Best Laptops for Quickbooks

Accounting is at the core of any successful business. Using a laptop to keep track of your finances helps you understand whether you are losing business or making profits. There is a plethora of accounting software out there but none is as popular as QuickBooks.

If you are using QuickBooks, whether as an accountant for a company or a sole business person, you need the best laptop that will make managing the software and keeping your accounting records a piece of cake.

QuickBooks software has unique features that require unique laptops for maximum productivity. The good news is, we have prepared this list of the best laptops for QuickBooks.

Read ahead to discover our 5 best laptop recommendations to handle the system requirements for QuickBooks for desktop and why we think they are the best fit for this accounting software powerhouse.

Top 5 Best Laptops for QuickBooks 2021

QuickBooks is a unique accounting software and just any other laptop or 2 in 1 laptop won’t cut it. There are some hardware specifications in a laptop that makes it a good fit for using this software. These include performance, display, battery life, internet connection options, and laptop design.

We will be reviewing each of our laptop recommendations based on these features. If you want more information, there is a special section towards the end of this guide that reviews each laptop feature in detail.

Best Laptop Overall: ASUS ZenBook 14 UX433F

Asus leverages on the ultra-thin laptop look of this 14 inch full HD display as the main selling point. However, that is not the only reason the ZenBook 14 UX533F laptop is going to pique your interest. The laptop provides everything you need to cover all the system requirements for QuickBooks for desktop which makes it a perfect laptop for using this accounting software.

Right off the bat, the seek look will get you falling for it even before you look at the rest of the spec sheet of this laptop to check if it covers all requirements. There is the powerful laptop quad core processor powering its operations and a slim-bezel backlit display that makes this laptop an easy pick among its competitors.

An Intel Core i7 processor quad core, operating system Windows 10, 14 inch full HD display, RAM 8GB and 512GB SSD storage space makes the Asus Zenbook 14 UX433F laptop a performance powerhouse to cover the requirements of all both versions of QuickBooks. This makes it a more viable option than other laptops that only feature 128GB SSD.

Consider that other laptop models in these reviews only feature an 10th gen Intel Core i5 10210u. With these kinds of features and 8GB of RAM, running QuickBooks Online or the desktop version of the software on your laptop.

The Intel Core processor takes centerpiece when it comes to laptop performance and requirements. With a speed of up to 1.8GHz (3.5GHz with Turbo Boost), this Intel Core processor along with the RAM 8GB will help you run the software, track your accounts and keep your accounting records fast and more efficiently than ever before.

In terms of the operating system and software, this laptop comes with a processor and 8GB of RAM that are more than enough to handle the operating system Windows 10, all the requirements, and most demanding software right now.

Much of the prowess on this laptop is concentrated around the screen. There is almost nothing around the laptop except thin bezels that bring out an impressive 92% screen-to-body ratio.

Although this is not the thinnest laptop we have seen. In terms of graphics, Intel UHD Graphics 620 instead of something more robust like an Nvidia Geforce mx250 graphics card. However, it is still hard not to marvel at how lightweight and elegant this laptop feels. 

This Windows 10 laptop is only thick enough to allow space for the USB ports and other ports such as HDMI ports and the MicroSD card reader, although with 512GB SSD drive, you’ll probably won’t need so many ports. The body sports a metal chassis and a well-placed keyword driving the overall laptop design to near perfection.

The Asus ZenBook 14 UX433F’s battery life can endure up to 12 hours of video playback with a 14 inches full HD display. That means even more for the QuickBooks Considering video playback is more power-hungry than QuickBooks Online, you can expect even longer than 12 hours of battery life.

A full battery life can comfortably take you through the whole day without having to plug in. The lack of USB charging on this laptop counts for a little downside since you won’t be able to charge away from the charger. However, with such a long battery life, it is unlikely you will regret not carrying your charger.

