Every Writer Needs a Great Laptop! What are The Best Laptops For Writers?

Typing away at our desktop computers is no longer cutting it for us, and it's honestly for the best. We have the flexibility to work from anywhere, so thank God we no longer have to be glued to our office desks. All we have to do is bring our laptops along, and suddenly work can occur anywhere. How about a work date with a friend in a cozy cafe in the middle of town, for example? Not a fan of the hustle and bustle of the city center? That's alright. Grab your laptop and take a break from society in a remote villa. Or do some last-minute work on the subway, on your way to the office. Laptops allow us the freedom to take our writing with us wherever we go.

But how do we find the best laptop for writers? It can be pretty hard to distinguish the right ones from the not-so-reliable ones, and often we realize we've bought the wrong device far too late. It's not that I don't trust your research skills, but how about I save you the disappointment and point you the way towards some reliable laptops! I know we writers aren't always loaded with cash, so don't worry. There will be plenty of budget laptop choices on this list, too.

Best Laptops for Writers at a Glance

1. Our Top Pick – Google PixelBook Go
2.  The Best Apple Laptop For Writers – Apple MacBook Air M1
3. The Best Laptop for Writers With Industry-Leading Typing Comfort – Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
4. The Best Laptop To Literally Bend Over Backwards For Writers – HP Spectre x360
5. The Best Portable Laptop For Writers – Asus Vivobook S15
6. The Best Day to Day Laptop For Writers – Acer Aspire 5
7. The Best Laptop For Writers on a Budget – Acer Chromebook Spin 311
8. The Best Tablet For Writers – Microsoft Surface Pro 7
9. The Best Laptop For Writers For Business – Lenovo ThinkPad T480
10. The Most Powerful Laptop For Writers – DELL XPS 13 9300

What Makes a Laptop Great for Writing?

Before we start recommending you some shockingly comfortable-for-writing laptops, allow us to explain why they're worthy of your eyes.

Before delving into our handpicked selection of laptops ideal for writers, it's essential to understand what makes them stand out and why they can help alleviate any stress or uncertainty associated with purchasing a new device. As we delve into the features and benefits of each laptop, it's worth noting that one crucial aspect to consider is the security and management capabilities that a laptop offers.

For example, intel vpro is a really good technology for laptops. However, you might wonder, what is intel vpro? This technology provides advanced security and remote management features, ensuring that your sensitive data remains protected, which is particularly important during these times of increased online activity. By investing in a laptop with Intel vPro, you can have peace of mind knowing that your writing projects are secure and your device is equipped with robust management capabilities.

The best laptops for writers have features that aid them beyond hardware and software specifications. When looking for a good laptop for writing, you should consider:

Screen

Not just the size – that is entirely up to you and is always a personal preference. Most laptops you'll find in 2021 range between 13” and 14”. Ironically, what matters more than size is finding a screen that doesn't wear out your eyes. Another essential feature for those who venture around town is an anti-glare screen. There's nothing more annoying than turning up the brightness all the way and still seeing… absolutely nothing.

Keyboard

Comfortable keyboards are the way! This is once again a personal preference, but most laptops (if not all) come with the so-called “chiclet keyboard” or “island-style keyboard.” They are incredibly flat, save space, and are a dream to use without the risk of getting your fingers in a twist Ha!). Nothing gets me quite like making typos because I can't press the right key. Urgh.

Additionally, you should highly consider getting a backlit keyboard with your laptop. Somеtimеs, you just won't notice when the sun has gone down, and there's nothing worse than getting out of “the zone” to get up and switch on a lamp.

Battery Life

When it comes to battery life, I recommend you buy a laptop that can stay on between 4 and 9 hours without being plugged in. This is in case you forget to bring along a charger one day. You also won't be glued to a desk or cafe plug all the time.

Weight

There's no point in getting a heavy laptop if you're planning on bringing it along your commute. My rule of thumb is that my laptop has to fit inside a regular tote bag. Of course, that doesn't mean I'll go around town with my laptop in a tote, but you can cage the size and weight much easier that way. Most laptops made in recent years weigh under 4lbs, which is less than the weight of “War and Peace”.

Storage

Storage is often neglected by many. These days aim for around 250GB, but you would use the storage in roughly a year. Alternatively, you can look into getting an SSD upgrade or set some money aside for storage systems like iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive.

RAM

It's best to get around 8 GB for Mac laptops and around 16GB for Windows laptops. This is the golden number if you don't want any lagging issues. Otherwise, your Windows OS will eat up most of that existing RAM.

Software

If you have been using Windows your whole life, there's no point in switching to something completely different. That said, your laptop will come with a pre-installed software system, so double check to see if you're familiar with it before purchasing.

