We've rounded up the best laptops for astronomy and astrophotography so all skywatching enthusiasts can find their perfect companion.
What makes a laptop great for astronomy? For a start, we'd recommend one with a dedicated graphics card for enhanced graphics processing, and a great quality screen to edit your images of the night sky. These qualities are especially key if you're looking to run some of the best photo editing apps like Adobe Photoshop.
These laptops should also come with a hefty amount of RAM to handle tasks like running photo editing and astronomy software smoothly. For that reason, there are quite a few gaming laptops on this list, given they are designed to run graphically-intensive workloads and are built with cooling in mind.
Unfortunately, this does mean that the best laptops for astronomy and astrophotography also tend to be the most expensive models. However, it's worth noting that biggest and most powerful does not always equal best. The MacBook Pro M3 Max, for example, is one of the most powerful laptops out there, but it might be too powerful for your needs and needlessly expensive. That said, compromising too much on cost may not give you what you need in other areas — like the quality of the screen.
Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, and it's a great opportunity to find a great deal on laptops for astronomy. The Space.com team will be covering the event, which will take place on the 16th and 17th of July 2024, so make sure to regularly check our Amazon Prime Day space deals page to find all the best bargains.
The quick list
A high-performing machine with a long battery life, ideal for running heavy-duty software on the move.
The M3 Max has one of the best processors out there, but it comes with a huge price tag to match.
This sleek and lightweight laptop packs a great performance and a stunning OLED display.
An amazingly thin laptop that offers maximum performance on the move. It has a great battery life and boasts powerful specs.
The OLED display is immersive and even offers glasses-free 3D, making it great for people who work with graphics.
The stunning 4K display is the main attraction here alongside its impressive performance, but this laptop is expensive.
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Its near 19-hour lifespan is impressive and perfect for working on-the-go, though it is heavier than other models in this guide.
This is one of the best value models around. It has huge amounts of RAM and heaps of connectivity options, but the battery could be better.
A great choice for on-the-go multi-taskers, especially those with graphic-heavy work. It doubles up as a tablet too.
Boasting an attractive, minimalist design, this laptop is perfect for graphics-heavy workloads. Its 240Hz OLED display is allegedly the most responsive ever.
Keumars is the technology editor at sister site Live Science. He has written for a variety of publications including ITPro, The Week Digital, ComputerActive and TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a technology journalist for more than five years, having previously held the role of features editor with ITPro.
The best laptops we recommend in 2024
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The best laptop overall
✅ You want a powerful MacBook you can take with you: If you need to run heavy-duty software while on the move, this laptop is for you.
✅ You want to run intensive workloads: The M3 series processors are among the best out there for intensive workloads.
❌ You want the most powerful machine money can buy: The 16-inch MacBook Pro offers much more power.
❌ You're running a tight budget: This laptop comes with a considerable price tag.
🔎 The MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3 Pro, 2023) offers a great balance between performance, portability and a premium user experience. ★★★★½
We've picked out the excellent 14-inch MacBook Pro as the most balanced device in our guide, given it packs a performance punch and doesn't break the bank compared to some of the alternatives.
Its 11-core M3 Pro CPU, alongside 14-core integrated graphics, mean it's up there in terms of performance while remaining far more affordable and portable than the 16-inch alternative, which can be fitted with the M3 Max processor. The 14-inch MacBook Pro is ideal for graphics work and can easily be used when you're out and about.
It's also a great fit for gamers, graphics designers and creatives who will enjoy the crisp display. Testing by Laptop showed that this MacBook Pro achieved 51 frames per second at 1200p on the Civilization VI benchmark, just 2fps shy of the premium laptop average. Its display is nice and bright thanks to the liquid retina XDR technology that really makes it pop.
This laptop has the same high build quality and design you'd expect from a premium Apple machine, and its battery life is exceptionally long compared with many other non-MacBook contenders.
