If you’re into crafting with a Cricut machine, having the right laptop is just as important as your creative ideas. A good laptop ensures smooth design uploads, quick edits, and seamless communication with your Cricut. The best part? You don’t have to break the bank to find one that gets the job done. You can find a laptop under $500 that is perfect for your crafting needs and has the right balance of performance, portability, and budget-friendliness.
From screen resolution to processing power, it’s important to focus on features complementing Cricut software like Design Space. You’ll want something reliable for multitasking, with enough storage to keep all your projects in one place. In this guide, we’ll explore the top laptops under $500 that pair perfectly with your Cricut machine, bringing your creative visions to life easier than ever.
What Is a Laptop for Cricut?
To work with a Cricut machine, you need to create the designs you are hoping to cut out using a program called Design Space. Naturally, you need a laptop to run this program. However, once you have bought yourself the best Cricut maker, you can rest easy knowing that the designs can be done using a budget-friendly laptop, and we shall discuss the most ideal options below.
1. HP 14" Ultral Light Laptop for Students and Business
- 【14" HD Display】14.0-inch diagonal, HD (1366 x 768),...
- 【Processor & Graphics】Intel Celeron N4120, 4 Cores & 4...
- 【RAM & Storage】8GB high-bandwidth DDR4 Memory (2400 MHz),...
- 【Ports】1 x USB 3.1 Type-C ports, 2 x USB 3.1 Type-A ports, 1...
- 【Windows 11 Home in S mode】You may switch to regular windows...
The HP 14" Ultra Light Laptop strikes a perfect balance between affordability and performance, making it an ideal choice for Cricut enthusiasts and users with a tight budget. Whether you're a student crafting personalized projects or a small business owner creating custom designs, this laptop is equipped to handle Cricut software like Design Space seamlessly.
For the most part, though, Cricut Design Space is not too demanding and requires a laptop that is 100% reliable, and so on and so forth. The HP 14" Ultra Light Laptop has all of the tick boxes—affordable, portable, and has enough oomph to keep Cricut happy.
The HP 14" Ultra Light Laptop is perfect for Cricut users looking for a budget friendly laptop under $500. It is lightweight, reliable and affordable; making it a practical option for crafters and designers who want to realize their creative conceptions without nullifying their finances in the process.
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2. ASUS E410 Intel Celeron N4020 4GB 64GB 14-Inch HD LED Win 10 Laptop
- Intel Celeron N4020 Dual-Core Processor 1.1GHz Up to 2.8GHz / 4GB...
- 14-inch HD LED Display (1366 x 768) / Integrated Intel Graphics
- Webcam / Wi-Fi 802.11 / Stereo speakers
- 2 USB Type-A HDMI / Card reader / 1 headphone/microphone combo
- 3-cell Li-ion Battery / AC power adapter / Windows 10
If you’re diving into the world of Cricut crafting and need an affordable laptop to pair with your cutting machine, the ASUS E410 is a fantastic choice. This lightweight, budget-friendly laptop delivers just the right performance and features to help you design and craft without breaking the bank.
ASUS E410 has a wide range of suitability for affordability and functionality for crafters who need a reliable companion for their Cricut machine. It’s light in weight, has a quick display, and works completely with Cricut software which makes it a favorable choice for hobbyists and small business owners.
If you are looking for a good laptop just for Cricut and have a budget of less than $500, then the ASUS E410 is the one for you. It’s small, powerful, and affordable, allowing you to concentrate only on your creativity and not on your tech setup.
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3. Dell Inspiron 5440 Laptop - 14.0-inch 16:10 FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Display
- Portable device, nice view: Enjoy a comfortable viewing...
- Designed for productivity: Your Inspiron PC is now ready for...
- Chat without distraction: Bring your connections to life with up...
- Functionality on-the-go: Adaptive thermals keep your device cool...
- Sustainability inspired: This laptop is ENERGY STAR 8.0...
The Dell Inspiron 5440 is a stylish and capable laptop that fits the needs of Cricut users without breaking the bank. With its 14-inch FHD+ display, dependable performance, and budget-friendly price tag, it’s a fantastic option for crafting enthusiasts seeking a reliable machine under $500.
A mid—priced laptop with awesome features, the Dell Inspiron 5440 has just the right balance of price and performance. It makes working with Cricut Design Space effortless; so users can get back to their creative projects without interruptions. It’s a also good thing if you like to craft on the go because it is easy to take with you.
