If you are looking for the best laptops that support All Video & photo editing software or Specifically Photoshop for under $500, you are in the right place. And we will show you high-quality laptops for running Photoshop or video editing software without any problem under a budget of $500.
As we know, the most essential thing in the life of a photographer after a camera is editing. While video or photo editing requires hardware-specific equipment and functions,
So, if you are an expert and amateur photographer, you can start your career with the best budget editing laptops. When you start photo editing on Photoshop or are looking for a portable laptop that will do great work on the go.
What are the Best Laptops for Photoshop Under $500 in 2024?
This article lists the top 10 best laptops for photo editing, which you can easily choose and use in 2024 at a cheap and affordable budget of $500.
This article will be updated as we find other laptops that are better for editing.
1. ASUS VivoBook 15 F515-Best Laptop with Intel Core i3 processor
ASUS VivoBook 15 is the best budget laptop for running Photoshop without any problem. This laptop is skinny and light, so it has advanced features and is suitable for photo editing. It’s one of the cheapest laptops for just $360. ASUS notebooks with powerful processors, such as the AMD Quad-Core R (5-3500u), are modern.
This processor offers four cores and a maximum clock speed of (3.7) GHz. The Ryzen (5 3500U) is a great processor for home and office computing tasks, and it can run multiple apps efficiently simultaneously. This high-speed laptop processor helps you get things done with minimal fuss.
This laptop’s RAM is DDR4 SDRAM, and this memory is 8GB. A type of DDR4 SDRAM is synchronous dynamic random access memory using a high bandwidth interface. It’s swift in this RAM, which uses this more rapid speed and up-to-date technology.
This notebook hard drive is a (256) Unknown Modifier. On the other side, check that the laptop screen display size is 15.6 inches, and this screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. This laptop features a 0.7-inch thin, portable nano edge.
The bezel for an impressive 88% screen-to-body ratio is this laptop’s spinning drive speed (10000 RPM). This laptop doesn’t have an optical drive. Power for this laptop is AC and battery and battery (37whrs) (2S1P) 2-cell Li-Ion. This laptop is an ergonomic backlit Chiclet keyboard with a fingerprint reader. The backlit keyboard lights up behind the keys so that you can use it even in the dark.
This backlit keyboard is the ultimate backlit keyboard with many functions. And this keyboard tends to give your desk a younger feel. They are suitable for young people and are very effective. Fingerprints protect even more.
Specifications
- 15.6-inch full HD
- AMD Quad Core R5-3500U CPU
- 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 256GB PCIe SSD
- AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics
- Windows 10 home
2. Acer Aspire 5 Slim-Amazon’s best choice Laptop for Photoshop
Now, we can’t list the Best cheap laptops for Photoshop 2024 for less than $500 that offer a premium experience at a minimum price. Wondering what laptop I’m talking about? It’s Acer Aspire 5 Slim with a bestseller rank on Amazon!
The Acer Aspire 5 Slim features a fast and powerful AMD Ryzen 3 3200U dual-core processor that can boost up to 3.5GHz. The AMD Ryzen series processors are known for outputting serious workloads, but the Ryzen 3 is no different. This processor also comes with AMD Radeon Vega 3 mobile graphics. Mobile graphics saves on GPU costs, but mobile graphics allows you to experience immersive graphics!
The Acer Aspire 5 Slim has 4GB DDR4 Memory and 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD, offering fast loading. The 7.5-hour battery backup is enough to get you through when fully charged during the day. The laptop offers a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS screen with 1920×1080 resolution.
This laptop’s sharp visuals are second to none in its price range. This is the best laptop for running Photoshop under 50000 with premium features.
Specifications
- 15.6-inch FHD IPS display
- AMD Radeon ™ Graphics
- Processor AMD Ryzen ™ 3000 Series Mobile Processors
- RAM 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Operating System Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
- Up to 7.5 hours of battery life
- Weight 3.97 lbs
3. HP 14-CF0014DX-Best HP Laptop under $500
This HP’s 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U is perfect for professional Photoshop users or photo editors. You can take your workload and deliver good results. The HP 14-CF0014DX has a 7th Generation Intel Core i3-7100U Mobile Smart Dual-Core Processor and Intel Integrated Ultra HD 620 Graphics. It may not seem like much at first, but once booted, they perfectly complement each other.
Additionally, 8GB DDR4 RAM makes advanced multitasking easier with considerable high bandwidth RAM. The 128GB flash-based SSD has no moving parts and a faster start-up time. This laptop is very fast indeed! The screen of the HP 14-CF0014DX also doesn’t creak!
