, using the 144Hz high-refresh-rate screen on our evaluation device. The Predator Helios 300’s powerful performance, bright display, and ergonomically built keyboard will appeal to gamers.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 comes with a 6GB Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU in this configuration. Intel’s Core i7-11800H processor has eight cores, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB solid-state drive, as well as Windows 10 Home. A laptop with 16GB RAM seems appropriate for someone purchasing it solely for animation, but if you work in a creative field, it’s a terrific alternative if you want to work remotely because 16GB of RAM allows you to multitask. Furthermore, its battery life of 3 hours and 24 minutes (Acer believes you’ll get longer) puts it slightly ahead of the 3:21 gaming laptop average.
Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a Killer E2600 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, and an audio combo port are located on the left. Wireless communication is provided via Bluetooth 5 and WiFi 6. Despite the device’s slim and light design, it has a USB Type-C and Type-A port on the right edge, as well as charging ports while it is turned off. There are also visual outputs for mini-DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0b. The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a cheap laptop that can handle 3D animation rendering and is priced under $1500.
Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip
- Apple-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Get more done with up to 20 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac
- 8-core CPU delivers up to 2.8x faster performance to fly through workflows quicker than ever
- 8-core GPU with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning
This are many reasons why it’s in our list of the best laptops for animation in 2023. This should come as no surprise, given that this laptop is capable of a wide range of tasks. A 15-inch and a 13-inch variant are available. We’ll concentrate on the 15-inch model for animation purposes. It’s a costly laptop, which is one of its few drawbacks, especially for someone who is new to animation.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro is larger and more clear than the 13-inch model. This laptop is exceptionally thin and light to carry, despite its size. It sports an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor with a turbo boost of 2.9 GHz. It contains a 16GB LPDDR3 RAM storage space and a 512 GB SSD. The processor is of the seventh generation, and you may edit and save your podcasts.
In addition, according to several tests conducted by computer experts, while prior MacBook Pro notebooks with single-core performed at 16 percent, these ones with multiple cores each perform at 19 percent. So rest assured that they are speedy and will rapidly load your podcasting program. This gadget has a dedicated GPU, the Radeon Pro 560, which has 4 GB of VRAM. So, if you enjoy gaming but aren’t a professional gamer (since this GPU may be better), you’ll have no issues with this GPU.
The retina display on this tablet is just incredible. If you enjoy displaying your work or are picky about your aesthetics, this laptop is for you. On the MacBook Pro, you’ll get razor-sharp visuals and excellent color fidelity. Only four Thunderbolt USB Type C connectors are available. If you prefer different types of ports, you may simply purchase a MacBook Pro dock, place it in the appropriate location, and continue using your laptop.
Keypad is illuminated and powered by LED, you may use it in dark or dimly lit environments. The TouchBar is a unique feature of the MacBook Pro that will make it much easier for you to utilize your laptop rapidly. When it comes to battery life, the MacBook Pro performs admirably.
While podcasting without pausing, the battery can last up to three hours and fifteen minutes. However, expect nine to ten hours of battery life when doing ordinary chores like surfing the web or watching videos before needing to recharge. The Mac High Sierra operating system is installed on this laptop, which weighs 1.06 pounds.
Microsoft Surface Book 2
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 Features a 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 Processor, 256 GB of storage, 16 GB RAM, and up to 17 hours of video playback
- Enhanced Graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 discrete GPU w/6GB GDDR5 Graphics Memory
- The fastest Surface Book yet, with 4x more power
- Vibrant PixelSense Display: Now available with a new 15" touchscreen
- Four versatile modes of use and new USB C port; Contrast ratio: 1600:1
This next one really shouldn’t come as a surprise, with all its unique features making it a cartoon and animation compatible laptop. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is easily the best two-in-one laptop in the category, thanks to its detachable screen design, to begin with.
If you are looking for a versatile laptop with enough performance for animators, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a great option on the market. This Surface Book offers standard performance, thanks to the included Intel Core i7-8650U processor clocked at 1.9GHz in Turbo Boost. Therefore, despite the minimal design and weight, the laptop can handle the software in Adobe Creative Cloud Suite with considerable ease.
