Best Laptop for Cricut Maker

Are you looking for the best laptop for Cricut? Here are some of the best options at different price points.

The best laptop for Cricut machines can be found at an affordable price since, unlike many other creative hobbies, the hardware doesn’t need to be particularly powerful. To run Cricut software, all you really need is a good display, a recently released processor, and at least 4GB of RAM.

Even so, you shouldn’t choose the cheapest device you can find, since modern laptops and portable workstations can do more than just run low-demand applications. As well as serving you better as a day-to-day computer, a more powerful machine can help you create your own designs or explore other creative hobbies.

In addition to giving you more freedom than hardware, you can also pursue hobbies such as 3D printing that need robust graphics to manage software, so you can choose from lightweight 2-in-1 devices to powerful gaming laptops that you can use to play games during downtime, whatever your budget may be.

In addition to Windows and macOS, there are a wide range of laptop options available, and the laptops on our list below (carefully selected after hands-on experience and extensive evaluation – see how we test laptops for more details) all run the Adobe Suite, which means you can create your own designs rather than looking for existing ones online. For your convenience, we have included the Cricut system requirements for Windows and Mac below.

The Best Laptop for Cricut Makers Available Now

1. Dell XPS 15

The best Windows laptop for Cricut makers overall

Specifications:

Dell XPS 15 Review:

This laptop is not just great for Cricut users, it’s one of the best laptops on the market. There are some seriously powerful components in it, with configurations including an 11th-generation Intel processor and an Nvidia RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti graphics card available for those who would like to play games or run 3D applications. If you don’t have a lot of cash to spend on the top-spec model, integrated Intel UHD graphics are also an option.

You can even choose to replace the standard LCD display with a gorgeous OLED panel if you really have the cash to burn, which provides vivid colours and accurate black tones, while the storage can be upgraded from 512GB to a staggering 2TB SSD, so you don’t need to use external or cloud storage to store your work.

Is all this slightly overkill for use with a Cricut machine? Yes, but you can manage every aspect of your business without being slowed down by underpowered technology. From creating designs for the Cricut to managing your online store or social media accounts, you can manage everything. 

2. Lenovo IdeaPad 3i

This is the cheapest laptop for Cricut makers

Specifications:

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Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Review:

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is probably the most affordable option on this list, but you need to consider a few factors to ensure it will work with Cricut’s Design Space software. Make sure you’re buying the Windows version, as the same name is also available on Chromebooks. It’s true that Chromebooks are fantastic budget devices for getting online, but they won’t support Cricut software.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i runs Windows 10 Home in S mode by default, so it can’t run the application. Don’t worry, this can be easily upgraded to full Windows 10 using this handy guide from Microsoft.
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There is a very affordable base model that is capable of running for around seven hours and has a processor and RAM of only 4GB, so it isn’t a workhorse, but if you need the cheapest device for your Cricut machine, this has the perfect balance between performance and cost. 

3. MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1, 2021)

The best MacBook for Cricut makers overall

Specifications:

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MacBook Pro 14-inch Review:

The MacBook Pro 14-inch is one of the most powerful laptops on the market, and a great choice if you don’t need a budget laptop. In fact, this is overkill for powering a Cricut machine, but it is a great option if you want a portable workstation to handle every aspect of a small business.

Cricut Design Space will run on both MacOS and Windows devices, so it’s a great option if you’re more comfortable using a Macbook. If you use an iPad to create designs for your Cricut, then you can tap into the wider Apple ecosystem.

Furthermore, you get all the benefits of Apple’s incredible silicon chips. A M1-powered MacBook Pro can run up to 17 hours on a single charge, while its fanless design allows you to work in complete silence with no noisy fans. Based on our own testing, we found that this is not only one of the best laptops to use with a Cricut machine, but one of the best laptops on the market in general.

The only slight downside is that though the MacBook Pro line has reintroduced ports like SD card reader and HDMI (allowing you to connect it to an external display), you’ll need an Apple-supported dongle or adapter to actually hook up a Cricut machine due to the lack of built-in USB-A ports.

4. Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED (2022)

Two screens of Asus Zenbook Pro are better than one

Specifications:

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Asus Zenbook Duo 14 OLED Review:

The Asus Zenbook Duo 14 OLED might seem gimmicky at first glance, but give us a chance to explain. For those who run a business around their Cricut machines, the second display beneath the main screen can be used to display customer orders, design work progress, or even just instant messages or music.

You also get a beautiful OLED display with rich black tones, 120Hz refresh rate, and 100% DCI-P3 coverage. It’s not just a good laptop for Cricut users, but also for graphic designers and content creators, since it seems designed with them in mind.

Those lovely screens will really enhance your Cricut designs. You will also find plenty of RAM and an option to add a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, that’s also best laptop for sims 4 game so you can play a few video games in your spare time.