It's also considerably cheaper than the larger and far more specced-up MacBook variations, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip. That said, this 14-inch version is not suitable for those on a tight budget or those willing to spend as much as it takes for the most powerful machine.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Great build and compact design |
| Functionality | A stunning 14-inch display and long-lasting battery |
| Performance | High-end performance thanks to the M3 Pro chip |
The best laptop for performance
✅ You want the most powerful MacBook: If you aren't willing to compromise on power and performance, there's no looking anywhere else.
✅ You need maximum power on the go: The MacBook Pro's excellent battery life makes it an ideal travel companion.
❌ You need to stick to a budget: The best-performing MacBook Pro is also the most expensive.
❌ You don't need this much power: There are better options out there if you aren't planning on running the heaviest workloads.
🔎 The Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2023) is an absolute powerhouse of a machine that might well blow you away. ★★★★★
You'd be hard-pressed to find a machine to beat the 16-inch MacBook Pro, fitted with the M3 Max processor. If you ignore the small detail of its massive price tag, there really is no better than this laptop in terms of performance and user experience.
If you have the cash to splash and you need to run intensive applications, then the 16-inch MacBook Pro is among the most appealing devices. The latest model features a far more advanced version of Apple's custom-built chip, with a 16-core processor and 40-core integrated graphics.
The 3,456 by 2,234-pixel liquid retina XDR display is as sharp as ever, giving you an expansive and crisp panel with accurate colors, perfect for those who work with graphics or want to edit images of the night sky. The machine also allows for a refresh rate of up to 120Hz for a smoother experience.
A major reason to choose the MacBook Pro 16-inch is that its battery life isn't compromised, which is a major risk with high-powered desktop-class laptops. According to Apple, you can enjoy up to 22 hours of movie playback, although this might be a little less with real-world usage.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Little change on a tried-and-tested form factor, unless you count its intriguing new Space Black coat. |
| Functionality | Packed with plenty of ports and a stunning display to boot. |
| Performance | The M3 Max is one of the best processors out there, and very little can compete with it. |
The best Windows laptop
✅ You want the best Windows laptop: There's a great array of Windows laptops to choose from, but the latest XPS 15 is a highlight.
✅ You need a gorgeous display: OLED brings out the best of the XPS 15's display with stunning blacks and great colors.
❌ You need to work on the move: The XPS 15s battery life isn't the best, so we'd stay away if you're often using a laptop where power isn't accessible.
❌ You need lots of ports: The XPS 15 only has two USB-C ports, which is a significant downside of thin and portable machines.
🔎 The Dell XPS 15 is the best Windows laptop out there right now. It offers great performance, a stunning display, and it's relatively light for its size. ★★★★
The Dell XPS family of laptops has been up there with the best on the market for the best part of a decade. We would pick out the Dell XPS 15 as the best Windows laptop out there right now given the inclusion of high-end components as well as its sleek and stylish look.
There is a newer model on the scene, but last year's XPS 15 offers supreme quality while remaining a little cheaper than the latest model. We certainly wouldn't let the fact it's a year old get in the way of what's otherwise a great machine, with a top Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics card under the hood. We also love the fact that Dell lets you customize it extensively and opt for a cheaper version if you have budgetary constraints.
In the higher-end version of the XPS 15, the large 15.6-inch OLED display is a particular highlight, with a crisper image, more vibrant colors and deeper blacks than the standard HD display. That said, it is very much is a luxury upgrade, and it comes at a significant cost.
Similarly, think about whether you need the latest processing and graphics components, as you may end up getting a much more powerful version of the XPS 15 than you really need.
The only major downside to this otherwise fantastic Windows laptop is its disappointing battery. According to Space.com's sister site Tom's Guide, it lasted a suboptimal nine hours in testing. When you compare that to how long the MacBook Pro can last, for example, it's a real dampener.
