Laptops for Music Production in 2026

Best Music Production Laptops to Buy

When layering synths in Ableton Live, mixing vocals in Logic Pro, or designing sound in FL Studio, your laptop should enhance your flow, not frustrate it. This guide is crafted for music producers, audio engineers, and sound designers who need a laptop that can keep up with their creativity. We’re here to help you choose the right system even if you are a bedroom producers or professional studio engineer.

Not all laptops are built for music production. General-purpose machines often fall short when it comes to handling real-time audio processing, plugin-heavy sessions, and MIDI routing. When you’re producing music, your laptop is your digital audio workstation, mixing console, instrument hub, and creative engine. And you don’t want to deal with pops, clicks, or latency issues, or watch your laptop freeze mid-session with 100 tracks open.

The producer’s problem

Music production is resource-intensive. You’re not just typing documents or browsing the web. You’re:

  • Running CPU-heavy VST plugins and synths (like Serum, Omnisphere, Kontakt)
  • Managing dozens, sometimes hundreds of tracks
  • Using DAWs like Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, FL Studio, and Ableton Live
  • Recording and monitoring in real time, often with low buffer sizes
  • Routing MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, and external gear

This creates a perfect storm of demands on your system’s CPU, RAM, storage, and I/O latency.

You need a laptop built for creative endurance and technical precision. One that can:

  • Run your DAW and plugins without crashing
  • Handle real-time recording and mixing
  • Offer a clean, low-noise audio path (with or without an interface)
  • Remain responsive even in complex, multi-track sessions

Let’s break down the key criteria that define a music production-ready machine. Each of these specs directly affects your session stability, latency, and overall creativity.

Processor (CPU): Your DAW lives or dies on CPU strength. Go for a high-core-count chip—Intel Core i7/i9 (13th or 14th Gen) or Apple M4/M3/M2 Pro/Max, or AMD Ryzen 7/9. A strong single-core performance ensures smoother playback and plugin use, while multi-core power helps with rendering and exporting.

RAM: 16GB of RAM is the absolute minimum, but 32GB is ideal if you use heavy sample libraries like Kontakt or run multiple DAWs and VSTs in tandem. RAM determines how many tracks and plugins you can load before things start to lag.

Storage: You need fast access to samples, projects, and sound libraries. A 1TB NVMe SSD is optimal for speed and space. If you use Splice or download a lot of audio content, bigger is better—and external drives should be fast (USB-C or Thunderbolt 3+).

Audio Latency & Drivers: Low-latency performance is essential for live recording and monitoring. Look for systems that work well with ASIO drivers (Windows) or CoreAudio (macOS). Compatibility with interfaces from Focusrite, Universal Audio, PreSonus, etc., is key.

Thermals & Noise: Nothing kills a vocal take like a roaring fan. Choose laptops with efficient thermal design or fanless operation (like MacBook M-series). Quiet operation equals better recordings.

Ports & Connectivity: Audio interfaces, MIDI keyboards, and external drives need seamless connections. USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, full-size USB-A, and headphone jacks (not dongles!) are a must. Bonus: SD card slots for quick audio transfers.

Display & Build: While visual accuracy isn’t as critical here, a 15″ FHD+ screen or better helps with DAW timeline visibility. Build-wise, go for solid construction, long battery life (6–10 hours), and lightweight enough for gigging musicians.

The minimum spec we recommend for music producers:

  • CPU: Intel i7 (13th Gen or newer), Apple M2 Pro/Max, or Ryzen 7 7000 series
  • RAM: 32GB DDR5
  • Storage: 1TB SSD (NVMe)
  • Ports: USB-C/Thunderbolt + USB-A + audio jack
  • OS: Windows 11 Pro or macOS Ventura/Sonoma
  • Quiet cooling, strong driver support, and DAW compatibility

So, whether you are a hip hop, rock, EDM, or pop producer, these best laptops for music production suggestions can handle all the popular DAW such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Reason, Cubase, Acid Pro among many others.

