Are you small business owner? Are you in need of some desperate help to manage, organize, and simply the hassle that is managing your accounts? Well look no further. In this guide we're going to be going over some of the very best laptops for QuickBooks to get all business owners well equipped to take on running their business efficiently.
But before we can get to the amazing laptops that await us, let's take a minute to get a better understanding of what QuickBooks really is all about.
What is QuickBooks?
Simply put, QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting software for small and medium businesses. QuickBooks is equipped with a whole host of features to help business owners manage everything to do with their income and expenses and keep an eye on how the business is doing.
The QuickBooks accounting software will allow users to create and organize invoices, create and view financial reports, expense tracking, cash flow and inventory management, and a bunch more intuitive, useful features for budding entrepreneurs and businesses.
Another great advantage of the QuickBooks accounting software is that you can fully access everything you need to know about your business straight from a web browser. You're basically no longer bogged down with manual bookkeeping limited to just one computer. This version of QuickBooks is called QuickBooks Online and all your data files will be available through logging into their site or app. But with QuickBooks Online, you're going to need a constant internet connection to use QuickBooks and access your data.
If a stable internet connection isn't in the picture for you, luckily enough, QuickBooks also has a desktop version, QuickBooks for Desktop which allows you almost every feature available on QuickBooks Online, and even a few extra exclusive features. The desktop version of QuickBooks is actually separate from QuickBooks Online, so keep that in mind before creating an account on either platform.
All in all, QuickBooks for Desktop or QuickBooks Online will essentially change the way you your run business by taking out a lot of the headache of actually managing a business.
QuickBooks Online is fully online on their own cloud-servers so you can rest assured that your data is safe. Since it's all online, you don't really need any outstanding 'specs' to run QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks for Desktop however, does have a few requirements for installing the software.
So before we get to our search of the best laptop for QuickBooks, let's take a look at which is the right operating system to help manage your accounts.
Mac vs Window
The two biggest players in the operating system game is going to be Apple's macOS and Microsoft's Windows. Essentially, these are the only two choices to get you started in the QuickBooks accounting software.
Both choices are very well equipped for all tasks and you shouldn't face that many issues on either. It's a matter of your personal device history and what you're accustomed to. Some users are deeply engrained in the Apple ecosystem and prefers Apple's macOS, while most will probably be more familiar with Windows 10.
macOS Big Sur 11.0 is the latest and greatest from Apple's operating system versions, and is a very intuitive, attractive, and simple to use operating system and UI. The problem arises when some users who have never used a macOS laptop before struggle to familiarize themselves with how Apple's syste works.
Similarly, the latest Windows 10 operating system has plenty of great features, timely security updates, and it's just a very familiar experience. Windows 10 is more than likely going to be operating system we see most often and for good reason. You just can't go wrong with Windows 10.
Now, let's get straight into the minimum and recommended system requirements for the best laptop for QuickBooks Desktop version.
Minimum System Requirements
The above are going to be the minimum system requirements for the best laptops for QuickBooks accounting software. As you can tell, it really isn't all too much to ask for. Considering you've also got the option of using QuickBooks Online with a web browser, it's a pretty accessible software for business owners. What this means is the best laptops for QuickBooks don't need to be flagship laptops.
Display
The first spec you'll notice when you're looking for almost any other laptop is going to be the display. It's one of the biggest determinants of your laptop's overall spec sheet simply as a good display, more often than not, means solid specs internally.
The best laptop for QuickBooks is going to need a minimum display resolution of 1280 x 1024, which equates to a HD resolution. While this isn't ideal, it's a pretty low barrier to entry meaning the list of best laptops for QuickBooks will include a wider range of laptops.
Processor
To run QuickBooks efficiently, one of the most important specs to look for is going to be the processor. Since the processor takes care of basically everything you run on your laptop, it's a good idea to invest in a better processor than you'd actually need.