Channel Editor Jase Parnell-Brookes has owned a Dell XPS 15 since 2020 (not the latest model) and notes that they've experienced several common issues and poor performance with this laptop, including needing to replace the DC port twice as well as the trackpad after the first year of ownership.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Impressive look and feel — and built to last |
| Functionality | Lacks ports, but expansion units are available |
| Performance | Fitted with some of the best components you can find today |
The best portable laptop
✅ You're looking for maximum performance on the move: It's one of the sleekest 15-inch machines we've seen and has a great battery life.
✅ You want MacOS without breaking the bank: MacBook Airs tend to be much cheaper than their Pro cousins.
❌ You need to run the most intensive applications for longer: The lack of a dedicated cooling fan might lead to throttling in the long run.
❌ You want the brightest and best display: The liquid retina display is excellent, but not as bright or crisp as that of the MacBook Pro.
🔎 The MacBook Air 15-inch (M2, 2023) represents a fantastic piece of engineering and offers everything most people will need in a portable laptop. ★★★★★
The MacBook Air has conventionally been a bit hit and miss, but 2023 model fitted with the M2 processor is up there with the best laptops you can buy right now. It's quite simply a fantastic machine that offers almost everything the MacBook Pro does — especially its stylish chassis — with a slightly reduced performance.
We would consider the 15-inch MacBook Air a portable powerhouse, offering the capabilities of a high-end machine while also being more affordable and still fairly portable, despite being on the larger side.
Although it doesn't boast an M3 chip, during our Apple MacBook Air M2 15-inch review, we found Apple's M2 CPU more than good enough for highly intensive workloads. The machine also has a lengthy battery life, which means you only need to charge it up sparingly.
This, however, comes at the cost of an absent cooling fan, meaning it may run hot when you're running intensive applications for too long. This may slightly hamper performance, but the M2 chip can still hit some of the highest performance levels under these conditions.
Elsewhere, the display is as crisp as we've come to expect from the latest MacBooks, and while not as sharp as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, it can compete with some of the best Windows laptops.
We were disappointed with the lack of ports, but we're nitpicking here as the laptop probably wouldn't be as thin, light and portable if it had extra slots like HDMI and USB-A.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air M2 15-inch review
| Attributes | Notes |
| Design | Supreme build quality and dimensions |
| Functionality | Lacks ports but more than makes up thanks to its portability |
| Performance | Great performance thanks to the M2 chip, but won't beat the MacBook Pro |
The best OLED laptop
✅ You're primarily working with graphics: The fantastic technology built into the OLED display coupled with great RAM, the graphics card and processing power make it ideal for photographers and designers.
✅ You want an expansive screen: OLED displays tend to be far more immersive thanks to the deep blacks and rich colors.
❌ You're working on a budget: High-end components and a stunning display come at a hefty premium.
❌ You need a light machine: This laptop is anything but lightweight, so don't pick it up if you're planning on carrying it around.
🔎 The ASUS ProArt Studiobook is fitted with a stunning OLED display that justifies its curious build, and it also includes some of the most powerful components out there. ★★★★½
The ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED stands out from the rest thanks to its amazing OLED display, but it is also one of the strangest-looking laptops in our guide.
Its touchpad, for example, is reinforced with haptic feedback and also offers a great display with a 180-degree lay-flat hinge. The dial fitted into the chassis can be configured to work with any app, giving you another layer of control while working with graphics-intensive workloads. Speaking of which, you can also flick a special switch to boost graphics performance. It's a risk to go against the grain in terms of design, but in this case it's paid off in a major way.
The ASUS ProArt Studiobook is a portable workstation that packs a huge amount of power under the hood. It's geared primarily at creative professionals, but it's equally capable of running astronomy software or cope with editing images or videos of the night sky.
Beyond its high-end Intel and Nvidia chips is an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and touchscreen capabilities. The manufacturer claims the 3,200 x 2,000-pixel display also has an impressive 0.2ms response time and scores 100% on a color accuracy test. The higher-end model can even render 3D images without the need for 3D glasses.