Best 2026 Laptops for Music Production:

Contents

Best Overall Laptops for Music Production

Apple MacBook Pro M5 Pro 14.2 inches 3024 x 1964 Pixels, 48GB unified memory, 4TB SSD, Apple M5 Pro 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU

Apple 2026 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 Pro chip with 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU Built for AI, 14.2-inch

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CPU Apple M5 Pro, 15-core CPU
GPU 16-core GPU
Display Size 14.2 inches
Display Resolution 3024 x 1964 Pixels; Liquid Retina XDR, mini-LED, ProMotion up to 120Hz
RAM 48GB unified memory
Storage Space 4TB SSD
Operating System macOS
Ports 3 x Thunderbolt 5 USB-C, HDMI, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches
Weight 3.5 pounds
Pros High sustained performance; HDR XDR display; ProMotion; Thunderbolt 5; HDMI and SDXC
Cons Expensive; memory is not user upgradeable; heavier than Air; higher tier configurations cost substantially more

Dell XPS 16 Core Ultra X9 388H 32GB 1TB 3.2K OLED Touch 2026

Dell XPS 16 Premium 4K Touchscreen Laptop

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CPU Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, 16 cores, up to 5.1 GHz
GPU Intel integrated graphics
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10 touchscreen
Display Resolution 3.2K 3200 × 2000 OLED touch, 20 to 120Hz, 400 nits, InfinityEdge
RAM 32GB LPDDR5X, onboard
Storage Space 1TB M.2 2230 PCIe Gen 4 ×4 TLC SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Home, Copilot+ PC
Ports 3 × Thunderbolt 4 USB C ports with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery; universal audio jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.88 × 9.35 × 0.58 inches (width × depth × height)
Weight 3.65 lb starting weight
Pros Highest tier Intel Core Ultra X9 processor option; premium OLED touch display; 32GB RAM and 1TB storage.
Cons RAM is fixed; the system relies on integrated graphics

Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15p Gen 1 Ultra X9 388H 64GB 2TB Arc B390 OLED

Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition

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CPU Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, 16 cores, up to 5.1 GHz, NPU up to 50 TOPS
GPU Integrated Intel Arc B390 graphics
Display Size 15.3 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 15.3 inch 2.8K OLED 2880 × 1800, 30 to 120Hz VRR, 500 nits SDR, up to 1100 nits HDR peak, 100% DCI P3, DisplayHDR True Black 1000
RAM 64GB LPDDR5X 9600MHz soldered
Storage Space 2TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Pro
Ports 3 × Thunderbolt 4 USB C; USB A 10Gbps; HDMI; SD card reader; 3.5 mm headset combo jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.37 × 9.00 × up to 0.70 inches (L × W × H)
Weight 3.31 lb (starting weight)
Pros Top processor tier in the X9 15p family; 64GB RAM and 2TB storage; high quality calibrated OLED.
Cons Premium pricing

Best Budget Laptops for Music Production

Acer Aspire Lite 14 14 inches 1920 x 1200 Pixels, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel Core Ultra 5 115U, Intel integrated graphics

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CPU Intel Core Ultra 5 115U
GPU Intel integrated graphics
Display Size 14 inches
Display Resolution 1920 x 1200 Pixels; WUXGA IPS, matte, 60Hz
RAM 16GB RAM
Storage Space 512GB SSD
Operating System Windows 11
Ports USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, audio combo jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 12.5 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches
Weight 3.1 pounds
Pros Portable everyday laptop; matte screen; SSD storage
Cons Integrated graphics; standard refresh rate; regional Japan SKU

ASUS Vivobook 14 14 inch WUXGA Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 2026

ASUS Vivobook S14 Laptop (2026), Copilot+ PC

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CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3
GPU Up to integrated Intel Graphics
Display Size 14 inch WUXGA 1920 x 1200 IPS level, 60Hz, 300 nits
Display Resolution Up to 32GB DDR5 (16GB onboard plus 16GB SO DIMM)
RAM Up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Storage Space Windows 11 Home or Pro
Operating System 2 USB C with power delivery and DisplayPort; 2 USB A; HDMI; 3.5mm combo audio
Ports Wi Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (L x W x H) 42Wh or 70Wh, depending on configuration
Weight 3.22 lb (1.46 kg)
ProsPractical 16:10 display; upgradeable memory slot; good port selection for study and office work.
Cons60Hz display with limited 45% NTSC gamut; integrated graphics are suited mainly to everyday tasks.

