Here are the best MacBooks for designers according to our testing
Designing is a job that demands precision, creativity, and a robust set of tools to bring ideas to life. Among those tools, one of the most essential is a powerful laptop capable of running intensive design software smoothly. For many designers, Apple’s MacBooks are the go-to choice due to their high-performance specs, superior build quality, and sleek aesthetics. However, with various models available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, choosing the right MacBook for your design needs can be a daunting task.
In this guide, we will dive deep into the world of MacBooks to help you pick the one that best suits your needs as a designer. We’ll compare the latest models, assess their performance, and highlight the specific reasons why they could be an excellent choice for you. So, whether you’re into graphic design, web design, UX/UI design, or any other creative field, read on to find the ideal MacBook for your work.
Which is the best MacBook for designers now?
The best MacBook for designers remains the MacBook Air, which was updated for 2022. There are other noteworthy models we’ve gathered to help you choose the one that fits your needs best.
The best MacBooks for designers you can buy today
MacBook Air (2022)
The best MacBook for designers who want fresh design and excellent internals
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 designers
The Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) isn’t just one of the best laptops Apple has ever made. It’s one of the best MacBooks for designers. While it might not pack a powerful AI-assisted GPU, Apple’s own silicon represents serious competition in the lightweight laptop space.
Thanks to the revolutionary ARM-based Apple M2 chip – an update from the previous M1 chip – that powers the new MacBook Air, this is a stunning achievement: a thin and light laptop that offers great performance while offering incredible battery life. During our time with the MacBook Air, the laptop performed incredibly well, whether we were playing around with software such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Sketch.
Easily managing over 11 hours on a single charge, this is a laptop you can easily carry around with you in the office or outdoors. Its screen is gorgeous, and the new-and-improved keyboard means you can happily work for hours.
Pros
- Apple M2 chip
- 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display
- Up to 18 hours of wireless web between charges
- MagSafe
- Lightweight
Cons
- Only two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Maximum storage is 2TB
- No longer “cheap.”
2. 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 (2022)
The best MacBook for designers who want an excellent 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 designers
The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 was the first M2-powered Apple laptop to hit the market. While the design is a bit dated, it’s a solid choice for disigners thanks to the power of M2.
And based on our tests, the M2 chip delivers, offering performance that destroys competing Windows laptops. The M2 also beats the M1 chip by a significant margin in various benchmarks. Plus, the new MacBook Pro 2022 delivers among the longest battery life we’ve seen from a modern laptop, surpassing 18 hours of runtime.
However, while this notebook sports a new slice of Apple silicon, the design shows its age. You get the same form factor, same ports, same display and same webcam. Meanwhile, the new MacBook Air 2022 offers a larger display with thinner bezels, a 1080p webcam and a thinner, lighter design.
Pros
- Same internals as MacBook Air
- Apple M2
- 20 hours between battery charges
Cons
- No MagSafe
- Older design
- Slightly smaller display
3. 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
The best MacBook for designers who want extremely powerful laptop
Specifications
CPU: 3.3GHz Apple M2 Pro 12 cores (8P/4E) Ram: 32GB LPDDR5 Size: 0.66 by 14 by 9.8 inches Display: 16-inch 3,456×2,234 254ppi 3:2 aspect ratio; 500 nits SDR, 1,600 nits HDR Weight: 4.7 lbs/2.2kg Storage: 2TB Apple SSD AP2048Z, SD card slot
Why it’s the best MacBook for designers
Want an excellent laptop for running software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and other resource-hungry applications? Then you may be looking for the beastly 16-inch MacBook Pro, which sports either M2 Pro or M2 Max chips that deliver shocking amounts of performance. This model features the same gorgeous mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display as its predecessor and once you get over the notch, you’ll be wowed by its contrast and smoothness, especially with its 120Hz refresh rate.
On top of that, you get the return of the ports that pros demand. That’s not just the safety-focused MagSafe 3 charging port, but HDMI-out for connecting to displays and an SD memory reader for connecting memory cards for real-deal cameras. Oh, and don’t think MagSafe will take USB-C charging out of the picture: the MacBook Pro’s trio of Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports also draw power. Plus you get a 1080p webcam, a trio of improved microphones and a stellar six-point speaker system.
Pros
- Class leading performance
- Crisp retina display
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Very expensive
- Heavy (4.7 lbs)
4. 14-inch MacBook Pro (2023)
The best MacBook for designers who want versatility at a lower price
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 GPU: 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 designers
The MacBook Pro 14-inch 2023 is one of the most powerful portable laptops money can buy, and that’s because of the new M2 Pro chip from Apple, which delivers even faster performance than the previous M1 Pro chip. If you need to cut video on the go and don’t want to pay extra for the larger 16-inch model, this 2023 Pro is a great choice.
This laptop turned in class-leading results on multiple tests, including Geekbench, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and video transcoding. If you want even more performance, the optional M2 Max chip offers a big graphics boost with up to a 38-core GPU. Based on our testing, you can blaze through creative work and even play demanding games like Resident Evil Village with pristine graphics and smooth frame rates.
Your designs will look good thanks to the 14-inch mini-LED display, and you’ll appreciate awesome 6-speaker sound system and comfy keyboard and touchpad. Plus, the 1080p camera is a bit better thanks to a new ISP. The HDMI port now supports up to 8K displays, and you still get an SD card slot. Add in faster Wi-Fi 6E and you have a near-perfect laptop for pro disigners, though we’d like to see a touchscreen option and the addition of Face ID.
Pros
- Blistering performance
- Vibrant mini-LED display
- Superb battery life
- Good port selection includes HDMI and SD Card
- Faster Wi-Fi 6E
Cons
- Expensive
- Notch is distracting
- No Face ID support
designers pet
In 2023, our best MacBook for designers is the MacBook Air (M2, 2022). It’s the best choice for most designers. This incredible device offers Apple’s new M2 SoC processor and includes Touch ID, Magic Keyboard, Force Touch trackpad, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. There’s also a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and MagSafe. It’s also pretty lightweight and has 18 hours of battery life, so you can use it outdoors uninterrupted.
If the Air doesn’t have you convinced, perhaps the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 2022) is a an excellent choice. There’s a Touch Bar, two more hours of battery life, and a better GPU at the entry point. Finally, if money is less than an object and you want maximum internals, consider the 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro models. They each feature a powerful M2 Pro or M2 Max chip.
How we test the best designers laptops
To find the best Apple laptop for designers, we run each through our gauntlet of benchmarks and real-world tests, and then use them as our main computer for as well. Only then are we comfortable recommending them (or not) for your purchase.
We use a Klein K-10A colorimeter to test each MacBook’s screen to find its average brightness and color quality (so we don’t just assume Apple’s ratings are correct). When it comes to general performance, we use the Geekbench 5 (CPU performance) benchmark, and time how long the Macs will take to transcode a 4K video to 1080p.
We also run the BlackMagic storage speeds test to see how fast these MacBooks’ SSDs are (spoiler alert: they’re all pretty fast). Then, we run our custom battery test to see how long each MacBook (at 150 nits of brightness) can last browsing the web over Wi-Fi until it runs out of juice.
We’ve also tested various computer games on MacBooks, with Civilization VI: Gathering Storm being one of our current favorites to run because it runs well on both macOS and Windows, giving us a good point of comparison.
No matter which Apple MacBook you buy, be sure to check out these MacBook Ventura tips and tricks to make the most of your Apple laptop.