If you’re a small business owner, you know that QuickBooks is an essential piece of software for keeping your finances in order. But what if you’re not happy with the performance of your current laptop and are looking to buy a new one?
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best laptops for QuickBooks. We’ll also discuss some factors to keep in mind when making your purchase.
List Best Laptops for Quickbooks
System Requirements of Quickbooks
- 2.4 GHz processor or more
- 4 GB RAM (Minimum), 8GB RAM (Recommended)
- DVD drive to install QuickBooks from CD (Not required if you download QuickBooks from Intuit server)
- Minimum Display Resolution – 1280 x 1024
- 2.5 GB of disk space (additional space required for data files)
- Wi-Fi / Ethernet for internet access
With so many features and options, QuickBooks is the perfect accounting software for any small business. You can use it on your laptop if you have an internet connection or get a subscription to their cloud storage system which allows access anywhere there’s electricity!
This means that you don’t need to spend a lot of money if your daily tasks for QuickBooks are minimal. A medium-spec laptop will be enough, and it can even help with other programs like Excel too!
1. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Acer Aspire 5
- Processor: Core i5 i5-8265U
- Graphics: UHD Graphics 620
- Memory: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Screen Size: 15.6 FullHD (1920×1080)
- Battery Timing: 7 Hour
Acer’s Aspire 5 is always a winner because of its low price. Aspire got its first place in the list of best laptops for QuickBooks with amazing performance and build quality.
You can use Aspire 5 both for business and for home. If you’re a small-business owner or accountant, you can take advantage of QuickBooks’ features.
This Acer Aspire 5 laptop comes with impressive specifications, so you can easily use QuickBooks on it. It features Intel’s 10th Generation Core i5 1.6GHz processor, which can boost to 4.2GHz. With 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD storage, you can multitask without any issues.
Besides these impressive specifications, the FULL HD 15.6-inch display gives you more space to multitask and enjoy movies. You can play games without any difficulty on the FHD screen, which emits high-quality and impressive graphics. Integrated graphics from Intel’s UHD series will perform very well in games.
Since you cannot store big games on a 256GB SSD, you need an external storage device for that. However, a 256GB SSD is more than enough to run QuickBooks efficiently.
There is also the Acer Aspire E15 which has the same specs and performance as the Aspire 5. The looks of both of these laptops are much similar, but the thing we like the most is the performance compared to other mid-range laptops.
We’ve seen users mostly ignoring great gaming machines like Aspire 5 as; usually, they go with high-end machines or low-end if looking for a budget option. When you have to do productivity work and have to play games on your machine, you can consider it.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 14″ FHD Ultrabook
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7600U
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Memory: Up to 16GB 1866MHz
- Storage: 128 GB SSD
- Screen Size: 14.0″ FHD (1920 x 1080)
- Battery Timing: Up to 15.5 hours
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 is the best laptop for QuickBooks if you travel a lot for your business to grow fast, as its battery life is quite great.
Besides great specifications, it provides a battery backup of almost 15 hours on a single charge. If you use QuickBooks for just a few hours each day, the battery may last a couple of days. Lenovo’s X1 Carbon won the title of the World’s Best Business Laptop at CES 2018.
The Thinkpad X1 by Lenovo is both a sleek and stylish laptop and a very powerful one. With a base frequency of 1.90GHz, the laptop is powered by Intel’s 8th Generation Core i7 processor.
Its 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD make it powerful enough to handle big applications quite easily. QuickBooks and other business applications can be easily used on this laptop.
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 can be a great one-time investment; you can use applications that require many resources quite easily with such a powerful machine. When you get bored, you can easily play games with its Intel UHD 620 Graphics Chip.
You can spend a little more on this laptop and get a GTX or RTX series configuration, giving you better performance when playing games.
With a solid-state drive and 16GB of RAM, combined with amazing battery life, this laptop can run any new software for at least 5 to 6 years.
We’ve found the only downside of this laptop is the awkward placement and type of power button and the HD Webcam quality. Everything is perfect on this laptop except for the looks and the performance.