HP OmniBook 5 16 Intel Core Ultra 7 355 24GB 1TB 2026

HP OmniBook 5 16 AI Laptop-

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CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 8 cores, up to 4.7 GHz, NPU 49 TOPS
GPU Intel Graphics
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 16 inch 2K IPS 1920 × 1200, anti glare; 400 nits and 100% sRGB or 300 nits and 62.5% sRGB options
RAM 24GB LPDDR5X 7467 MT/s onboard
Storage Space 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro
Ports 2 × USB C with USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1; 2 × USB A; HDMI 2.1; headphone/microphone combo
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approx. 14.1 × 9.6 × 0.7 inches
Weight Approx. 3.8 lb
Pros Efficient AI capable processor; useful 24GB memory; large 16 inch display and fast SSD.
Cons Integrated graphics; standard IPS panel has less contrast than OLED; soldered memory.

Best Laptops for Large Music Projects and Virtual Instruments

Apple MacBook Pro M5 Max 16.2 inches 3456 x 2234 Pixels, 128GB unified memory, 4TB SSD, Apple M5 Max 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU

Apple 2026 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 Max chip with 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU Built for AI, 16.2

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CPU Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU
GPU 40-core GPU
Display Size 16.2 inches
Display Resolution 3456 x 2234 Pixels; Liquid Retina XDR, mini-LED, ProMotion up to 120Hz
RAM 128GB unified memory
Storage Space 4TB SSD
Operating System macOS
Ports 3 x Thunderbolt 5 USB-C, HDMI, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches
Weight 4.7 pounds
Pros Very strong GPU compute; large unified memory options; XDR HDR display; Thunderbolt 5 and full-size ports
Cons Very expensive; memory cannot be upgraded; high power use under heavy workloads; heavier than Air

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Ultra X7 358H 64GB 1TB 2.8K OLED 120Hz

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition w Ultra 5 335, 14 2.8K OLED

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CPU Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 16 cores, up to 4.8 GHz, NPU up to 50 TOPS
GPU Integrated Intel Arc B390 graphics
Display Size 14 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 2.8K OLED 2880 × 1800, 120Hz VRR, 500 nits, 100% DCI P3, DisplayHDR True Black 500, touchscreen option
RAM 64GB LPDDR5X 9600MHz soldered, not upgradeable
Storage Space 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD; supports up to 2TB
Operating System Windows 11 Pro
Ports 3 × Thunderbolt 4 with USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1; 1 × USB A 5Gbps; HDMI 2.1; 3.5 mm headset combo jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 12.30 × 8.49 × up to 0.66 inches (L × W × H); touchscreen versions up to 0.69 inches
Weight 2.20 lb (starting weight)
Pros 64GB fast memory; high quality 120Hz OLED option; Arc B390 graphics; very portable premium business laptop.
Cons High cost; memory cannot be upgraded

HP OmniBook Ultra 16 NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20 core CPU 6144 core GPU 128GB 2TB 2026

HP OmniBook 16

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CPU NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20 core CPU; 5120 or 6144 core Blackwell GPU platform depending on configuration
GPU NVIDIA Blackwell RTX 6144 core integrated GPU
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10 touchscreen
Display Resolution 16 inch 3K OLED touchscreen, 2880 × 1800, up to 120Hz, 500 nits SDR, 1100 nits HDR, 100% DCI P3, DisplayHDR True Black 1000
RAM 128GB LPDDR5X 9400 MT/s onboard
Storage Space 2TB PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro
Ports USB C with USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort; HDMI output; microSD card reader; headphone/microphone combo.
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approximately 14.1 × 9.6 × 0.7 inches
Weight Starting weight varies
Pros Large 3K OLED touchscreen; high core count NVIDIA Blackwell GPU; very large unified memory options for local AI, development and creative workloads.
Cons ARM based NVIDIA software compatibility needs checking

Best Portable Laptops for Music Production

Apple MacBook Air M5 15.3 inches 2880 x 1864 Pixels, 24GB unified memory, 2TB SSD, Apple M5 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU

