Here are the best Apple laptops for art students
As an art student, having a reliable and powerful laptop is crucial for your creative work. A MacBook is an excellent option for art students because of its sleek design, high-quality display, and reliable performance. In this article, we will explore the five best MacBooks for art students in 2023.
The best laptop for art students isn’t necessarily the most expensive or the most technologically advanced. The best MacBook for art students will vary depending on how much time is spent lugging the laptop around campus, and how long it needs to go on a single charge. Other important factors to consider include screen size, and the types of ports and inputs it offers. We won’t ignore value either as some of Apple’s laptops can get expensive and unfortunately, none of them will pay your tuition for you.
With the transition to Apple Silicon now complete for Apple’s MacBook lineup the MacBook Air and MacBook Pros are all outstanding when it comes to performance and battery life with either M1 or M2 chipsets inside. The major differences come in the design and the top-end performance, which will only matter to a handful of art students who want extra power.
How did we choose the best MacBooks for art students?
To choose among the best MacBooks for art students, we started with extensive personal experience: All the MacBooks here have been road-tested and reviewed in some way. Then, we added in-depth research by cross-referencing third-party reviews with specs sheets, first-party benchmarks and user experiences. Rest assured, we know the ins and outs of all these machines, so you can choose the perfect one for you.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the best Macbooks for art students and find the most suitable for you.
1. MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The best MacBook for most art students
Specifications
CPU: M1 GPU: M1 (integrated) RAM: 8GB/16GB sSize: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches Display: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 pixel Weight: 2.8 pounds Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
Why it’s the best MacBook for art students
The MacBook Air M1 is still one of our favorites despite being years old. Though it’s been somewhat overshadowed by its latest iteration, it’s still a fine laptop. This is especially true for art students since this notebook is the most affordable MacBook out there.
The M1 chipset that Apple launched with this laptop was such a step forward in terms of power and efficiency that it’ll still comfortably cope with everyday computing tasks for years to come. If you don’t believe us, ask anyone who already owns one of these machines.
It also boasts super-fast graphics, advanced security features, and much more. It packs all this power into a very thin, fanless design, which means it’s perfect for using in the library. And, like all Apple laptops, it has huge battery life – around 15 hours in typical web browsing use.
The downsides to the MacBook Air are that the screen isn’t as good as the MacBook Pro, it only has two USB-C ports (and a 3.5mm audio jack) as its total connectivity, and there’s now a more powerful M2 version of this laptop available. However, for a lot of students those won’t be major issues on balance to the price.
Pros
- Breathtaking performance
- Excellent battery life
- Slim unibody aluminum chassis
- Great speakers and Magic keyboard
Cons
- Limited ports
2. MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
The best MacBook for art students who want the latest hardware
Specifications
CPU: M2 GPU: M2 (Integrated) RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches Display: 13.6-inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels Weight: 2.7 pounds Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
Why it’s the best MacBook for art students
The 2022 MacBook Air is our overall best MacBook for art students, considering its budget, exceptional features, and excellent performance. The first outstanding feature of this MacBook is that it is the first that Apple Inc. incorporated the second M2-gen processor. The unique processor supports 24GB of Unified memory, a 10-core GPU, and an 8-core CPU, which speeds up the processing process.
The 2.7 lbs (1.2 kg) makes this MacBook the lightest Mac from Apple. Interestingly, despite the lightweight of the M2, its screen size remained the same as the original MacBook Air. Another incredible feature that made us rank the M2 as the best MacBook for art students is its Touch ID sensor and Magic Keyboard. When fully charged, the battery can last up to 18 hours, which is way above other laptops within the same price range.
Pros
- Elegant redesign
- Great performance
- Bright, colorful display
- Comfortable keyboard
- Amazing battery life
Cons
- SSD somewhat slower than M1 Air
3. MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
The best MacBook for art students who want more power
Specifications
CPU: Apple M1 Pro/Apple M1 Max GPU: Apple M1 Pro (Integrated) RAM: 16GB/32GB/64GB Size: 14.1 x 9.7 x 0.6 inches Display: 16-inch, 3072 x 1920-resolution Weight: 4.3 pounds Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8GB
Why it’s the best MacBook for art students
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is more of a statement of intent — and perhaps an admission — from Apple that it needed to make a machine that the Pro users would look at and not even think of any other laptop. The 14-Inch MacBook Pro has everything that an art student could ask for. The battery life is unparalleled, the display is gorgeous to look at, the performance is excellent, and the speaker system remains the best. You will have to spend a lot of money to buy it but there’s very little chance that you will have to buy another laptop for the next five years.
