The Cricut is every crafter’s dream tool that allows them to cut a variety of projects with exceptional designs. Thousands of hobbyists and tradesmen use the air circuit to cut paper on a special adhesive pad.
Whether you’re an expert or a beginner in precision crafting, investing in the best notebook for the Cricut Explore Air 2 will help you keep up with your performance.
Here are some recommendations to help you get the best notebook for the Cricut Explore Air 2 to make your work more manageable. As you know there is an additional post that elaborates excessively on the best computer for Cricut.
What is Cricut Explore Air 2?
Best Laptop for Cricut Explore Air 2: Buying Guide
Before buying the best laptop for Cricut Explore Air 2, you must first consider the compatibility criteria. For the Cricut Explore Air to function properly and efficiently, there are a few computer requirements you need to pay attention to. Here are some factors to consider when selecting the best laptop for the Cricut Explore Air 2.
Review of the Best Laptop for the Cricut Explore Air 2
1. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
| PROCESSOR | 8th generation Intel Core i5-8265U |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| HARD-DRIVE | 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
The Acer Aspire 5 takes the top spot as the best laptop for creating Cricut Explore designs. This Cricut Explore compatible laptop is equipped with a powerful 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor to handle circuit designs and tools with ease. A powerful processor will speed up the loading of programs and allow you to perform many tasks at the same time without delay.
The attractive, slim, and elegant design of the Acer Aspire laptop with an aluminum top cover is an attractive feature that makes it highly portable. Thanks to the 15.6-inch Full HD screen with IPS technology, you can enjoy improved color contrast and viewing angles on the screen. Although the design and workmanship strain your eyes, Acer’s Acer BlueLight Shield keeps your eyes strain-free even during long working hours.
In terms of memory and storage, it comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, which I think is enough to run the Cricut Explore Air 2. However, you have the option to upgrade the RAM and storage if needed.
The Acer Aspire 5 also has a backlit keyboard and a built-in fingerprint reader for quick and secure one-click access. Acer True Harmony has a revolutionary speaker design that delivers deeper bass and higher volume. It has a wide range of connectivity ports, including HDMI, USB Type-C, and USB 3.1, and uses 22 802.11ac to boost your Wi-Fi signal wherever you are.
The Acer Aspire 5 laptop has 9.5 hours of battery life, making it excellent for the Cricut design space, interior design, and digital art.
2.2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop
| PROCESSOR | Apple M1 8-core chip |
| DISPLAY | 13-inch Retina display |
| RAM | 8GB |
| HARD-DRIVE | 256GB SSD storage |
| OTHER FEATURES | Backlit Keyboard |
| CAMERA | FaceTime HD camera |
The new MacBook Air is undoubtedly one of the best laptops for Cricut Design Studio. Yes, Design Space is compatible with macOS and Apple PC. The MacBook Air is a great choice if you enjoy Apple and are looking for a lightweight yet powerful device that can be part of your Cricut workstation and help you create virtually any type of Cricut design.
The heart of the device is the proprietary Apple M1 processor, which is capable of clocking up to 3.2 GHz. In addition, the octa-core chipset includes 4 powerful and 4 efficient cores, making it suitable for any design regardless of the resource load.
Additionally, the MacBook Air M1 features a 7-core GPU that allows for faster graphics and easily qualifies it as the best laptop for vinyl cutting.
The high-speed 8GB RAM proves to be a trusted ally as vinyl cutting beckons sophisticated patterns and modifications across Design Space V4.0.51.
While the 256GB storage capacity is on the low end, the availability of high-speed connectors makes it the best laptop to use with the Cricut Explore Air 2. On the other hand, the current storage module is extremely fast, outperforming even NVMe-compatible drives.
For those who rely on Windows, the 13.3-inch display could be a breakthrough. The Retina Display and overall resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, on the other hand, improves the visual quality. As a result, if you’re working on a complex design, the existing screen lets you explore the color quality, helping you hone your skills. You can connect up to two additional monitors to this device via Thunderbolt ports.
All in all, if you’re into Cricut design and have a feel for machines like the Explore Air 2, Joy, or Maker, the new MacBook comes close in performance and capability.
3.MSI Modern 14 A10M-882 14″ ultra-thin and light professional laptop
| PROCESSOR | 10th generation Intel Core i5-10210U |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| HARD-DRIVE | 512GB NVMe SSD |
| RESOLUTION | 1920×1080 |
What is the best laptop to buy for a Cricut pro? The one with the greatest color reproduction, in which the MSI Modern 14 excels, is the one for you. The notebook is powered by a mobile SoC Intel Core i5-10210U with a maximum frequency of 4.2 GHz. Even though it’s a mid-range, low-power processor, you can use Design Space to create Cricut-ready designs. The Modern 14’s 8GB DDR4 RAM is quite fast, so it boots quickly and provides enough firepower for your needs.
The 512GB SSD is a budget-friendly storage upgrade, well-known for its fast-loading design studio and Windows 10 operating system. The 14-inch panel, as mentioned, steals the show, displaying a 72% NTSC color gamut. The select display, paired with a 1080p panel, allows you to see accurate colors and design patterns, making the Modern 14 one of the best laptops for Cricut Maker.
In addition to the unrivaled mobility, I was also impressed by MSI’s connectivity package, including Type-C, Type-A, Wi-Fi 5, HDMI, and Bluetooth 5.0. This allows you to use this laptop to connect to any Cricut machine, either wired or wireless. The 10-hour battery life exceeds expectations and allows you to manage many designs and prints without changing the cartridge.
Finally, if you’re looking for a powerful laptop with plenty of display-specific features, the MSI Modern 14 is the one.
4. Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
| SCREEN SIZE | 14 inches |
| DISPLAY | Touch display |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| HARD-DRIVE | 256GB NVMe SSD |
| OTHER FEATURES | Radeon Vega 8 graphics |
| PROCESSOR | AMD Ryzen 5 3500U |
2-in-1 laptops are usually quite expensive, especially when they offer good performance. The Lenovo Flex 14 is an affordable convertible laptop with a convertible design. The main advantage of the 2-in-1 model is that you can work more efficiently on the screen with your tasks.
The Lenovo Flex comes with a stylus and a 14-inch Full HD display. As a result, it can produce visuals that are crisp and clear.
It has an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, which is enough to work with design or Cricut applications. This laptop can also be used for casual gaming.
Lenovo Flex 14 is equipped with USB 3.1, USB Type-C, and HDMI connectors for connecting to an external display and other devices. However, since this little laptop lacks an Ethernet port, you’ll have to rely on a wireless connection or get a USB to LAN adapter.
Without a doubt, there is no compromise in performance at this price; can provide a pleasant working experience with your Cricut machine. It also comes with long battery life and fast charging technologies.
If you’re looking for a portable and convertible laptop for your design work, the Lenovo Flex 14 could be a good choice that won’t break the bank.
5. ASUS ZenBook 13 ultra-thin laptop
| SCREEN SIZE | 13.3 inches |
| PROCESSOR | Eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8565U |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR3 |
| HARD-DRIVE | 512GB PCIe SSD |
| OTHER FEATURES | Backlit Keyboard |
This quality notebook is thin and light, weighing less than 3 pounds, making it the ideal companion for people who are always on the go.
A powerful 8th generation Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM are housed in a very thin body that can easily handle the Cricut design space and any heavy computing task and multitasking.
This laptop has a military design, which means it has passed the MIL-STD-810G military standard for reliability and durability, making it resistant to accidental drops.
The 13-inch display has incredibly small bezels, allowing for a 95 percent screen-to-body ratio. The keyboard has an Ergolift design that tilts the keyboard to the most comfortable typing position automatically.
The battery life is decent, lasting up to 11 hours, and the webcam is also good, making this laptop a great choice for those who want a powerful and durable laptop.
6. LG Gram
| SCREEN SIZE | 14-inch 1920×1080 FHD IPS display |
| PROCESSOR | Intel Core i5-1035G7 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| HARD-DRIVE | 512GB SSD |
| OPERATING SYSTEM | Windows 10 |
| BATTERY LIFE | Up to 18.5 hours |
| WEIGHT | 2.2 lbs |
In addition to having a strong hardware setup, the LG Gram has a fantastic battery life that outlasts every laptop on this list.
Powerful Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM are housed in a remarkably slim notebook, allowing you to multitask and run any Cricut software.
The 512GB SSD ensures you have space for everything, while the 14-inch IPS display has a respectable 1080p resolution.
This laptop contains all the required connections for connectivity, as well as the most recent Thunderbolt 3 port, which you may use for faster speeds and simultaneous video and audio output.
Its impressive 18.5 hours of battery life on a single charge makes it the ideal laptop for individuals who want a lot of power for their work.
7. Dell Inspiron 15
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8550U |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Screen | 15.6-inch 1920×1080 UHD Touchscreen display |
| Storage | 1TB Hybrid HDD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | up to 5 hours |
| Weight | 1 lbs |
The Dell Inspiron 15 can run Cricut machines like Explore and Joy with no issues because it has a quick processor and plenty of rams.
When using Cricut software, the 15.6-inch Full HD Touchscreen display may not be necessary, but it may be useful if you want to move more quickly, especially if you’re standing.
Although it lacks an SSD, the 1TB hybrid HDD that it includes can compete with an SSD in terms of data throughput and booting.
It also includes an HD webcam and dual microphones that make video calls simple, making it ideal for people who frequently speak with clients or business associates.
Instead of just for the Cricut, this might be your all-purpose laptop for other chores as well.
8. Dell XPS 15
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11 |
| PROCESSOR | 11th Gen Intel Core i5 – Intel Core i9 |
| RAM | 8 -64 GB |
| Display | 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 / 3,840 x 2,400 |
| Connectivity: | 2 x Thunderbolt 3 ports, USB-C port, SD card reader, audio jack |
Although the Cricut program has some rather stringent system requirements, the Dell XPS 15 more than meets them, giving you an excellent laptop for both normal use and used with Cricut.
You’re getting a fantastic piece of technology with an 11th-generation Intel processor and the most recent Nvidia RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti graphics card. While the base model, like many Dell laptops, is amazing, you can enhance it by adding features like a fantastic OLED panel that will give you bright colors and gorgeous blacks for all of your tasks.
9. HP Pavilion x360
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11 |
| PROCESSOR | 11th Gen Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Display | 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 |
| Connectivity: | USB Type-C, DisplayPort, 2x USB Type-A, HDMI, audio jack |
The Pavilion x360 from HP is without a doubt the best 2-in-1 option for Cricut. Although it doesn’t have as much processing power as some of the other alternatives on our list, the Intel core chipset is more than adequate to handle all of your Cricut crafting needs.
The Intel Iris XE Graphics chip, which is housed inside its stylish shell, allows you to keep up with Cricut specs while also enabling you to accelerate graphics-accelerated engraving and embossing operations to satisfy all of your needs as an artist. The x360 can handle all of your work thanks to its reliable keyboard and gorgeous 14-inch 1080p touchscreen display.
10. Microsoft Surface Book 3
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| PROCESSOR | 10th generation Intel Core i5 to i7 |
| RAM | 8 – 32 GB |
| Display | 13.5-inch, 3,000 x 2,000 |
| Connectivity: | 1 x USB-C, audio jack, 2 x Surface Connect ports, SDXC card readerConnectivity: |
The Surface Book 3 attracts a lot of attention since it can switch between being a tablet and a laptop in a split second, and for good reason. Anyone who uses it as a tablet won’t require a separate accessory like a graphical sketching tablet, which is a huge advantage.
It offers the processing capacity to handle any project with to its 10th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, 256GB to 1TB of storage, and 8GB to 32GB of RAM. The 13.5-inch display’s outstanding resolution and two USB-A connections make it simple to connect your Cricut machine, which will help your projects look perfect.
Processor
Processors are an important part of any laptop that cannot be replaced in most cases, so choosing a laptop with a processor that suits your needs is a good choice. An affordable CPU like a Core i3 or Ryzen 5 processor would handle the Cricut and other occasional jobs. This processor can handle cutting or drafting tasks and is generally cheaper.
If you use a lot of power or work with powerful design tools like Photoshop, Corel Draw, or Illustrator, you should upgrade to a higher CPU like Core i5 to guarantee smooth performance. If you choose a Core i5 processor, make sure it’s 6th generation or later for best performance.
The Core i7 processor is the choice for people who want their laptops to be future-proofed. Although a Core i7 laptop may be overkill for a Cricut, we have included Core i7 laptops to accommodate those who want a more powerful laptop and all user preferences.
RAM
Nowadays, most internet browsers rely on the amount of available RAM. RAM provides enough memory for the computer to run the software that has been installed. It increases the speed and performance of your computer and allows you to easily multitask. It is recommended that you have at least 4 GB of RAM. However, you can choose 8GB of RAM or more. If it has enough RAM, it will be able to manage many applications and software at the same time.
Display and screen dimensions
When it comes to your laptop’s display, it’s measured in pixels, and almost all new laptops have a good resolution that meets Cricut’s minimum requirements. If you want to use your laptop for anything other than Cricut, you’ll need to look for a higher resolution.
For better image quality, you’ll need at least 1080p resolution if you’re using any design software; the bigger the pixels, the sharper the image you can display. So if you’re doing visual work, you’ll need something with a higher resolution, like a 2K display, or even 4K if your budget allows. However, that said, any recent model exceeds the minimum display requirements for Cricut programs, so you’ll only need a much higher resolution if you’re using other visual applications for work.
Any screen size can complete tasks in Cricut and its Design space; so it depends on your desire. For portability, I recommend a 13- to 14-inch laptop, usually a 2-in-1 laptop that can also be used as a tablet; but if you need a bigger screen, A 15- to 17-inch laptop is ideal, especially if you don’t move much.
Storage space
The user’s needs determine the storage capacity, so you should know what you will be storing before you buy one. Although Cricut has no specific storage requirements, you should consider storing large files such as video collections or large photos for design purposes.
In this case, you will need more storage space. A 512GB SSD is good for storing large files, while a laptop with dual storage options such as a 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD is perfect for those who require massive storage space to store very large files.
I recommend buying an SSD because they are faster and use less power. SSD means faster data transfer and boot-up. SSDs significantly outperform HDDs, but they aren’t cheap, so if you don’t need to store large files, a 128GB SSD will suffice, or you can opt for hybrid storage that could outperform a standard HDD at a fraction of the cost.
Connectivity
Choose a laptop with a USB port to connect to your Cricut, but look for a laptop with Bluetooth connectivity to stay ahead of the game. A USB port is required to connect the system to a laptop. Most laptops are equipped with USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, which are ideal for use with craft equipment.
On the other hand, some laptops include USB-C, which is the latest technology. You should also consider one with an excellent Wi-Fi connection to make your work easier.
Conclusion
After researching many laptops for Cricut projects, I conclude that the best laptops for Cricut projects have an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a minimum of 256GB of storage. Additionally, look for a laptop with a dedicated graphics card and a high-quality display for optimal performance.
I recommend the ASUS VivoBook 15 for its lightweight design, great performance, and affordable price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Notebooks Are Not Compatible With The Cricut?
Important: Design Space is not supported on Chromebooks and Unix/Linux computers. Note: Requirements may change over time. Features and functionality may vary between computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Can You Use A Chromebook With The Cricut Explore AIR 2?
Android apps enhance your Chromebook!
So yes, you CAN connect your Cricut cutting machine to your Chromebook thanks to the Design Space app for Android!
What computers are compatible with Cricut explore 2?
You can connect Android or iOS smartphones, Windows or Mac PCs, and a Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore machine. Both devices use Cricut Design Space to generate designs that can be used by your machine.
What kind of laptop works best with Cricut?
The best laptop work for Cricut is available now
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
- 2.2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop
- 3.MSI Modern 14 A10M-882 14″ Ultra-Thin And Light Professional Laptop
What does a laptop need to learn cricut?
To learn Cricut, you will need a laptop with a minimum of 4GB of RAM, an Intel Core i3 processor, and at least 250GB of storage space. Additionally, you will need an internet connection and an up-to-date browser. You may also need to install any necessary drivers for your laptop. Once these requirements are met, you can download the Cricut Design Space software and begin creating your projects!
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