Best Laptop For Journalists In 2023

Updated on January 7, 2023
Best Laptop for Journalists in 2020

Journalists are mostly people who are always on the go, moving from one area to another to cover news stories. This means that you won’t necessarily need a high-performing laptop, as you will be focused more on durability, portability, and comfort when you’re looking for the best laptop for journalists.

Finding that kind of laptop won’t be easy, especially if you still require that the device still provide solid performance to allow you to do a bit of multitasking. Fortunately, there are great models out there that will fit what you need in a laptop and thankfully, we’re here to help you identify the best laptops available.

Recommendations for June 2023

Best Laptop for Journalists in June 2023

HP Spectre X360 – Powerful With 32GB Optane Memory

HP Spectre X360
The HP Spectre X360 is a powerful laptop that features a 10th Generation Intel processor, high RAM, and massive storage space. It also comes with 32GB Optane memory, which can further accelerate the laptop’s performance. It also has a great display and very comfortable keyboards.

One of the best laptops for journalists is the HP Spectre X360 because it combines power, feature, portability, and comfort.

This laptop comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. These are powerful specs that are more than enough to allow you to not only write your articles, but also use it for other things like editing photos, multitasking, and so on.

The device’s storage also comes with 32GB Optane memory, which will accelerate the laptop’s performance even more. But aside from great performance, this hybrid laptop is also portable because of how light it is. 

It only weighs at 2.87 lbs, making it easy to carry. It also has a great 13.3-inch display, 12.5-hours of battery life, as well as a keyboard that is comfortable to type in. It’s a great hybrid laptop that you can bring anywhere and deliver a good performance. It’s the best laptop for writing.

Recommended Configuration for HP Spectre X360

CPU: Intel Core i7-10657G7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 13.3” Full HD Touch Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 512GB SSD +32GB Optane | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 12.5 hours | Weight: 2.87 lbs

ASUS Chromebook Flip – High Performing Chromebook

ASUS Chromebook Flip
The ASUS Chromebook Flip is a laptop that actually looks more like a Windows device instead of a Chromebook. It features a sleek and premium-looking design that is also bigger with its 14-inch display. It also has solid specs, being powered by a 10th Generation Intel Core processor.

If you’re hesitant to consider a Chromebook for your laptop needs because you think it looks clunky and delivers low-performance, then you need to look at the ASUS Chromebook Flip.

You’ll be surprised to see that it has a sleek and stylish design with a minimalist finish, making it look more like a premium Windows laptop than a Chromebook. But what’s even more surprising is the specs that are powering this device.

It comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i3 with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD storage. These are solid specs that will easily allow you to write and edit your articles, as well as work on other tasks. You can even do multitasking here, running several programs while having multiple browsers open.

This 2-in-1 Chromebook also comes with a decent battery at 9.5 hours from a single charge, a bright 14-inch full HD display that delivers crisp images with vivid colors, and a keyboard that is very comfortable to use. It’s one of the best laptops for journalists that you can get on this list.

Recommended Configuration for ASUS Chromebook Flip

CPU: Intel Core i3-10110U | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 8 GB DDR3 RAM | Screen: 14” Full HD Touch Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 128B SSD | Operating System: Chrome OS| Battery Life: 9.5 hours | Weight: 2.58 lbs

Acer Swift 3 – Affordable But Powerful

Acer Swift 3
A thin and lightweight laptop with powerful specs and an affordable price tag, that is what you get with the Acer Swift 3. It features a 4th Gen AMD Ryzen processor, a decent display, solid keyboards, and weight and design that makes it easy to carry around.

The Acer Swift 3 is the budget option on this list if you’re looking for a Windows laptop to use for your work as a journalist.

But don’t let the price tag fool you, as this laptop can deliver great performance. It has a 4th Gen AMD Ryzen 5 processor, along with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. These are powerful specs that will easily allow you to perform a variety of tasks, including doing a bit of photo editing.

It’s also thin and light at only 0.63-inch thick and weighing at only 2.65 lbs, making it easy to carry around. It’s minimalist design also makes it look more premium than its price tag suggests. There’s nothing spectacular with its 14-inch full HD display, but it’s decent.

The keyboards are also solid, not the most comfortable, but still functions well. Battery life is also okay, lasting 8 hours on a single charge. But what’s really attractive about this laptop is its affordable price tag. It’s the best option if your budget is tight and you’re looking for the best laptop for writing.