What this means is that you can not only rotate the screen a full 360 degrees and then fold it, you can also separate it completely from the keyboard if you want to use the screen like a tablet. It also comes with innovative accessories, like the Surface Pen and the Surface dial. We really love this feature as you can get a lot more practice when it comes to drawing, illustrating, adding textures, and more. Surface Dial also lets you optimize your shortcuts, like measurements and color palettes, with just a few simple turns and clicks.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is also one of the few laptops with a 4K screen that an animator can get today. The 15-inch display has a 3260 x 2160 resolution, which keeps everything crystal clear, and touchscreen support adds a lot of value. On the graphics side, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 has 6GB of GDDR5 video RAM to keep things afloat at all times. Most animation programs can use these resources.
MSI GL65 Leopard
- 15.6" FHD IPS-Level 144Hz 72%NTSC Thin Bezel close to 100%Srgb NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8G GDDR6
- Intel Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0GHz Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201(2 x 2 ax)
- 512GB NVMe SSD 16GB (8G*2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
- USB 3.1 Gen2 Type C 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 3 Steel Series per-Key RGB with Anti-Ghost key+ silver lining 720p HD Webcam
- Win10 Multi-language Giant Speakers 3W x 2 6 cell (51Wh) Li-Ion 230W
Finding the most suitable laptop for animation is no longer difficult, as you can blindly trust the MSI GL65 Leopard. Loaded with an optimal hardware configuration, this device is a worthy desktop replacement and fits almost all contemporaries.
Whether working on 2D animation applications like Harmony and After Effects or implementing 3D software solutions like Blender, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and Maya, the Intel Core i7-10750H chipset comes across as a reliable asset. This high-end processor lets you set keyframes accurately or get the best shadowed view shape for the task at hand. Additionally, this CPU strikes the perfect balance between six cores and an exceptional 5 GHz turbo clock frequency, giving you a head start when it comes to single and multi-threaded tasks. Even though the GPU is not a limiting factor, MSI builds into an incredibly powerful RTX 2070, which can come in handy during intense rendering. Plus, you also get access to 8GB VRAM to get a head start when it comes to texture-intensive rendering.
Animators prefer excellent displays and the MSI GL65 Leopard lives up to expectations courtesy of the 15.6-inch IPS panel. While the cumulative resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels is on the expected side, our experts were more satisfied with the 72 percent NTSC color gamut. Additionally, the color-accurate panel also assumes a 144Hz screen refresh rate, which is a reliable asset for gamers and animation artists alike.
The MSI GL65 Leopard also builds on a number of productivity-focused attributes, including the bright backlit keyboard, high-resolution acoustic settings, revolutionary thermal design with 7 heat sink tubes, and the efficient Dragon Center for resource allocation. perfect. Nonetheless, the device is expected to be heavier and MSI forces buyers with a 5.07-pound label. When it comes to connectivity, you have access to USB 3.1 Type-C, Type-A, Wi-Fi 6 standard, and other relevant benefits.
HP ZBook 15u G6 Workstation Laptop
- 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U 1.80GHz Processor (upto 4.60 GHz, 8MB Smart Cache, 4-Cores) ; AMD Pro WX 3200 4 GB GDDR5 Dedicated Graphics
- 32GB DDR4 SODIMM RAM; Intel WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, Ethernet LAN (RJ-45), 720p HD Webcam, Fingerprint Security System, Backlit Keyboard
- 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) Display; 65W Power Supply, 3-Cell 56WHr Battery; Ash Silver Color
- 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD; 2 USB 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, USB 3.1 Type-C Gen1, Smart Card Reader, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack.
- Windows 10 Pro-64, 1 Year Manufacturer warranty from GreatPriceTech (Professionally upgraded by GreatPriceTech)
The HP Zbook 15u G3 is a one-of-a-kind laptop that is both expensive and powerful. It’ll be up there with the top business notebooks. This is a professional workstation that comes with bespoke processing and graphics technology designed to meet the needs of power users and professionals. It’s designed to handle resource-intensive applications like 3D rendering.
