To get the best result in animation and graphic design you will need a high configuration computer. A professional animator always wants to create transformative animation and graphic imagery with buttery smooth frame rates so that the scenes will render as fast as possible. So whether it is 2D, 3D, VR, or AR, a professional animator requires some of the most powerful computers in the world.
So when you are looking for the best laptop for 3D & 2D animation you should look for a combination of performance, portability, and reliability. Therefore, it is not easy to find an appropriate laptop for animation. Our experts have considered all the requirements and picked the 10 best laptops for your consideration. Whether you are a beginner or a high-end professional you will find an affordable and budget-friendly laptop from this list that will provide excellent support to your animation and graphics works.
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List Of 10 Best Laptops For Animations In 2021
1. HP Zbook 15u Notebook
2. Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe Ultraportable Laptop
3. Apple 15-inch Macbook Pro
4. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
5. Lenovo Yoga 920 – 13.9″ FHD Touch
6. Microsoft Surface Pro
7. Acer Aspire VX 15 Gaming Laptop
8. Dell Inspiron 15 5593
9. ASUS VivoBook Pro 17
10. MSI GS65 Stealth 15.6″ Gaming Laptop
11. HP Zbook 15u Notebook
HP Zbook 15u Notebook
The HP Zbook is packed with some amazing features that make it an excellent laptop for animators. This laptop is equipped with Intel Core i7 processor, cutting-edge GPU, and 16GB RAM. So with this laptop, you can easily run heavyweight design and animation applications without any lag or other problems. This laptop has a screen size of 15.6″ with an excellent resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It has a convenient design that makes it lightweight and portable. The processor of this laptop is more than capable of handling design and animation applications.
Another great aspect of this laptop is; it has incredibly powerful inbuilt speakers. The battery backup of this laptop is also excellent. You can get six-hour of battery life which is great for outdoor works. HP Zbook 15u Notebook comes with a 3-year warranty and it ensures an amazing performance that will help you successfully accomplish all your graphic design and animation tasks.
Specification
1. Display size: 15.6 inches
2. Max display resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
3. Processor Type: Intel Core i7 2.7 GHz
4. RAM: 16 GB DDR4 SDRAM
5. Hard Drive: 128 GB Solid State
6. Graphics Coprocessor type: FirePro W4190M
7. Graphics Card Size: 2 GB
8. Chipset: AMD chipset
9. Wireless compatibility: 802.11abg
Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe Ultraportable Laptop
This is an excellent laptop from Asus and it has everything that a professional animator requires to do his animation tasks. It has a blend of power and magnificence that will provide you a perfect balance between performance, productivity, and portability. This laptop has 16 GB of RAM, Intel Core i7 processor, 14″ Full HD display with 178° viewing angles, and amazing battery performance. This laptop has a display resolution of 1920×1080 pixels which is perfect for animation tasks. The high-quality graphics will provide excellent support for all your design and animation related projects. With all these amazing features this laptop will take graphic design and animation tasks to the next level.
The 8-th generation Intel Core i7 processor will provide 1.8 GHz clock speed which is enough to run the heavy animation applications. It has 512 GB SSD and the excellent display support ensures stunning coloring and unlimited contrast at wide-view angles as well as provides easy collaboration with the animation projects. This laptop also has a powerful quad-speaker audio system, superior Wi-Fi capabilities for better work experience. The battery of this laptop will provide a massive 9 hours of backup as well as it supports fast charging.
Specification
1. Display size: 14 inches
2. Display Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels�?
3. Processor Type: Intel Core i7-8550U
4. RAM: 16 GB
5. Wireless Type: 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1
6. Hard Disk Size:�? 512 GB
7. RAM Type: DDR4 SDRAM
8. Average Battery Life: 9 hours
Apple 15-inch Macbook Pro
This is an excellent laptop from Apple and it combines efficiency and user-ease to create a dynamic notebook option for graphic designers and animators. This laptop is equipped with so many amazing features that it’s worth spending that much money on it. This laptop has a 15-inch Retina Display and 7th generation Intel Core processor for premium performance. It is also equipped with 16GB of memory and Radeon Pro graphics so that an animator can easily make any animation project or graphics design. It has 512 GB SSD storage space so you can keep everything saved and don’t have to worry about the space.