Processor

Look for an Intel Core i5 or Mac's M1 if you want tons of processing power. Making sure you have a good processor will guarantee you effortless multitasking.

Ports

Are you going to use this laptop during presentations? You might need an HDMI. USB 3 and USB C ports are also key features to look for in a laptop. Depending on your preference, you might also want to look for an SD slot.

Graphics

Graphics aren't the most crucial thing to consider when looking for the best laptops for writers, but if you want to know the best one at the moment, look for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080.

Of course, getting the right accessories is the last step to completing this shopping experience. I'm not just talking about laptop bags and air duster sprays for your keyboard. You might want to consider getting a mouse for your laptop, despite it having a perfectly functional tracking pad. I can't tell you how many times I have experienced wrist strain from using a tracking pad!

Top 10 Laptops for Writers – Reviews

We have arrived at the juiciest part of the article – the review! Read along to find the top 10 choices for writing laptops!

1. Our Top Pick – Google PixelBook Go

• Good to Go: Pixelbook Go lets you stay unplugged for up to 12 hours, [2] so you don't need to carry a charger. And when you do need a charge, get up...
• Made to move: Pixelbook Go is lightweight - barely 2 pounds. It’s 13 mm thin with a grippable design, making it easier to carry. [1]
• Get it done Fast: Pixelbook Go starts up in seconds, and makes working a breeze. The 8th Gen Intel Core Processor is quick and responsive, powering...

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If you're looking for a crazy light and reliable laptop, the Google PixelBook Go is a stylish answer to your call. It weighs only 2 pounds, and its textured back will provide stability and comfort, so you don't have to worry about it slipping out of your grip.

The PixelBook Go is equipped with a low-travel keyboard similar to the one you would find in Macbooks, and it's also much quieter. This can be a plus if you're working around people who get irritated by clickety-click sounds or if you're one to get easily annoyed by them.

This laptop by Google has an above-average battery life, lasting up to 12 hours when unplugged. The PixelBook Go is equipped with an Intel Core i5 chip and paired with the ultra-lightweight Chrome OS, leaving you with tons of processing power.

This laptop operates using Chrome OS, so do consider it might take a while to get used to it. But as far as work laptops are concerned, this can be a powerful choice that will aid you throughout your writing career!

2. The Best Apple Laptop For Writers – Apple MacBook Air M1

• All-Day Battery Life – Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
• Powerful Performance – Take on everything from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming with ease. The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU...
• Superfast Memory – 8GB of unified memory makes your entire system speedy and responsive. That way it can support tasks like memory-hogging multitab...

$741.97

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There's a vast divide out in the world, between Apple users and… everyone else. So if you're a fan of Apple laptops and like me, allow me to introduce you to the MacBook Air M1! I'm currently writing from one, so let me fill you in on all the pros and cons.

The MacBook Air M1 can completely transform your work approach. To start, this laptop can fit in a purse; it’s light and small, and above all else, it will help you get the job done.

The M1 comes with an updated keyboard which is extremely easy to get used to, featuring a silent profile and lower travel distance. You'll notice you can access the backlit keyboard buttons through the command center, but you don't have to worry too much about adjusting it manually. The laptop is smart enough to auto-adjust them as you go about your day.

A downside here is the M1 features two thunderbolt (USB-4) ports. You'll be using one to charge your MacBook, and the other one will need a separate hub, like the Pro R, so that you can plug in an SD card or any external storage device.

A striking feature of the MacBook Air M1 is the fingerprint unlock button, which doubles as a power button. If you're a fan of the ecosystem, you'll love how quickly you can unlock the laptop while wearing an Apple Watch. You can also use it to confirm all your purchases and fill in your passwords.

The battery life on this device is impressive, as always with Mac products. You can go about your day, as usual, using several applications without losing even half of your battery after a full day of work.

When it comes to weight, as always with MacBook Air, you'll notice it's incredibly lightweight at under 3 pounds. You can easily open the laptop with one hand, which seems to be a significant factor for users nowadays. Overall I think you can guess my final verdict!

3. The Best Laptop for Writers With Industry-Leading Typing Comfort – Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

• Power to do what you want with up to 70% more speed than before and choice of 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processor or exclusive AMD Ryzen™ Microsoft Surface® Edition processor.2
• Thin, light, elegant design in choice of two sizes: light, portable 13.5” or larger 15” that’s perfect for split-screen multitasking.
• Show your best side on video calls with sharp video and image quality, even in low light, thanks to a front-facing 720p HD camera.