The 14-inch display features a bright, glossy screen that perfectly syncs vivid colors. This laptop maintains sharp screen output from all angles without opacity or contrast. Best of all, a 7-hour battery backup is enough for a hard day’s work!
So, if you’re a workaholic Photoshop user, the HP 14-CF0014DX is perfect. Yes, not all flashy features are present. However, it should be borne in mind that this is an inexpensive laptop designed with professionals in mind. I highly recommend this laptop to professionals.
Specifications
- 14″ Display bright View glossy
- Intel Integrated Ultra HD 620 Graphics
- 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U
- Mobile Smart Dual-Core Processor
- RAM 4GB DDR4 RAM
- 128GB flash-based SSD
- Operating System Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
- Up to 7 hours of battery life
- Weight 4.3 pounds
4. Dell Inspiron 14 5481 2-in-1 8th Gen Intel Core i3
This laptop is lovely; it is a thin, modern laptop. Get battery speed and performance with the best Intel processor. The computer used the 8th generation processor Intel Core I3-8145U. You will get 4MB of cache. The speed of the processor is 3.9GHZ.
These processors are high-speed, and fast processors do tasks faster, then slow things down, making sophisticated applications practically fast enough. This laptop’s memory type is DDR4 SDRAM, and this RAM is 4GB. Faster speed is critical; if this RAM is low, you can’t do this, mainly depending on your RAM. This laptop’s touchscreen display size is 14 inches.
This laptop’s screen resolution is 1366 X 768; the graphics performance of this laptop is suitable for Intel UHD Graphics (620) with shared graphics. The memory speed of this laptop is 2666Mhz. This laptop’s flash memory size is 256 unknown modifiers.
This laptop does not have an optical drive; the power of this laptop is connected to electricity. This laptop power button has been tested for (40 000) presses and keyboard keys for 5 million clicks without failure. This laptop tests the internal connectors of components from USB to AC to battery dozens of times to ensure continuous performance and easy replacement.
Specifications
- 14-inch full HD touch screen Chromebook
- Intel UHD Graphics (620)
- Intel Core i3 8th Gen
- 3.9GHZ Processor
- 4 GB memory
- 128 GB eMMC solid-state drive
- Chrome OS
5. Newest Dell Inspiron 15 3000 2024, latest model laptop
The manufacturer touts the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 as a “daily necessity.” It has everything you need for an everyday notebook. Still, it’s ideal for photo and video editors looking for an affordable laptop under 500 that’s easy to work with powerful specs and is light enough to carry.
The laptop comes with the Intel 2-Core 4205U Processor. You can get 2MB of cache. The speed of the processor is 1.80GHz. These processors are high-speed, and fast processors do tasks faster, then slow things down, making sophisticated applications practically fast enough. This laptop’s memory type is DDR4 SDRAM, which RAM is 8GB.
Dell Inspiron 15 3000 has a 15.6″ HD Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Display screen display. This laptop has a screen resolution of 1366 X 768. The graphics performance of this laptop is suitable for Intel UHD Graphics (610) with shared graphics.
Specifications
- 15.6-inch Full HD Display
- Intel 2-Core 4205U Processor
- RAM 8GB DDR4 RAM
- 128GB SSD Storage
- Intel UHD Graphics 610
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home or Pro
- Up to 5 hours of battery life
- Weight 4.8 pounds
6. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5-best 10th generation Laptop for Photoshop editors
This Chromebook Flex 5 from Lenovo has a sleek look and is ideal for creative work. Flex 5 features the latest 10th-generation Intel Core i3-10110U processor. And since it is one of the latest processors, you can perform better than usual. It has 4GB DDR4 RAM and 64GB SSD storage space but a bit less storage space, and you can still get the job done.
This laptop has become on the list of the best for photo editing under $400 since the Flex 5 is a 2-in-1 with both a keyboard and a touch screen to make interacting with anything on your computer as simple as possible. It also has an integrated webcam and several ports, including two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port.
The Flex 5 has a 13-inch FHD display and a 360° convertible hinge, so you can instantly convert it into a tablet. It can be used continuously for 10 hours after fully charging, and the battery life is very long.
Specifications
- 13 inches, FHD (1920 x 1080) touch display
- Intel integrated graphics
- Intel Core i3-10110U Processor
- RAM-4GB DDR4
- Storage-64GB SSD
- Operating system Chrome OS
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- Weight 2.97 pounds
7. ASUS Chromebook Flip C302 2-In-1-Best budget touchscreen Laptop under 500
With a full HD touch screen and 12.5-inch display, the ASUS Chromebook Flip is an exciting technology that can also be used as a laptop and tablet. It has a durable hinge that seamlessly transforms your Chromebook into a tablet, and the transition from a normal on-screen to a touch screen is pretty smooth.
