Top 10 Best Laptops for QuickBooks and Accounting: 2020 Buyers’ Guide!

QuickBooks is perhaps the most popular accounting software among small and mid-size businesses. It combines an intuitive interface to an array of features and tools that greatly simplify and organize routing accounting tasks, such as creating estimates and invoices, tracking sales and payments, generating month- and year-end financial reports…etc. If you’re the owner of a small business, or an independent contractor, looking for the best laptop to run QuickBooks, you are on the right page! We have compiled a list of some of the best laptops for QuickBooks you can find, ranging from cheap and budget friendly laptops to higher end ones.

What to look for when shopping for a laptop for QuickBooks ?

Quickbooks is not very demanding when it comes to the system requirements, let’s have a look at the minimum requirements for QuickBooks Pro/Premier/Enterprise 2020, as indicated on Intuit’s website:

• Processor: 2.4 GHz processor
• RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
• Disk space: 2.5 GB disk space recommended (additional space required for data files)
• Windows: Windows 8.1 Update 1, or Windows 10 update/version supported by Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (or R2), 2016, or 2019. (Mac users can download QuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2020).
• Display: Optimized for 1280×1024 screen resolution or higher.

Please note that these requirements apply to the desktop version of QuickBooks, if you’re looking for a laptop for QuickBooks online, you probably don’t have to worry too much about the specs, since most laptops can run browsers just fine.

However, and although there is virtually no minimum requirements when looking a laptop for QuickBooks Online; It doesn’t mean that you have to go with the cheapest option out there. As a business owner, you will surely need to use your laptop for other things, and not only for logging in to your QuickBooks online account, I’m sure the last thing you need is your laptop lagging or freezing when you’re working on your end of year reports. So unless you are on a strict budget (or want to practice patience switching tabs on your browser), we strongly recommend sticking with the above minimum requirements even if you’re planning to use QuickBooks online only. And that’s why most of the laptops included in our list have at least an i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a fast solid state drive.

But before proceeding with the list, let’s first try to answer some of the questions you might have about QuickBooks, such as the difference between the desktop and the online version. If you are already familiar with QuickBooks, just scroll down the article to find our selection of some of the best laptops for QuickBooks in 2020.

What’s the difference between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks online?

QuickBooks is an accounting software package that comes in two versions: Quickbooks online, which is an online version that you can access from anywhere using a browser, and a Quickbooks Desktop, that you can download and install on your computer (there is a version for Windows and Mac). If you’re still not decided between QuickBooks online and QuickBooks desktop, here is a short comparison:

• QuickBooks Desktop is a one-time purchase accounting software for businesses that need robust inventory management, job costing, and industry-specific features and reporting. QuickBooks Desktop is an application you can install on your computer; it does not have data stored in the cloud. There’s no mobile application for QuickBooks Desktop, and QuickBooks Desktop doesn’t synch with QuickBooks online and vice versa. As of 2020, Quickbooks Desktop comes in 3 versions: Pro, Premier, and Enterprise.
• QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based subscription service that you can access from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone and all of your data is automatically backed up. Quickbook online is also accessible through apps, and you can use your mobile device to enter transactions, record expenses, and invoice customers from anywhere.

We hope that this explanation helps clear up some of the questions you had about Quickbooks. In summary, if you are already a QuickBooks desktop user and already have a database, it’s probably better to stick to the desktop version, as transferring the data and importing it to QuickBooks online can be quite troublesome. If you’re starting fresh, then go with the online version.

Best Laptops for QuickBooks:

So, now that you have an idea about Quickbooks system requirements, let’s check out 10 of the best laptops for Quickbooks we hand picked for you. As always, feel free to ask us in the comments if you have any question or suggestion.

• Acer Aspire 5  A515-54-59W2: Best laptop for QuickBooks online!
  

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If you’re looking for a cheap, but reliable laptop for Quickbooks, then look no further than the new Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-59W2. This new generation of the Aspire 5 comes in a rather stylish and slim design, despite the pocket friendly price tag.  For those of you who need a cheap but reliable laptop to work on the go, the Aspire 5 can be a great option to consider.

As for the specs, the Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-59W2 comes with a 10^th Gen Intel core i5-10210U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a fast 256GB PCIe solid state drive. The new i5-10210U processor has a clock speed of 1.6GHz and can go up to 4.2GHz if needed, be it for work or home use, the aspire 5 has all the power to handle your daily tasks: browsing, emails, word processing, watching movies, and of course it’s a great laptop for Quickbooks and accounting. The Aspire 5 also has a separate number pad, which can be very important if you work with sheets and work with lots of numbers. The keyboard is also backlit and very comfortable to type on. As for the touchpad, it’s very responsive and has a fingerprint sensor on the left top corner, which works with Windows hello and provides easy, secure access with just one touch.