We can't forget to mention the laptop's built-in software tools for creatives, and its cooling system to make sure you aren't running too hot while trying to maximize performance. The laptop also features a full collection of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI and an SD card slot among the options.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Unconventional design — love it or hate it |
| Functionality | Great hardware and software tools to enjoy |
| Performance | Great performance thanks to top-of-the-line components |
The best laptop for a large screen
✅ You want the best larger-screen laptop: Few come close to the Dell XPS 17's stunning 4K display.
✅ You need excellent performance: You can configure the XPS 17 to be fitted with components that offer a huge amount of power.
❌ You want a portable machine: While it's a stunning laptop, we wouldn't advise buying it if you plan on leaving the house with it.
❌ You want high performance on a budget: This is more of a luxury pick; there are better options if value-for-money is your primary concern.
🔎 The Dell XPS 17 9730 (2023) is a fantastic laptop that can meet your power and functionality needs while giving you one of the best displays too. ★★★★½
The latest Dell XPS laptops don't include a 17-inch version, but the most recent Dell XPS 17 is still one of the best if you're looking for a laptop with a large screen. There have been a few iterations through the years, but this version is arguably the brand's best one yet. It's ideal for anybody looking for a laptop with a screen large enough to really hone in on the details of whatever you're looking at, but also one that isn't too bulky.
There are laptops out there with bigger displays, but we love that you can get the Dell XPS 17 in a 4K version. You can also take advantage of the typical XPS high build quality and premium design typical of this series of laptops.
Like all XPS machines, you can configure the XPS 17 extensively and choose from a full-HD or 4K display, as well as different CPU and GPU components and up to 64GB RAM. One of the best and most balanced configurations out there right now includes a top Intel i7 processor, 32GB of RAM and a high-end Nvidia GPU.
The star of the show, however, is the expansive 3,840 x 2,400 touch display, which Dell claims has incredibly high color accuracy and high brightness levels. What makes it even more special is the form factor; with tiny bezels, this is remarkably smaller than roughly 50% of 15-inch machines on the market.
Understandably considering the quality you get here, the maximum price ceiling is pretty high, so we'd only recommend pushing its limits if money isn't an object and you don't mind spending big to get the most out of the best big-screen laptop out there.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Impressively thin given its size |
| Functionality | Battery life could be much better |
| Performance | Exceptional performance thanks to its high-end components |
The best laptop for battery life
✅ You want the longest-lasting laptop: Although not quite hitting Apple's claims of 22 hours, a near-19-hour lifespan is nothing to be scoffed at.
✅ You want high-end performance: The previous generation's 16-inch MacBook Pro lacks the latest hardware but still packs a massive punch.
❌ You're looking for value for money: Although it's slightly cheaper than the latest M3 Max MacBook Pro, it's still an incredibly pricey model.
❌ You're prioritizing portability: The MacBook Pro is on the heavier side when it comes to laptops, and there are much smaller and lighter models out there.
🔎 The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M2 Max, 2023) offers the longest battery life of all premium machines, including Apple's latest devices. ★★★★
MacBooks today are among the best laptops in the world, and their exceptional battery life is just one of the reasons behind their success. There are newer laptops in the range right now, like the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro processor, but going back a generation is definitely worth considering. In that respect, the MacBook Pro fitted with the M2 Max processor is a gem that will be available for a little less than the most recent (and power-hungry) version.
Despite being from the previous generation of high-end Apple laptops, the M2 Max is still an incredible chip and can generate performance scores to rival the best Windows machines today. The 2023 M2 MacBook Pro also offers the same robust build quality and great screen as the latest Apple machines.
Its best aspect, however, is the stunningly lengthy battery life. Apple claims it can run for up to 22 hours of movie playback, as with the latest MacBook Pro units. Testing by sister site Tom's Guide, however, generated a battery life of 18 hours and 56 minutes — slightly longer than the result for the M3 Max, which was 18 hours and 20 minutes.