It’s the “best Photoshop editing Laptop under $500”, with energy-efficient Intel Core m3 processors with 4GB RAM and 64GB solid-state drive storage. It comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac WIFI to ensure your internet speed is as fast as possible.
The memory is relatively small, but the Chromebook Flip has an SD card slot that can support up to 256 GB of memory cards. It’s one of the most valuable purchases for photo editing. It is the best laptop for under $300.
Specifications
- 12.5 inches full HD touchscreen display
- Intel HD Graphics
- Intel Core m3 2.2GHz processor
- RAM 4GB DDR3 RAM
- Storage 64GB SSD (Expandable memory up to 256GB via SD card slot)
- Operating system Chrome OS
- Up to 11 hours of battery life
- Weight 2.65 lbs
8. ASUS VivoBook L203MA-best photo editing laptop for less than 500 dollars
This is another smart device that offers hitter performance and speed. This device comes with an efficient Intel Celeron N4020 processor. This processor has a 4M cache and can get speeds of up to 2.6GHz. Now, we check the RAM. This laptop’s memory type is DDR4 SDRAM, and the RAM is 4GB.
This RAM is twice the data transfer rate. (4) DDR4 is a memory commonly used in 4th generation (DDR RAM) laptops. 1600 Mbps to (3200) Mbps data rate. This RAM is excellent for photo editing, and the speed of this operation is breakneck. You can efficiently multitask at high speed on this device.
This comes with a 14″ FHD Display. This laptop’s screen resolution size is HD 1366 x 768 display in Full HD. This laptop’s flash memory storage is 64GB. This laptop contains one year of Microsoft Office 365.
This laptop is slim and easy to carry (0.7) inches and weighs only (2. 2) pounds (with batteries). This device’s hard drive rotation speed is (10000RPM). This device has Wi-Fi 5 (802. 11AC), allowing you to enjoy internet speeds up to 3 times faster than (802. 11).
Specifications
- 14″ FHD Display display
- Intel Celeron Dual Core CPU
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB storage capacity
- USB-C, Windows 10 Home In S mode
- Intel UHD Graphics
9. New Microsoft Surface Go 2
This laptop comes with an Intel Pentium Gold processor. Every laptop processor’s speed dramatically impacts overall performance and all tasks. The processor speed of modern computers is about 4 million times faster, and a faster processor can intensify the work. It all depends on the speed of the processor. This laptop’s memory type is DDR SDRAM, 8GB RAM. How long does RAM take to receive a request from the processor and then read/write data?
The other side talks about RAM. This laptop has 8GB of RAM, which is perfect for Photoshop editing, and you can run all Adobe video editing software like Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects, and many more. This laptop comes with a 10.5 touchscreen display. This display offers a screen resolution of 1800 X 1200 pixels.
The graphics performance is the perfect Intel UHD graphics chip for the average user. The hard drive size of this laptop is 128 unknown modifiers. This laptop’s rear webcam resolution is 8MP. This laptop battery casting is 9 hours.
You can get quick charging surface contact with the headphone jack. This laptop has an ambient light sensor, which is streamlined for security and excellent performance.
This laptop has a multitasking USB C. The keyboard and pen are sold separately for this device. The keyboard (sold separately) is better than ever. This surface pen stylus (sold separately) significantly improved over last year’s model.
Specifications
- 10.5-inch HD display with touch pen
- Intel Pentium Gold processor
- Intel UHD Graphics
- 8 GB RAM
- 128GB SSD
- Smart lightweight
10. Idea Pad S145-Best laptop for Photoshop for less than $500 for Beginners
If you have a budget of less than 500 dollars, the Lenovo IdeaPad S145 is for you. For casual users of Photoshop, this laptop is perfect. Lenovo IdeaPad S145 is powered by a 7th generation AMD A6-9225 processor, which supports Max Turbo up to 3.0GHz. The processor may not be as much on paper, but whether you’re playing games, using Photoshop, or working on a CPU-intensive project, it can deliver responsiveness and powerful performance.
The IdeaPad S145 also features AMD Radeon R4 graphics combined with 4GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM memory for a fast graphics experience. This laptop has no SSD, but a 500GB HDD is enough for the average user. The Lenovo IdeaPad s145 has a 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) 220nit anti-glare display to avoid eye strain.
The laptop has a slightly darker display, but you can always increase the brightness in the settings. However, one thing that can be a bit of a problem is battery life. With 4.5 hours of full charge backup, battery backup is the least attractive feature of this laptop. But if you’re a regular user, you don’t need to worry much.