This laptop features a 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i7-6600u processor. It comes with 16GB of RAM out of the box, but it can be expanded to 32GB. This computer’s ultimate high performance is due to the combination of processor and RAM. It has the best performance among business-class laptops.
It has an AMD FirePro W4190M graphics card, which performs well in 3DMark Pro in more demanding situations. It’s worth noting that it includes graphics that have been certified by an independent software vendor (ISV). This is a very essential feature because it means that programs from many suppliers, such as Adobe, will run well on the GPU of this laptop.
It contains a USB 3.0 port on the left side, as well as a VGA port for connecting projectors and displays. It also includes a smart card slot, which can be used to set up security-card-based access. This is a fantastic feature that adds to the security.
On the right side, there is another USB 3.0 port. There is also an ethernet connector on the right side for wired network connectivity. A headset jack, a DisplayPort, a USB-C connector, an SD card slot, and a SIM card slot for optional mobile internet are included on the right side.It includes features such as a built-in fingerprint sensor for biometric security and an inbuilt lock slot to physically protect the laptop for added security. Intel’s Trusted Platform Module, which is vital for hardware-based encryption, optional drive encryption, and even BIOS-level protection, is one of the less obvious security features.
The HP Zbook 15u G3 Notebook laptop offers a 15.6-inch display with a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080. A disadvantage is the excessively glossy display, which makes it more reflecting than necessary.
Dell XPS 17 9710
- Free Upgrade to Windows 11 when available (see below).
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE: 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processors and NVIDIA RTX graphics power the most intensive creative pursuits
- STUNNING SCREEN: A 16:10 4-sided InfinityEdge display provides stunning edge-to-edge view. Plus, with 921k more pixels on UHD+, you’ll be more productive than ever
- EASY ON THE EYES: Eyesafe technology built into the screen reduces harmful blue light all while maintaining vivid color
- UP YOUR CREATIVE GAME: Take your creative projects to a new level with GeForce RTX 30 Series laptops delivering AI-acceleration in top creative apps
The Dell XPS laptop is the top-of-the-line model, with an anodized aluminum lid and a platinum silver finish. With a gorgeous 4-sided InfinityEdge display, this design allows for an amazing screen-to-body ratio (93.7%) and a 17-inch screen in a 15-inch body. In fact, it is smaller than 34% of all laptops with a 15-inch screen. When you glance at the lid, you can see the Dell logo triumphantly sparkling in the centre of the matte finish.
The Dell XPS 17 stands out on the block, weighing 5.3 pounds and measuring 14.7 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches. Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 17’s display is encircled by Dell’s InfinityEdge design, which features a small bezel and an almost bezel-free display. Dell managed to squeeze a 17-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio into a 17-inch monitor. This is due to the display’s small bezels. Aside from that, it has a fast 16GB DDR4 RAM module with a 3200MHz frequency, which is more than enough to manage multitasking on the system. The storage’s read and write speeds are likewise impressive, thanks to the 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD.
A laptop with an 11th Generation Intel Core processor delivers tremendous performance normally reserved for desktops. This Intel Core i7-11800H processor has eight cores and 16 threads, allowing you to edit, capture, and share your work faster than ever before. You can go wherever your vision takes you because to the high-performance and portable design. Furthermore, the latest NVIDIA RTX 3050 graphics can manage your most demanding workloads for longer than ever before. To sum up, if you’re looking for a powerful touchscreen laptop for 3D graphics, the Dell XPS 17 is an excellent choice. At the same time, it comes at a very high cost.