This Macbook Pro has Apple’s eye-catching Touch Bar and Touch ID to make life easier. Some other key features of this laptop are Apple Pay, intelligent typing, and automatic adjustments. One of the key features of this laptop is, you will get up to 10 hours of battery life so you don’t have to worry about charging for working late in the office or early morning meetings. It has four USB-C ports so you can use all the latest technology well as the Mac OS High Sierra gives incredible options and make this laptop perfect for animators.�?�?
Specification
1. Screen Size: 15 inches
2. Max Screen Resolution: 2880-by-1800 native resolution
3. Processor: 2.2GHz, 6-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor
4. RAM: 16 GB
5. Hard Drive: 512 GB SSD
6. Graphics Coprocessor: Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory
7. Card Description: Integrated
8. Wireless Type: 802.11ac; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible; Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
9. Average Battery Life: 10 hours
Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop
This is an excellent gaming laptop from Acer. Many professional animators prefer gaming laptops because this type of laptop is loaded with high-level specs that are excellent for design works, animations tasks, and using heavy applications. This laptop is equipped with a super powerful i7 Intel processor and it is backed with best and VR ready NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics. It also has 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD that offers high-speed data transfer and work performance. It has dual-fan cooling capabilities that are best for extreme designing, editing, animations, and high configuration gaming.
For graphics design and animations you won’t find a better laptop than the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop. It features high-quality capabilities a high-tech sound system with in-built stereo speakers which is perfect for animation tasks. It has a silky design therefore you will find this laptop very comfortable to work with. If you are new in graphics design or animation then this laptop will help you take your graphics, animation skills, and experience to the next level.
Specification
1. Display size: 15.6 inches
2. Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
3. Processor type: 3.8 GHz Intel Core i7
4. RAM: 16 GB
5. Graphics Coprocessor type: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
6. Graphics Card Size: 6GB
7. Hard Drive: 256 GB Solid State
8. Speed of Memory: 2133 MHz
9. Wireless compatibility: 802.11.ac�?�?�?�?�?
Lenovo Yoga 920 – 13.9″ FHD Touch
This is an excellent laptop from Lenovo and it offers incredible versatility and style for graphic designers and animators. Lenovo is very renowned for offering laptop and tablet options with premium features and Lenovo Yoga 920 is not an exception. This model has 360-degree hinged design and it is perfect for the multi-faceted needs of an Animator. This laptop has a 13.9” wide-angled Multi-touch screen with 4K resolution and vibrant clarity. So you will get an excellent viewing experience no matter what task you are doing. It also includes an active pen stylus that makes this laptop even more flexible for animators.
Lenovo Yoga 920 is equipped with the Dolby Atmos sound system and it offers 360-degree audio and rich soundscape. This laptop is equipped with an 8th Generation Intel Core processor, up to 1 TB of storage space, and up to 16 GB of memory so you can expect speed and solid performance from this laptop. This model operates on Windows 10 Home and Lenovo’s personal App Explorer so it has a user-friendly interface user can get started using their technology safely and conveniently.
Specifications
1. Screen Size: 13.9 inches
2. Max Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
3. Processor: Intel Core i7; 1.80 GHz
4. Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
5. RAM: 8 GB DDR4
6. Hard Drive: 256 GB SSD
7. Chipset Brand: Intel
8. Card Description: Integrated
9. Wireless Type: 802.11ac
10. Human Interface Input: Microphone, Touchscreen
Microsoft Surface Pro
This is a champion laptop from Microsoft that offers everything a designer or animator needs in a laptop. You can use it as a laptop or tablet and can amplify your work output when using its included Surface Pen. From this laptop, you can get up to 13.5 hours of battery life which is more than enough for a long stay in the office and don’t have to worry about constantly changing your computer. This laptop has a 13.5-inch screen and it is equipped with the Intel Core i7 processor. This laptop provides stronger graphic and speed delivery while doing multi-task or running heavy animation applications.