Apple 2026 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M5 chip Built for AI, 15.3-inch

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CPU Apple M5, 10-core CPU
GPU 10-core GPU
Display Size 15.3 inches
Display Resolution 2880 x 1864 Pixels; Liquid Retina IPS, 500 nits, 60Hz
RAM 24GB unified memory
Storage Space 2TB SSD
Operating System macOS
Ports 2 x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.40 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches
Weight 3.3 pounds
Pros Fanless design; long battery life; bright P3 display; efficient performance; hardware ray tracing
Cons

Apple MacBook Air M5 13.6 inches 2560 x 1664 Pixels, 32GB unified memory, 4TB SSD, Apple M5 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU

Apple 2026 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M5 chip Built for AI, 13.6-inch

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CPU Apple M5, 10-core CPU
GPU 10-core GPU
Display Size 13.6 inches
Display Resolution 2560 x 1664 Pixels; Liquid Retina IPS, 500 nits, 60Hz
RAM 32GB unified memory
Storage Space 4TB SSD
Operating System macOS
Ports 2 x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches
Weight 2.7 pounds
Pros Fanless design; long battery life; bright P3 display; efficient performance; hardware ray tracing
Cons no built-in HDMI or SD reader

LG gram 14 Ryzen AI 7 450 16GB 1TB WUXGA IPS 2026

LG gram 14 Lightweight Laptop,

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CPU AMD Ryzen AI 7 450, 8 cores and 16 threads, up to 5.1GHz, NPU up to 50 TOPS
GPU Integrated AMD Radeon graphics
Display Size 14 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution WUXGA 1920 × 1200 IPS, 60Hz, 350 nits, 99% DCI P3 typical, anti glare
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X 7500 MT/s onboard
Storage Space 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD; second M.2 slot available
Operating System Windows 11 Home, Copilot+ PC
Ports 2 × USB A 3.2 Gen 1; 2 × USB C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and Power Delivery; HDMI 2.1; 3.5mm headset combo jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.98 × 8.80 × 0.59 to 0.61 inches
Weight 2.47 lb (1.12 kg)
Pros Very light 14 inch chassis; 72Wh battery; WUXGA display with wide color coverage; second SSD slot; AI ready processor.
Cons 16GB memory is onboard and not upgradeable

Best Windows Laptops for Music Production

Dell Pro 5 Series 14 Core Ultra 7 365 32GB 512GB OLED 2026

Dell Pro 14 Premium PA14250 Laptop - 14 inch

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CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 365, 8 cores, up to 4.8 GHz, NPU up to 49 TOPS
GPU Integrated Intel Graphics
Display Size 14 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 1920 × 1200 OLED non touch panel
RAM 32GB DDR5 5600 MT/s
Storage Space 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Pro
Ports 2 × Thunderbolt 4 USB C with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery; 2 × USB A including PowerShare; HDMI 2.1; RJ45 Ethernet; headset jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approx. 12.3 × 8.6 inches; height varies by configuration
Weight Approx. 3.0 lb starting weight; panel and battery options affect weight
Pros OLED contrast in a business laptop; 32GB memory; compact chassis and useful wired networking ports.
Cons integrated graphics

Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 Ultra 5 338H Integrated Graphics 32GB 1TB OLED

Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i - Premium Laptop - Copilot+ PC

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CPU Intel Core Ultra 5 338H, 12 cores, up to 4.7 GHz, NPU up to 47 TOPS
GPU Integrated Intel Graphics
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 16 inch 2.8K OLED 2880 × 1800, 120Hz, 100% DCI P3, up to 1100 nits HDR peak; optional touch on selected discrete graphics configurations
RAM 32GB LPDDR5X soldered
Storage Space 1TB PCIe 4.0 or Gen 5 NVMe SSD depending on SKU; second M.2 slot
Operating System Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro
Ports USB C including USB4 / Thunderbolt options; USB A; HDMI; SD card reader; 3.5 mm audio;
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approx. 14.1 × 9.5 × 0.7 inches
Weight Approx. 4.2 lb; verify exact SKU
Pros Large high resolution OLED; thin creator laptop design; strong CPU for productivity; dual SSD slot support.
Cons memory is soldered