In this case, to run QuickBooks you're going to need at least a 2.4GHz processor. Again, similar to the display, you're not going to need too much to use QuickBooks. While this is fairly low, keep in mind that you're going to be looking for a laptop that you'll be using to do other tasks as well. Which means, while it's not much to use QuickBooks, combined with your other daily programs it may take a hit in performance if you don't have sufficient performers.
RAM/Storage
While the processor is indeed important, it's not a job it can do all on its own. To support the processor, you're going to want to make sure you hit the minimum requirements to run QuickBooks which is 4GB of RAM and up to 3GB of free space on your local storage. It shouldn't be too hard to find a best laptop for QuickBooks with these specs and makes the mid-range, budget laptop lineup very attractive.
Depending on your use case, this could be a good option to look into. Otherwise, take a look at what we'd recommend you find in a laptop below to get the very best experience when you run QuickBooks.
Recommended System Requirements
If you were looking for a laptop that will last you a couple of years, reliably, these are the specs you're going to want to look into properly before purchasing one. These recommended specs are a good way to future-proof your laptop against the top destroyer of laptops, time.
You could find a dirt cheap laptop, but in the long run, the crashes, constant freezing and other issues could arise which could've easily been mitigated with a proper spec sheet for a little extra cash. Nonetheless, these are going to be the core specs to look for out of the best laptops for QuickBooks.
Display
The display on your laptop for QuickBooks is an integral part of the overall laptop experience. As such, we're going to recommend you find a little better than a standard, HD panel with a Full HD display at 1920 x 1080. A Full HD display resolution is basically normalized at this point with most laptops opting for the resolution.
Full HD is a great resolution to use with a potent combination of overall sharpness, clarity, and vibrancy. This will be useful when you use your laptop QuickBooks for work, but will also make for a better viewing experience if you were using the laptop to watch a movie or two, or even some gaming. In terms of the display size, that's mainly up to what you'd prefer.
With the 1920 x 1080 resolution, any laptop display size will be a pleasant viewing experience. If you were looking for something smaller, a 13.3-inch or 14-inch laptop would be your best options, where as for something a bit bigger, you can check out the 15.6-inch laptop category.
You could also opt for a touchscreen laptop if you were keen on a more versatile device. Keep in mind though that a touchscreen laptop is going to cost you a bit extra, so only find one if you really wanted to use the feature.
Processor
The processor is going to be very important for your day-to-day performance and as such we're going to be recommending you deck out your laptop for QuickBooks with the best processor you can afford. But if that's too much to ask for, you can follow our guide for an optimal build with either an Intel Core i5 processor or Intel Core i7 processor.
Another thing to look for is which generation Intel Core it's from and how many cores it comes with. You should look for at least an 8th Generation Intel Core quad-core processor. Which means processors like the , 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8265U, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U, 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, etc.
You should also look for a minimum of a quad-core processor. A quad-core processor will more often than not, come with a reliable max frequency without bogging down the performance all too much.
Therefore, something like the 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8265U with a quad-core setup, with over 4GHz Max frequency is still reliable to this day. Something recently released in Intel Core i5 processor lineup is one of the best options for most users.
RAM/Storage
Lastly, you're going to want to ensure that your laptop has sufficient RAM and storage to handle everything QuickBooks and other programs will throw at it. As such, we're going to recommend that your laptop for QuickBooks feature at least an 8GB DDR4 RAM capacity, and a moderately sized 256GB SSD storage space. These are going to be the type of spec sheets you'll run into most often with this combination of RAM and SSD storage, making it a reliable option to choose.
How much RAM you have indicates how efficient your laptop loads as well as multi-tasking between the various programs you're using at any given time. 8GB RAM should be more than sufficient for most user's day-to-day usage unless you're gaming or using graphically intensive software.
Your storage space, well, quite simply indicates how much your laptop can store on the on-board storage options. A 256GB SSD is a good combination of price, space, and speed so that should be one of the better options for QuickBooks.
Now that we've gone through all the main features to help you use QuickBooks, let's check out some additional features and how they can add value to your experience.