The aspire 5 comes with a beautiful 15,6 inch IPS screen that delivers stunning visuals and accurate colors. It has a 1920X1080 pixel resolution, and thanks to the IPS panel the viewing angles are very good. The screen has a glossy finish, and while it helps bring out the colors, the screen is prone to reflections.

As for the connectivity, the Aspire 5 comes with 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0 , 1 USB type C, HDMI, and a Card reader. Battery life is also excellent, with the manufacturer claiming a 9,5 hours battery life.

Bottom line, if you need a laptop for QuickBooks that is also easy to carry around, then the Acer Aspire 5 should be first on your list.

• Asus Vivobook S15 S512FA-DB51 : A budget friendly all purpose laptop!

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The Asus Vivobook S15 S512FA-DB51 is a mid range laptop that offers great value for the money, and some unique features as well that make it one of the best budget laptops for Quickbooks you can get at this price range. The laptop comes with an 8^th gen core i5-8265U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256 GB solid state drives. This configuration makes the Vivobook S15 a perfect fit for many types of users: it can handle everyone of your daily computing needs, browsing the internet, doing your daily work, and of course bookkeeping and running accounting software, such as Quickbooks. This laptop is great for both Quickbooks Desktop and Quickbook online.

The 15.6-inch screen has a native resolution of 1920X1080 pixels, with a super slim bezel and 87% screen-to-body ratio. The colors and viewing angles are also great, thanks to the IPS technology.

Build quality is excellent, and the body is mostly made of aluminum, and the machine feels quite sturdy, despite the slim form factor. There is also a good number of ports, including a USB-C port, 3 normal USB ports, HDMI, and a card reader.

• HP 15-dy1036nr: A reliable budget laptop from HP
  

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Packing Intel’s newest 10th gen G-series processors, the HP 15-dy1036nr is an outstanding budget laptop that has everything it takes to handle the needs of a small business owner. This laptops comes with an intel i5-1035G1 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB Solid State Drive. For someone who mainly needs a laptop for browsing, watching videos, and of course working with MS office, or Quickbooks, this laptop ticks all the boxes. This laptop boots up in less than 6 seconds, and has the new i5-1035G1 processor, which comes with Intel’s new integrated graphics, bringing a slight boost to performance over the previous generation.

HP also equipped the 15-dy1036nr with a full HD IPS screen, which covers 82% of the body, thanks to slim bezels.

There’s also a good number of ports, including a USB-C port, and the battery life is quite decent. The keyboard is also very good and comfortable, however, it’s not backlit.

• Dell Inspiron 15 5593: //B07XYS834Z//
  

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The Dell Inspiron 15 5593 is a professional looking laptop that also features a new i5-1035G1 processor. In addition to that, you get 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD. The specs are similar to other Inspiron laptops, and other laptops in the same price category, and will ensure an excellent performance for your daily tasks.

This laptop also sports a 15.6-inch Full HD display, with good colors and contrasts. There’s a good amount of ports: 1 USB Type C, 3 USB ports, HDMI, and a card reader.

• Acer Spin 3 SP314-53N-77AJ

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If you’re a fan of 2 in 1 laptops then check out the Acer Spin 3 SP314-53N-77AJ. This laptop comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8565U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD. Thanks to its convertible form, the Acer Spin 3 can fit many types of users; whether you’re just looking for a laptop to use at home, or a laptop that you can rely for your daily business related work. You can easily flip the screen to use the laptop in tablet mode, and there’s also an included pen that makes taking notes and capturing ideas as easy as it can. There’s also a good amount of RAM, which helps when you’re running multiple programs at the same time.

The Acer Spin 3 is also very thin and easy to carry, at just 0.78 inches, and 3.75 pounds respectively. Battery life is also excellent, with up to 12 hours of use.

In terms of ports, we have 2 USB ports, and an HDMI port. Acer probably had to make room for the stylus , which is located in a dock on the left of the device. There is no USB C however.

• Lenovo ThinkPad E15:  A laptop for business users //B07T75RSL6//
  

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Lenovo’s Thinkpad series have always been a favorite among professionals and business users, and there are good reasons for that.