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 14 inches full HD 1,920 x 1,080, IPS
• Processor: 1.8GHz 10th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U Quad Core Processor
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
• RAM: 8GB of RAM DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Battery: Up to 12 hours
• Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11ac gigabit-class WiFi, Bluetooth® 5.0
• Weight: 2.62 pounds
• Operating system: Windows 10 home

Pros

• Fast performance
• Sufficient storage with a 512GB SSD drive
• Nice Operating System Windows 10
• Lightweight
• Long battery life
• Innovative software

Cons

• No USB-C charging
• No fingerprint reader

Best Laptop for the Money: Apple MacBook Air (2019)

The Apple MacBook Air laptop may struggle with heavyweight software or graphic intensive games but will comfortably run QuickBooks for desktop.

The performance of this laptop slightly lags when compared to that of the Zenbook 14 laptop, or other apple laptops like the Apple Macbook pro. However, if you are looking for the best value for your money in a laptop, this one will be hard to ignore.

Among its top pros include steady overall laptop performance, a display 13.3 inch screen, decent battery life, and a premium look.

The MacBook Air laptop is powered by a Y-Series 10th Gen Intel Core i5 Processor with 8GB RAM. If you plan to run QuickBooks online, you will have no noticeable issues with opening multiple tabs with 8GB of RAM and this 10th gen Intel Core i5 10210u processor. For example, you can run QuickBooks while using other services and software such as Slack to communicate with employees.

There are, of course, better performers but since you are looking for a laptop that clicks with QuickBook Online functionality without breaking a bank, anything higher will be added luxury.

The 256GB of SSD is also responsible for boosting the performance of the laptop. Even with 256GB of SSD, the storage is good enough but the ZenBook 14 UX433F laptop offers a better deal in SSD storage.

Simiar to other models like the Dell Inspiron 15 5000, you will not find the battery life that imposing yet, still competitive. You will get a more sturdy battery with the ZenBook 14 UX433F laptop though you need to spend a little more. The MacBook Air will drain its battery life after about 8 hours or 7 hours of web browsing over Wi-Fi. While this is not outstanding, it is still above average.

The MacBook Air boasts of a laptop design that is a little dated on the Apple Macbook Pro, but still premium and elegant. Just like the Macbook Pro, the color specifications are impressive. These laptops feature a LED-backlit glossy widescreen display that’s simply astonishing.

Depending on your laptop design preference, you can go with the gold version, space gray or silver. All of these specifications have premium finishes that bring out an overall slick design.

The laptop weighs a mere 2.8 pounds and is about 0.2~0.6 inches thick with a backlit display 13.3 inch full hd screen. These specifications make it a little heavier than the ZenBook 14 UX433F’s but still light enough to comfortably carry with one hand.

While it may not come with a touchscreen display, like the Dell Inspiron 15 5000 touchscreen laptop, the MacBook Air laptop comes with a solid color production on the backlit Display 13.3 inch high-resolution, the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10210u processor, and the Intel UHD Graphics 617.

In terms of battery life, while the specifications mention 9 hours, some users have reported you get up to 8 hours or 7 hours of power with this model. Even so, 9 hours is more than enough to get you through a working day.

While this is not a top priority for QuickBooks Online, it does make it easy for you to do your work. The screen uses Apple’s True Tone display technology to boost its color performance and provide clearer output.

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 13.3 inch full HD
• Processor: 1.6GHz dual-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 10210u processor
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617
• RAM: 8GB of RAM
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Battery: Up to 8 hours or 9 hours.
• Weight: 2.8 pounds

Pros

• Fast performance
• HD IPS LED-backlit glossy widescreen display
• Portable
• More than enough to cover all Quickbooks requirements
• Great Intel Core i5 processor
• High-resolution display
• Above-average battery life

Cons

• Comes with only USB-C port
• A display 13.3 inch full HD can be too small for some people
• Only 256GB SSD of storage
• Could feature stronger graphics like an Nvidia Geforce

Best Laptop Cheap Pick: Acer Aspire 5 

The Acer Aspire 5 Slim laptop is one of the best laptops for business, which comes with great features and Windows 10 operating system to make the most out of QuickBooks Online and desktop version, too.