Other Features To Consider
Graphics Card
For the more experienced computer geeks out there, you may have noticed I haven't mentioned anything regarding the graphics card just yet. While true, your GPU doesn't matter when it comes to QuickBooks, it's still an important feature on all laptops and has a dramatic effect on its pricing.
A little test to know whether you'll need a GPU or not is simply if you had noticed it was missing all along. IF not, you probably don't need to worry too much and can get away with any number of integrated graphics cards.
However, if you were handling your businesses design work and image/video editing, you're going to want a beefier GPU. You could opt for any number of gaming grade GPUS like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX or NVIDIA GeForce RTX lineup.
Battery Life
Battery life is another very important feature that often gets overlooked solely because, well, I don't know why actually. But regardless, having a long lasting battery life can change your life. Once you start using a laptop that doesn't constantly need to be on a charger, you'll never go back.
Battery life is a very crucial feature for your day-to-day usage and overall quality of life performance. As such, we'd recommend finding a laptop with at least a 7 hour battery life on a single charge.
Additional Security
The last 'feature' we're going to be recommending is finding some extra security and durability features to bolster your laptop value. Things like a fingerprint reader, additional security features, military grade durability, web-cam privacy shutter or mute-kill switch can give you great value in the long run. Since you will be using the laptop to run QuickBooks and manage your business, it definitely wouldn't hurt to have a little extra piece of mind guarding the laptop.
These are all the features I could think of to get you started on QuickBooks. With that out of the way, let's get straight into the list of best laptops for QuickBooks around!
Best Laptops For QuickBooks
1. Apple MacBook Pro
The first laptop we'll be featuring in our search for the best laptop for QuickBooks is going to be the most recent Apple MacBook Pro. Even a year in, the Apple MacBook Pro still holds up very well with a gorgeous design aesthetic and dependable internals to bolster the experience. The Apple MacBook Pro comes with a 13-inch Retina display with some great on-board screen tech including 500 nits of brightness, a P3-wide color gamut and True Tone technology.
On the internal specs, we're met with a pretty solid lineup of specs including Apple's latest attempt at a processor, the Apple M1 Chip. Thus far, there haven't been too many complaints online or by reviewers, so you can be rest assured of some stable performance on this laptop. To support the processor, the MacBook Pro comes with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD storage capacity.
There's a few more great extra features you can find on this Apple laptop including a Magic backlit keyboard, Touch ID, Touch Bar, ports including 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C port, Wi-Fi 6 support and up to 20 hours of battery life.
Next up, we've got a stunning mid-range laptop entering the race for the best laptop for QuickBooks, the ASUS ZenBook 13. There's a lot to love about this laptop and one of my favorite things about it is the overall design and no-wasted space philosophy. Even though the ASUS ZenBook 13 only features a 13.3-inch FHD display, you're actually getting quite a bit of screen real estate thanks to the stunning NanoEdge bezels. That added to the inclusion of a virtual number-pad engrained in the touchpad is a nice touch, cramming in as many features as possible.
The ASUS ZenoBook 13 also features a formidable spec sheet to balance out the great visuals. The laptop comes with a 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD storage capacity. This is one of the latest in the Intel Core i5 processor lineup, and should serve well for day-to-day usage and with QuickBooks.
A few extras you'll find packaged in on the ASUS ZenBook 13 includes IR camera with Windows Hello support, Wi-Fi 6 support, a backlit keyboard, AI Noice Canceling, ErgoLife hinge and up to 22 hours battery life. There's plenty more the ASUS ZenBook 13 laptop is capable of, but so far, everything's looking like a real solid deal to manage your accounting and QuickBooks.
The next laptop we'll be featuring is going to be the QuickBooks companion of choice for those on a budget. This laptop is the cheapest on the entire list, but is definitely not lacking in terms of performance and features. This laptop is going to be one of the budget- laptop champs, the Acer Aspire 5. While on the outside, the Acer Aspire 5 may not give you too much, on the internals the laptop is packing all the right specs to handle QuickBooks. The Acer Aspire 5 features a standard 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display and doesn't do anything unique, but it'll get the job done.
