Top 5 Specs Content Creators Should Consider When Choosing a Laptop

Nov. 10 2022

As a content creator, you need a laptop that fits your specific needs. Whether it’s editing high-quality photos or videos, designing graphics or games, or doing 3D rendering work, the right machine will empower your creativity without tethering you to a desk.

But how do you know which laptop to choose? With so many options, it can be overwhelming. And, although you’re an expert in your field, you may not know how to decipher all the laptop specs or technical components that will allow your work to flourish. This guide has you covered—whether you’re looking to buy your first content creator laptop or upgrade an existing computer. Let’s dive in, starting with the basics.

You may be wondering whether it’s worthwhile to buy a creator laptop at all. Creator laptops have several differences compared to mainstream laptops and do come with some trade-offs, which we’ll explore in more detail within this guide.

Generally speaking, creator laptops are higher performing machines that come with dedicated tools geared toward creators. They also can be thicker and a bit heavier than other laptops, owing to the higher performance, and might come with a lower battery life compared to general-use laptops, since they are tailored for handling heavy workflows.

Step one in approaching your laptop purchase is to understand how you’ll be using it, as different professions and goals will come with different requirements.

Whether you’re a social influencer or vlogger, a photographer on the go or a special effects designer using advanced programs, there’s a computer for you. Whether you’re looking for a laptop for photo editing, a laptop for graphic design, a laptop for video editing, or a laptop for 3D rendering, you’ll want to consider the strengths of all your options.

At each level, the higher specs of your laptop, the better it will perform. Below are five specs to consider when choosing the laptop for your needs.

When it comes to any laptop, the central processing unit, or CPU, is the brains of the operation. Also known simply as “the processor,” the CPU plays a significant role in the overall performance of the computer.

The higher the laptop specs, the better your computer will run the programs and tasks you assign it. Here again, the amount of processing power you’ll need depends on the kind of work you’ll be undertaking.

There are two main manufacturers of CPUs: Intel and AMD. Each maker has a variety of models; as a rule of thumb, the higher the model number, the more processing power the CPU possesses. The Intel® Core™ i7 processor is superior to its i5 processor, for instance, while AMD’s Ryzen™ 9 outperforms its Ryzen™ 5.

Key CPU Specs:

A graphics processing unit, or GPU, helps the PC render images, video, and animations. There are two main types. Integrated GPUs are housed within—and therefore share memory with—the processor. But for highest performance, we’d recommend a discrete GPU, which lives on its own card.

For graphics-heavy applications, look for an NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX, or an Intel® Iris® Xe GPUs .The RTX and Xe are fit with ray tracing technology—an advanced method of generating digital images that improves accuracy and detail when it comes to shadows and lighting—and are therefore particularly useful for 3D rendering work.

When it comes to naming convention on the NVIDIA, you’ll notice four numbers (i.e., the NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX3070. Pay attention to the first two, which denote the generation—the higher, the better. If followed by the letters “TI,” the graphics card is much higher performance still.

Meanwhile, within Intel’s graphics slate, creators can look out for the Iris Xe MAX for enhanced capabilities when it comes to content creation and productivity, while the company’s Intel Arc graphics cards are meant for the most serious gamers and professional content creators.

RAM, short for random-access memory, is your computer’s short-term memory. When you do creative work, your computer stores in RAM what it needs to quickly run programs or even surf the internet, only deleting the data when you restart your computer. RAM is not to be confused with your computer’s storage—we’ll cover that below.

Your options for RAM most typically fall at 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB. For highly demanding tasks such as rendering 3D images, opt for more RAM. It’s also worth it to note that for many laptops, you’ll be able to expand your amount of RAM later by adding cards to your memory slots; keep an eye out to see whether the laptop you’re considering comes with the option.

When it comes to laptop screens, OLED is a must-have for creators. Short for organic light-emitting diodes, OLED displays produce an image that is rich and sharp, with high contrast ratios, a fast pixel response time, and brighter images than your standard LED.

OLEDs produce supreme color accuracy and true blacks, emit significantly less potentially harmful blue light to ease the strain on your eyes, and produce a clear and crisp image even when viewed at an angle—so collaborators can gather around and not lose a step.

What to Look for in a Laptop Screen:

Whether in the form of a solid-state drive (SSD) or a traditional hard disk drive (HDD), your laptop’s storage refers to the amount of stuff you can keep on it, whether that’s high-definition photos and videos, loads of files, or bulky applications. Unlike RAM, storage on these drives doesn’t go away when you reboot.

There are many differences between SSDs and HDDs, but for content creators, the choice boils down to computer storage and speed. SSDs are generally more expensive per storage unit but offer flexible price points and have been closing the gap when it comes to cost.

We recommend SSDs, too, because when it comes to speed, the SSD far outperforms the HDD—not only in initial boot-up times but also during normal use.

Choosing the right laptop comes down to the type of work you do, your specific needs and priorities, and your budget.

Opting to spring for higher laptop specs, while more expensive, will allow creators to streamline their workflow and save time performing day-to-day tasks, while future-proofing your setup against continued advancements in technology and programs.

Further, content creators who can afford it will find it worthwhile to buy at the top of their budgets when it comes to computer specs that can’t be upgraded—such as the CPU and GPU—allowing them to grow into their laptop for years to come.