The Acer Aspire laptop is one of the best budget laptops and exhibits lots of power to handle demanding tasks, including accounting software with no lag. 

Our pick for the best budget laptop for Quickbooks uses a Ryzen 7 processor that you can clock up to 4.0 GHz, and display 15.6 inch full HD 1080p IPS with 1920 x 1080 resolution which is more than enough for programs like Quickbooks and even the Windows 10 operating system.

This Acer laptop has some red light filtering technologies as well, so you won’t have much eye strain when looking at the impressive display for long periods of time using Quickbooks.

The Acer Aspire’s full-size backlit keyboard is very comfortable to use especially when working with numbers on QuickBooks. A backlit keyboard on this laptop makes it handy to type on this software in low light environments.

All the keys on the keyboard on this budget laptop are responsive and feel solid when you type. Setting the keyboard aside, the mousepad on this laptop is exceptionally large, precise, and a joy to navigate and manage your accounting with.

The Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is upgradable and you can put in another second stick of DDR4 RAM 8GB, for a total of RAM 16GB DDR4 RAM. It’s fairly easy to switch up the NVMe SSD drive for one with a higher capacity if 512GB of SSD is not enough for you or even add a 2.5 inch SATA drive. With plenty of storage and RAM, this laptop is a great option against laptops that have limited storage like 128GB SSD or even 256GB of SSD.

Along with the 512GB SSD, the AMD RX Vega graphics and DDR4 RAM 8GB on this laptop are more than enough to handle the operating system Windows 10 and will allow you to play the most recent games in medium settings without lagging issues. This, along the Dell Inspiron 15 5000, is one of the few models we’ve seen that don’t use Intel UHD graphics 620.

If handling light tasks in QuickBooks, the power of the Acer Aspire laptop can last for up to 6 hours, 5 hours, or 4 hours if you’re doing heavy tasks, which is enough to sustain you through a large portion of your workday on windows and QuickBooks. Which this might seem low, it’s more than other laptops like the touchscreen laptop Dell Inspiron 15 5000 will offer you.

The display on this laptop can rotate all the way down 180 degrees. Even if it’s not a touch display, this capability just shows the excellent wide viewing angles. The LED Widescreen is great for presenting your QuickBooks work to a group of people during meetings. 

A full HD webcam and two different built-in microphones make the laptop great for video conferencing with other people who will be able to see and hear you clearly. This laptop for Quickbooks features the new Wi-Fi 6 standard, making it faster than the regular 802. 11 ac.

This laptop feature is quite advantageous if you’re using QuickBooks Online. To take advantage of this feature, you’ll need a router that has the capability to churn out such fast signals. It also features a fingerprint reader for easy and quick access.

The Aspire 5 laptop is very slim, as the name implies, measuring 0.71 inches thick. This laptop is also lightweight, making this powerful Windows 10 notebook perfect for traveling and going to the office. On top, the laptop has a premium aluminum finish that improves the overall aesthetics, in addition to boosting the display protection.

Because of the full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, images on this laptop look very sharp, crisp, and clear at whichever angle. However, the display on this laptop is not the brightest, so you can’t work with the laptop comfortably in outdoor environments. It doesn’t come with a touch

This laptop comes with Windows 10 operating system, meaning one won’t be able to install other applications unless they are from Microsoft’s store.

While the downward-firing speakers on this Acer Aspire are quite loud, you have to raise the laptop a bit to experience the best sound. That being said, you could always hook up your headphones via the 3.5 mm jack or with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for more refined audio.

All things considered, you’ll find it difficult to get other best laptops for Quickbooks with Windows 10 operating system that are thin and light with a similar build quality and hardware specifications, for the price range of the Acer Aspire 5 Slim laptop goes for.

Besides its affordability, the Acer Aspire laptop looks beautiful, feels premium, is ultra-portable, has great hardware specification, and it’s perfect for the Quickbooks accounting software.