Another outstanding feature of the MacBook is its 1080p FaceTime HD camera, which makes virtual meetings more interactive. The 32-core GPU and 10-core CPU makes the MacBook perform 13× and 4× faster respectively. With a 64GB Unified memory and 8TB superfast SSD storage, art students can be assured of fast operations and enough memory.
Pros
- Sleek, beautiful design
- A ton of ports
- Outstanding performance
- Stellar battery life
- Stunning screen
Cons
- Expensive entry point
- No USB-A port
4. MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
The best MacBook for art students who need endless battery-life
Specifications
CPU: Apple M2 (8-core) GPU: Apple M2 GPU (10-core)RAM: 8GB/16GB/24GB sSize: 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches Display: 13.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 pixel Weight: 3.1 pounds Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
Why it’s the best MacBook for art students
The MacBook Pro M2 is an excellent laptop that is a bit overshadowed by its siblings. The internal upgrade with the M2 gave it a more significant performance boost than many expected, which keeps it well ahead of the Windows 11 competition at this price point and well beyond.
The design, while admittedly a bit dated, it’s hard to get too mad at the classic look. While the redesigned Air and larger MacBook Pros may look sleeker, you could have the last laugh when their owners are looking for an outlet to charge while you have hours to go as the Pro lasted for an almost unbelievable 18 hours and 20 minutes on our battery test. That was enough to land it atop our list of laptops with the best battery life, a feature that is sure to come in handy at some point in your art career.
The M2 does more than improve speeds and endurance. With a yet again improved image processing unit, the webcam (sadly, still 720p) is better than before and since it runs on Apple’s ARM-based architecture, iPad and iPhone apps are available on Mac. Yep, you can run all your favorite iOS games and apps on your laptop.
Everything else about the MacBook Pro should feel familiar. This is the same design Apple has used for years and the Magic Keyboard is a pleasure to type on (and reliable, too!). We’re disappointed to see the TouchBar back, but it does have its fans and the notch-less screen will absolutely be a welcome sight for some buyers.
Pros
- Stellar overall and gaming performance
- Excellent battery life
- Lightning-fast SSD
- Great webcam
- Comfortable keyboard
Cons
- Stagnant design
- Limited ports
5. 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
The best MacBook for art students who are looking for the most potent MacBook current available
Specifications
CPU: M2 Pro (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU or 12-core CPU, 19-core GPU), with optional M2 Max with up to 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU RAM: 16GB to 96GB Size: 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3024×1964 pixels, 254ppi) Weight: 3.5 pounds (M2 Pro) – 3.6 pounds (M2 Max) Storage: 512GB to 8TB
Why it’s the best MacBook for art students
Powered by the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, the new MacBook Pro 14-inch is faster and more powerful than any 14-inch on the market. Throw in over 14 hours of battery life in you’ve got a nearly perfect laptop on your hands.
The current 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro are identical inside and offer the same chip, RAM, and storage options. Therefore, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is an excellent choice for art students who are looking for the most potent MacBook current available but need a slightly smaller display. That’s a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with 3024-by-1964 pixels.
No matter what your configuration, the MacBook Pro 14 is in a class of its own. The laptop retains its stunning good looks, powerful speakers, high-resolution camera, and comfortable keyboard. But the real stars of this story are the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, which bring even more power and efficiency to the table.
There are a few noticeable negatives to consider regarding this MacBook, including the price (it’s still super expensive), weak color choices (just two), and the divisive notch that some might not like.
Still, if you want the best MacBook for art students with a smaller screen, this is a good way of getting both without missing out too much.
Pros
- Impressive performance
- Over 14 hours of battery life
- Great port selection
- Beautifully vibrant display with crisp detail
- Excellent audio
Cons
- Expensive
- Off-putting notch
- Still no Face ID
When choosing a MacBook for your art studies, consider your budget, the size of the laptop, and the performance specifications. All of the 5 MacBooks mentioned in this article have excellent features and specifications, making them suitable for art students with varying needs and budgets. Choose the MacBook that best fits your needs and preferences, and you’ll have a reliable and efficient laptop to support your creative endeavors.