Overall, the Lenovo Ideapad S145 is a budget option. Although flawed, this laptop is powerful enough to run Photoshop smoothly. And the flaws are negligible due to the low price point.
Specifications
- 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) 220nit display
- AMD Radeon R4 graphics
- 7th generation AMD A6-9225 processor
- RAM-4GB DDR4
- 500GB HDD Storage
- Operating system Windows 10 Home
- Weight 4.1 pounds
How to Choose the Best Laptop for Photoshop Under $500
When looking for the best budget laptop for Photoshop, you should meet the minimum requirements below.
- Processor multicore supporting 64-bit; 2Ghz or higher on Windows
- Operating System Windows 10 October 2018 Update (64 bit) or higher, macOS 10.13.6 or higher
- RAM 4 GB or more of RAM (8 GB recommended)
- Graphics card Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or equivalent; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or Quadro T1000 recommended
- Hard drive space 3.1 GB (Windows) or 4 GB (Mac) or more installable hard disk space; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on volumes with case-sensitive file systems)
- 1280 x 800 display at 100% UI scaling with monitor resolution 16-bit color and 512 MB or more of dedicated VRAM; 2 GB recommended
- Internet connection and registration are required to activate the software needed.
1. Laptop Performance for Graphic Design: The primary function that a laptop suitable for graphics should be able to satisfy is to run the software or program you use to create your work. Have a computer that can run most of the software used in graphic design.
The main criteria determining a PC’s performance are the processor’s computing power, graphics card, and amount of RAM.
2. RAM: If your laptop processor is the brain of your computer, RAM is short-term memory. RAM (or Random Access Memory) is the storage space where files are loaded as you work. As you can imagine, Photoshop uses a lot when editing images. Modern laptops usually start at 4GB. But that’s not enough. Ideally, it’s better to have a little more.
Adobe claims 2GB is the minimum, but we know 8GB is the recommended amount. However, remember that anything exceeding 16GB is unnecessary for most users.
3. Processor (CPU): The processor or CPU is the computer’s brain. It’s a tiny chip at the heart of everything authoritative for almost every application you use, and Photoshop is no exception. It is also one of the most expensive components in the machine.
For example, Adobe recommends using a 2GHz or faster processor, but it’s well worth it if it can provide a better performance.
Photoshop uses the processor for most of its work, so aim for 2.5 GHz or higher for better results. For those interested in 3D modeling, this is one of the most critical components of this task.
4. Screen display: In terms of graphics, it teaches nothing if you say that the quality of the screen is essential. One of the biggest concerns of the graphic design process is ensuring that the result reads well. It can be tricky if your laptop’s display competes with a 2000s-style flip phone.
If you compare two screens of the same size but with different resolutions, you can display more details on the highest resolution (i.e., the screen with more pixels). The picture will be sharper because there are more pixels on this screen.
However, the higher the resolution, the smaller the elements on the screen, such as icons and text. Many laptops today use an optional or standard touch screen. Opinions are divided on whether it is good or bad. Some creatives love it, and others hate it because it drains the battery much faster than traditional screens.
Another critical aspect of a high-end screen is its ability to display colors. The more colors appear faithfully on the screen, the better you can judge the results.
Hard Drive: A fast hard drive is essential as it allows you to start your software faster. Today, laptops, traditional HDDs, and modern SSDs come with two types of hard drives (SSDs are not actual hard drives).
SSDs are super fast disks that can run software in seconds, so they are highly recommended for architecture-only laptops.
SSD copy speed is generally 200Mb/s or higher, and HDD speed is 50~120Mb/s. Also, this software runs 30% faster on an SSD than on a disk. Still, if you choose an HDD, select a disk with a speed of 7200 rpm.
HDD vs. SSD
No problem finding a 1TB storage device. The problem is that most of them are hard drives (hard drives), and, honestly, they have served us well in recent decades. Too slow in this era. Windows 10 and most software works best with solid-state drives (SSDs). It can also offer 1TB-2TB capacities, and the problem is costly, but it’s worth every penny.
The SSD literally starts up the system in less than 10 seconds.
The SSD, no matter how heavy, starts the software right away.
SSD for faster preview
SSD reduces the time it takes to load/store files.
Basically, all laptop operations that rely on reading/writing deta will perform 7x faster using an SSD instead of an HDD.
Scratch disk: This is not computer jargon but a vital phenomenon to know as an image/image editor. It’s the temporary memory PhotoShop uses when you run out of RAM or when too much data (applications, large files, multiple high-resolution images) are open simultaneously.
