The Best Laptop for Cricut Maker in 2023: Our Top 11
If you’re looking for the best laptop for Cricut Maker, you’ve come to the right place!
The ideal laptop for Cricut Maker users is inexpensive, yet modern because it doesn’t require any powerful or pricey components.
That’s a huge benefit for you!
On the other hand, you don’t want to get a cheap laptop that will only last for a year or two. You need something durable that can handle the software and all of your cutting projects.
But there are so many options on the market, that it can be hard to decide which one is best for you.
And how do you know which laptops are compatible with Cricut design space software?
Don’t worry – I’m here to help!
In this post, I’ll take a look at some options for best laptop for Cricut and outline the strengths of each.
Whether you’re just getting started on a tight budget or looking to spend a bit more to take your creations to the next level, we have something for everyone!
As a bonus — these laptops will also work exceptionally well with Cricut Joy, Cricut Explore 3 as well as Cricut Maker 3.
And of course, if you are looking for a printer to use along with your Cricut Maker, see my guide to the best printers for Cricut print and cut projects.
So without further ado, let’s get started with the best laptop for Cricut Maker!
What is the best laptop for Cricut Maker?
Here are my top picks for the best laptop for Cricut Maker in order of preference:
Dell XPS 15 7590 Laptop
Overview:
The best laptop for Cricut Maker is the Dell XPS 15. This powerful laptop has a six-core processor, and a 4K UHD OLED screen to display your designs at stunning clarity. The touchscreen interface also makes it easy to intuitively navigate the Cricut maker software.
It also has plenty of storage for all your designs and projects.
Highlights:
- Standing screen display size — 15.6 Inches
- Max Screen Resolution — ‎4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
- Processor — ‎4.5 GHz core_i7_family
- RAM — ‎16 GB DDR4
- Memory Speed — 2666 MHz
- Hard Drive — ‎1 TB 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
- Graphics Coprocessor — ‎AMD Radeon R5
- Graphics Card Ram Size — ‎4 GB
- Wireless Type — ‎802.11bgn
- Number of USB 2.0 Ports — 1
Pricing:
Retailing at $1,465, this laptop is a great investment for any crafter looking to take their creations to the next level without limits.
Bottom Line:
The Dell XPS 15 will last you for many years to come, with thousands of Cricut projects and Cricut machine upgrades. With its powerful six-core processor, stunning OLED screen, and easy touchscreen navigation, it is the best laptop for Cricut Maker on the market.
Samsung Galaxy Book Go Wi-Fi 14 Laptop (Best Budget Laptop)
Overview:
If you’re looking for an affordable laptop that still offers great features, the Samsung Galaxy Book Go Wi-Fi is the best laptop for any Cricut machine — including the Cricut Maker 3. It also has a 14-inch touchscreen display, making it easy to navigate your designs and plenty of storage space for all your files.
Highlights:
- Operating System — Windows 10 Home
- Screen Size — 14 Inches
- Touchscreen Display — Yes
- Processor Type — Qualcomm 7C Kryo465 2.50 GHz
- RAM Memory Size — 4GB LPDDR4X
- Storage Capacity — 128GB eUFS
- Ports — 2 USB-C, 1 HDMI
Pricing:
At just $299, this laptop is a tremendous value for anyone on a budget.
Bottom Line:
The Samsung Galaxy Book Go Wi-Fi is the best laptop for Cricut Maker if you’re looking to save some money and get an extremely portable laptop. It has all the features you need, including a bright beautiful display and plenty of storage space.
Surface Laptop Go
Overview:
The Surface Laptop Go is a great laptop for Cricut Maker for anyone looking for a lightweight and portable laptop. This laptop is perfect for Cricut projects, as it has all the power needed, and plenty of storage space and it’s priced for any budget.
Highlights:
- Operating System — Windows 10
- Lightweight — Just over two pounds
- Screen Size — 12.4 Inches
- Memory Size — Optional up to 8GB
- Storage Capacity — 128GB to 256GB SSD
- Ports — 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 1 x Surface Connect port
Pricing:
Starting at $549, this laptop is a great laptop for Cricut Maker considering the features you get.