 

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The Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 will impress you from the moment you unbox it. One of the first things you'll notice is the larger screen, at 15”. Of course, if that's too large for you, you can always be downgraded to the 13.5”. This Surface Laptop includes a touch screen, so if you pair that with the Surface Pen, you can take advantage of its full functionality. You can easily open the Surface laptop using just your finger.

But perhaps before that, you'll notice the premium Alcantara finish (Alcantara is a soft suede-like material) on the inside, surrounding the keyboard. It gives the device a cozy feel, and the low-travel comfortable keyboard makes for an intuitive typing experience.

The Surface Laptop 4 is also an extremely powerful device, equipped with the latest Intel Core i7 processor, so you don't have to worry about any lagging, especially if you choose the 16 GB RAM. The front-facing HD camera with enviable low-light performance, so you can be easy on the eyes in minimal lighting.

Perhaps the only downside to this laptop is the battery performance. It doesn't have great battery life, and by that, I mean it only lasts about 3 hours and 15 minutes when unplugged. Of course, this is to be expected, as this machine can run tons of applications, so if you're looking for reliable performance, you might have to get used to bringing along a charger.

4. The Best Laptop To Literally Bend Over Backwards For Writers – HP Spectre x360

• HP Spectre x360-13t 2-in-1 Convertible Quad Core Laptop PC with HP Z5000 Bluetooth Mouse
• You can get same Laptop/PC with other configuration such as Memory, Hard drive and Operating System. For more details please see other products on our Walmart Store.
• 8th Generation Kaby Lake intel Core i7-8550U Quad Cores Processor (1.80 GHz, up to 4.00 GHz, 8 MB Smart Cache).

 

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The HP Spectre x360 carries that name for a reason. This device is a 2-in-1 laptop with a screen that can flip all the way around, doubling as a tablet. It makes it extremely easy to scroll, select and tap, providing an outside-of-keyboard experience. You'll find that the touch screen functionality is so intuitive, you'll start using it even when you're in laptop mode.

The HP Spectre x360 has the latest display resolution, allowing you to watch videos in 4K, and you might think, why does that matter to me? I'm a writer, and I don't care about any of that. Well, you do – especially when you notice how crisp text can be on the screen.

The HP Spectre x360 is stuffed with top-tier specs, including an Intel Core i7 processor, making this small laptop a fast and powerful multitasking tool. With this processor and excellent graphics, this can quickly turn into a compact gaming laptop. Of course, this begs the question – what is storage like on this device?

This is one of the most impressive laptops for writers, so don't be surprised by the pricing – you're getting tons for what you're paying! To put it simply, the x360 has a terabyte of hard disk space, but you can find cheaper versions housing the 512 GB variation. My oh my, in terms of battery life, will you be impressed! The laptop can perform unplugged for up to 22 hours, so you can work all day without thinking about your charger.

5. The Best Portable Laptop For Writers – Asus Vivobook S15

Sale

• Aspect Ratio:16:9
• 15.6 inch Full HD NanoEdge bezel display with stunning 86% screen-to-body ratio
• Latest 11th generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 Quad Core Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.70 GHz, with IPU)

$729.99 −$240.99 $489.00

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The Asus Vivobook S15 simply had to make it to the list. The laptop offers an exclusive ErgoLift hinge, which automatically lifts and tilts the keyboard 3.5° for extra-comfortable writing. I'm sure you'll appreciate this feature whenever you start working on an extended writing task.

The laptop implements an island-style keyboard with 1 mm of travel, well-spaced keys without being crowded. The battery life on this laptop is also worth noting – 8 hours of continuous use without the need for power. There are also plenty of settings to help you minimize power use. This is ideal if you're doing a lot of traveling or working from places without the option to plug in your device.

The Asus Vivobook S15 comes equipped with the intel core i5 processor, so you know you're holding a powerful laptop in your hands. The wide-view 15.6” display is so far the largest on this list, so if you have been looking for a portable laptop with a wild display, this might be your favorite. It only weighs 3.7 pounds, so you can take it with you anywhere you go.

6. The Best Day to Day Laptop For Writers – Acer Aspire 5

57 Reviews

$559.00

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The Acer Aspire 5 is a powerful mid-range laptop with a spacious palm rest – an essential factor for writers. The Acer Aspire also features a fingerprint scanner, which you can find on the top left of the trackpad. You'll be happy to know this laptop for writers also features a backlit keyboard, so you can do a power session in the middle of the night without worrying too much about lighting.