3. HP 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: HP’s 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Storage: 128 GB SSD
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches Full HD (1920×1080)
- Battery Timing: 10 Hours
Touchscreen laptops make it easy and quick to enter data, unlike regular laptops. HP 15.6 comes with a multi-touch screen that allows you to use QuickBooks easily. It features a Full HD anti-glare, WLED display.
With an 82% screen-to-body ratio, the bezels of the screen look pretty impressive. The overall look of this laptop is also attractive to users, and it is equipped with robust components.
In terms of specifications, HP 15.6 can run QuickBooks for Desktop and QuickBooks Online without any issues.
There is a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 processor with a frequency boost of up to 3.6GHz, which is enough to handle multitasking and other business applications.
Although the graphics on this laptop are weak for modern games, they are more than sufficient for productivity applications.
There are high-speed data storage devices on this laptop and DDR4 memory modules that can boot up the operating system in little to no time. This laptop comes with 8 GB of DDR4 memory modules, which might be quite low for your needs, but still, there are upgrade options available to you.
As well, you do not need to purchase a Windows 10 license key for this laptop since it comes pre-installed.
While maintaining the speed and overall performance of the laptop, the 256GB SSD is fast enough to store & transfer user data.
Due to these reasons and some amazing features such as a touchscreen and excellent display, the HP 15.6 is the best laptop for QuickBooks and accountants.
The HP Pavilion 15 is also available with a touchscreen and some different specifications. It is also an excellent alternative to HP 15, and you can consider it if the other option is not available.
4. ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Asus Zenbook 13
- Processor: Intel Core i5-8265U
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR3
- Storage: 256GB M.2 NVMe
- Screen Size: 13.3-inch FHD (1920×1080)
- Battery Timing: 12 Hours
The NanoEdge bezel-less display on the Asus Zenbook 13 provides an amazing viewing experience, even in 1080p.
In addition to that impressive display, the design of this laptop is attractive as well. It is possible to see a lot of results on Quickbooks’ screen without having to scroll over and over again.
This Zenbook 13 is equipped with an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor that can boost up to 3.9GHz, so using QuickBooks is not a problem.
Even with 8 GB of DDR4 memory, that processor can handle most applications, and you can also upgrade the memory sticks if you feel they are too low for you. You can run multiple applications and software on your laptop at the same time quite easily.
Also, it comes with a fingerprint reader, increasing security and logging into the operating system without typing the password.
Your laptop will boot up completely within 6 to 8 seconds if it has a 512GB M2 SSD. Another great feature of this laptop is its keyboard, which has standard-size keys and a decent space between keys which helps in a better typing experience.
When it is dark, you can type without any problems with this backlit keyboard. This enhances the typing experience to a whole new level also making it the best laptop for QuickBooks, since you can type flawlessly.
The Asus Vivobook S14 is also an excellent alternative to the Asus Zenbook 13.
5. Microsoft Surface Pro 6
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Microsoft Surface Pro 6
- Processor: Intel Core 8th Gen i5-8250U
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Memory: 8GB or 16GB
- Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
- Screen Size: 12.3” PixelSense
- Battery Timing: Up to 13.5 hours
If you are on the go or looking for a portable option, then Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 is an excellent option for the best portable laptop for QuickBooks, since it has many features and specifications in a very slim body.
Thanks to its Intel Core i5 8th Generation processor, Surface Pro can run almost all accounting software. However, there are some other configurations you can consider if it feels too low for you.
Further, the sleek and slim design makes the laptop portable since you can take it anywhere in your bag or even hold it in your hands.
Although the laptop has 8 GB of DDR4 memory and 128 GB of SSD, this may seem a little low, but you can compromise on that because Quickbooks runs smoothly on it.
Because it’s a 2-in-1 laptop, you can use it in two different modes (Tablet Mode, Studio Mode, and Laptop Mode). It comes with a detachable keyboard, which you can attach to it and use as a laptop at any time.
As it’s a small, thin laptop, its battery performance is excellent. This laptop’s battery can last up to 13 hours. Therefore, if you use QuickBooks for a few hours a day, a single battery charge can last a few days.
6. Dell New XPS 13
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Dell XPS 13
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1065G7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Plus
- Memory: 16GB
- Storage: 512 M.2 NVMe SSD
- Screen Size: 13.4-inch, FullHD (1920×1080)
- Battery Timing: 12 Hours
With regards to the looks of the laptop, there isn’t a competitor for the Dell XPS series, and we have the XPS 13 for this list of best laptops for QuickBooks.
