7 Best Laptop for Project Management in 2024
Looking for the best project management laptop but confused, you are at the right place. If you are a seasoned project manager or just started your career, this guide will help you to select the best laptop according to your needs and budget.
As a project manager, you need a good-quality laptop for planning, data analysis, and working on different project tasks. After testing many laptops, our team mentions some of the best laptop for project management. All our selected laptops give you awesome performance during work, but our favorites are Dell XPS 13 and ASUS ZenBook 14. Both these laptops provide solid performance and come with a fantastic display.
A fast processor and higher RAM are important for running advanced project management software, and the high-quality display gives you the best view experience. Therefore, when selecting the laptops our main focus is on the performance, display and battery life. In this guide, I also discuss the pros and cons of each laptop so you can quickly know which one is the ideal choice for me.
List of Best Laptop for Project Management
- Dell XPS 13
- ASUS ZenBook 14
- Apple MacBook Air
- HP Spectre x360
- SAMSUNG Flex2
- Microsoft Surface
- Acer Aspire 5
1. Dell XPS 13
Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 512 GB SSD |
| Ram | 16 GB |
| CPU Model | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1185G7 Processor |
| Weight | 2.8 LBS |
Review
As a professional project manager, having a reliable laptop is important because the right laptop enhances efficiency and productivity. This Dell XPS 13 is one of the best option for you. Its 13-inch touchscreen display with good screen quality is a game-changer for project management. The touchscreen works excellently and comes with exceptional brightness, providing you the best viewing experience.
It is equipped with an 11th-generation Intel core i7 processor, and the RAM size is 16 GB. I run some famous project management software such as Microsoft Project, ZOHO, and more. The performance is smooth, and I have not experienced any lagging issues. This is also best laptop for multi-monitor setup, and its 512 GB SSD hard drive is enough for your files and applications.
Visual clarity is top-class due to its Intel Iris XE graphics, so you can comfortably read the graphs and charts. This Dell laptop comes with good battery life, but its webcam is average, and the fan is a little loud. The weight is only 2.8 LBS, so it is easy to carry, which makes it a perfect companion for your project management activities.
The keyboard is good for typing. Another good feature is its low blue light technology, which reduces eye strain in long working sessions. It is equipped with plenty of connectivity options, and the design looks fantastic.
Pros
- Amazing performance
- Touchscreen
- Low blue light emission
- Lightweight
Cons
- Average Webcam
- Fan is little loud
Final Thoughts
This laptop gives you smooth performance during any complex tasks and it is lightweight. Its powerful specifications make this laptop the perfect choice for a project management professional. It has some minor issues, such as fan is little loud but overall it is the best laptop.
2. ASUS ZENBOOK 14
Specifications
| Screen Size | 14 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 1 TB SSD |
| Ram | 16 GB |
| CPU Model | AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Processor |
| Weight | 2.87 LBS |
Review
This ASUS laptop delivers amazing performance and a fantastic laptop for using any advanced software related to project management or designing. After testing this laptop, I can confidently say that it’s a great value for the price.
Its 14-inch full HD display with a narrow bezel gives you an immersive viewing experience. The reading experience is also great and the brightness is impressive, so you can comfortably work outdoors. Due to its ERGOLIFT Hinge design, you will get a different angle for typing, and it has a nice screen-to-body ratio, which gives you a modern and professional look.
Its powerful processor AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and 16 GB of RAM ensure smooth operation during multitasking, and you can comfortably do the multitasking. I tested the famous project management tool Trello, and the result was excellent. Its 1TB storage capacity is enough to store different advanced software, project files, and the laptop boot-up fast. The battery life is more than 10 hours, and it comes with a fast charging feature.
The main downside is that sometimes, after continuously working on multiple resource-intensive software, the laptop overheats. Ports equipped are USB TYPE-C, HDMI, USB TYPE-A and other basic connectivity ports. It is lightweight, so if you mostly travel why not this laptop. Its backlit keyboard gives you the best typing experience, the keyboard design is good and the WIFI works faster.
Pros
- Excellent display
- Large storage capacity
- Powerful processor and ram
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- Overheating issue if you are doing a lot of stuff
Final Thoughts
This ASUS ZENBOOK 14 is an ideal choice for project management software, offers you amazing performance and the image quality is crisp. Despite minor overheating, this laptop is a solid investment for you.
3. Apple MacBook Air
Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.3 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 256 GB SSD |
| Ram | 8 GB |
| CPU Model | Apple M2 chip 8-core CPU |
| Weight | 3.3 LBS |
Review
If you are looking for a MacBook, this is one of the ideal choice for you. I tested this MacBook with different software and opened multiple browser tabs, the performance was very smooth. Its 15.3-inch retina display gives you outstanding display quality and has great screen resolution. You can clearly view the small size text due to good pixels and the colors are vibrant.