The Acer Aspire 5 features a Full HD display of 15.6 inches, so I would recommend it to people who like a wider screen or tend to multitask. The laptop has a 51% sRGB color rating, meaning most colors come out a little washed out or high in contrast. This would bother an average user or someone who spends a lot of time writing documents. This is more a warning for any graphic designers or photo editors – you might not get a true-to-life result using this laptop.

When it comes to battery life, you'll find the Acer Aspire 5 to be a reliable companion. During light use with 50% brightness, you can expect to use it for an average of 9 1/2 hours, and during intense gaming or video editing – sessions between 3-5 hours.

Overall the Acer Aspire 5 is a decent mid-range affordable laptop at a great price with enough features and power to become an integral part of your day-to-day activities.

7. The Best Laptop For Writers on a Budget – Acer Chromebook Spin 311

Acer Chromebook 311 CB311-10H-42LY, AMD A-Series Dual-Core A4-9120C, 11.6″ HD, 4GB DDR4, 64GB eMMC, 802.11ac WiFi 5, Bluetooth 4.2, Chrome OS

• AMD A-Series Dual-Core Processor A4-9120C (Up to 2.4GHz)
• 11.6″ HD 1366 x 768 Widescreen ComfyView LED-backlit Display
• Integrated AMD Radeon R4 Graphics

 

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The small yet powerful Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is precisely what the starving writer needs. This writing laptop is not only affordable, but it is also travel-friendly and has enough features to be considered one of the best laptops for writers.

The keyboard on the Acer Spin is tight enough to compliment the design, with enough key travel. It's also pretty quiet with excellent key stabilization. One thing you'll be sacrificing is screen size – the Full HD screen is pretty tiny, but if you don't mind that, you'll instantly notice the vibrant colors, and you'll be thrilled when you learn that it has a touch display!

The Acer Chromebook Spin is a 2-in-1 laptop, and it's called “Spin” for a reason – you can flip the keyboard all the way around, and you'll be left with a tablet in your hands. This can be pretty useful for presentations or to save some space during travel – you can easily do your work while commuting on a train or bus.

This laptop is designed to have all the base functions needed by a writer or university student without the distractions of other apps and devices. The laptop only has 4 GB of Ram and supports 4GB maximum memory, so you should consider investing in some other form of storage like Google Drive or Dropbox, for example. You can quickly turn it into a business laptop.

8. The Best Tablet For Writers – Microsoft Surface Pro 7

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• Next-gen, best-in-class laptop with the versatility of a studio and tablet, so you can type, touch, draw, write, work, and play more naturally
• Faster than Surface Pro 6, with a 10th Gen Intel Core Processor – redefining what’s possible in a thin and light computer. Wireless : Wi-Fi 6:...
• More ways to connect, with both USB-C and USB-A ports for connecting to displays, docking stations and more, as well as accessory charging

$899.00 −$514.01 $384.99

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You might be thinking – what is a tablet doing in this laptop review, but allow me to explain myself. To start, some of you out there might already have found the ideal laptop. Maybe you have an outstanding but bulky gaming laptop with all the necessary specs for writing, but it's just too heavy to bring along on a commute. You might not want to invest in another laptop, so a tablet could very well be the logical solution.

Not only that, but we're not just talking about any tablet here. The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a powerful state-of-the-art device that will have anyone drooling over it. With the Intel Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM, this tablet is an obvious rival to all laptops on this list. The touchscreen experience is like gliding on ice, so if you're one to prefer writing out your notes, grab yourself a Surface Pen and go handwritten.

The Surface Tablet 7 pairs well with the Type Cover keyboard, which has a bouncier feel than most laptop keyboards. It's smooth, light, and perfectly spaced for smooth typing. And before you ask me, yes, I can confirm this is a backlit keyboard. Woohoo!

The Surface Pro 7 is a stylish and modern device with all the laptop features packed in a tablet, so if you're one to care about design and looking professional is part of your priorities, you won't go wrong with the Surface Pro 7. You can get it in a variation of colors; it's portable, powerful, and reliable.

9. The Best Laptop For Writers For Business – Lenovo ThinkPad T480

Introducing the Lenovo Thinkpad T480 Laptop with quick reliable performance from the Intel Core i7 1.90GHz Processor. This refurbished Laptop features 16Gb of RAM for multitasking power and a 512GB SSD hard drive for an amazingly smooth and fast computing experience. Comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro-64 software that was designed for on-the-go working professionals.

 

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The Lenovo ThinkPad T480 is another great writer's laptop at a reasonable price point. The beauty of the ThinkPads is their simplicity, making them easy to use and set up. The Lenovo ThinkPad T480 laptop weighs only 1.99 lbs. It's lighter than an Apple MacBook Air! Knowing this, you will most likely want to move it around even more than usual. The good news is you don't have to worry about damage- it's made of durable materials, including carbon, so it feels sturdy and reliable.