Bottom Line:
The Surface Laptop Go is the best laptop for Cricut Maker if you’re looking for a lightweight and portable option that won’t break the bank. It has all the power you need, plus plenty of storage space, making it perfect for on-the-go crafting.
HP Pavilion 15
Overview:
The HP Pavilion 15 is a great budget option for anyone just starting with Cricut Maker. This laptop has an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, which isn’t as powerful as the Dell XPS, but it will get the job done.
Highlights:
- Operating system — Windows 11 Home
- Processor — AMD Ryzen™ 5 5500U (up to 4.0 GHz, 8 MB L3 cache, 6 cores, 12 threads) + AMD Radeon™ Graphics
- Display — 15.6″ diagonal, HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge, BrightView, 250 nits
- Memory — 8 GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM (2 X 4 GB)
- Storage — 256 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD
- Supports battery fast charge — approximately 50% in 45 minutes[5]
- External I/O Ports — 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-C® 10Gbps signaling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort™ 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge); 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-A 5Gbps signaling rate; 1 HDMI 2.0; 1 AC smart pin; 1 headphone/microphone combo
Pricing:
The HP Pavilion retails starting at $620 and is a great value for the price.
Bottom Line:
This laptop is a great budget option for anyone just starting out with Cricut Maker. It has an AMD Ryzen processor and plenty of storage for all your designs.
Asus Vivobook S14
Overview:
If you’re looking for a powerful laptop with a great price tag, the Asus Vivobook S14 is a great option. This laptop has an Intel Core i5-series processor which can easily handle your Cricut designs. The Ultrathin and ultralight design makes the Asus Vivobook S14 a great pair with your Cricut Maker on your desk or on-the-go.
Highlights:
- Operating system — Windows 10
- Processor — Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
- Graphics — Intel® Iris Xe graphics
- Display — 14″ Full HD display with NanoEdge (1920 x 1080)
- Memory — 8GB system memory for advanced multitasking
- Storage: 512 SSD (Save files fast, and store more data)
- External I/O Ports: a single HDMI input, as well as three USB inputs, allowing you to connect various peripherals.
Pricing:
The Asus Vivobook S14 retails at $699.99 and is a great value for the price. With so much power and features packed in such a thin laptop, it’s hard to beat the Asus Vivobook S14 at price versus power.
Bottom Line:
This laptop is a great value for the price. It has an Intel Core i5-series processor and plenty of storage for all your designs. With its thin and lightweight design, it’s perfect for taking on the go with you or working in the office.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i
Overview:
Uncompromising 11th Gen Intel® Core® processors deliver the best performing laptop for Cricut Maker. Its 15.6” FHD IPS touchscreen with ultra-thin bezels & physical webcam privacy shutter is perfect for crafting at home, in the studio, or on the go. One of our top choices for home and maker usage is the IdeaPad31.
Highlights:
- Processor — Up to 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor (2.40 GHz, up to 4.20 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 8 MB Cache)
- Operating System — Windows 11 Home
- Display — 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) anti-glare, 250 nits or 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, touchscreen, 300 nits
- Memory — 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz
- Battery life — Up to approximately 7.5 hours (45Wh)
Pricing:
The Lenovo IdeaPad 31 retails at around $575 and is an excellent value for the price.
Bottom Line:
This laptop is a great choice for anyone looking for an affordable option with an Intel Core i-series processor. It has a long battery life and a beautiful 15. FHD touchscreen display.
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Overview:
The Acer Aspire E15 is a powerful laptop with an impressive price tag. This laptop has an Intel Core i-series processor, which can easily handle your Cricut designs. The large storage capacity and long battery life make this laptop perfect for
Highlights:
- Operating System — Windows 10 Home in S Mode (Can be easily switched to Windows 10 Home, instruction included in the box)
- Processor — AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Processor @ 2.60GHz (2 Cores, up to 3.5GHz, 4 MB cache)
- Display — 15.6″ (1920 x 1080) Widescreen LED backlit IPS ComfyView Display
- Graphics — AMD Radeon Vega 3
- Memory — 12GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Storage — 128GB Solid State Drive
- Interfaces/Ports — HDMI: 1, USB 2.0 Ports: 2, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A Ports: 1
- Keyboard Backlight: Yes
- Battery — 3-cell Lithium Polymer 4200 mAh Lithium Polymer (7 Hour Battery life)
Pricing:
The Acer Aspire E15 retails at $529.99 and is a great value for the price.