If you're looking for a machine that boasts great performance as well as the best battery life available, the previous generation of the MacBook Pro is the laptop for you. It's especially worth considering if you don't need the most up-to-date specs to handle the most intensive workloads, and want a MacBook Pro for a little less than you'd have to pay.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Same stunning build quality and design |
| Functionality | Great collection of ports and a fantastic battery life |
| Performance | Not the latest model, but still a force to be reckoned with |
Best for students
✅ You're looking for value for money: At around $1,000, this laptop offers the best bang for your buck on the market today.
✅ You want to run many tasks in parallel: 32GB RAM is plenty to run several intensive applications at the same time.
❌ You want the most up-to-date hardware: While the dedicated GPU is one of the latest, it uses an older Intel CPU, so there are better options out there.
❌ You need an exceptional display: Although it offers a 144Hz refresh rate, the display is just 1080p, which may not look as sharp on a 15.6-inch panel.
🔎 The Gigabyte G5 is a gaming laptop that can handle all kinds of heavy-duty tasks that you throw at it while offering great value for money. ★★★★
Students will appreciate a laptop that lets them work with graphics, play games and stream shows or clips without breaking the bank. That's where the Gigabyte G5 comes in — a great laptop available at a cut price.
You can currently pick up the 2021 M1-powered MacBook Air for a little cheaper, but this won't be suitable for everyone, and there is much better hardware out there nowadays in low-cost machines than there's ever been.
The latest Gigabyte G5 offers fantastic value given that it's fitted with a 13th-Gen Intel i7 processor, an Nvidia 4000-series GPU, as well as a respectable 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD. It also includes a plethora of useful ports, including HDMI and a microSD card reader.
Gaming laptops are usually really well suited for the same workloads that people who want to run image or video editing tools as well as astrological software because they're designed with high graphics performance in mind. Many of the machines on our list are on the pricey side, but the Gigabyte G5 is a great lower-cost alternative that doesn't compromise on performance under the hood.
Some of the downsides, however, come in the quality of the display, which is just 1080p, and a less-than-ideal battery life. It's also perhaps a little heavier and bulkier than some other options, but it offers great value for money.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Sharp-looking gaming machine that can double as your productivity engine |
| Functionality | Great collection of ports but display and battery life let it down |
| Performance | Capable of reaching decent highs, but limited by older hardware |
The best 2-in-1 laptop
✅ You want a high-quality machine: This hybrid machine can double as a tablet as when you need it while performing as well as any of the best laptops.
✅ You want a 2-in-1 with dedicated graphics: The Nvidia chip fitted into this machine makes it an excellent choice for graphically-intensive workloads.
❌ You're looking for value for money: Given what's built into the Surface Laptop Studio 2, it falls on the pricier side.
❌ You want the lightest machine: There are plenty of much lighter devices out there if maximum portability is your main priority.
🔎 The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a fantastic machine for creatives that can give you great performance on the move, with plenty of scope for multitasking. ★★★★
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is unique in its form factor for a number of reasons, but chiefly because most laptops rely on a 360-degree hinge to switch between laptop and tablet mode. Microsoft's impressively designed machine, however, uses a folding approach to adjust between using it as a tablet or as a laptop.
There's more to the Surface Laptop Studio 2 than its design and excellent build quality though, as it can compete with the most powerful laptops out there. This is thanks to the incorporation of high-end Intel and Nvidia components, not to mention 32GB of RAM to multi-task with ease.
While it is on the pricey side, you do very much get what you pay for with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. It does, however, lack 4K, but you'd be better off looking for a device with a larger display anyway if that's a feature you were after.