The performance is exceptional, comes with an Apple M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and a RAM size of 8 GB. These specifications are enough to run the project management software smoothly. I love its fanless design, which ensures completely silent operation so that you can focus more on the work without any distractions.
It is equipped with a 256 GB SSD hard drive, which is enough for most users, but if you are dealing with large data and multimedia content, for some users the storage capacity is limited. A laptop with SSD hard drive has many advantages such as fast boot-up and data transfer.
Its battery life is outstanding (up to 18 hours) on a single charge but battery life also depends on usage type. The large battery life is a game changer for those project managers who mostly travel. The keyboard is fully ergonomic, and a backlit feature is included. Its keys are very smooth and its touch ID works excellent. It has a 1080p camera, gives you clear video quality, and includes all the important connectivity options.
Pros
- IPS technology
- Good performance
- Vibrant and crisp image quality
- Ergonomic keyboard
- Excellent Battery life
Cons
- Hard drive is 256 GB
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a laptop that comes with good performance and excellent display quality, this is an ideal choice. Its IPS display provides you great wide viewing angle, and color accuracy is fantastic. The storage capacity is only 256 GB, but overall an excellent value for the price.
4. HP Spectre x360
Specifications
| Screen Size | 13.5 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 512 GB SSD |
| Ram | 16 GB |
| CPU Model | Intel Core i7 1165G7 Processor |
| Weight | 3 LBS |
Review
This is another one of the best laptop for project management and also a perfect choice for web surfing and sending emails. Its 13-inch display is not too small for a project manager but a perfect size to do the tasks.
The display quality is crisp, which gives you the best viewing experience, and the colors are good. One of the feature I like the most is its 360-degree flexible design. Therefore, you can use this laptop in a tent and tablet mode. Its touchscreen functionality works awesome and includes adaptive color technology.
This HP convertible laptop comes with a powerful processor and 16 GB of RAM, which can easily handle all the complex tasks related the project management. Its 512 GB SSD is not only enough for you to keep all important projects but also reduces the load times and increases productivity.
Despite its smooth performance, this HP laptop is also lightweight, so it is an ideal choice for traveling. I tested its keyboard which is overall good, the major drawback I noticed is it comes with average speakers.
The battery life is outstanding more than 8 hours when doing normal computing tasks, and it comes with all important connectivity ports such as a display port, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 4 for faster data transfer. The webcam is not bad and its fingerprint feature gives you extra security. Design of this 13-inch laptop looks amazing, and the borders are narrow, reducing border distraction.
Pros
- Flexible design
- Crisp image quality
- High ram
- Beautiful design
Cons
- Average speaker
- High Price
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a convertible laptop for project management, this laptop is the ideal choice. It has a fast performance, impressive battery life and a stunning display. The price is a little high and speakers are average but overall best laptop for work.
5. SAMSUNG Galaxy Book Flex2
Specifications
| Screen Size | 13.3 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 512 GB SSD |
| Ram | 16 GB |
| CPU Model | Intel 11th Generation Quad-Core i7-1165G7 Processor |
| Weight | 2.62 LBS |
Review
I recently tested this Samsung 2-in-1 laptop and this is one of the best. It comes with plenty of awesome specifications, which makes it an attractive option for project managers. This laptop has a 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen display, gives you amazing clarity and the best reading experience. The touchscreen feature is a valuable addition and on this laptop you can comfortably sit for many hours to do project management work.
Its fast processor with 16 GB of RAM, delivers responsive performance while running popular project management software. The laptop seamlessly handles the complex tasks and equipped with Intel XE graphics which further contribute to a smooth experience and provide you vibrant graphical representations.
I love its backlit feature and the keys are smooth, so you can comfortably do the quick data entry. Due to its 2-in-1 feature, users can switch between laptop and tablet modes according to the scenarios. It is lightweight, a perfect portable laptop but its build quality is average. The battery life is also not very impressive, up to 4 hours when running multiple advanced software.
Pros
- Performance is great
- Clear display
- Nice keyboard
- Lightweight
Cons
- Battery is not very impressive
- Average build quality
Final Thoughts
This Samsung laptop is a perfect choice for those who are looking for a 2-in-1 laptop with fast performance. It comes with a vivid display, impressive performance and the keyboard is ergonomic. Overall it’s an excellent choice for a professional project manager but in testing I am not impressed with the build quality and battery life.