Recommended Configuration for Acer Swift 3

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U | Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics | RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 14” Full HD IPS Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 256B NVMe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home| Battery Life: 8 hours | Weight: 2.65 lbs

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 – All-Around Performer

Lenovo IdeaPad 5
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is a great all-around performer with its solid CPU, high RAM, and massive storage space. You can easily use it for almost any task you might have. It also has long-lasting battery life, as well as a durable frame and good keyboards.

An all-around performer that is comfortable to use, durable, and can last for more than a day, this is what you get with the Lenovo IdeaPad 5.

It features a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 processor with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB storage. These are great specs and can easily allow you to use this device for more than just writing and editing articles.

It’s also a durable laptop with its aluminum lid and sturdy plastic base, allowing it to survive bumps and short-distance falls. You also won’t have to worry about the laptop quickly running out of juice as it can last for 11.5 hours on a single charge, providing you with more than a day’s worth of work.

The laptop is also very comfortable to use. The touchpad is very responsive and accurate. The keyboards also provide great feedback, and the 15.6-inch Full HD display provides sharp images and accurate colors. It’s one of the best laptops for writers.

Recommended Configuration for Lenovo IdeaPad 5

CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 15.6” Full HD IPS Touch Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 512B NVMe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 | Battery Life: 11.5 hours | Weight: 3.66 lbs

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 – Stylish With Dedicated GPU

Dell Inspiron 15 7000
The Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is a great laptop that looks high-end and can deliver great performance with its powerful specs. It features a 10th Gen Intel Core processor, as well as dedicated graphics, allowing it to do more tasks with ease.

A dedicated graphics card is not usually needed in a journalist’s line of work. However, there might be moments where you need to do more intensive editing of images or even videos to post along with your article.

If this is the case, then the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 is your laptop. It’s the only laptop on this list that comes with dedicated graphics, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, making it one of the more powerful options on the list.

The laptop also has a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor with 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD storage. These specs will easily allow you to perform almost any task, including intensive editing, and run any program or software without problems.

This laptop also features a comfortable keyboard, as well as a large display that delivers bright and crisp images with accurate colors. The battery life is also decent, providing a solid 8 hours on a single charge. It’s one of the best options to be used as a journalist’s laptop.

Recommended Configuration for Dell Inspiron 15 7000

CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 15.6” Full HD Touch WVA Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 8 hours | Weight: 3.39 lbs

ASUS ZenBook 14 – Amazing And Durable

ASUS ZenBook 14
The ASUS ZenBook 14 is a durable laptop that can deliver good performance with its specs. The device has a military-grade certification that shows how strong and sturdy it is. It also comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core processor with great RAM and ample storage, allowing it to easily perform most work tasks.

If you are looking for a laptop that is durable, then you should check out the ASUS ZenBook 14. It’s one of the most durable laptops on this list, meeting the MIL-STD-810G military standard for reliability and durability.

This means that the laptop is capable of surviving falls from short distances, as well as the occasional bumps when you’re carrying it around. But aside from durability, this laptop also comes with powerful specs.

It features a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor along with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage, allowing you to not only write and edit your articles but also do other tasks as well. You can even multitask with this laptop without problems.

It also has an exceptional battery, lasting for more than 15 hours while doing basic work. The 14-inch full HD display is also good, as well as typing on the keyboard. It’s a great option if you’re looking for the best laptops for writers.

Recommended Configuration for ASUS ZenBook 14

CPU: Intel Core i7-1065G7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 14” Full HD Touch Anti-Glare Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 15 hours | Weight: 2.6 lbs

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – Stylish And Thin

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is a stylish laptop that has a platinum finish with Alcantara fabric. It also offers solid performance with its 10th Gen Core processor, ample storage space, and high RAM. It’s a great option for people who are looking for a sleek laptop that can also perform.

A stylish and thin laptop that can also deliver solid performance, this is what you can expect from the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3.

The laptop looks elegant with its all Platinum finish with “Alcantara fabric” covering the palm rest, providing you with a premium-looking device. It’s also thin light, measuring only 0.7-inches and weighing 2.79 lbs, making it easy to carry the device or even use it on your lap since it’s not heavy.

But this laptop is more than just elegant that’s easy to carry around, it can also deliver solid performance. It comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD hard drive. Those are good specs that will allow you to do all basic tasks without issue and even do a bit of multitasking. 