They usually offer great performance and excellent build quality. Featured on our list, is the Lenovo ThinkPad E15, which is a rather “affordable” Thinkpad. This laptop comes with a 10th gen Intel i5-10210U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 250GB SSD. And while you can find other less expensive laptop that offer the same configuration,  it will be hard to find one that can match the E15’s build quality  and reliability, and that’s exactly why we picked this laptop as one of the best laptops for Quickbooks, especially for business owners.

The Thinkpad E15 comes with 15,6 Full HD Display, which provides great visual and sharp colors, and that’s mainly thanks to the IPS panel. The keyboard is also excellent, like other Thinkpad laptops. Thinkpads have actually some of the best keyboards you can find on laptops; they’re great for typing and for data entry. Having a good keyboard reduces typing errors, which can be important when working with Quickbooks.

The Thinkpad E15 also has a good number of ports if you need to connect to an external device, such as a secondary monitor for example. This includes 3 USB ports, 1USB C port, HDMI, and Ethernet port. The 45Wh battery also does a good job powering the laptop up to 8 hours on a single charge.

•   Dell Inspiron 14 5000:

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The Dell Inspiron 14 5000 is another 2 in 1 laptop that’s featured on our list. This one comes with an 8th Gen Intel i5-8265U  processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The Inspiron 14 5000 is designed for those who love to work on the go and need a laptop that’s easy to carry around. In terms of performance, the i5-8265U and the 16GB of RAM do a good job in keeping the laptop snappy and responsive, even with multiple applications running at the same time; all this in a slim 14 inch chassis. The Inspiron 14 5000 can be an excellent buy for the accountants and small business owners who want a slim laptop for Quickbooks.

And in case you find the display too small and want to connect to an external device or even two, then you’ll be happy to hear that the Inspiron 14 5000 comes with plenty of ports: you’ll find three normal USB ports, one USB-C port, and one HDMI port.

• Dell Inspiron 17 3793:

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For those of you who like big screens, we have included the Dell Inspiron 17 3793. This 17 inch laptop features  a  10th Gen 4-Core Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor, 16GB  of RAM,  and a 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD. This is a desktop replacement laptop which is mainly aimed at home users, the specs are more than enough for browsing the internet, running multiple programs simultaneously, watching movies on its big 17 inch display, and of course it’s a great laptop for Quickbooks, whether you’re using the online version, or Quickbooks desktop.

The Dell Inspiron 17 3793 also comes with 2 storage drives: a 512GB SSD, and a 1TB standard hard drive; this gives you plenty of storage capacity to save your files, pictures, and videos.

The keyboard is also full sized, and very comfortable to use. You will have no problems typing on this laptop for hours. The only downside is that it’s not backlit.

In terms of ports, there is a USB-C port, 3 USB ports, HDMI, and Ethernet. Battery life is on the other hand is limited, which is to be expected, since it’s a 17 inch laptop.

•   Macbook Pro 16:

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Macbooks are quite popular among small business users, and the new Macbook Pro 16 has everything to seduce you, thanks to its speed, beautiful design, high-end performance, and amazing battery life. This laptop comes with an Intel I7-9750H processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a dedicated Amd Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics card.This laptop is recommended if you need a laptop that can stay fast and snappy even 5 years from now; it’s great buy if you’ve already owned a macbook and want to upgrade. If  you’re coming from Windows and you’ve never used Quickbooks on a mac before, please note that there is a separate version of Quickbooks desktop for Mac OS. If you use Quickbooks online, there shouldn’t be any problem.

The new Macbook pro 16 also comes with a gorgeous 16 inch display, with produces vivid colors and great contrasts. It’s excellent for watching movies, and it’s also good if you anything that requires a good display (such as photo editing, video editing, or graphic design).

• LG Gram 15Z990-R.AAS9U1
  

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Last but not the least, we have the LG Gram 15Z990-R.AAS9U1 , an amazing light Weight windows that offers some unique features. Under the hood, we have an 8th gen i7-8565U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The LG Gram 15Z990-R.AAS9U1 is great for multitasking, and you easily rely on for you daily computing needs. It’s excellent battery life is also one of the reasons why it’s an excellent laptop for those who need to get work done on the go.

This laptop also comes with a full size keyboard,  and a separate number pad. The keyboard is also backlit, with adjustable brightness. The build quality is also very good, and overall the laptop is very slim and lightweight, yet feels quite sturdy. The body is made of a mix of aluminum and magnesium.