Top 7+ Best Laptop for QuickBooks To Buy in 2021

QuickBooks is an advanced accounting software geared towards small and medium businesses

Every year, we get the updated version of QuickBooks with slight improvements over the previous one.

All these software versions have a hefty set of hardware requirements for QuickBooks to run smoothly.

And if you’re a person who’s always on the move, then a laptop will be an ideal pick. Hence, we’ve listed the 7 Best Laptops for QuickBooks that offer all the juice required to effortlessly use this software.

Top 5 Best Laptops for QuickBooks

Image	Products	Speciality	Price
	Dell Inspiron 15	Best For QuickBooks	Check Price
	MacBook Air M1	Best For macOS	Check Price
	Galaxy Book Pro	Best Lightweight	Check Price
	Lenovo Flex 5	Best 2-in-1	Check Price
	Asus Vivobook 15	Best Asus Laptop	Check Price

7 Best Laptops for QuickBooks in 2021

1.Dell Inspiron 15 5505 – Best Laptop for QuickBooks

The Dell Inspiron 15 5505 is the most attractive laptop available on this list. It features the new design seen in the latest Dell Inspiron range and looks absolutely stunning. In a work environment, your laptop will look very sleek in a sea of bulky and chunky laptops.

This laptop comes with AMD Ryzen 7 4700U processor. It is an Octa-core CPU with 8 threads and can compete head-to-head with Intel’s Core i7-1165G7 processor. 

The Ryzen 7 4700U has a base clock of 2.0GHz and a boost clock of up to 4.1GHz. Moreover, in the Dell Inspiron 15 5505, this processor is coupled with AMD Radeon Vega 10 integrated graphics. Thus, all the graphical work will be handled by this powerful integrated graphics unit.

In an office or work environment, this laptop would be a perfect fit! It looks sleek and has a lightweight design. It sports a 15.6-inch Full HD screen with a full-size keyboard, and the laptop weighs only 3.72 pounds. Thus, carrying around this laptop in your backpack won’t be an issue.

Even with its streamlined design, Dell hasn’t compromised at all on the connectivity ports. The Dell Inspiron 15 5505 comes with 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, 1x HDMI 1.4 port, microSD slot, and combo audio jack.

This laptop comes with a whopping 16GB RAM in 2x 8GB configuration, which works flawlessly with QuickBooks. While the recommended RAM is 8GB, the inclusion of 16GB RAM will make working with QuickBooks butter smooth.

Alongside, you also get a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD drive. This SSD drive offers a bigger and faster storage option. Plus, you get a choice to add in an extra SSD drive and upgrade the RAM module. Hence, you can upgrade this laptop’s specifications in the future.

Bottom Line

“For a work and office environment, the Dell Inspiron 15 5505 will be the right fit because of its sleek design and professional look. Additionally, you also get a powerful combination of CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD drive. Hence working on QuickBooks using this laptop will be effortless.”

2. Apple MacBook Air M1 – Best Apple Laptop for QuickBooks

The Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 chip is the most powerful MacBook Air available in the market right now. In 2020, Apple updated its multiple computer range with its latest and in-house M1 chip, which performs 5x better than its Intel counterpart.

As mentioned above, QuickBooks offers both Windows and Mac OS versions. Hence, if you ever wanted to buy a MacBook, this would be the right choice.

The most significant selling point of the Apple MacBook Air laptop is its lightweight chassis and full-body aluminum design. The model we’ve mentioned here comes with an Apple M1 chip, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD storage. It’s the base MacBook Air model yet will get the job done very efficiently.

In our list of best laptops for QuickBooks, the Apple MacBook Air has the most beautiful and pixel-dense screen. You get a 13.3-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It is a retina display and has a resolution of 2560 x 1600p, which offers crystal clear and sharp text reproduction. 

Compared to its previous generation, the colors on this screen look vibrant and don’t change when you move the screen. Moreover, this new model has very slim bezels on all 4 sides.

Due to its compact design, this laptop weighs just 2.8 pounds, and hence you can carry it all day without breaking your back.

Another big USP of the Apple MacBook Air range is the battery life, and this laptop doesn’t disappoint either. Apple mentions the battery on this laptop will last up to 18 hours. However, in real-time usage, it lasts around 15-16 hours with 50% brightness and Wi-Fi on at all times. Thus, you do not need to sit next to a wall socket to keep using laptop all day.

Talking about Wi-Fi, the MacBook Air comes with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. It offers much better performance than its previous generation. Plus, you also get 2x USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support and a Touch ID sensor for easy access.