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 15.6 inch full HD display (1920 × 1080)
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700U dual-core 8 gen processor (up to 4.0 GHz)
• GPU: RX Vega 10 graphics
• RAM: 8 GB DDR4 RAM
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Connectivity: HDMI, 1 USB 3.1 Type C Port & 2 USB 2.0
• Weight: 3.97 pounds
• Operating system: Windows 10

Pros

• Thin and light
• Good battery life
• Easy to upgrade data storage and RAM
• Nice data storage with 512GB of SSD
• Great connectivity options
• Good processor
• Good enough RAM for this laptop
• 1080p display anti glare with wide viewing angles
• Backlit keyboard
• HD IPS LED backlit anti glare Display
• Fingerprint reader for easy access
• Nice Operating System Windows 10
• Great Widescreen LED Display
• Powerful sound from innovative speakers
• Reasonable price range for a Quickbooks laptop

Cons

• No optical drive
• No SD card reader
• Issues with Windows 10 S mode

Best Laptop Portable: ASUS VivoBook S15 

The flashy green-orange finish on the 15.6 inch Asus VivoBook S15 may be a turn off for some color critics but we think it is pretty creative. It gives this laptop Windows 10 a unique and slightly elegant look for a small price. However, that is not why we think this Asus model is a great laptop for QuickBooks. It’s more about portability.

If you need a lightweight Windows 10 laptop to do your accounting on the go without breaking a bank, the Asus VivoBook S15 may interest you. There are of course more laptop options like the MacBook Air 13, the ZenBook or even 2 in 1 laptop, yet you will have to pay more money for those.

Honestly, there is not much difference in weight despite the huge price gap. So, the ASUS VivoBook laptop is definitely a good option if portability is that’s your top priority when looking for a laptop for QuickBooks.

You would expect a 15.6 inch full HD IPS laptop to be bulky and heavy but the Asus VivoBook is surprisingly portable. It weighs 1.8 kilograms and is 18mm thin making it a little heavier than the ZenBook 14 UX533F. That is only true on paper because when you hold the two, you won’t feel much weight difference. 

There are few 15.6 inch display laptops and 2 in 1 laptop models that weigh less than 2 kilograms so this one is a major win. The aluminum casing of this laptop for Quickbooks comes in silver, green, and punk pink colors which means you probably won’t be confined to a color you don’t like.

The backlit keyboard is fairly responsive and offers speedy and comfortable typing while the big screen means you will see everything going on your QuickBooks online without straining.

In terms of connectivity, this laptop for Quickbooks comes with two different USB 2.0 ports on the left side and one USB 3.1 and USB Type C port on the right. There is also a MicroSD slot, HDMI and 3.5mm audio port on the right. The VivoBook S15 is among the first and best laptops to use Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) giving it a huge advantage over competitors when it comes to connectivity.

The display 15.6 inch full HD IPS LED missing is probably one of this model’s disadvantages, but being one of the best budget laptop for Quickbooks, we can’t complain about that. The impressive balance between the display 15.6 inch laptop screen size and weight in itself is enough to offset this subtle compromise.

The display 15.6 inch HD is fairly attractive with crisp images and video output. You will also find the viewing angles quite convenient. You can see the whole screen at a near 180-degrees.

The lack of a standalone GPU makes the Asus Vivobook S15 bad at gaming, but you’re not looking for a gaming laptop to use Quickbooks. So, you are safe. Compared to other Dell Laptop models, like the Dell Inspiron 15 5000, it also handles heat build up effectively.

The functions of the discrete GPU are performed by the Graphics Intel UHD graphics 620 of the 8 gen processor which surprisingly, still offers good performance to handle your accounting records and managing Quickbooks.

Even with Graphics Intel UHD graphics 620, this display 15.6 inch full HD IPS LED laptop offers a stolid all-round performance which will nicely handle QuickBooks Online. With an 8 Gen Intel Core i5 8250u processor, you can even play some casual games when not adding up numbers on Quickbooks.

We only wish we had more powerful graphics like an Nvidia Geforce mx250 or Graphics Intel Iris plus graphics, instead of the Intel UHD graphics 620 we’re stuck with. Also, if you want other features like a touchscreen display, you’ll probably be interested in other models like the Dell Inspiron 15 5000 touchscreen laptop.