6. Microsoft Surface
Specifications
| Screen Size | 15 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 512 GB SSD |
| Ram | 16 GB |
| CPU Model | Intel Core i7 Processor |
| Weight | 3.05 LBS |
Review
This Microsoft surface is another best laptop for project management and personal use. The 15-inch display gives you plenty of viewing space, and the screen resolution is good. The text clarity is superb and the touchscreen feature is included, so you can quickly switch between the applications. Due to its 3:2 surface ratio, less scrolling is required during work and you can easily do the multitasking.
It is equipped with 16 GB of RAM, and the processor is Intel Core i7 so there is no worry about the performance even if you run multiple advanced project management software at the same time. I do not experience any lagging issues, and it has a 512 GB hard drive.
Say goodbye to frequent charging, it has 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. If you mostly travel this laptop is the best choice for you. The build quality is decent enough but the speakers are not excellent. Its keyboard is ergonomic, the keys are smooth and the key travel is great, so you can quickly and accurately do the typing. It has all important connectivity options and lightweight.
It has a feature that automatically adjusts the picture quality to your environment and minimizes eye fatigue during extended working sessions. For video conference this laptop is also a good choice and the design is awesome.
Pros
- Colorful display
- Performance is good
- Touchscreen
- Responsive touchpad
- Lightweight
Cons
- Average speaker
Final Thoughts
This laptop delivers outstanding performance, and the display result is excellent. It is a great value for the price and will not disappoint you even run multiple advance software at the same time. The battery life is great and I love its touchscreen.
7. Acer Aspire 5
Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6 Inches |
| Hard Disk | 256 GB SSD |
| Ram | 8 GB |
| CPU Model | Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor |
| Weight | 3.64 LBS |
Review
If you are looking for a budget laptop for project management, this Acer Aspire is the best. In a limited budget this laptop still provide you the amazing performance. The display quality is good and comes with IPS technology, giving you accurate colors and a great wide viewing angle. Due to its wide viewing angle, you will get the same picture quality from the side angle, perfect for sharing the screen and equipped with Intel IRIS XE graphics.
The processor is enough for project management, and the RAM size is 8 GB. Overall the performance is smooth, still you should not open multiple advanced software at the same time. The storage capacity is 256 GB and the hard drive is SSD. It has an ergonomic hinge design, so you can tilt the keyboard for a comfortable typing experience. The keyboard is backlit but its layout is not very impressive.
This laptop comes with all important connectivity ports. On a single charge the battery life is more than 5 hours depending on the usage type. The design of this laptop is awesome, and it has an aluminum cover that gives you a premium feel. The bezels are narrow, minimize the border distraction but the sound quality is not good. Its great brightness also makes this laptop perfect for outdoor work.
Pros
- IPS display
- Budget laptop
- Good performance
- Excellent wide viewing angle
- Backlit keyboard
Cons
- Average speakers
- Keyboard layout is not great
Final Thoughts
Overall quality of this laptop is good on a limited budget. It has good performance, comes with IPS technology and its backlit keyboard is helpful in a limited light. This laptop turns on very quickly, and it has two major drawbacks average keyboard layout and speakers.
How Selected the Laptop
1. Performance
First verify that the laptop processor smoothly handles the project management and other basic applications. Ensure that the laptop comes with high RAM, so you can smoothly run multiple advanced software and we selected the laptop with SSD hard drive.
2. Display
A clear and vibrant display is important for viewing the graphs and presentations. When selecting the laptop, our main focus is on the resolution, brightness, display clarity, and colors.
3. Battery life and Portability
The project manager frequently travels, so we give priority to that laptop that comes with long battery life and also lightweight.
How Tested the Laptop
We tested each laptop by running the most famous and advanced project management software. In the testing, we also checked the display quality and opened basic software such as MS Office and did the typing work. This gave us the feel for each laptop’s performance, keyboard, screen quality, and multitasking performance. We also check each laptop’s battery life while working on the advanced software.
FAQs
How much RAM is sufficient for project management applications?
A minimum of 8 GB RAM is recommended, but if your projects involve working with larger datasets or multitasking, then a higher RAM is the best for smoother performance.
Is portability a key factor for project management laptops?
Yes, portability is important for project managers who frequently travel due to work. A laptop with fast performance and lightweight is a perfect laptop for a project manager.
Conclusion of Best Laptop for Project Management
After testing many laptops we mention the above best laptops for you which provide outstanding performance. The final decision may depend on individual budget and preference, but in the list our most favorite’s ones are Dell XPS 13 and ASUS ZENBOOK 14.