Bottom Line

“The Apple MacBook Air M1 is a moving man’s laptop. If you’re on your feet every day, getting a lightweight laptop like the MacBook Air will be a wise design. Its latest and powerful processor offers all the performance requirements for running QuickBooks smoothly. Whereas the longer battery life ensures you can work on the go for longer periods.”

3. Samsung Galaxy Book Pro– Best Lightweight Laptop for QuickBooks

For most people, it’s hard to wrap around the fact that Samsung was once a top-notch laptop maker. Over the years, the Korean brand focused more on mobile and electronics products but is now back with its Galaxy laptop range.

Taking cues from its smartphone division, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro is equipped with a 15.6-inch Full HD screen with an AMOLED display. AMOLED display offers extremely vibrant color output and looks absolutely stunning on smartphones and laptops. While we’re used to IPS display on a laptop, but an AMOLED display is on another level.

While we were all praise that the Apple MacBook Air mentioned above for its lightweight body and long battery life. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro, a 15.6-inch laptop, weighs just 2.31 pounds and offers a whopping 20 hours of battery life.

It is one of the most lightweight 15.6-inch and a direct competition to the LG Gram range of 15.6-inch models. Although even with its lightweight body, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro packs powerful hardware on the inside.

For starters, it comes with an 11th generation Intel Core i7 processor for fast and power-efficient performance. However, Samsung hasn’t mentioned the exact processor model used in this laptop. You also get a 16GB RAM module and 512GB SSD drive.

With such powerful hardware, QuickBooks will work like a charm on this laptop. Moreover, with its slim design and lightweight body, this laptop can be easily stored anywhere. You won’t have issues carrying it around.

The Mystic Blue color on this laptop looks absolutely stunning and will work well in a professional and casual environment.

While it’s a nicely packaged laptop, there are few concerns that I’d like to mention. While AMOLED screen offers extremely vibrant color output, its magic gets lost in a bright or daylight environment. In a bright room, the screen loses out on brightness. On the other hand, the full-size keyboard has a slight flex while typing.

Bottom Line

“The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro is a lightweight and longer battery life laptop. It easily defeats the likes of LG Gram and Acer Swift 7 range in terms of weight. If you can look over the shortcomings, then the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro will be the right choice for you.”

4. Lenovo Flex 5 – Best 2-in-1 Laptop

The Lenovo Flex 5 is a budget-friendly laptop that comes equipped with powerful specifications on the inside. For starters, this laptop is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor along with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD drive.

To make things better, it is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop that comes in a compact size for daily usage. This laptop sports a 14-inch screen with 1920 x 1080p resolution and an IPS display with a touchscreen panel.

Due to its convertible form factor, you can use the Lenovo Flex 5 in the traditional mode, movie mode, tent mode, and tablet mode. With the inclusion of a touchscreen panel, this laptop offers improved usability than a traditional laptop.

Talking about upgrade options, you can swap the 256GB SSD drive with a bigger one in the future. Unfortunately, the RAM cannot be user-replaced. Hence, it’s a good option that the Lenovo Flex 5 already comes with 16GB RAM.

Owing to its small form factor, this laptop weighs just 3.6 pounds, and hence you can easily carry it in your backpack without straining your back. Moreover, this laptop won’t take much space on your work table due to its compact size.

The Lenovo Flex 5 is equipped with a tenkeyless keyboard that offers big and backlit keys for easier typing. Although, while crunching numbers, a dedicated number pad is a necessity, and this laptop’s keyboard misses. However, you can buy an aftermarket number pad keyboard and connect it through a USB port.

Talking about connectivity options, you get 1x HDMI port, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C port, combo audio jack, 2x USB 3.0 ports, and an SD card slot. Moreover, this laptop is also equipped with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2.

Bottom Line

“The Lenovo Flex 5 offers a powerful configuration at an extremely affordable price. With its potent processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD storage, you get great baseline to start with. Moreover, its 2-in-1 form factor allows multiple usage scenarios that are not possible in a traditional laptop.”

5. Asus Vivobook 15 S513 – Best Asus Laptop for QuickBooks

Asus’s Vivobook started the whole rage of a full-size lightweight laptop, which was later adopted in Dell’s Inspiron series and HP’s Pavilion series.

The Asus Vivobook range has received a new design refresh and looks wonderful than the previous version. It is a 15-inch laptop that sports a 15.6-inch Full HD screen and has slim bezels on all 4 sides.

