Best HP Laptops for Artists and NFT Creators
The world of digital art is growing rapidly, allowing more creators to turn their passion into profit. Driven by the explosion in NFTs, artists now have additional channels to monetize their creations and get paid to do something they love.
Whether it is a full-time career or a new side hustle, making digital art requires a powerful art computer or laptop that can match your creativity. HP offers some of the best laptops for artists, and we've chosen five of our favorites.
But first, let's discuss what an NFT is, as well as the general specifications and features you need to consider when looking for a new laptop for digital art.
What is an NFT?
NFTs have been all over the news recently. Often, they get discussed when a large amount of money is paid for a relic of internet history or a popular meme, or the wild and volatile price swings common for NFTs and the broader crypto marketplace.
NFTs are a new commodity, and there are some growing pains to overcome. However, while it can feel like they're currently more for speculators looking to make a quick profit, they offer real and exciting avenues for artists and others to make a living.
NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token:
- Non-Fungible means it is unique
- Token means it is a digital asset
So, an NFT is a unique digital asset whose authenticity and ownership are certified using a blockchain. NFTs use the same technology as cryptocurrency to provide a solution to digital ownership. They allow people to authenticate digital assets, prove they own them, and transfer or sell them to others.
NFTs aren't limited to images. Artists can create anything they want. As long as it comes in the form of digital data, it can be stored on a blockchain and minted as an NFT. This could be an image, GIF, video, piece of music, or something completely different. The digital age means artists are free to experiment and apply their creativity however they choose.
What the best laptops for artists should have
But to unleash that creativity, you need an excellent art computer to facilitate or enhance your skills. Most laptops can handle web browsers, word processors, or watching your favorite shows. But a laptop for artists needs to be capable of a bit more. You need:
A high-resolution display with vivid color fidelity to make your art pop on screen: at least HD, ideally full HD or 4K.
Enough RAM to comfortably run your required art applications: 8GB minimum, although if you want to run RAM-intensive apps, you should upgrade to 16 or 32GB.
Adequate storage to keep your creations local and in the cloud: your required amount will depend on the memory demands for your chosen art formats, but you should be looking at a minimum of 256GB.
A powerful processor capable of performing intensive tasks such as rendering: in an ideal world, this would be the latest-generation processor, although you may be able to make do with a less expensive option.
A graphics processing unit that matches your needs: most modern graphics cards are suitable for drawing, video, and animation software; however, if you are looking at more complex tasks, especially incorporating 3D, you will likely want to choose a more advanced option from NVIDIA® or AMD.
Maxing out these specifications won't come cheap, and you will likely have to find a good trade-off for your specific use case. But nothing is worse than saving a bit of money only to end up with an art computer that holds you back. You'll end up with a slow and frustrating piece of technology that extinguishes any burst of creativity or new idea you have.
Another critical question is whether you should choose a tablet over a laptop for artists. However, there are excellent 2-in-1 touch screen laptops that let you sketch out ideas straight onto the screen while also offering the additional functionality of a laptop. Plus, you can find great attachable drawing pads or graphics tablets to connect to your computer.
5 best HP laptops for digital art
Below are 5 of the best laptops for digital art and NFT creation.
HP ENVY x360 15-inch 2-In-1 Convertible Laptop
If you're looking to get started in digital art, the HP ENVY x360 15-inch 2-In-1 Convertible Laptop is one of the best laptops for artists. The stunning FHD (1920 x 1080) multitouch-enabled display offers vibrant colors while also converting for use as a tablet. In addition, the model is fully compatible with digital pens, so you can sketch, design, and create your art however you choose.
Its clean design has been updated to reduce the space around the screen (known as the bezel). ENVY x360 15-inch models start off at 3.75 lbs, and come with minimum dimensions of 14.13 x 9.02 x 0.73 in. The impressive dual speakers from Bang & Olufsen mean you can make music even if you're caught without headphones or away from your home set-up.
All this comes with lightning-fast performance, memory, storage, and long-lasting battery life so as not to interrupt or hinder your creativity. A range of 15-inch ENVY laptops are available depending on your budget and requirements; this includes:
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris® Xe Graphics
- Memory: 16GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM (2 x 8 GB)
- Storage: 256GB SSD as standard, although you can customize up to 1TB
HP Spectre x360 16-inch Convertible Laptop
One of the best laptops for digital art, the HP Spectre x360 16-inch convertible laptop offers a step up in quality with up to a UHD+ (3840 x 2400), OLED touch screen display, and Intel Iris Xe or Intel Arc™ graphics.
This high-performance device can handle any art software you throw at it, and display your work in stunning detail with eye-catching colors.
The HP Spectre x360 16-inch comes loaded with a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of onboard RAM, and 512GB SSD in storage, upgradeable to 2TB.
Weighing only 4.45 lbs, the device packs a lot of performance into a good-sized package with minimum dimensions of 14.09 x 9.66 x 0.78 in and a screen-to-body ratio of 91%.
HP ProBook x360 435 G9 FHD Convertible Laptop
Another excellent laptop for artists is the HP ProBook x360 435 G9 13.3-inch FHD convertible laptop. A smaller (12.15 x 8.78 x 0.71 in) and lighter weight (starting at just 3.19 lbs) device, the 13.3-inch ProBook is great for artists who are always on the go and want to work wherever they end up.
With a UWVA FHD (1920 x 1080) touch screen that can convert into tablet use, the smaller 13.3-inch screen doesn't sacrifice resolution. The ProBook is loaded for high performance with AMD Ryzen™ 3 (upgradeable to Ryzen 7) and integrated Radeon™ graphics, 16GB of RAM (upgradeable to 32GB), and base 256GB SSD storage (upgradeable to 1TB).
HP Pavilion x360 14-inch Convertible Laptop
Looking for the best laptop for artists on a budget? The HP Pavilion x350 14-inch convertible laptop is what you need. With an FHD touch screen display, you will struggle to find better visuals at the same price point. The device also remains fully convertible with 360-degree geared hinges to transition into a tablet position.
While lower spec options still come with a fantastic display, for the best performance, we recommend the Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage, and Intel Iris Xe graphics.
HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 14-inch Convertible Laptop
Our final offering laptop for artists is the HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 14-inch Convertible Laptop that comes with an HP Pen stylus to work on the FHD convertible touch screen. The thin device (12.57 x 7.98 x 0.65 in) comes with a narrow bezel and starts at 2.9 lbs. You can comfortably carry the laptop around as a tablet.
The EliteBook comes with high-end specs, starting at an Intel Core i5 upgradeable to i7, Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD storage.
Laptops for every creator
There has never been a better time to find out the value of your digital art. With five of the best laptops for artists listed above, you will find the ideal device to get your creativity flowing.
