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Best HP Laptops for Artists and NFT Creators
Arthur Smalley
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June 8, 2022
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 monetise 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 out there, and we’ve chosen five of our favourites:
- HP ENVY x360 15”
- HP Spectre x360 15”
- HP ProBook x360 435 13.3”
- HP Pavilion x360 14”
- HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 14”
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 in relation to the wild and volatile price swings common for NFTs and the broader crypto marketplace.
NFTs are a new commodity, and there are definitely 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 take advantage of 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 favourite shows. But a laptop for artists needs to be capable of a bit more.
You need:
- A high-resolution display with vivid colour 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 are looking to run RAM intensive apps, you should upgrade to 16 or 32GB.
- Adequate storage to keep your creations local as well as 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 a 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 there is nothing 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 to ask yourself 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.
1. HP ENVY x360 15” 2-In-1 Convertible Laptop
If you’re looking to get started in digital art, the HP ENVY x360 15” 2-In-1 Convertible Laptop is one of the best laptops for artists available. The stunning HD display (up to 4K) offers vibrant colours 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. Plus, with HP Display Control, you can adapt colour presets depending on what you are creating.
Its clean design has been updated to reduce the space around the screen (known as the bezel). Envy x360 15” models weigh in at between 1.77 kg and 2.04 kg, and come with minimum dimensions of 35.9 x 22.82 x 1.84 cm. The impressive HP 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” Envy laptops are available depending on your budget and requirements; this includes:
- Processor: Your choice of the latest multi-core processors from Intel® (i5 or i7) or AMD (Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7)
- Graphics: AMD Radeon graphics across the board to handle even complex art software.
- Memory: 8GB or 16GB options available
- Storage: 512GB SSD as standard, although you can customise up to 1TB
- Battery life: Up to 12.5 hours of HD video streaming
When it comes to connecting your devices, the HP ENVY x360 15” comes with:
- USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1
- 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
- HDMI
- Headphone/Microphone Combo
- SD Card Reader
- Adaptor Plug
2. HP Spectre x360 15” Convertible Laptop
One of the best laptops for digital art available, the HP Spectre x360 15” convertible laptop offers a step up in quality with a 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) touch screen and an NVIDIA GeForce™ GTX 1650 Ti with Max-Q design (4GB) GPU.
This high-performance device can handle any art software you throw at it and display your work in stunning detail with eye-catching colours.
The HP Spectre x360 15” comes with:
- Intel Core™ i7 10750H (10th Generation)
- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Up to 8.75 hours of battery life
Weighing only 1.92 kg, the device packs a lot of performance into a good-sized package with minimum dimensions of 35.99 x 22.64 x 1.99 cm and a screen to body ratio of 90%.
The Spectre comes with an HP Rechargeable MPP2.0 Tile Pen and external ports to plug in all your accessories:
- 2 x USB Type-C
- HDMI 2.0b
- USB Type-A
- AC Smart Pin
- Headphone/Microphone Combo
- MicroSD Card Reader
3. HP ProBook x360 435 13.3” FHD Convertible Laptop
Another excellent laptop for artists is the HP ProBook x360 435 13.3” FHD convertible laptop. A smaller (30.85 x 22.29 x 1.79 cm) and lighter weight (starting at just 1.45 kg) device, the 13.3” ProBook is great for artists always on the go who want to work wherever they end up.
With an FHD (1920 x 1080) touch screen that can convert into tablet use, the smaller 13.3” screen doesn’t sacrifice resolution. The ProBook is loaded for high-performance, with:
- AMD Ryzen 8 5800U
- 16GB Ram
- 1000GB SSD
- AMD Radeon Graphics
External ports include:
- 2 x USB Type-A
- USB Type-C
- Headphone/Microphone Combo
- HDMI 1.4b
- AC Power
- SD, SDHC, and SDXC Expansion Slots
4. HP Pavilion x360 14” Convertible Laptop
Looking for the best laptop for artists on a budget? The HP Pavilion x350 14” 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 the fantastic display, for the best performance, we recommend the Core i5 model with:
- Intel Core i5 1135G7 (11th Generation)
- 8GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Up to 8 hours of battery life
Plus all the external ports you’ll need:
- 2 x USB Type-A
- USB Type-C
- HDMI 2.0
- AC Smart Pin
- Headphone/Microphone Combo
- MicroSD Card Reader
5. HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 14” Convertible Laptop
Our final offering laptop for artists is the HP EliteBook x360 1040 G8 14” Convertible Laptop that comes with an HP Pen stylus to work on the FHD convertible touch screen. The thin device (31.93 x 20.26 x 1.66 cm) comes with a narrow bezel (89% screen-to-body ratio), and only weighing 1.32 kg, you can comfortably carry the laptop around as a tablet.
The Elitebook comes with high-end specs:
- Intel Core i5 1135G7 (11th Generation)
- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Even with a thin body, the laptop still comes with four USB ports:
- 2 x USB Type-C
- 2 x USB Type-A
- Headphone/Microphone Combo
- HDMI 2.0
Summary
There has never been a better time to find out the value of your digital art. With 5 of the best laptops for artists listed above, we’re sure you will find the ideal device to get your creativity flowing.
About the Author: Arthur Smalley is a science and technology writer based in the UK.