ASUS ZenBook Flip 14
- Crafted from premium aerospace-grade aluminum to create a body that is less than half an inch thin weighs only 2.4 lbs
- Latest 8th-Generation Kabylake Intel Core i7-8550U Processor 1.8 GHz 8M cache (Turbo up to 4.0 GHz) cooled by copper-alloy heat pipe and liquid-crystal-polymer fan. Intel Inside. Extraordinary Performance Outside. Powered by Intel Core i7 Processor
- 14" Full HD display with 178° viewing angles encased in Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Ultra-slim bezel at only 7.46mm
- 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, Latest Thunderbolt 3-enabled USB 3.1 Type C and additional 2 dongles (USB3.1 to USB3.0+USB3.1 to HDMI) and carrying sleeve
- All-day 46Whr Li-Polymer battery providing up to 9 hours of battery life. Features fast charging: charge to 60% in only 49 minutes
The Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe is a slim and attractive ultraportable notebook from Asus. This laptop has a bright display and a comfortable keyboard. It weighs only 2.7 pounds and measures 13 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches in size. It’s a fantastic professional workstation that’s also attractive on its own.
A headphone jack and a USB Type-C port are located on the left side of the device (This will be used for charging). Two Thunderbolt 3 ports are located on the right side of the device, which can be used to connect external monitors and other peripherals. For your legacy accessories, this laptop comes with USB 3.0 and HDMI adapters in the box. You could choose a larger screen for your animation with a 14-inch monitor. However, if the 14-inch screen is sufficient for you, this laptop should still be a great contender.
The ZenBook 3 Deluxe’s 1080p display is sharp and vibrant, although it isn’t as bright as some of its competitors’ displays. A low-travel keyboard is included. This is a lot more comfortable than you might expect. Although the keys only have a vertical travel of 1.3 millimeters, the 74 grams of actuation necessary to press them down keep you from bottoming out. As a result, they’re great for increasing your typing speed.
It comes with a large 4.1 x 2.8-inch touchpad that is also extremely accurate. The fingerprint scanner occupies considerable area in the touchpad’s top corner. This is a fantastic function, but it renders some of the touchpad useless. With the thinness of this laptop in mind, it’s difficult to believe it’ll have good speakers. However, it is true. A small room will be easily filled by the speakers. This allows you to play some of your audio files as well.
You will not be disappointed with the performance, which features a 2.7-GHz Intel Core i7-7500U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD. With this computer, you will be able to run multiple programs at the same time and enhance your productivity. It’s a terrific bargain for animators, and aside from its good performance, it has a lovely and stylish workstation appearance.
Lenovo ThinkPad P17 Mobile Workstation
- 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (2.60 GHz, up to 5.00 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6 Cores, 12 Threads, 12 MB Cache)
- 17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, 300 nits
- 32 GB DDR4 2933MHz | 1TB PCIe SSD
- NVIDIA Quadro T2000 4GB | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11AX (2 x 2) & Bluetooth 5.1
- Windows 10 Pro (64 bit) | IR & 720p HD | Fingerprint Reader | Backlit with Number Pad - US English
Lenovo ThinkPad P17 is a good alternative if you’re seeking for an economical workplace laptop. On the front, the Lenovo ThinkPad P17 sports a massive 17.3-inch display. This is a Full HD display, which means it has a total resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It does not support high refresh rates, however it does have a maximum brightness of 300 nits. It also provides picture quality that is color-accurate. The display has narrow bezels on the sides, but it isn’t a major concern on this laptop. The Intel Core i7-10750H CPU powers the workstation. It’s a 14 nm 10th Gen processor designed for high-end laptops.
A Hexa-core CPU and 12 threads are included with the chipset. It can clock at up to 5.0GHz because to these strong cores. Furthermore, this processor comes with a powerful cooling system that allows it to function at maximum speed for significantly longer periods of time. It also comes with 32GB of DDR4 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD disk pre-installed. The Nvidia Quadro T2000 GPU with 4GB VRAM is included in the Lenovo ThinkPad P17’s graphics. Graphics are, as we all know, more significant than any other component in animations. As a result, it provides excellent graphics performance.
In terms of networking, the laptop also includes WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. You’ll also receive three USB A ports, two USB C ports with Thunderbolt 3, and one ordinary USB C port. It also contains an HDMI 2.0 port, as well as an SD card reader and an audio combo jack. The USB C ports can be used to charge this laptop. Meanwhile, this laptop weighs 7.7 pounds (3.5 kilograms), making it a substantial workplace. Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad P17 is an excellent workstation laptop for animation and other demanding professional applications such as Solidworks, AutoCAD, and game development.