Recommended Configuration for Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G7 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics | RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 13.5” Touch Display (2256 x 1504) pixels  | Storage: 128GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home | Battery Life: 11.5 hours | Weight: 2.79 lbs

Apple MacBook Pro 13 – Sleek With Solid Specs

Apple MacBook Pro 13
One of the big draws of MacBooks is how sleek they look and this continues with the Apple MacBook Pro 13. The laptop maintains most of the style and elegance of its predecessors while also providing a new Magic Keyboard and solid performance with its great specs.

If you want a MacBook to use for your work as a journalist, then you should look no further than the Apple MacBook Pro 13.

Not only is it one of the best MacBooks available with its sleek design and solid specs, but it also comes with a new keyboard, dubbed as the Magic Keyboard. Gone is the Butterfly Keyboard that most Mac users didn’t really like and is replaced with a better keyboard.

Typing on this laptop will be a joy with the new keyboard. But aside from a more comfortable keyboard to use, this laptop also offers solid performance with its specs. It comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD hard drive.

This allows you to use this laptop for more than just writing or editing your articles. The MacBook also comes with a 13.3-inch Retina Display for great viewing pleasure and 12.5 hours of battery, providing you more than a day’s worth of work from just a single charge. It’s one of the best laptops for writers that you can find, especially if you’re a MacBook user.

Recommended Configuration for Apple MacBook Pro 13

CPU: 10th Gen Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics| RAM: 16 GB RAM | Screen: 13.3” Retina Display (2560 x 1600) pixels  | Storage: 512GB SSD | Operating System: macOS | Battery Life: 12.5 hours | Weight: 3.1 lbs

HP Envy X360 – Comfortable 2-in-1 Laptop

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HP Envy X360
The HP Envy X360 is a great 2-in-1 laptop that delivers strong performance and is very comfortable to use. It has powerful specs with its 4th Gen AMD Ryzen processor, great RAM, and massive storage. It also has great keyboards and an excellent display, making it a good laptop to have.

Another device that you should check out at when you’re looking for the best laptop for journalists is the HP Envy X360.

It’s a mid-range hybrid device that can deliver strong performance and is comfortable to use. It is powered by a 4th Gen AMD Ryzen 5 processor with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD hard drive. These are solid specs, easily allowing you to perform basic tasks, as well as some taxing activities.

It’s 2-in-1 configuration also allows you to use this laptop in a variety of ways. But aside from good specs, this model also comes with a great keyboard that provides great feedback and is very comfortable to type in.

The display is also surprisingly good for a mid-range option. It’s bright, can deliver sharp images, and the color accuracy is spot on. The battery life is also decent, giving you 8 hours on a single charge.

It’s a great laptop to get if you’re a journalist who needs a solid device that is comfortable to use and can provide good performance.

Recommended Configuration for HP Envy X360

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U | Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics| RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 15.6” Full HD IPS Touch Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 | Battery Life: 8 hours | Weight: 2.92 lbs

Acer Chromebook 314 – Budget Yet Solid

Acer Chromebook 314
The Acer Chromebook 314 is a very affordable laptop, but you wouldn’t think it’s a budget option with how good it looks and solid it performs. It’s as big as most Windows laptops and it even looks like one with its sleek design. The specs underneath also allow it to deliver solid performance, making it a good daily device for most work.

The most affordable laptop on this list is the Acer Chromebook 314. But despite being affordable and a Chromebook, it is still a good and solid laptop that can perform well.

It’s powered by an Intel Celeron N4000 with 4GB RAM and 64 GB eMMC hard drive. It’s not the most amazing specs, but it’s still good enough to allow you to easily do basic tasks and even do some light multitasking.

Another thing that’s great about this Chromebook is that it also looks good. It doesn’t have the typical clunky designs of older Chromebooks, as this one looks sleek with its minimalist design. It’s also big, sporting a 14-inch screen, making it look more like a regular laptop than a Chromebook.

The device’s keyboards and display are also solid, making it comfortable to use, even for longer periods. Battery life won’t be an issue as well since it can last for 12 hours. It’s a great laptop to have if you’re looking for a cheap device that can still deliver solid performance. A great option for journalists who are just starting or students aspiring to be journalists.