If you’re looking for a truly unique creative workstation laptop to help run a Cricut business, the Asus Zenbook Duo 14 OLED is a great option. 

5. Microsoft Surface Book 3

Specifications:

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Microsoft Surface Book 3 Review:

Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a great 2-in-1 device for running Cricut software. In addition, its tablet-like design means you can run your business from design to operations on one device without the need to hook up a drawing tablet. 

Its 13.5-inch display is large enough for daily use, and unlike either of the MacBook models above, it includes two built-in USB-A ports for connecting your Cricut machine without adapters. 

It’s compact, but it’s certainly not a slog. It’s equipped with an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, between 8 and 32GB of RAM, and 256GB-1TB of storage, so you’ll have no trouble running Cricut’s Design Space or Adobe Illustrator, and you’ll still be able to listen to some music or browse the Internet with ease.

However, the Microsoft Surface Book 3 is on the pricey side and its processors are a few generations behind now that Intel has released its 12th-generation CPUs. It’s still very capable, and it’ll remain that way for a while. If you love the idea of using a tablet with your Cricut machine, this is a great choice.

6. MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

The best value MacBook for Cricut makers

Specifications:

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MacBook Air M1 Review:

If you prefer MacOS, the MacBook Air is a solid choice, but the MacBook Pro line can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. In addition to the silent operation, you get a fanless M1 chip that provides up to 18 hours of battery life.

We loved its 13.3-inch high-resolution display in our tests, so we’re confident it’ll help to make your Cricut designs look the best, and the base Apple M1 chip features an eight-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD, which is more than enough to run Design Space as well as other applications at the same time.

The only drawback here is that there are no built-in USB-A ports, so you’ll need a separate adapter or a USB-C to USB-A connector to connect your Cricut machines, but the decision to remove the port results in a much slimmer laptop that can be thrown in a bag for quick design creation.

7. Acer Aspire 5

A cheap laptop for Cricut Design makers

Specifications:

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Acer Aspire 5 Review:

Another budget-friendly option that works well with Cricut’s Design Space software is the Acer Aspire 5, which runs Windows 11 so you’re getting the most recent operating system.

Base models have a 14-inch full HD IPS display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, all of which are powerful enough to handle most everyday tasks, as well as design applications like Adobe Illustrator. I

Although it’s not the most glamorous laptop you’ll find, it’s a budget-friendly jack-of-all-trades if you look past its somewhat outdated exterior. Additionally, it has three USB-A ports for connecting your Cricut machine, as well as any other peripherals, such as a graphics drawing tablet for creating your own Cricut designs.

 8. Asus Vivobook S14

The best value Windows laptop for Cricut makers

Specifications:

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Asus Vivobook S14 Review:

Asus Vivobook S14 might be the better choice for you if you prefer the idea of having a machine designed with creative professionals in mind to help you run a business around your Cricut, especially due to its less expensive price versus Dell XPS 15.

As this is designed for creatives, it has three USB-A ports, enabling you to simultaneously connect your Cricut machine and other devices, and a Thunderbolt USB-C port to connect peripherals. Furthermore, the Vivobook S14 has a large screen and well-optimized components to handle all Cricut applications.

Though the screen quality is a little lacking, it won’t impede your ability to use it with a Cricut – though you might be tempted to go for something with a nicer display if you wish to watch Netflix from bed.

How to Choose The Best Laptop for Cricut Machines

As you can see, all of the devices listed in our list of the best laptops for Cricut meet the software’s system requirements and then some. In any case, if you decide to use a different laptop, you should ensure that it meets all the Cricut system requirements listed below. You must have the full version of Windows installed on your laptop if it’s a Windows one.

For Windows:

• Operating system: Windows 8 or later 
• CPU: Intel Dual-Core or equivalent AMD processor 
• RAM: 4GB 
• Free disk space: 2 GB free disk space 
• Connectivity: USB port or Bluetooth connection 
• Display: 1024px x 768px screen resolution

For Mac:

• Operating system: macOS 10.15 or later 
• CPU: 1.83 GHz 
• RAM: 4GB 
• Free disk space: 2GB 
• Connectivity: USB port or Bluetooth connection 
• Display: 1,024px x 768px screen resolution

How to choose the best laptop for Cricut

What’s the best laptop for Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore 3, and other Cricut machines? It’s good news that many Windows laptops and MacBooks meet the above requirements, including budget models. For those in need of a budget laptop, you don’t really need one for Cricut’s Design Space. As an alternative, you may want to consider using a smartphone or tablet.

However, there are two reasons why you might want to opt for a more expensive laptop instead. Firstly, because it’s going to provide a better computing experience in general. And secondly, because some of the more advanced Cricut features, such as Offset(opens in new tab), are not supported with the minimum system requirements but require higher system specs, such as Windows 10 64-bit. Essentially, the more you spend, the better your experience will be; both when using Cricut machines and when doing general computing tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions