Looking for the best laptops for astronomy on the market? We've done the research to help you find the perfect laptop for astronomy to suit your needs.
Have you ever been interested in astronomy/astrophysics? Have you ever wondered what it is like to work in the field related to celestial beings? Are you searching for a laptop for astronomy/astrophysics? Then, you are in the right place.
We have got you covered. But, the question is, what is a laptop for you? Is it just a notebook or productivity workhorse for your business? Or just a Chromebook? Or is it your way to pursue your dream? There is a great variety of laptops in the market, but choosing which one is best for astronomy is challenging.
There arises a question of whether it has all the features to run the software required for astrophysics? The software used for astronomy/astrophysics is many like Starry Night Pro, Maxim DL, and Stellarium, but they have system requirements that should be fulfilled by the laptop to run them smoothly.
In a nutshell, we require a laptop that covers all the pre-requirements for running this software. Don’t worry! We have made this thorough and brief guide so you can know what is best for you. And we can help you decide which one to buy.
Before doing all these things, you have to read all the pros and cons and describe features. The guide book we provide contains all the tips you require before buying the best laptop for astronomy.
Let’s get started!
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
If you're looking for the best astronomy/astrophysics that has 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and Intel i5 processor, our top pick is the Acer Aspire E15.
Best Laptops For Astronomy Based on User Reviews
Let's take a look at the top products on the market, based on the average rating by real customers just like you.
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Best Laptops For Astronomy: A Complete Review
If you've made it this far into the reviews then you must be serious about your buying choice.
Now that we've covered the quick list of products, let's break down each of them to see why they have been chosen.
In this section we'll cover the pro's and con's of each and give you some ideas of who each product is most suitable for.
Acer Aspire has many exceptional features that made us choose it as the best laptop for astronomy as well as for astrophysics. The specifications of Acer Aspire E15 make it the best budget laptop. It has 8GB CCR4 Ram.
8GB RAM is perfect for the multi-processing of different software at a time. astronomers are always working on multi pictures and projects at once. The powerful Intel i5 processor is one of the latest 7th generation processors.
Moreover, Acer Aspire has 256GB of SSD storage. That will give the user enough space to store complex software and astrophotographs. It has a spectacular long-time battery which is perfect for astronomy.
The laptop has a unique GPU to handle complex 3D projects. Last but not the least, Acer Aspire has an HD 15.6” display that is quite useful for astronomers. The GPU installed in this laptop is NVIDIA GTX 940Mx. It will control high-quality software and projects easily.
If your budget is on the lower side, then you are lucky to find this amazing laptop. It is no doubt a powerful and aesthetically pleasing laptop available at a reasonable price of under $600.
Pros
Cons
HP 14” Touchscreen comes with AMD Ryzen 3-3200U processor. The reason this laptop is included in our best laptop for astronomy is because of its exceptional features. It has 8GB RAM which is perfect for running high-level astronomy software.
Astronomers need to run several heavy software at once. So, its smart dual-core four-way processor works fast enough to smoothly run the software. The 14” HD display with high resolution displays the astrophotographs in vibrant colors.
The 2400 MHz memory with solid 128GM SSD brings the sturdy muscles for creating innovative multitasking. It allows you to run photo-editing, and video-editing applications at once without getting stuck.
The laptop has a 128GB solid-state drive. Despite all these high-end features the laptop is budget-friendly and looks professional as well. A laptop with a USB-C port, USB-B, USB-A, Ethernet, and SD slots is no doubt a very smart deal.
You can easily navigate your location via finger-touch navigation on an energy-efficient HD LED-backlit touchscreen. In short, the laptop has top-notch features that can help astronomers in many possible ways.
Pros
Cons
It was straightforward to choose ASUS ZenBook as the best laptop for astronomy. No matter if you are a hobbyist or professional astronomer, this laptop is going to be the optimal laptop for you. The specifications of the ASUS ZenBook are the reason it is on our list.
It has exceptional 12GB memory that will make sure that you can run different software at once without windows getting stuck. The memory gives you ample space to run and edit several photos and videos at once.
ASUS ZenBook comes with a powerful Intel i7 processor which is the best performance processor of the 7th generation. It will always stand solid while you work on heavy and complex projects. The storage provided by ASUS ZenBook is 512GB SSD that is more than enough.