Bottom Line:
This laptop is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a powerful laptop with a low price tag. It has a powerful AMD Ryzen processor and 12GB of RAM, making it perfect for running Cricut Design Space.
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1, 2021)
Overview:
The MacBook Pro 14-inch is an amazing laptop for anyone looking for an Apple product for their Cricut Maker. This laptop offers the choice between the Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, which handles your Cricut projects with a breeze. The unparalleled durability of this MacBook Pro and its large storage capacity and long battery life make this laptop one of the Cadillacs on our list.
Highlights:
- The Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max chips give a tremendous boost in CPU, GPU, and artificial intelligence performance.
- Processor — Up to a 10-core CPU allows you to accomplish professional tasks up to 3.7 times faster than before, allowing you to fly through complex designs quicker than ever.
- Graphics Card — Up to a 32-core GPU with up to 13x faster performance for graphics-intensive apps and designs.
- Battery Life — Up to 17 hours of battery life
- Memory — Up to 64GB of shared memory, so every activity is quick and smooth.
- Storage — Up to 8TB of SSD storage allows you to launch applications and open designs almost instantly.
- Display — Stunning 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with extreme dynamic range and contrast ratio
- Input / Output Ports — Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port
- Operating System — macOS Monterey lets you connect, share, and create like never before.
- Color Options — Available in space gray and silver
Pricing:
The MacBook Pro retails at $1799. There’s not much else on the market that will make handling your Cricut machine a breeze as this MacBook Pro.
Bottom Line:
This MacBook Pro is an excellent option for anyone looking for a powerful Apple laptop for their Cricut Maker. It offers an impressive amount of features and comes in two color options.
Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2021)
Overview:
The Apple MacBook Air is a great option for someone looking for an ultra-slim, lightweight, and affordable Apple laptop for their Cricut Maker. This laptop offers the Macbook Air M-series chip, which handles your Cricut projects with ease. The unparalleled durability of this Apple MacBook Air and its long battery life make this laptop one of the best values on our list.
Highlights:
- MacBook Air-designed M1 chip for a giant leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Battery Life — Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life¹
- Processor — 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance to tackle projects faster than ever²
- Graphics Card — Seven GPU cores with up to 5x faster graphics for graphics-intensive apps and games²
- Memory — 8GB of unified memory so everything you do is fast and fluid
- Storage — Superfast SSD storage launches apps and opens files in an instant
- Display — 13.3-inch Retina display with P3 wide color for vibrant images and incredible detail³
- Input / Output Ports — Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports for charging and accessories
- Operating System — macOS Big Sur introduces a bold new design and major app updates along with great compatibility with Cricut Design Space.
Pricing:
The Apple MacBook Air retails at $999.99 making it the most powerful/valuable laptop on our list.
Bottom Line:
The Apple MacBook Air is a great choice for someone looking for an ultra-slim, lightweight and affordable Apple laptop for their Cricut Maker. The MacBook Air offers impressive performance in a small package and comes in three color options.
Asus Zenbook Duo 14
Overview:
The Asus Zenbook Duo 14 is a powerful Windows laptop that offers a great option for someone looking for a laptop with a built-in second screen. This laptop is perfect for anyone who wants to be able to work on two things at once. The large display and long battery life make this one of the best laptops for Cricut on our list.
Highlights:
- RAM Size — 8 GB
- Hard Disk Size — 512 GB
- Operating System — Win 11 Home
- Screen Siz — 14 Inches
- Human Interface Input — Touchscreen
- CPU Manufacturer — Intel
- Color — Celestial Blue
- Connectivity Technology — Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, HDMI
- Hard Disk Size — 512 GB
Pricing:
The Asus Zenbook Duo 14 retails at $1299.99 making it one of the mid-priced laptops on our list.