There is also an Intel Core i7 variant of this Quickbooks laptop. The Intel Core i7 variation is a little bit more power-hungry if the hardware specifications of the 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor and RAM 8GB aren’t enough for you. While we’re at it, it could be a great idea if you could update the storage for more than the 256GB SSD.

The Intel Core i5 processor RAM 8gb version with 512 gbSSD we are reviewing here is lenient on the power and you can expect up to 10 hours on QuickBooks. If you watch videos or play games the power will be shorter, probably up to 6 hours or 7 hours.

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 15.6 inch full HD display, 1920 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: 1.6 GHz 8th Generation Intel Core i5-10210U processor
• Graphics: Intel UHD graphics 620
• RAM: 8GB of RAM
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Battery: Up to 10 hours
• Connectivity: WiFi 6 (802.11ax), USB Type C port, Bluetooth 5.0
• Operating system: Windows 10 Home
• Weight: 3.5 pounds

Pros

• Great portability
• Great connectivity options
• Affordable
• Long battery life
• Fast processor for Quickbooks
• Nice Operating System Windows 10
• Good Internet connection options

Cons

• Only standard HD resolution instead of a full HD IPS display
• No touchscreen display
• Graphics: Intel UHD graphics 620 instead of more powerful graphics like Nvidia Geforce mx250

Best Laptop with Longest Battery Life: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon with Windows 10 home has long been billed as the modern business laptop. Lenovo has already establish this reputation with other models like the Lenovo IdeaPad. Their ridiculously long battery life is among the reasons you will find these models worthy picks. 

Don’t get this wrong, though. This Quickbooks laptop doesn’t have the longest battery life ever; just in this list. In other words, if you want a laptop you can use for long hours without worrying about the whereabouts of the charger, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a surprise for you. 

Naturally, we would expect a laptop with a high screen size to drain the power super-fast. This model lasts up to 13 hours of continuous power siphoning on active usage. This is a huge advantage over other models like the Dell Inspiron or the Lenovo IdeaPad which have a very short battery life.

The battery is obviously a winner here. If you want a business laptop that offers a high-quality display without being mean on power, we recommend this Lenovo model over most Dell Laptop models, for instance. 

A full charge will last you through the day and some more. Note that this is only possible on light business tasks. While your power will plummet when gaming or video editing. Since you’re not looking for a gaming laptop, this should be more than enough to handle your accounting records. 

If you own a small business and all you do is use QuickBooks to manage your accounting, browse and prepare presentations, you are looking for a laptop with up to 13 hours of power on a 1920 x 1080 screen. 

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s look can be perfectly described in three words: durable, slim and lightweight. It sports a sleek chassis that gives it a premium look with a lenient price tag. 

The laptop is minimalist with a unique touch of elegance. Whether it’s the classic branding, neat surface or smooth lines, there is a lot to arrest your attention on this model. These are all elements you would expect from a ThinkPad but we never run out of admiration. 

The carbon and Magnesium body results in a durable and ultra-portable machine that is perfect for any business person. The bezels are a bit big and could do with a little trimming. Otherwise, the design is top of its class. 

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with two display options; 1080p and 4K with an amazing 1920 x 1080 resolution. If you’re only using QuickBooks and a few other business tasks, we recommend you stick to 1080p, especially with the Intel HD Graphics 4400. This way you can still enjoy the vivid display without the battery taking a hit. 

4K is awesome but then this wouldn’t be the best battery life laptop anymore. You don’t really need that kind of resolution for QuickBooks. We also wish we had more powerful graphics, maybe Nvidia Geforce or at least Graphics Intel Iris plus graphics instead of the Intel HD Graphics 4400 that comes with this laptop.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon still shines with a high performance. There are two different variants of RAM and processors: 

• 8th Gen Intel Core i5 8265U Processor and 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD
• 8 Gen Intel Core i7 8665U with vPro, RAM 16GB and 256GB SSD

The first hardware specifications with the 8 Gen Intel Core i5 8265U processor 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD is good enough for QuickBooks. You won’t need to spend any extra bucks on a faster processor than the Intel core i5. That’s unless you plan on doing more than just accounting, you should be fine with 8GB RAM and the 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor.