Where is the additional memory coming from? Storage device? Storage devices are faster than RAM, so performance and lag are poor. This can be avoided by diligent computer use or by increasing your RAM.
However, regardless of the amount of built-in RAM, the computer will still be replaced to use the storage drive as an additional “RAM.” Even in this case, choosing an SSD from your hard drive is essential.
Graphics Cards (GPU): A luxury compared to the processor and RAM. Most input and midrange processors have a built-in graphics processor that can power the monitor, so it’s unnecessary. A dedicated graphics card is required to use the 4k display. Also, Photoshop takes advantage of the extra power provided by the GPU to make specific tools work.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t require many Photoshop tools, so it’s not a problem if you don’t have a dedicated GPU. It’s nice to have one, so if you pick one, use at least 2GB of VRAM (preferably 4GB). Even if you don’t need it for Photoshop, having a GPU is great for editing your photos.
Adobe Photoshop system requirements 2024
For Windows users
- 1.6GHz or faster processor (SSE2 supported)
- Microsoft Windows 7 8.1 or 10 (recommended) 64-bit version only (32-bit is not supported)
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
- 5.2 GB of available hard disk space for application installation. Additional 2.4 GB for download of all optional plugins
- 1280 x 800 display resolution (at 100% magnification)
- Microsoft DirectX 9 or 10 compatible display driver
- Easy to install by downloading from a DVD-ROM drive (installed from DVD) or internally.
- An Internet connection is required for product activation and content download.
For Mac OS Users
- 64-bit multicore Intel processor
- macOS v10.12 ~ v10.1
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
- 6.5 GB of available hard disk space for application installation, An additional 2.5 GB for downloading all optional content
- 1280 × 800 display resolution (at 100% magnification)
- DVD-ROM drive (for installation from DVD)
- An Internet connection is required for product activation and content download.
Best FAQ about Laptops forEditingg
Is a laptop the best choice for photo editing?
Many photographers are considering buying a desktop/PC instead of a laptop for photo editing, and we know many are still confused about making the right choice. The answer is simple: you should buy a Laptop because it gives you the flexibility to carry it anywhere.
You can work from home, in a coffee shop, office, or anywhere. Whether you are on the way to your Car, you can easily edit your photos on the go. That’s why a laptop is the best choice for Photoshop editing.
Are Gaming Laptops Good for Photoshop?
Gaming laptops are the most powerful laptops on the market. So they can easily handle photo editing. You can also do video editing, a heavy computing task on your laptop. You don’t even need a potent laptop for photo editing.
Is Asus suitable for Photoshop?
While it lacks some of the advanced features of more expensive laptops you can use with Photoshop, ASUS is a powerful laptop for many aspects of your business life. A fingerprint scanner can protect your work, and the reliable processor provides high-speed performance for multiple applications.
Is 4GB enough for Photoshop?
With a good processor and SSD drive, 4GB is acceptable, too. However, if you are dealing with larger PSD files such as web page and landing page designs. You need to upgrade your RAM to 8GB or 16 GB. Sometimes, you have to open some browser tabs with Photoshop, which can slow your browser or cause Photoshop to crash.
Mac or Windows? Which operating system is best for Photoshop?
The operating system Windows and Mac systems for laptop Photoshop are equally stable. Choosing between them will depend on your budget, the software you use every day, and how you adjust or make your computer “scalable.”
Windows is still the most secure operating system of the two. It is compatible with all significant software in graphic design and not with Mac OS (Photoshop). Installing this software as a virtual machine to compensate for this flaw is possible, but it remains a complex operation for the average user.
In general, I prefer the PC because it is easier to upgrade to meet new requirements (the possibility of adding RAM, SSD, etc.).
Do I need a dedicated graphics card for Photoshop?
Many users wonder if they can run Photoshop on an inexpensive laptop and if Photoshop needs a dedicated graphics card; this question is answered. Photoshop uses a graphics card to improve the performance and improvements in 3D, but in most cases, an integrated graphics card is enough and can handle Photoshop without problems. So, don’t prioritize laptops with dedicated graphics unless you’re editing videos or doing advanced photo editing with Photoshop.
Can I play games on a $500 laptop?
Yes, you can play casual games on a $500 laptop. Playing large-scale games is not recommended.
Conclusion- Best Laptop for Photoshop Under 500 2024
This article was about the Best Laptop for Photoshop. For under $500, you can buy online from Amazon. Now, you decide to pick the best photo editing laptop for 2024. The notebooks listed above were selected through in-depth analysis. You can like anyone without a doubt. Please let us know in the comment box if you have any questions.