Bottom Line:
This is a great choice for someone looking for a powerful Windows laptop with a built-in second screen for their Cricut Maker. This laptop offers a large display and long battery life in a sleek design.
Microsoft Surface Book 3
Overview:
The Microsoft Surface Book is a powerful Windows laptop that offers a great option for someone looking for a laptop with a detachable screen. This laptop is perfect for anyone who wants to be able to work on two things at once. The large display and long battery life make this one of the most versatile laptops for Cricut on our list.
Highlights:
- Operating System — Windows 10
- Battery Life — Get up to 15.5 hours of battery life with improved standby that extends battery life when you’re running low on power
- Display — High-resolution PixelSense display
- Memory — 8GB
- Storage — 256 GB
- Touchscreen — Breathe new life into your projects on the bright PixelSense touchscreen display, which works seamlessly with Surface Pen, touch, and Surface Dial.
- Versatility — Robust laptop, powerful tablet, and portable studio in one. Choose the way you work best with three flexible modes of usage for a desk, kitchen table, or home.
- Input / Output Ports — Includes USB-A and versatile USB-C ports, plus a full-size SD card slot.
Pricing:
The Microsoft Surface Book retails at $899.99 making it one of the most affordable laptops on our list.
Bottom Line:
This is a great choice for someone looking for a powerful Windows laptop with a detachable screen for their Cricut Maker. This laptop offers a large display and long battery life in a sleek design.
FAQ
What type of laptops is best for Cricut?
Any laptop that meets the minimum system requirements for Cricut Design Space will work. However, the best laptops for Cricut design space are those that have a dedicated graphics card and plenty of RAM.
What laptops are compatible with Cricut Design Space software?
All Apple MacBooks released in late 2019 or later are compatible with Cricut Design Space software. Most laptops running Windows 10 or later and meeting the minimum system requirements for Cricut Design Space will also work.
Your laptop must have 4GB of RAM and 2GB of available storage.
What is the best laptop for someone just starting out with a Cricut machine?
The best laptop for someone just starting out with their Cricut machine is likely to be one of the less expensive options on our list. Laptops in this category typically offer good performance for the price and come with a variety of features that make them ideal for Cricut use.
What is the best printer for Cricut Print and Cut Projects?
The best printer for Cricut Print and Cut projects is a color inkjet printer with duplexing capabilities. This means the printer can print on both sides of the paper automatically. Printers that meet this criterion will help reduce the amount of time needed to print and cut your projects.
There are plenty more factors to think about, which is why I wrote this post covering the best printer for Cricut print and cut projects.
I want to upgrade my old laptop so that it can be used with Cricut Maker. What is the best option?
Upgrading an older laptop to use with Cricut Maker is a great way to get more use out of an existing computer. The best laptops for Cricut in this category are those that have a dedicated graphics card and plenty of RAM. Upgrading the storage, processor, and memory on an older laptop can also help improve its performance when using Cricut Design Space.
I’m looking for a laptop that I can use for other things besides Cricut Maker. Is there one that fits this need?
Yes! All of the laptops in this post have been selected because they are great options for Cricut Maker, but they also offer a range of other features that make them perfect for general use. Whether you’re looking for a powerful Windows laptop, a versatile detachable screen, or a budget-friendly option, we have you covered.
What is the best laptop for someone who travels often?
The best laptop for Cricut and for someone who travels often is likely to be one of the more lightweight and portable options on our list. Laptops in this category typically offer good performance and battery life in a small form factor. Many also include built-in connectivity features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that make them ideal for travel. We suggest the MacBook Air and the Samsung Go options above. The MacBook Air for features and Future-proof compatibility. The Samsung Go for being the cheapest laptop on the list with all the features to get going now!
Do I need a backlit Keyboard?
No, you do not need a backlit keyboard to use Cricut Design Space. However, some people find having a backlit keyboard helpful for working in low-light conditions. The backlit keyboard lights the keys making it a breeze to operate in the dark.
If having a backlit keyboard is important to you, click the links on the options above as many of them offer a backlit keyboard.
Wrap Up
We hope you found this roundup of the best laptop for Cricut helpful. Be sure to check out our other posts for more great tips and advice on using your Cricut Maker:
Peace and Love.