It is a pretty slim laptop that weighs only 3.2 lbs. and easy to carry around. That guarantees its portability. You want to work at night, well not a problem as this laptop has a backlit keyboard that allows you to use a laptop in any lighting even in the pitch dark.
The laptop has NVIDIA GTX 940M already pre-installed that will give you plenty of room to process 3D images or navigate 3D sky view. It has a 13.3” QHD screen that gives you a crystal-clear view anytime.
Pros
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Looking for a laptop that covers all the requirements for running complex astronomy software at once, then MSI GS65 Stealth is the best laptop. The 15.6” FHD display gives a wide view to the user and has a sensitive anti-glare.
The high-speed hexa-core i7 processor is all you need to know while buying this laptop. It runs smoothly at Windows 10 PRO. The MSI Stealth is one of the best laptops of the 7th generation and fulfills all the requirements of astronomers.
The laptop comes with pre-installed NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 that shows 3D complex graphics, photos, and videos easily. 16GB RAM is enough for all the complicated software to run smoothly. The maximum storage provided is 512GB.
It is enough to store heavy software and astrophotographs. The laptop has special features like VR ready, Matte Black Gold Diamond cut, and killer network E2500 are the reason it is considered the best laptop for astronomers.
Moreover, it is a very portable, compact, and travel-friendly laptop. The battery timing is exceptional, and you can set keys according to your needs. The backlit keyboard allows users to work even in the pitch dark.
Pros
Cons
Lenovo ThinkPad is a powerful mid-range laptop with exceptional features for astronomy. It is capable of tracking and processing 3D astrophotos and videos. The 15.6” HD display with high resolution is the best you can get at this price.
Lenovo has other low-resolution models in the market at lower prices, but this ThinkPad is one of the best. It weighs around 2 kg and is not lightweight nor thin. The intel i7 quad-core processor is best to run heavy software at once.
16GB RAM and 512GB storage are the best specifications you can get at this price. As for graphics, the powerful processor runs smoothly on all the Astro-graphics and images. The laptop allows doing a video chat with a high-resolution 720p built-in HD webcam.
The keyboard is very responsive and has backlit keys. That allows you to work even in the pitch dark. You can also spot a numeric keypad on the keyboard. The laptop also has a good working fingerprint reader and Windows 10 operating system.
Pros
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A laptop is not considered the best for astronomers if it is unable to process heavy astrophotographs and run complex software. Lenovo ThinkPad E590 is a super compact and travel-friendly laptop for astronomers.
The laptop comes with an efficient 16GB RAM to run heavy software easily. It offers protection and security from external elements. The most prominent feature is 512GB storage that allows sufficient space for heavy Astro-software and data.
The laptop has a high-resolution HD display that supports 3D Astro-graphics, videos, and photographs. It supports an external digital monitor through HDMI and USB-C port. The Intel quad-core i5 processor is pure love for astronomers.
The laptop works perfectly for everyone no matter if you are a student, a hobbyist astronomer, or a professional. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, and 6MB smart cache that supports your work pretty well.
Pros
Cons
HP 10th generation core-i5 is all you need as an astronomer. The laptop has exceptional high-end specifications including built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that allows up to 5 connections. It has a true vision webcam and an integrated numeric keypad.
These features are all you need while working on Astro-data. The design and construction of the laptop are thin and compact, which means it is travel-friendly. It has a long-lasting battery that is all you need while working on heavy software.
Hp laptop technology comes with a BIOS recovery and protection feature that will check, recover, and secure the local storage. It will also protect the laptop against illegal access and hacking. The HD anti-glare 15.6” display shows astrophotographs and videos.
The 10th gen quad-core i5 is a high-speed processor that allows the processing of heavy software and data at once. The Turbo Boost Technology will allow smooth running and the laptop will not get stuck at any point in working.
The laptop is fast and boots up in seconds. You can transfer files without waiting for hours and can enjoy the high-speed experience all the time. The battery has a life of 10 hours and 15 minutes before you need to recharge it.
Pros
Cons
8. Flagship HP 14"
A laptop with a quad-core processor is all you need to process heavy Astro-software and data. It does not matter if you are a beginner, or a hobbyist astronomer, HP Flagship is the optimal choice for you. It has exceptional features that will help you complete your job.
