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Nowadays, most t-shirt design businesses do their design work online. With the right professional design software, it’s easy to make even hand-drawn work marketable and reproducible. However, to run these programs, you need a powerful laptop. Your machine needs technical power to run graphic design apps, compatibility with a range of software and accessories, and a high quality graphic display. On top of this, it needs to be lightweight with a long-lasting battery, so you can work flexibly. Yet with so many different makes and models of laptops on the market, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. That’s why we’ve reviewed a huge range of computers to find you the best for your business, in the areas that matter: technical specs, resolution, portability and value for money. Here are our top five recommended laptops for T-shirt design businesses.
Product Comparison Table: Best Laptop for T-Shirt Design Businesses
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | LG Gram 17 Laptop | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Widescreen | Amazon |
 | HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Laptop | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best Convertible | Amazon |
 | ASUS VivoBook 15 Slim Laptop | $ | 4.5 stars | Best Value | Amazon |
 | Dell XPS 15 9500 Professional Laptop | $$$$$ | 4.5 stars | Most Powerful | Amazon |
 | Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best Overall | Amazon |
LG Gram 17 Laptop
The LG Gram 17 Laptop has an extra-large screen measuring a full 17 inches wide – that’s the widest out of any laptop on this list. It is also very light, weighing just over one kilo, which is more than light enough to be put in a backpack or suitcase. Powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G7 CPU with Intel Iris Plus Graphics, it is capable of producing extremely high-resolution imagery. It also has a full 12 hours of battery life, making it even more portable. Lastly, it has a huge range of options if you need to connect accessories, or hook your laptop up to a larger screen: two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Pros
- Extra-wide screen (17-inch)
- 10th Gen Intel Core processor and 8GB RAM
- Large range of ports for connection
Cons
- Not a touchscreen
- Only 8GB of RAM
Verdict
The LG Gram 17 Laptop is our number one widescreen choice for T-shirt design businesses, due to its relatively lightweight build; although 1kg is much heavier than smaller screen models, you won’t get much lighter with a screen this big. The processor and graphics specs are very impressive, however only 8GB of RAM might make it run a little slower when there are lots of Photoshop and Illustrator windows open, for example.
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HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Laptop
As touchscreens have become ubiquitous, companies like HP have expanded this technology into laptops. The HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Laptop is not only touchscreen, but convertible; it can be folded over and used as a tablet. The low 3.55 pound weight and 15 hour battery life make it fully portable. As for performance, the 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor can handle any graphic design software, including Photoshop, Illustrator and more. It has a 14-inch high resolution touchscreen with a 1920×1080 pixel spread, plus Corning Gorilla Glass, and BrightView technology to ensure both color-fidelity and durability. To top all this off, it has 1 USB-C port, 2 USB-A ports, 1 3.5mm jack port and built-in dual speakers by B&O.
Pros
- Convertible, can be used as touchscreen tablet
- Long lasting battery life and lightweight
- High resolution, gorilla glass screen
Cons
- Only 8GB RAM
- Limited number of ports (no HDMI)
Verdict
Convertible laptops have been game changing for the design industry; rather than investing in both a laptop for the office, and a tablet or graphics pad, you can save by buying a convertible. With the fully portable HP Pavilion x360 Convertible Laptop, you can work on designs wherever and whenever inspiration takes you. The lack of ports could limit you if you like to use peripherals – especially those that connect via HDMI – however, you’re likely to not need things like mice and drawing pads when using a convertible.
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ASUS VivoBook 15 Slim Laptop
The ASUS VivoBook 15 Slim Laptop has a 5.6 inch Full HD 4-way NanoEdge bezel display. It always achieves high quality imagery due to its 1920×1080 resolution, and has an exclusive Ergolift design; this both prevents back pain from a poor seating position, and ensures you’re always seeing your work from the best angle. It has a powerful 10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1 CPU, plus 8GB RAM, meaning it performs smoothly on all the essential design tasks. There are connection ports for USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 2.0, and HDMI. However, there is one issue with the operating system: Windows 10 S Mode only supports apps from the Microsoft Store, which does not include some major design programs. To install an app that isn’t available in the Microsoft Store, simply switch out of S mode in three easy steps.
Pros
- Great value low price
- High resolution Full HD screen
- Range of ports inc. HDMI
Cons
- Windows 10 S Mode
- Only 8GB RAM
Verdict
The ASUS VivoBook 15 Slim Laptop is our top choice for T-shirt design businesses on a budget, providing solid performance at an even more solid price. The display performance far outperforms the standard you’d expect from a value machine, and there’s a surprising variety of ports that could be hugely useful for a growing business. However, switching out of Microsoft S Mode can negatively affect performance, so it might be best to check if the program you prefer is available through the Microsoft Store.
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Dell XPS 15 9500 Professional Laptop
The Dell XPS 15 9500 Professional Laptop has a 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H processor capable of clocking up to 5GHz, making the foundation for some very impressive specs. It has 16GB RAM, double all the others we’ve reviewed so far. Plus, For very complex graphic design requirements, the CPU shifts some tasks to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU, which has 4GB of video memory. It supports all major design apps, – including InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop – without a hitch. As for the display, the 920 x 1080 pixel FHD+ resolution edge-to-edge screen has Gorilla Glass, a 100% RGB color gamut, HDR 4000, VESA certification, and over 16 million individual colours for superior image quality. Lastly, it weighs 4.5 pounds, and has three USB Type-C ports, two of which are compatible with Thunderbolt 3.
Pros
- Biggest processing power inc. 32GB RAM.
- High quality FHD 4K display
- Thunderbolt-compatible ports
Cons
- Not a touchscreen
- Very expensive
- Needs a dock to increase number of ports
Verdict
The Dell XPS 15 9500 Professional Laptop is the most powerful laptop on our list; if you’re technically-minded, prefer ambitious designs or like to do a lot of digital editing, this is the perfect machine for you. All the major design programs run seamlessly on this machine, despite it running Windows 10. However, it will need a dock to support slots older than USB-C, which could make it even more expensive than it already is.
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Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch
The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch is equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor, and 16GB memory. It also has AMD Radeon Pro 450 with 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory, plus an integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 graphics processor; this is a laptop engineered specifically for high-quality design work. The 15-inch True Tone Retina Display produces resolutions ranging from Full HD to 4K, with a bright liquid clarity you’ll only get from a MacBook. Connection options include Bluetooth 4.2, four “Thunderbolt 3” ports (USB-C connectors), and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The machine itself is also incredibly sleek, stylish and portable, weighing in at just 4 pounds with a 10 hour battery life.
Pros
- Good processing power, 16GB RAM
- Large range of ports inc. Thunderbolt
- Lightweight, sleek and portable design
- True Tone Retina Display
Cons
- Short battery life
Verdict
There’s a reason why most designers use Macs, and the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch is one of the best machines Apple has ever put out. The impressive processing power combines with the True Tone Retine technology to produce a uniquely intuitive experience for designers – always smooth, bright and true-to-colour. There’s also far increased compatibility between most major design programs (especially Adobe) and MacOS, so Apple machines are always the best choice. Despite the famously weak battery life, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch is inarguably the best overall laptop for T-shirt design businesses.