Hardware Specifications

• Display: 14 inches full HD display, 1920 x 1080 pixels 
• Processor: 1.9GHz 8th Generation Intel Core i5 8265u Processor
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4400
• RAM: 8GB of RAM DDR3
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Battery: Up to 13 hours 
• Weight: 2.49 pounds 
• Operating system: Windows 10 home

Pros

• Impressive battery life
• Premium build quality
• Highly portable 
• Charges quickly 
• High-quality display 
• Comfortable backlit keyboard 
• Nice Operating System Windows 10 home 
• Durable 

Cons

• A bit costly 
• Poor audio output
• Barely enough data storage with 256GB SSD 
• No Ethernet port

Features to Consider in the Best Laptop for QuickBooks

Screen quality

Whether you’re on your own or part of a small business, you don’t want to manage your accounting on a dull screen. The screen should be both friendly to your eyes and of good quality. Consider a high-end screen with Full HD resolution for the best experience. If you have the money you can upgrade to a 4K resolution such as that of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. 

Don’t strain your best budget though, you don’t really need that much resolution for QuickBooks and handling the accounting of your business, a full HD resolution is more than enough. For the widest viewing angle, consider buying a laptop for QuickBooks with a LED widescreen or a full HD IPS display (in-plane switching).

Keyboard quality

Since you will spend a lot of time typing on your keyboard as you work on QuickBooks, consider buying a laptop with a keyboard that will give you comfortable typing. Unlike the Lenovo Ideapad, the Asus VivoBook S15 has a really nice keyboard, at least for our taste. A good laptop provides everything you need in the keyboard. Avoid those with number pads squished in.

You should also consider a LED backlit keyboard that offer the best experience when typing in dim light.

Processor

In terms of a high-end processor, any processor above an 8th Gen Intel Core i3 will do. If you are on a budget, an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor is okay but if you are looking for faster performance you can always upgrade to an 8th Gen Intel Core i7.

Whether you’re using an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor or 8th Gen Intel Core i7, the processor should be at least 2.4GHz or more when Turbo Boost is used.

RAM

Since we only recommended the best laptops for Quickbooks software or Quickbooks online with 256GB SSD data storage and nothing even near 128GB SSD, this shouldn’t be a problem.

If you’re looking to a laptop with SSD storage, we recommend you avoid any with 128GB SSD, which can fill up really quickly.

Battery

Most business tasks don’t put too much pressure on the laptop’s battery. That includes using QuickBooks for desktop. Watch out for the best laptops features that drain the battery like brightness settings or a touchscreen display so you won’t need a battery backup.

These features are more popular in 2 in 1 models that rotate on a 360 degree hinge rather than laptops for QuickBooks like the Lenovo Ideapad.

All our recommendations for a laptop for Quickbooks for desktop have above 5 hours or 4 hours of battery lives with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon going up to 13 hours, so you won’t need a battery backup.

To extend the life of your battery and avoid buying a battery backup just to use Quickbooks:

• Dim screen brightness, especially in dark areas
• Avoid features like a touchscreen display
• Use less power-hungry resolution
• Run a few applications at any given time
• Avoid playing games and consider buying a gaming laptop instead

Build quality

You can never be careful enough with the best laptop for you to use Quickbooks. At some point, you might drop or knock it around, that’s why many people are not big fans of 2 in 1 laptops that can spin with a 360 degree hinge and go into tablet mode.

You should, therefore, make build quality a priority when buying one from our list of best laptops for Quickbooks software. Read laptops reviews to find out if the laptop has undergone any durability tests. Don’t just rely on the laptops manufacturer’s information online.

Conclusion

Buying the best laptop for QuickBooks for desktop or online may be a challenge for some people. We hope that this guide and list of best laptops will help you buy one that you will not only be proud of but also help to improve your productivity and accounting for your business.