The 14” FHD IPS BrightView display with a WLED backlit system is very efficient. It will display all astrophotos and videos in high-resolution. The laptop has Intel Pentium Silver N5000 at 1.10 GHz with a turbo boost.
The turbo boost will allow fast running of heavy software, 3D graphics, and Astro-data easily. It has amazing 64GB SSD storage and can support extra storage up to 256GB SD. You can save large software.
In short, it is a well built and decent laptop to have as an astronomer. The external HDMI, USB port, and card reader jack are some of the important features of this laptop.
Pros
Cons
Dell Inspiron is a great laptop at a reasonable price. It has all the required features that an astronomer looks forward to, in a laptop. The Intel quad-core i5 processor is fast enough to run all the heavy Astro-software.
It has a turbo boost system to process and run software fast without heating the laptop. The laptop has sufficient 8GB RAM and a solid 256GB memory. It will be enough to store heavy Astro-software, and high-resolution graphics and images.
The 15.6” HD display with high resolution represents 3D graphics in detail, and the LED is backlit. That will give a very expensive effect to the laptop. The laptop weighs 4.41 lbs. and is slim. You can travel with your laptop easily.
It also supports HDMI port, SD jacks, and other ports to transfer data. The built-in media reader supports the SD card as extra storage. It comes with a 30-day trial of Microsoft Office and runs on windows 10.
Pros
Cons
A person who prefers using MAC over Windows, then it is the perfect laptop to buy. It has amazing features that any astronomer needs to work smoothly. MacBook Air comes with enough battery time and power that does not cost much as compared to other MacBook models.
It is a durable device with an intel i5 core processor. The built of a laptop is slim and elegant that is why it is perfect for traveling. It has a maximum frequency of 4GHz and a dual-core processor. That allows the fast running of software and other Astro-data.
The 256GB storage is sufficient to store astronomy software, 3D graphics, images, and videos. Your experience in using safari as a web browser will become a lot better over time. Everything on the laptop works fast. So, you do not have to wait for hours.
The Intel HD graphics of the MacBook is beyond explanation and it is more than enough for astronomers. The battery time of 10 hours is perfect for long hours of work.
Pros
Cons
Best Laptops for Astronomy - Buyer's Guide
We have prepared a list of the list you need to know before hitting the buying button because if you need a great gaming system or a multimedia player device on which you can watch movies, then the requirements vary. We have focused on the design, comfort, the keyboard, the touchpad, storage or disc, performance, display quality, cost, and battery life.
Screen Size
The size of the screen tells us its portability. It should be 12 to 14 inches. If you want to use your laptop on desks and tables in offices, then prefer 15 inches over 14 inches because you don’t have to carry it, then why don’t you buy one with a big screen?
In astrophysics/astronomy, the size of the screen matters a lot. The portability and ease should be kept in mind because, in astronomy/astrophysics, you have to take your laptop at different places. It depends on whether you are a student or a professional. So, choose wisely.
2 in 1 – Laptops that can be used as tablets as well!
Clamshell style laptops can make your life easy as they can be detached or bent or can be rotated 360 degrees. You can use them as a tablet. They are highly portable so that you can take it anywhere you want. You can get a fair deal because clamshells are available at low prices.
This feature should be kept in mind before buying as they are best for astronomy/astrophysics, as you can use as a slate. They are helpful and portable. That’s why they are famous.
Battery
Battery should be more than 8 hours for portability. A laptop is purchased because you don’t want to sit in front of a desktop and want to have the leverage of taking your laptop anywhere you want. If you want to pursue astronomy/astrophysics, then battery life matters.
You don’t want your laptop to be dead while using software and doing your job. Battery life doesn’t matter when you are on a desk and work from your office. The battery life guarantees your comfort because you can use it on a couch, in your bed, anywhere you need.
It is recommended to use a laptop with a battery life of 8+ hours on the laptop battery test. The best laptop for astronomy/astrophysics is the ones having 10 hours of battery life at most, so you can do your best and don’t have to worry about data getting deleted.