If you’re a Cricut lover on a budget, the Dell Inspiron 5440 is a smart buy. The FHD+ display, dependable performance, and cheap affords, make this an exceptional value within the under $500 vary for any loopy maker. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned crafter, this laptop is up to the task.
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4. Lenovo Thinkpad X270 Notebooks 12.5" Core i5 2.40 GHz 8 GB 256 GB SSD Windows 10 Pro
- Get the most out of your laptop with premium high performance...
- Store up to 256GB SSD of data and access it even quicker with 8GB...
- Enjoy working on this light 10 pound device anywhere with it's...
If you’re looking for a solid Cricut Design Space laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad X270 delivers a punch while staying within your budget, all while being small and mighty. This notebook is made for productivity and durability and is fantastic for crafters who want a machine they can rely on to be able to draw up detailed designs and keep their projects organized.
The ThinkPad X270 offers a perfect blend of performance, portability, and durability, all while staying under $500. Its specs are more than capable of running Cricut Design Space efficiently, making it an excellent choice for crafting projects and small business needs.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X270 is an amazing option much lower in price. It is very reliable and just right for a laptop to use for your Cricut designs. It is a practical budget option for crafters looking to bring their ideas to life while sporting a solid-state drive and a portable form factor that performs robustly.
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5. Amazon Renewed Newest HP 14" HD Laptop, Windows 11, Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processor
- 14” Diagonal HD BrightView WLED-Backlit (1366 x 768), Intel...
- Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processor Up to 2.60GHz, 4GB RAM, 64GB...
- 3x USB Type A,1x SD Card Reader, 1x Headphone/Microphone
- 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, HP Webcam with...
- Windows 11 OS, Dale Blue
If you’re looking for an affordable, reliable laptop to run Cricut Design Space without breaking the bank, the Amazon Renewed HP 14" HD Laptop is a solid choice. With Windows 11 and an Intel Celeron dual-core processor, it provides just the right balance of features and performance for crafting enthusiasts on a budget.
For Cricut crafters, this HP 14" laptop delivers just what you need: portability, ease of use, and reliable performance. It’s perfect for simple crafting, making designs, and cutting material without the high-end specs or the heavy price tag that comes with it.
If you’re a Cricut user on a budget, the Amazon Renewed HP 14" HD Laptop is a fantastic budget friendly option. If you are just looking into Cricut and you don’t want a powerhouse laptop, it’s a good sized practical laptop for this purpose. For most of: the needs of day to day crafting and keeping the budget in check, it delivers solid performance.
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Features to Check Before Buying a Laptop for Cricut
If you are a designer, there are some features you have to look for in a laptop for Cricut. If you want your design work to be fast and efficient, you can not gamble on the kind of laptop you will use. You need to pay attention to a few things when looking for the best laptop for Cricut that is under 500 dollars worth your money.
A) Storage Space
At least 500 GB will be a good place to start with your storage space.
The storage space in your laptop directly affects its performance. The recall speed in a computer depends on the storage, and the more storage you have, the faster your laptop will perform some functions. You do not want to expand your storage only months after buying your laptop.
Have you ever noticed how prices differ for similar models with different storage?
Getting a laptop with enough storage gives you space to store your files unless you are planning to buy external devices. Storage is one of the key features that will make your life easier in the long run.
B) Screen Size
If you are a designer, the laptop's screen size matters a lot. A large screen will make it more enjoyable to work on your designs. In addition, the Cricut design space will be easier to work with, and you will not have a lot of things crammed up in one space.
14 inches should be the least you go for. 16 inches and above would be better. While picking the screen, look for one with an anti-glare feature. This makes it easier to design without having problematic reflections.
C) Battery Life
The battery life on your laptop for Cricut is one of the main things you want to look at. A laptop running a program uses a lot of processing power. Sometimes, you need to cool down the laptop because it is overheating. Suppose the laptop has a long battery life. In that case, you can use it remotely to design in your Cricut design space or connect wirelessly to external devices without having to plug in every second.
When getting a new laptop, look at reviews (like the ones we have provided above) to ensure you get the right one for your work.