The battery life on this device is insane – you can get 17 hours of continuous use from this device. This is why it's considered an excellent work laptop, often used by receptionists, hosts, secretaries, and in our case – writers.

Despite the minimal travel space in between keys, the keyboard is intuitive to use without feeling too crowded. The ThinkPad is equipped with a fingerprint scan, so your data is secured safely on this device.

Lastly, it's worth mentioning the incredible HD webcam you can use for those online meetings you'll have, especially now that you're working remotely on your ThinkPad. The front-facing camera also comes with a shutter, a desirable feature most laptops lack. The laptop is also recommended for its anti-glare features, so you don't need to worry about the lighting conditions if you're planning on doing any work outdoors.

10. The Most Powerful Laptop For Writers – DELL XPS 13 9300

• Dell XPS 13 9305 13.3" Laptop, Certified Refurbished directly from Dell including One Year Factory Warranty
• 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor (8MB Cache, up to 4.2 GHz) | 256GB SSD | 8GB DDR4 RAM
• 13.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge Non-Touch display | Platinum Silver | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2 x 2) and Bluetooth 5.1

$682.49

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When most people hear DELL, they think sturdy, reliable, and… not at all stylish. Yes, DELL has been the definition of power sans elegance, but not anymore. DELL has completely revamped its design so you can get a gorgeous deluxe laptop with powerful specifications.

Aesthetically speaking, the DELL XPS 13 9300 is small, compact, lightweight with a silver design and an inviting soft carbon fiber finish. You can open the device using a single finger, which seems to have become the new precedent for reliable hinges, so yay!

If you can't be bothered with passwords, you can start using the fingerprint sensor to log in with minimal effort. The keyboard keys on this device are bigger than any other model on our list, so if you're not a fan of a small and tight keyboard, you'll be thrilled to use this DELL laptop.

The DELL XPS 13 9300 is packed with the powerful Intel Core i7 processor (but you can downgrade to i5 for a more affordable experience) and can boast over 12 hours of battery life. You can easily make this laptop your primary computer. It houses enough power to turn into a great gaming laptop, with an enviable Full HD display and an up-to-date Windows 11 operating system.

FAQ

Do I Need the Latest Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 Processor for My Writing Laptop?

Technically speaking, a lot of people might tell you that the core i5 and core i7 processors are a little outdated. However, considering we have selected the above 10 laptops for writing purposes, you can be sure that these processors will be just fine for the type of work you're doing.

Take me, for instance – I'm currently writing from a MacBook Air operating the Core i5, and I have had no issues opening two dozens of tabs, all the while playing Netflix and YouTube videos and doing my writing research.

Of course, if you are looking to fully migrate to a new device and want a laptop with all the hardware specifications to become your all-purpose computer, equipping it with the best and most recent processor is a good idea.

Do I Need the Most Powerful GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Card on My Writing Laptop?

Are you planning on using your laptop for gaming, video editing, or color grading? Are you a cinephile who likes to watch movies on 4K? Getting the best and most current graphics card is a good idea if you're going to be doing any of those things. The graphics card doesn't play such a tremendous role for a writing laptop.

Of course, as I stated above, if you are expecting your device to become your multitasking machine or you want to use it for gaming, it makes sense to upgrade to the latest graphics card update.

Need More Recommendations?

I hope you found this article helpful and informative. Did you know we write reviews on other topics as well? Recently, we rated the top vlogging cameras with flip screens and the cheapest vlogging cameras out there.

We also wrote some honest reviews on Canon vlog cameras, as well as the overall best vlogging cameras. One of these cameras might make the perfect gift for a loved one, or you could simply treat yourself to an overdue camera!

Best Selling Laptop for Writers

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		HP Notebook Laptop, 15.6" HD Touchscreen, Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor, 32GB RAM,...	$424.99	Buy on Amazon
2		ECOHERO Laptop Computer, 8GB DDR4 RAM/256GB SSD, Intel Celeron Processor, 14 Inch FHD...	$199.00	Buy on Amazon
3		Dell Chromebook 3180 Laptop Computer, 11.6 Inch Laptop PC, Intel Celeron N3060, 4GB...	$74.99	Buy on Amazon
4		HP Portable Laptop, Student and Business, 14" HD Display, Intel Quad-Core N4120, 16GB...	$299.00 $216.47	Buy on Amazon
5		Acer Aspire Go 15 Slim Laptop | 15.6" Full HD IPS 1080P Display | Intel Core i3-N305|...	$299.99 $259.99	Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2024-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API