With this laptop, you can use professional-grade software applications like Adobe Premiere Pro 5 and Revit. Moreover, this laptop seamlessly works with the iPhone, iTunes, and iCloud applications. This laptop is equipped with 16 GB RAM so it offers a strong overall performance whether doing big projects or daily tasks. This laptop has password-free sign-in that gives you the fastest, most secure way to unlock your device. This laptop has 512 GB of storage space which is enough for animation-related works.
Specifications
1. Processor: Intel Core i7
2. Screen: 13.5” PixelSense touchscreen with 3000 x 2000 resolutions�?�?
3. Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce Graphics
4. Memory: 16GB RAM
5. Storage: 512GB
6. Battery Life: Up to 13.5 hours
7. Hard Disk: Flash Memory Solid State
8. Wireless Communication: 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g
Acer Aspire VX 15 Gaming Laptop
This is another gaming laptop from Acer and it is integrated with a dominant latest generation i7 Intel Core processor with a high-performance NVIDIA graphics pre-processor. So this laptop is perfect for all types of multi-tasking, extreme and high-end gaming, animations, and graphics related works. You can run all the heavy animation software on this laptop without facing any lag or other problems. This laptop will give you a perfect blend of high-end performance and quality.
This laptop has 15.6″ Full HD widescreen IPS display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 256 GB SSD, and 16GB RAM. So all the applications will run smoothly and you don’t have to worry about running out of storage space anymore. The super-fast graphic capabilities, high-tech audio system, and powerful processor make it a dream laptop for animators. Moreover, this laptop has cutting-edge cooling support so you can expect excellent performance while playing high-end gaming and doing graphic sessions.
Specifications
1. Display size: 15. 6 inches
2. Display resolution: 1980 x 1080 pixels
3. Processor Type: Intel Core i7 2.8 GHz
4. RAM: 16GB
5. Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
6. Hard Drive: 256 GB Solid State�?
7. Media Card Reader: 1 USB 2.0 Port, 3 USB 3.0 Ports
Dell Inspiron 15 5593
If you are looking for a dynamic laptop with plenty of options then it will be an excellent option for you. It has 4 models: tent, tablet, laptop, or stand so you can pick a model according to your needs. Moreover, all these models provide flexibility to whatever your needs may be. This laptop has a 15.6-inch FHD anti-glare LED-Backlit screen that provides a bright and crisp viewing experience. This laptop is equipped with the 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor (8MB Cache, up to 3. 9 GHz) so it will powers you through your graphics design and animation needs. It also includes a USB-C port, DC-in, and Display Port which is very convenient.�?
This laptop gain popularity for its powerful processor and NVIDIA GeForce MX230 GPU that provides excellent performance while doing multi-task, high-end graphics design, animation projects, or playing AAA games. It has an aluminum body with a stylish brushed finish that gives the Dell Inspiron 15, an overall high-end appearance. It is durable enough to sustain rough use and short-term heat, as well as day-to-day use. Some other key features of this laptop are a face-recognizing camera, strong audio, etc.
Specifications
1. Brand Name: Dell
2. Display: 15.6-Inch Fhd anti-glare LED-Backlit screen
3. Processor: 10th Generation Intel Core i7
4. Operating System: Windows 10 Home
5. Memory: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
6. Video Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX230 4GB GDDR5
7. Hard Drive: 512 GB M. 2 PCIe NVMe solid states Drive
8. Media Card Reader: 2-in1 Media Card Reader and USB 3.0
9. Optical Drive Type: No Optical Drive
ASUS VivoBook Pro 17
If you are looking for a portable laptop for your animation works then you can consider buying the ASUS VivoBook Pro 17. This laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with a base clock speed of 1.8GHz. You can reach the speed of this processor up to 4.6GHz on Turbo Boost. This extra clock speed will be a great help when doing complex graphics design projects or running high-end animation programs. This laptop comes with 16 GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB of SSD storage and 1TB of HDD storage. So you can keep your programs installed in the SSD for better performance and use the other 1TB for data storage needs.