The Asus Vivobook 15 S513 is available in a beautiful dark grey color, which Asus calls Indie Black that transcends across the entire body of this laptop. It measures 18.7mm thin on its side and weighs just 3.7 pounds. In terms of weight, this laptop is a close competitor to the Dell Inspiron 15 5505 mentioned above.

On the inside, this laptop features a 4^th generation AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor that offers an excellent combination between performance and power efficiency. This processor is coupled with 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD drive. Later you can also add an extra 8GB RAM to improve memory storage and add another SSD drive for a more extensive storage option.

The Asus Vivobook 15 S513 features a full-size backlit keyboard. This keyboard is ideal for long typing sessions. The inclusion of a number pad offers better usability while using QuickBooks software.

Below the keyboard, you get a moderately-sized trackpad with an integrated fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint scanner is placed in the top right corner, and the trackpad works well with Windows precision drivers.

Being a full-size laptop – you get plenty of connectivity ports like USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, USB 2.0 port, HDMI port, microSD card reader, and a combo audio jack.

Bottom Line

“The Asus Vivobook 15 S513 is one of the most beautifully designed laptops in the affordable segment. For a low price, you get the latest processor that works like a charm while using QuickBooks.”

6. Acer Swift 3 – Best 14-inch laptop for QuickBooks

Suppose you have a tight budget of $700 but want to get the best specifications that you can find under this price range. Then the Acer Swift 3 is an excellent pick.

The model mentioned here comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U processor. It is an octa-core processor that offers superb performance yet won’t strain battery life.

Design-wise, the Acer Swift 3 looks pleasing to the eyes. The design looks fresh, and its silver-colored chassis seems like a good fit in an office and professional environment.

It is a compact laptop that weighs just 2.6 pounds. The biggest factor for its lightweight design is the laptop’s screen size. The Acer Swift 3 comes with a 14-inch 1920 x 1080p resolution screen with an IPS display. Thus, you get a pixel-dense and crisp display compared to a Full HD screen on 15.6-inch screen size. While the display is not the most color-accurate or bright, you won’t notice any daily usage issues.

Talking about performance, any version of QuickBooks, be it Desktop or Online, will work flawlessly on this laptop. Partly due to its high-performance processor and an 8GB LPDDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD drive. Moreover, AMD Vega 7 integrated graphics improves performance in applications that utilize GPU acceleration.

When it comes to the build quality, the Acer Swift 3 is very sturdy and can take daily beating. While most laptops at this price range come with a plastic body, on the other hand, the Acer Swift 3 comes with an aluminum body, and the trackpad is made using magnesium. Thus, you get a premium laptop-like build quality at an affordable price point.

Many things work in the Acer Swift 3 favor; however, there’s a big downside that needs to be addressed. While it is a compact and lightweight laptop with decent specs; however, the 8GB RAM is soldered onto the motherboard and can’t be upgraded.

Bottom Line

“If you’re looking for a decent spec’d laptop to use for few years, then the Acer Swift 3 comes with decent specifications. The only downside is the non-upgradable RAM, although everything else works in this laptop’s favor.”

7. HP 15-DY2021NR – Best HP laptop for QuickBooks

If you have a minimal budget for buying the best laptop for QuickBooks, yet want a laptop that packs in robust hardware, then you should take a look at the HP 15-DY2021NR.

It is a 15.6-inch laptop that comes with a 1920 x 1080p screen with an anti-glare IPS display. This Full HD screen is nothing special; however, you get decent color reproduction and brightness for day-and-night usage. Moreover, you get slim bezels on 4 sides and up to 82% screen-to-body ratio.

On the inside, the HP 15-DY2021NR sports Intel’s 11th generation Core i5-1135G7 processor. This processor works at a low operating frequency to provide a longer battery. In contrast, when required, the processor can Turbo clock itself to offer excellent performance. Hence, this processor will be a superb choice to work with QuickBooks.

This laptop also comes with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD drive. You can easily upgrade RAM and SSD drive in the future. Thus you can improve the laptop’s performance after a couple of years of usage.

Design-wise, this laptop looks very decent; it can easily blend in an office environment. Plus, you can effortlessly carry it every day to your office or work environment since it weighs just 3.7 pounds.

In terms of connectivity, you get 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, 1x HDMI port, SD card reader, and a combo audio jack. Moreover, you also get the latest wireless connectivity like Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6.