The performance is where the Acer Aspire 5 laptop really starts to shine with a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 processor in charge. The processor is supported by 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD storage space, making it more than qualified to handle QuickBooks and your day to day tasks. Considering that this laptop actually comes with specs you'll find on pricier laptops on the list, I'd say it's pretty well equipped overall.
To further enhance your laptop for QuickBooks experience, the Acer Aspire 5 has a few more tricks up its sleeve including a fingerprint reader, backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 support, HD webcam, ports including 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.1 Type-A, HDMI, and up to 8 hours battery life.
For those business owners who not only want to look the part, but feel the part, you're probably going to enjoy the next laptop on our list. It is none other than the latest Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The Lenovo ThinkPad brand has long since been regarded as the laptop of choice for many working professionals, and I can see the appeal. Though keep in mind, this laptop is bound to cost you quite a bit more than the others on the list thanks to the 'working professional' image it holds. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop comes with a 14-inch Full HD+ display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution.
Under the hood, at a glance, you'll see that this is the best specced laptop on the list. Considering the price difference, not too surprising. The laptop features a 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, a whopping 16GB RAM capacity and a 512GB SSD space built in. In terms of a laptop for QuickBooks, this is probably the best you could get if you were looking for a reliable, powerful laptop that'll last you over 3 years.
The laptop has a couple more features worth highlighting including a fingerprint reader, Windows 10 Pro, Rapid charge, Dolby Atmos quad-speakers, backlit keyboard, and up to 16 hours battery life.
Taking things back into affordable territory for just a moment, the next laptop for QuickBooks is going to be the latest Dell Inspiron 15 3000. Again, similar to other laptops for QuickBooks we've mentioned so far, to accommodate a lower price point, the visuals aren't too much to look at. It's simple, minimalist but nothing out of the ordinary. Where the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 truly impresses is with it's hardware in and outside the laptop. First up, the laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD narrow border display with a pretty great screen-to-body ratio.
Onto the internals is where the laptop really shines as the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is packed to the rim with impressive specs. In one package, you're getting an 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7, 16GB RAM and a generous 512GB SSD capacity. This is going to be more than capable of handling QuickBooks, and even some enormous datasets in Excel relatively well thanks to the up-to-date processor and impressive RAM capacity.
The laptop has a few more extras that'll excite consumers including a full array of ports, SD card reader, HD webcam, ExpressCharge, and up to 8 hours battery life.
6. Dell XPS 13
The last laptop we'll be featuring in our search for the best QuickBooks companion is going to be the Dell XPS 13 with an all-round impressive package at a decent price tag. The Dell XPS 13 laptop has a lot going for it from the both the design and performance aspects of the laptop. One of my favorite features is the carbon-fiber palm rest against the white backlit keys. On the display, the laptop features a stunning 13.3-inch FHD InfinityEdge display which has almost non-existent bezels on all four corners of the display frame.
On the performance side of things, the Dell XPS 13 laptop has an impressive lineup. You'll find a 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10510U processor, 8GB RAM and a sizable 512GB SSD capacity which makes for a very capable spec sheet. Seemingly, this laptop has got it all from the performance, to the gorgeous aesthetics and a great price point, making for one of the best value for money packages we've seen thus far.
The laptop comes with a few more extras to round out the experience including a backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6 support, HD webcam, a full array of ports and up to 19 hours battery life.
Conclusion
And that's all folks! These are going to be some of the very best laptops for QuickBooks so shop around and check out various devices to find the right fit for you.
But we're going to have to pick just one as the absolute best, and this time around it's going to be the Dell XPS 13!
Considering all the aspects of this laptop, from the design, to the performance, and the price point, this laptop is the right choice for many. There's a lot to love here and I think it'll be just right companion for those looking to get into QuickBooks and running your business that much more efficiently.