Recommended Configuration for Acer Chromebook 314

CPU: Intel Celeron N4000 | Graphics: Intel UHD 600 | RAM: 4 GB DDR4 RAM | Screen: 14” Full HD IPS Display (1920 x 1080) pixels  | Storage:  64GB eMMC | Operating System: Chrome OS | Battery Life: 12 hours | Weight: 3.75 lbs

Picking The Best Laptop For Journalists in 2023

Keyboard

When you’re looking for the best writing laptops to use, one of the first things that you will likely look at will be the device’s keyboard. You would want a keyboard that is very comfortable to use, can provide great feedback, and has the right size.

This is important because you will likely be typing on that laptop for an entire day continuously, and you will need comfortable keyboards so you won’t strain your fingers when you type. In terms of size, look for a laptop that offers full-sized keyboards since smaller keys will make it much harder to type.

Laptops with at least an 11.6-inch display usually offer full-sized keyboards so any laptop with larger screens will also have that. In terms of style, the chiclet-style keyboards will be the most common style you will find on many laptops. This is already a key keyboard style since keys are placed just right, allowing for easy and comfortable key travel. 

Display

Aside from having a good keyboard, you will also need a good display when looking for the best laptop for a writer. Having a good screen is important because you will not be doing a lot of writing, but also a lot of reading. You will need a display that is not only bright but can also deliver sharp and crisp images.

For the display size, we recommend a laptop that is at least 13.3-inch in size, This is already an adequate display size where you can easily see and read what you’re writing without needing to zoom in. We also recommend a laptop with at least a full HD display so everything will be clearer and sharper.

A good display will ensure that you will have an easier and more comfortable time when you’re writing and researching, a good chunk of what you will do as a journalist.

Battery Life

The battery is another aspect that you will need to consider when trying to find the best laptops available for journalists. The nature of your work will mean that you are likely going to be on the field most of the time, which means you won’t always have access to a socket.

The best laptops for you then are those that can last for at least a day’s worth of work. For this, we recommend laptops that can last for at least 8 hours from a single charge. This is a good amount of time, which ensures you will at least get a day’s worth of work completed before you need another charge.

But a journalist’s work usually lasts more than 8 hours, and if this is the kind of work you have, then a good laptop is those with a long battery life that can typically last for 10 hours or more on a single charge. There are even laptops available that can last for 16 hours or more, you might want to consider those as well, especially if your work requires you to be on the field for consecutive days.

Portability and Durability

A laptop that is portable and durable is another important aspect when deciding the best laptops available for journalists. As someone who is working in the field most of the time, you need a device that is very easy and comfortable to carry.

You wouldn’t want to move around with a heavy and thick gaming laptop on your bag or tucked under your arm. This means laptops that are thin and light would be your best option. We recommend laptops that will have a thickness of, at most, 0.8 inches, anything lower than that would be ideal.

In terms of weight, we recommend laptops that weigh less than 4 lbs so it won’t be heavy. The ideal weight would be devices that weigh less than 3 lbs as these featherweight laptops can even be used on your laptop or even be held on your palm. You also need to make sure the laptop is durable.

As a journalist, you won’t just be covering normal events, as you will also cover disasters, wars, and other similar events. You will also need a laptop that can be used in extreme conditions, as well as be able to survive bumps and short-distance falls.

CPU and RAM

The last thing you will need to consider in finding the best laptops for writers would be the CPU and memory. They’re not as important as the others since you will likely use the device mostly for writing and editing articles.

If this is what you will mostly be doing, then we recommend a laptop with an Intel Celeron or Core i3 processor would be enough. A device with 4GB of memory will also suffice for this task. But if you’ll also be doing a bit of image editing, then you will need a more powerful device.

We recommend laptops with a Core i5 processor or an AMD Ryzen 5 for more power. You can even go for an i7 processor if what you’re editing will be more intensive. As for memory laptops with 8GB or 16GB memory will suffice.

Conclusion

As a journalist, your job will likely involve a lot of writing and tons of fieldwork. For this type of work, you will need a laptop that is very portable, has a great battery life, and is very comfortable to use.

We hope that we were able to help you find the best laptop for journalists with our list and buying guide. Please comment below if you have any questions, feedback, or want to share some insights. We would like to hear what you think about this article.

Article by:
Kenny Trinh
While he’s not editing articles on the latest tech trends, he likes to discuss business and entrepreneur. His writing has been featured in national publications such as Forbes, RD, Yahoo Finance, HackerNoon among others.

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