It's also not the lightest or slimmest of 14-inch machines out there, though it has a highly premium look and is compact enough to carry around with you.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Unique and innovative 2-in-1 form factor |
| Functionality | Highly versatile but lacks all the ports |
| Performance | Excellent performance that can rival the best Windows machines |
The best gaming laptop
✅ You're working with graphics a lot: The graphics card coupled with a high-end Intel CPU and a heavy dose of RAM makes it perfect for heavy workloads.
✅ You need the highest-quality display: The Razer Blade 16's 240Hz OLED display is the most responsive ever, the manufacturer claims.
❌ You can't spend too much money: When customizing your Razer, it's easy to get carried away — and you could feasibly sink serious money into speccing it up.
❌ You need a portable machine: Most 16-inch laptops are hardly portable, and given the Razer Blade 16's weight, we wouldn't recommend it for working on the move.
🔎 The Razer Blade 16 is a supreme gaming laptop, which boasts a stunning display and a great performance. ★★★★
Razer laptops tend to favor graphics and the quality of the screen over battery life, and the Razer Blade 16 won't outlast the MacBook Pro in a competition — but we love the design and rawness of this device. Even though it's a gaming laptop, it's still incredibly well-tuned to working on other graphics-intensive workloads, like photo editing, as well as astronomy apps.
This stylish and sophisticated device first debuted at CES 2024 and represents a major upgrade on the previous version of the machine. Its internal hardware coupled with a durable and well-machined chassis means it's up there as being one of the best Windows laptops for power users, albeit it will set you back a huge amount in terms of its price tag.
The 14th-Gen Intel chip included is as good as you'll get on the market today, and the Nvidia GPU is more powerful than the units included in every other Windows laptop on our list.
The best part is that given it's a gaming laptop, it's tailor-made for workloads that require heavy GPU consumption.
We would, however, urge caution over its battery life. Razer's laptops have, in the past, been exceptionally high-performing, and are usually partnered with fantastic displays, but these are power-hungry features that mean the battery life ends up suffering.
That is one of the only catches in an otherwise exquisite laptop, aside from the fact it comes with a premium price tag. You may, in the end, decide you'd rather take on the latest and most expensive MacBook Pro at this price.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Sleek and simple with a robust build quality |
| Functionality | Plenty of configuration options and ports to make the most of |
| Performance | Fitted with the most powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics card |
Best laptops Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best laptop for astrophotography?
The Apple MacBook M3 Max is the best laptop for astrophotography based on its exceptional performance. However, we think the Apple MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 2023) is the best laptop overall, despite the fact it lags behind performance-wise.
Do I need a laptop for astrophotography?
While a laptop isn't strictly necessary for basic wide-field astrophotography and even some deep-field work if you have an appropriate star tracker, having a laptop will help synchronizing to computerized mounts when imaging using a telescope and taking tens, if not hundreds, of frames for clearer images.
What is the best laptop for students?
The Gigabyte G5 laptop is best for students who are on a budget. For just over $1000 you have access to high-end components and can multitask easily with the 32GB of RAM inside.
Which laptop brand is best?
While each brand and laptop model has their benefits and limitations, there's a reason that Apple features in our number one and two spots in this guide. They are portable and powerful with good screens, ideal for astronomy and astrophotography. The best Windows-based brand in our guide is Dell with the XPS 15 2024.
How we test the best laptops for astronomy
At Space.com, we understand the importance of having reliable and up-to-date recommendations for the best laptops for astronomy. To ensure that we provide you with the most accurate information, we stay on top of the latest technology trends that can assist astronomers and skywatchers.
We evaluate each laptop based on various criteria, including its design, construction, overall performance as a computer, and its performance in the field. Our team of experts and knowledgeable freelance contributors meticulously review each product we test. This ensures that our reviews are fair and objective, backed by personal, hands-on experience with each device and judged based on its price point, class, and intended use.
We take pride in our editorial independence and strive to provide you with reliable and transparent buying advice for the best laptops. Whether you should purchase a device or not, our buying guides and reviews are designed to help you make informed decisions.
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