To ease your workflow, the HP 15-DY2021NR comes with a full-size keyboard with a dedicated numeric touchpad. Whereas you also get a decent-sized trackpad and work smoothly with Windows precision drivers. However, keyboard backlighting is missing, which slightly limits its usage.

Bottom Line

“If you are absolutely on the fence about getting a laptop for QuickBooks and don’t want to spend a lot, then the HP 15-DY2021NR is an ideal choice. You get decent specifications and options to upgrade this laptop in the future too.”

System Requirements for QuickBooks

Before we jump into the list of the 7 best laptops for QuickBooks, it is essential to look at QuickBooks System Requirements.

Below we’ve mentioned system requirements for Windows OS, Mac OS, and QuickBooks Online.

QuickBooks Desktop System Requirements

OS: Windows 8.1 or Windows 10

Processor: 2.4GHz processor

RAM: 4GB (8GB recommended)

Disk Space: 2.5GB

Internet Access 1Mbps recommended

Screen resolution: 1280 x 1024 or higher

QuickBooks Online System Requirements

Recommended Specs

• Windows 10 OS
• Intel Core i5 or comparable (2015 or newer)
• 8GB RAM
• 3 Mbps or higher internet connection
• For Mac – OS X “Panther” 10.13 or newer

Things to Consider While Buying Best Laptop for QuickBooks

Processor

As we know, a processor is the brain of a computer system and is the most crucial component for QuickBooks to work smoothly. QuickBooks recommend that you use Intel Core i5 or similar processors, manufactured in 2015 or newer. Thus, it is essential to know that this accounting software requires a high-performance processor.

In our list, we’ve included laptops that come with the latest Intel and AMD processors. The laptops in our list have the latest Intel Core i7, AMD Ryzen 7, Intel Core i5, and AMD Ryzen 5 processors. Plus, all these processors offer Turbo Boost technology. Hence the processors can overclock themselves and offer a performance boost when required.

RAM

Currently, 4GB is the minimum RAM requirement for every version of QuickBooks, be it Desktop, Mac, or Online. In contrast, the recommended RAM requirement is 8GB. In the above list, we’ve included laptops that come with 8GB and 16GB RAM modules. Thus you won’t have any issues while using QuickBooks in the future.

Moreover, I’ve made sure that the laptops with 8GB RAM come with an expandable memory slot. Hence, you can upgrade the laptop from 8GB RAM to 16GB and cope with higher system requirements in the future.

Storage Space

QuickBooks Desktop requires a minimum of 2.5GB storage space. However, with regular use, QuickBooks can acquire a plenty of space on your computer. All laptops mentioned above come with SSD storage. SSD drives are faster when compared to HDD drives. Hence, with the use of an SSD drive, you get a boost in performance, which is missing in 2.5-inch 5400RPM HDD drives commonly used in laptops.

Moreover, the laptops mentioned above come with extra SSD slots or user-replaceable SSD slots. Hence, you can either add extra SSD drives or swap the current SSD drive with a higher storage option.

Weight

If you’re always on the go, you’ll need a laptop that is as much lightweight as possible. With the advancement in modern technology, you can get 15.6-inch laptops that weigh just over 2 pounds. Hence, make sure you consider the laptop’s weight when choosing the best laptop for QuickBooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much RAM does QuickBooks need?

The minimum RAM requirement is 4GB for its Desktop, Mac, and Online version. However, 8GB RAM is recommended for smoother and effortless operations.

On how many computers can I install QuickBooks?

If you’ve bought a single-user license of any QuickBooks product, you can use it on two different computers. However, it is recommended that you own both computer systems.

Is QuickBooks Online better than QuickBooks Desktop?

QuickBooks Desktop is an advanced software and is ideal for complex accounting. At the same time, QuickBooks Online offers ease of use and is more ideal for small office usage.

Moreover, QuickBooks Online has more automation features and is easier to learn for novice users. At the same time, QuickBooks Desktop has more features but has a steep learning curve.

Conclusion

I hope you were pleased with the list of the 7 best laptops for QuickBooks mentioned above. I’ve curated this list very carefully and made sure each laptop mentioned here will smoothly work with QuickBooks at least for the next 5 years.

Moreover, I’ve also picked laptops that come with expandable RAM and storage options. Hence, you can upgrade the laptop eventually for improved performance.

If you’re still confused, I’d suggest going with our #1 pick, i.e., the Dell Inspiron 15 5505. This laptop offers a sleek design, powerful specs, and options to further upgrade the laptop accordingly.