Looking for the best laptops for instructional designers and online educators?
As an online teacher or instructional designer, you need a laptop that is powerful enough to handle all of your coursework and design needs, but also portable enough to take with you when you travel.
Whether you’re teaching online live over Zoom or are making video lectures for an online course, having the right laptop can make all the difference.
With our years of experience in instructional design and online teaching environments, we know the unique challenges you face that require a special laptop.
That’s why we’ve tested a number of the best laptops for online teachers and instructional designers and curated a list of the ones we feel are most properly suited to the job.
From specs to features, we’ll help you find the perfect laptop that meets all of your teaching needs while staying within budget.
In the guide below, we’ll detail our picks for the best laptops for instructional designers, online teachers, and course creators in 2024.
We’ll also offer some tips for choosing the right laptop for your needs.
3 Best Laptops for Instructional Designers in 2024
1. VAIO SX14 12th Gen
VAIO SX14 12th Gen (14 Intel Core i5)
This laptop is built to last and offers unbeatable performance with long battery life, fast operation, and more.
This laptop offers outstanding performance and durability, essential for instructional designers and course creators.
It combines an ultra-light carbon chassis and a convenient one-hand opening feature, making it highly portable and accessible.
With a choice of eye-catching colors like rose gold, enhanced with DOLBY sound and a high-quality camera that’s perfect for creating video lectures, this laptop is designed for professionals who value efficiency and style.
It includes top-notch security features like fingerprint scanning, ensuring your work stays secure.
Pros
- Long battery life suitable for extended work sessions.
- High security with fingerprint scanning.
- Lightweight and robust with a stylish design.
- Ample ports.
Cons
- Audio could be better
Best for: Instructional designers and course creators who need a reliable laptop that combines performance with portability. The VAIO SX14 is perfect for managing multiple eLearning projects, offering quick access and strong security to protect sensitive materials.
2. VAIO SX14 Special Edition
VAIO SX14 Special Edition 14" Core i7 EVO 13th Gen 32GB / 2TB Vaio USA
This laptop offers everything you could want—outstanding screen resolution and display quality, coupled with enhanced speed, security, and stability.
The VAIO SX14 Special Edition takes everything the regular version does to a new level, giving you the ultimate in eLearning and content creation.
This model features a massive 32 GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, all packed into an ultra-sleek body.
Its superior screen resolution and rapid processing speeds make it ideal for complex instructional design tasks and multimedia content creation.
Enjoy enhanced security features and a portfolio of fun and professional color options, making this laptop a smart investment for serious educators and designers.
Pros
- Exceptional memory and storage for heavy applications.
- High-resolution display perfect for detailed design work.
- Sleek, professional design with color customization.
Cons
- Higher cost reflecting its advanced features.
Best for: Advanced users in educational technology and design, such as course developers needing to run sophisticated software for video editing, 3D modeling, and large-scale project management. Its capabilities make it ideal for professionals seeking a powerful, stylish, and secure laptop for intensive creative and administrative tasks.
3. Apple MacBook Pro
The New Apple MacBook Pro is a terrific computer if you are taking a course to get your instructional design certificate.
This laptop is a perfect choice if you want blazing-fast graphics that can integrate with an online learning system based on web programming design 3.0 capabilities.
This laptop is superb for those who need to work with large graphic files used for online presentations, 3D modeling, and to have clear, robust, live video streaming for group sessions.
With all of its impressive features, this premium laptop is very well-suited to handle all of your online teaching and learning activities.
Pros
- Ultra fast.
- Stunning graphics.
- Touch Bar and Touch ID.
- Six speaker audio system with studio-quality microphones.
Cons
- Pricey, much more expensive when compared to a PC.
- Many add a second, larger monitor for more screen space.
Best for: Teachers and those using a laptop as part of a home recording studio or for video editing and production. This laptop is an excellent choice for anyone working with large graphic files. It can be used for designing online courses, game development, 3D mapping/modeling, and running software applications that manipulate the data in large files. It’s also a perfect choice for those needing to conduct online presentations and teach online courses via live streaming and/or group video chat.
Key Things to Know When Choosing a Laptop for Instructional Design
When choosing a laptop for instructional design or online teaching, there are a few key things to keep in mind.
First, you’ll want to make sure that the laptop has enough processing power to handle all of your design and coursework needs. You’ll be using a lot of different tools and applications as an instructional designer or online educator, so you want to make sure the laptop you choose can handle multitasking and complex applications without lag.
You’ll also want to make sure that the laptop has a good-quality webcam and microphone. For instructional designers and online educators, effective communication is key. This is so important not just for delivering live sessions but also for creating recorded content that is engaging and professionally presented.
You’ll want to make sure that the laptop is lightweight and portable enough to take with you when you travel. But it’s important that you get both of these things without sacrificing build quality. The build quality of your laptop should be sturdy enough to withstand the wear and tear of daily use.
Long battery life is crucial for instructional designers who spend long hours away from a power source. A laptop that can last for at least 8 hours on a single charge is ideal, ensuring you can work through a full day without needing to plug in.
Final Thoughts
Naturally, all of my picks meet the minimum requirements. If your budget can handle it, I highly recommend you always buy the latest, best online teaching laptop that has more capability than the minimum requirements needed. In this way, you can keep your laptop in service for a long time before needing to replace it.
But if you have to get a budget laptop, there are still some great options out there that will let you perform well at your instructional design or online teaching job.
Be sure to consider this if you plan on taking a course to get your instructional design certificate and check out my recommendations by reading my list of the best instructional design courses.
Have any questions about our guide to the best laptops for online teachers and instructional design? Leave a comment below and we’ll help you out.