This laptop has a screen size of 17.3-inch and it is full HD which is very important for animation works. The screen has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. This laptop is equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 and a VRAM of 4GB so you will find it very handy while doing complex animation projects or playing high-end games. This laptop has both Type C and full-sized USB ports and a good pair of speakers and a backlit keyboard. The battery performance of this laptop is also excellent. It provides up to 7 hours of battery backup which is more than enough for outdoor use.
Specifications
1. CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7
2. RAM: 16GB
3. Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
4. Display: 17.3-inch FHD Wide view (1920 x 1080)
5. GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
6. Battery: Up to 7 hours
7. Weight: 4.85 pounds�?�?�?�?
MSI GS65 Stealth 15.6″ Gaming Laptop
MSI is renowned for manufacturing high-quality gaming laptops and the MSI GS65 Stealth 15.6″ is not an exception. This laptop has enough performance for all types of animation works that include 2D, 3D, etc. This laptop is powered by the Intel Core i7 processor with a clock speed of 3.9GHz which is sufficient enough for multi-tasking, high-end gaming, graphics design, animation projects, etc. This laptop has 16GB of DDR4 RAM which is excellent for multitasking and running animation applications. Moreover, it has 512 GB SSD storage for better speed and security.
This laptop is very popular for its impressive display. Animation work requires color sensitivity so if you are an animator then you will love the 15.6-inch Full HD display of this laptop. Moreover, the display has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. The display panel comes with a higher refresh rate of 144Hz as well. MSI uses the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 that has 6GB of VRAM so you will find the visual quality of everything super-fine. The best part of this laptop is; it supports Thunderbolt 3. The battery backup of this laptop is also excellent. The battery of this laptop will provide 6 hours backup.
Specifications
1. CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7
2. RAM: 16GB
3. Storage: 512GB SSD
4. Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
5. GPU: 6GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
6. Battery: Up to 6 hours
7. Weight: 4.14 pounds�?�?�?�?�?
FAQs About Laptops For Animations
1. Is A Dedicated Graphics Card Necessary For Animation?
This is a very common question among beginner animators. Graphics design or animation requires a huge amount of resources to work at a time therefore it is good to have a dedicated graphics card installed on your laptop. A dedicated graphics card will improve visual performance and let you do the animation tasks conveniently.
2. How Does A 144Hz Screen Help The Animator?
A better screen refresh rate provides an excellent viewing experience. Moreover, when you are working on a complex design or animation or working inside a complex interface, a 144Hz screen refresh rate will provide you the smoothest experience. Moreover, if you are designing games then it will also help you test games at a higher quality.
3. Is SSD Storage Necessary For Animation Tasks?
SSD storage increases the speed of the application by providing better read and writes speed so it is very important for Animators. Animation works require heavy applications so if your laptop has SSD storage then the applications will run smoothly without any lag which is very important for animation tasks. Moreover, SSD storage offers better rendering times compared to the HDD
.
4. Which Graphics Card Is Best For Animation?
The answer to this question depends on your requirements and what type of animation work you do. There are many graphics cards available in the market that will allow you to do the animation works conveniently, for example, NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X, Ge Force GTX 750Ti Sc Card, GeForce GTX 970, NVIDIA Quadro M6000, etc.
5. Is 8GB RAM Enough For 3d Animation?
Whether you can do animation on your laptop depends on various things that include, power of the processor, GPU, storage type, RAM, etc. If you have a high configure the laptop with batter GPU then you can do 3D animation with 8GB RAM.
6. Is i5 Good For Animation?
It is recommended by the experts that you will need Intel i5 or above processor for animation because graphic designers and animators run advanced software such as Flash Anim8or, Adobe Illustrator, Coral Draw, and VFX. So the more powerful your laptop is the better.
Final Thought
I hope the above list has helped you choose the best laptop for your needs. If you have any queries or need further suggestions regarding laptops for animation then leave it in the comment section. Our experts will get to you.