Specs
To delve into the specs of a laptop is challenging. If you want it for astronomy/astrophysics, then the critical aspects that you should consider are the incredible mainstream performance and found in the core I5 CPU with 8GB RAM and a 1080p screen. These are the specs that are going to make your life easier.
Screen Resolution
Sadly, almost 66% of the consumer and 51% of the business laptops have very low-resolution screens. So, for astronomy, there is no chance you can use them. The high resolution of 1080p full HD will help you see the celestial objects.
If you are interested in gaming, then the high resolution is needed. Otherwise, have high resolution to use the software on your laptop and enjoy the graphics.
CPU
CPU stands for the central processing unit. It is the most crucial part of a laptop. For mainstream performance, use Intel Core I5. Some CPUs can be purchased with Core I3, but it will not be beneficial if you want your laptop for astronomy.
If you want your laptop of high quality, use Core I7 (a quad-core processor). The serial number of Core i7 ends in HK or HQ. It will help you with multitasking quickly without getting hung up. For the software of Astronomy to run, 1GHz is the minimum that is recommended. For faster results, use 1.5 GHz should be used, and the good news is that it is present in most of the laptops.
RAM
If you have a low budget, then you can buy a 4GB laptop. Buy, if you have an adequate budget, then buy an 8GB RAM laptop. It will help you in astronomy and make your life easier. The software you will use for astronomy/astrophysics requires RAM that is at least 1GB to work smoothly.
For Stellarium, it should be 512 MB, but then the system will not work smoothly. RAM is one of the essential parts of a laptop. If RAM is not enough for software to run, then your laptop is of no use.
Storage or Disc Space
For the efficient working of the laptop, you can attach an SSD (Solid State Drive), which will increase your chances of working faster than expected (no hanging of the laptop at all). Otherwise, 256 GB is enough, which is present in most laptops nowadays.
We know that 250 MB of disc space is required for Stellarium and, in the same way, 100MB for Maxlm DL, respectively. But, as technology is increasing, the Starry Night Pro Plus version requires 12GB of Disc space. The files would also require faster access.
HDDs do a good job, but SSD is recommended because it is efficient and fast. The storage decides whether a laptop will run smoothly or not, so before buying a laptop, make sure you select the right one.
Graphic Chips
The GPU is the key spec of the laptop. For astronomy/astrophysics, there is much different software. To run them, you need to figure out which discrete GPU is required concerning the software. If you have astronomy software, we recommend using 3D models for great perceptibility and user friendly and helpful presentation.
So, open support cable graphics of GL 1.4 with 1GB minimum capacity of rendering is needed. The function of the software is smooth if the graphics used are better. The thing to keep in mind is that this software is not intensive.
The point is you shouldn’t spend a fortune unless you are planning to play games of astronomy on your laptop. But, if you don’t want to use any software, then Intel HD graphics that are already built-in CPU is enough.
Software
The software used for astronomy/astrophysics is Maxlm DL, Starry Night Pro, and Stellarium. So, the laptop you are going to buy should have the capacity to run all the prerequisite to run this software in it. The software helps an astronomer or astrophysics in their respective fields, so a laptop purchased that is not fit for the running of software is of no use.
Operating System
Windows server or Windows XP can run Maxlm DL, but the other two software require Windows Vista. Window 7 is used to run Stellarium. If you want to run this software, you should have a laptop with Windows 7 for the start of nothing below. For Mac to run, OS X 10.8.5 or above is required.
Keyboard
The keyboard is also an essential aspect of the laptop. So before buy9ing one, make sure that the keyboard is intact. It should have excellent travel and gives you the best typing experience. If it is backlit, it is excellent because it helps you see in the dark situation, helping you in astronomy.
It should get the job done in the best possible way.
Best Laptops for Astronomy FAQs
Best Laptops for Astronomy – Final Word
There are many laptops in the market, but there are few who can help you in astronomy or astrophysics because you don’t need a standard laptop for that. All the features of the laptop should be extraordinary and incredible to do so.
The software required in astronomy should run smoothly on that laptop. As we have discussed above the specifications of a good laptop you can use for astronomy, choose it wisely. Keep in mind all the aspects and be careful with processor and RAM because without them working effectively, there is no use of the laptop.
The safest way for you is to buy one from our recommended list of best laptops for astronomy.
Happy Stargazing, people!