D) Processor
If you are buying a design laptop, you should go for the latest processor on the market. A core i9 will do a good job with Cricut machines. An Intel core works on PCs, and the M1 chip is for Apple computers. So, the latest Intel processor will be the best option for you. The processor is where everything happens; the best thing to do is to future-proof your setup.
E) Operating System
This is important. The Cricut software does not run on the Google operating system. However, macOS, Windows, and Linux operating systems will do just fine. The operating system you get should be the latest because the latest OSs have support from the developers. In addition, you can get updates with the latest operating systems, which will make your design programs more compatible.
Windows S mode is an operating system you need to be familiar with if you want better performance and security.
F) GPU
A GPU is normally incorporated on the same chip as the main processor. However, you can get a dedicated GPU for your laptop. While looking at the specifications of the device you want to buy, check out the GPU and what it can do.
The GPU might pass as the graphics card. The unit in the graphics card does the actual processing, while the larger graphics card generates the images you see.
The graphics card renders the images you see in the videos and animations.
G) Display
You know to know the resolution that your computer will be giving you. Some people go to the extent of buying dedicated screens for display.
For designers, you should go for 1440px or 1920px screen size. These pixels will give you a clearer picture of what you are working with.
H) Ports
The Cricut maker does not have a program to run it. Instead, think of the Cricut maker as a printer. Therefore, the Cricut maker needs to connect to your computer wirelessly or through a port. Look for a computer with a USB C or Thunderbolt port connecting to the Cricut machine.
You can get machines with Bluetooth connectivity. However, you should not gamble on the physical ports as they increase the reliability of your setup.
I) RAM
Go for a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM.
Getting a laptop for Cricut with a large RAM increases the processing speed. In addition, memory transfer is increased between programs, increasing the general speed by which your computer functions.
How to Set Up Cricut Design Studio
We would recommend buying a wireless Cricut machine. Once you do, ensure you have both internet and Bluetooth connectivity. Then, use the following steps to set up your Cricut machine.
- Plug the machine into a power source.
- If your laptop for Cricut is set up near the Cricut machine, you can connect the two using a USB port or the Thunderbolt.
- If your setup is not close to the laptop, you can connect the two machines using Bluetooth connectivity.
- Download Design Space.
- Once you download the program, install Design Space using on-screen prompts.
Other Things to Budget for When Setting Up Your Cricut Machine
Image source: cricut.com
Having the best laptop for a Cricut machine without being able to complete your projects would be a bit pointless. The Cricut machine allows you to work on different projects with different materials. To fully take advantage of the capabilities of the Cricut machine, you can budget for the following materials.
I) Cricut Blades
Cricut blades come in multiple sizes. When you buy the different blades, you can create more designs that will boost your productivity and creativity. You need to know about Cricut blades before choosing the one you want to buy.
The blades you buy might or might not be efficient for the materials you wish to work with. For this reason, you should pay attention to the blades you are getting and their capabilities.
Ii) Materials
You will be working on a project once you get your computer and Cricut machine. For your projects to be successful, you will need to cut out, which requires materials. You can get these at an affordable price, and it is better to get them as soon as possible.
You will need papers, infusible ink sheets, transfer tape, iron-on vinyl, or adhesive vinyl. You need these materials to transfer your projects. Depending on the initial inspiration or ideas, you can buy materials that fit your needs. Eventually, you will find your favorite material to work with.
Iii) Pens
You can write with your Cricut machine. This is one interesting feature you should take advantage of. However, once you create intricate designs on the laptop for Cricut, it might not be easy to transfer those results freehand. So here is where the Cricut machine comes in.
Iv) Mats
The machines come with mats sometimes. However, when the Cricut machine does not come with cutting mats, you can get some for yourself. You will need cutting mats with different strengths depending on the projects you will be working on. The last thing you want is to cut the surface of your Cricut desk.
V) Heat Press
If you are working using the iron-on vinyl, you will not want to buy a heat press to use on the final product.
Image source: cricut.com
There are more hand tools you can buy to help you get started with the Cricut machine. However, when dealing with Cricut, the best place to start is to buy the best laptop for Cricut, and you can find good ones for 500 dollars.
Finally
Your Cricut is just an output device, making your computer a vital setup component. For this reason, you should look for the best laptop for Cricut under 500 dollars. Even if you are on a budget, the suggestions we have provided above will give you a strong place to start before you upgrade in the future.