HP EliteBook 8 G2i 14 Intel Core Ultra 7 356H 32GB 1TB 2026

HP EliteBook 8 G2i 14 Copilot+ PC Notebook - WUXGA--

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CPU Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, 16 cores, up to 4.7 GHz, NPU 50 TOPS
GPU Intel Graphics
Display Size 14 inch, 16:10
Display Resolution 14 inch WUXGA IPS; options include 300 nit standard, 400 nit low power, 800 nit Sure View privacy, OLED 300 nit, and 2.5K 120Hz 400 nit wide gamut
RAM 32GB DDR5 5600 MT/s, 2 × 16GB SO DIMMs
Storage Space 1TB PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Enterprise; FreeDOS in selected regions
Ports 2 × Thunderbolt 4 USB C; 2 × USB A; HDMI 2.1; RJ45 Ethernet on selected configurations; headset jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approx. 12.4 × 8.7 × 0.7 inches
Weight Approx. 3.0 lb starting weight
Pros Business oriented security and serviceability
Cons onboard configurations are not upgradeable; integrated graphics only.

Best High Performance Laptops for Professional Music Production

Apple MacBook Pro M5 Max 16.2 inches 3456 x 2234 Pixels, 64GB unified memory, 4TB SSD, Apple M5 Max 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU

Apple 2026 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 Max chip with 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU Built for AI, 16.2

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CPU Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU
GPU 32-core GPU
Display Size 16.2 inches
Display Resolution 3456 x 2234 Pixels; Liquid Retina XDR, mini-LED, ProMotion up to 120Hz
RAM 64GB unified memory
Storage Space 4TB SSD
Operating System macOS
Ports 3 x Thunderbolt 5 USB-C, HDMI, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm headphone jack
Dimensions (L x W x H) 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches
Weight 4.7 pounds
Pros Very strong GPU compute; large unified memory options; XDR HDR display; Thunderbolt 5 and full-size ports
Cons

HP OmniBook Ultra 16 NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20 core CPU 6144 core GPU 64GB 2TB 2026

HP OmniBook 16

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CPU NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20 core CPU; 5120 or 6144 core Blackwell GPU platform depending on configuration
GPU NVIDIA Blackwell RTX 6144 core integrated GPU
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10 touchscreen
Display Resolution 16 inch 3K OLED touchscreen, 2880 × 1800, up to 120Hz, 500 nits SDR, 1100 nits HDR, 100% DCI P3, DisplayHDR True Black 1000
RAM 64GB LPDDR5X 9400 MT/s onboard
Storage Space 2TB PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro
Ports USB C with USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort; HDMI output; microSD card reader; headphone/microphone combo. Confirm exact port count by product number.
Dimensions (L x W x H) Approximately 14.1 × 9.6 × 0.7 inches; confirm final dimensions on the local SKU
Weight Starting weight varies; verify SKU
Pros Large 3K OLED touchscreen; high core count NVIDIA Blackwell GPU; very large unified memory options for local AI, development and creative workloads. Configuration profile: 64GB LPDDR5X 9400 MT/s onboard, 2TB PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD.
Cons

Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition 20Core 6144GPU 128GB 2TB 3.2K OLED 2026

XPS 16 Creator Edition

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CPU 20 core NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X
GPU 6144 core NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU
Display Size 16 inch, 16:10 touchscreen
Display Resolution 3.2K OLED touch, 3200 × 2000, 20 to 120Hz, 400 nits
RAM 128GB LPDDR5X unified memory
Storage Space 2TB SSD
Operating System Windows 11 Home, Copilot+ PC
Ports 3 × USB4 Type C with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery; HDMI 2.1b; headset combo port; SDXC card reader
Dimensions (L x W x H) 13.88 × 9.37 × 0.70 inches (width × depth × height)
Weight 4.45 lb minimum weight
Pros 3.2K OLED touchscreen; NVIDIA Blackwell GPU; unified memory suitable for local AI and creative workloads; Wi Fi 7. This profile includes 128GB of unified memory and 2TB SSD.
Cons

 

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