It looks similar to the latest Macbooks, and you can also consider it a Windows alternative. If you’re looking for premium looks and performance in one package, then the XPS series is for you.
Using Intel’s 10th Generation Core i7 Processor can easily handle QuickBooks or any other accounting software.
Taking its performance to a new level, it comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 1TB of solid-state storage. It’s something uncommon for a laptop in this price range, and you won’t have to upgrade its specs in the future as you can continue to use it.
DELL’s XPS 13 has been maxed out with its 4k display and nearly no bezels to give you an immersive viewing experience and a large area to multitask simultaneously.
It also has touchscreen compatibility, so entering QuickBooks data won’t be a problem. Having a large screen will give you the advantage of editing data in bulk with this laptop.
On balance, the Dell XPS 13 is the best-performance laptop for QuickBooks and accounting software in general.
If you’re looking for a Windows alternative to a Mac design, this is also a good choice. You can still check out the Apple Macbook Pro if you don’t want to use Windows below.
7. Apple MacBook Pro
SPECIFICATIONS
- Laptop: Apple Macbook Pro
- Chip: Apple M1 with 8-Core CPU & 8 Core GPU
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Screen Size: 13-inches (2560×1600)
- Battery Timing: Up to 17 hours
MacBook Pro is a great business laptop for QuickBooks and most applications in almost every industry, which is why video editors and graphic designers use it to level up their portfolios.
QuickBooks is straightforward to use on Mac since they are well optimized for that purpose. You can easily use them without any issues, and if you have never used a Mac, you will find it the same as a Windows-like machine.
Due to Apple’s proprietary operating system, which is optimized specifically for its hardware, Mac machines perform much better than their predecessor.
Because of its premium performance and stylish design, it is very expensive for small-business owners. If you want a Mac, make sure you choose one that provides immersive performance and meets all your accounting needs.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro features a Retina display, so you won’t get headaches or eye strain after spending hours using it.
The new MacBook Pro is powered by the Apple’s own M1 chip features eight CPU and GPU cores and is clocked at 3.2 GHz. Keep in mind that Mac OS is much more optimized than Windows OS, so you’ll get excellent performance with this processor and RAM.
Additionally, it comes with 8 GB of memory that cannot be upgraded and is available in various storage capacities. The battery timing of this Mac has always been the best.
These laptops are highly portable and now with the M1 chip, you can spend your whole day with a single charge.
FAQs
Following are some of the faqs asked by users.
What Is the Best Laptop for Quickbooks?
After conducting extensive research and collecting reviews from over 25 business owners, we have compiled a list of the best laptops for QuickBooks.
However, if you are in a hurry then Acer Aspire 5 is an excellent option that will work well with your needs!
How to Choose the Best Laptop for Quickbooks?
To determine your perfect laptop for QuickBooks check, if the laptop meets the minimum requirements in order to run the software.
Along with that, performance, battery life, keyboard and build quality are important factors when it comes down to deciding which one is best suited for your accountant.
Windows vs Mac OS X? For Quickbooks, What Is Best?
In addition to Quickbooks on Windows, you can also run other applications and play games.
At the same time, Mac OS X is a well-optimized operating system for productivity work and can handle large amounts of data without any issues.
Which Quickbooks Is Best for Small Businesses?
There are a lot of options out there and it’s impossible to say which one is best for you, so you’ll have to do the research yourself. But just know that they’re all going to be somewhat different in features by default.
You’ll need to think about what features work best for your business, see if it comes complete with an invoicing system (or pay for a separate add-on), etc. It also comes with a Trial of 30 days which helps you choose which works best for you.
How Can I Learn Quickbooks?
In order to learn how to use a program like Quickbooks, it’s best first to have a cursory knowledge of accounting.
This way you can understand the basics and have some idea about what papers should be done when going through the steps.
For example, understanding debits and credits is an important thing to know before starting with something as complicated as Quickbooks.
It takes years for people who work in accounting or finance fields (where Quickbooks is used) to get really good at using it, so don’t let that discourage you when learning on your own!