Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (2024)

During tax season, CPAs face numerous responsibilities; as they deal with clients directly, they must ensure a proper workflow. A laptop should have all the features that enhance work flexibility and efficiency.

CPAs depend heavily on technology which makes reliable laptop crucial for their daily operations. Laptops must have a good processor, RAM, and storage. The laptop is not just a device but a fundamental asset that plays a vital role in their professional work.

A laptop with a powerful processor, enough RAM to handle your needs, and sufficient storage space enables remote work, efficient time management, streamlined tax filing processes, and the capability for seamless multitasking. The must-have features are:

  • RAM Type – 8GB or above, DDR4/DDR5
  • Screen Size – 13 – 16 inches
  • CPU Model – Intel Core i5, i7 10th generation and above (for windows); M-series processor (for MacOS)

CPAs can ensure a productive and efficient tax season, where their laptop is a dependable companion throughout the demanding tasks and responsibilities they encounter. The ability to work efficiently and securely and adapt to changing work environments makes laptops an essential part of a CPA’s toolkit.

Ace Cloud is here to help you choose the best option as per your needs and requirements.

What Are The Best Laptops for Accounting Professionals in 2024?

Here is a list of laptops in every price range that is the best in the market right now:

LaptopCPUScreen SizeScreen SizeRating
MacBook Pro 14Apple M114 Inches$1,6894.8/5
Dell XPS 15Intel 12th Gen Core i7-12700H15.6 Inches$1,4185/5
Apple MacBook Air M2Apple M2 chip, 8-core CPU15.3 Inches$1,2684.8/5
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)Gen 9 Intel Core i7-1165G714 Inches$1,2384.7/5
Lenovo Yoga 7iAMD Ryzen 7 7735U16 Inches$8994.5/5
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro13th Gen Intel Core i7-1360P16 Inches$1,4144.4/5
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 (AMD)AMD Ryzen 5 7530U15.6 Inches$7994.5/5
Acer Swift 3Intel Core i7-1260P14 Inches$7894.4/5
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5Intel Core i5-1235U or Core i7-1255U13.5 Inches$1,1994.5/5
HP Pavilion 1511th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G715.6 Inches$8174.3/5
Acer Aspire 5AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Quad-Core15.6 Inches$4984.2/5
Asus Zenbook 14AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX14 Inches$7214.2/5
HP Envy x360AMD Ryzen 5 5625U15.6 Inches$7694.1/5

The Apple MacBook Pro 14

The MacBook Pro is equipped with an ultra-efficient M2 pro chip, that has up to 18 hours of battery life. This is the best-selling laptop that delivers exceptional performance whether it’s plugged in or running on battery.

  • Brand – Apple
  • Series – MacBook Pro
  • Year – 2021
  • Model Number – MKGT3LL/A
  • RAM Type – DDR3 SDRAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – Amoled
  • Screen Size – 14 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – 72-Pin EDO SIMM Memory
  • CPU Model – Apple M1
ProsCons
Easy to use keyboardHas some heating issues when charged
Ideal for everyday Office use

What users’ are saying:

Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (1)

The Dell XPS 15

It has a vibrant Infinity Edge display with slim bezels, offering a stunning 15.6-inch 4K UHD or FHD+ option. It has powerful processors, dedicated graphics, and a premium build that makes it a high-performance laptop with a sleek design.

  • Brand – Dell
  • Series – M XPS 15 9530
  • Year – 2023
  • Model Number – XPS 15 9530
  • RAM Type – DDR5 RAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – LED
  • Screen Size – 15.6 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – GDDR6
  • CPU Model – Intel Core i7
ProsCons
Rock-solid construction and attractive aestheticExpensive
Strong productivity and creativity performance
Good battery life
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (2)

Apple MacBook Air M2

It has a fanless design, delivering silent and efficient performance. With a lightweight build, Retina display, and improved battery life, it offers a compelling blend of portability and power for everyday usage.

  • Brand – Apple
  • Year – 2023
  • Model Name – MacBook Air
  • RAM Type – DDR5 RAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – LED
  • Screen Size – 15.3 inch
  • Battery – 18 hours
  • CPU – 8-core
ProsCons
M2 chip delivers excellent performanceOnly supports one external screen
Thinner and lighter, well-builtShorter battery life than M1 MacBook Air
1080p webcam
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (3)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)

It is offering you integrated Intel UHD Graphics Webcam with Microphone, Wifi-6 (Intel AX201 11ax), Bluetooth 5.1, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader USB-C, HDMI, USB 3.1, USB 4 Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 and many more.

  • Brand – Lenovo
  • Series – Lenovo ThinkPad
  • Year – 2021
  • Model Number – Lenovo ThinkPad
  • RAM Type – DDR4 SDRAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – LED
  • Screen Size – 14 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – DDR4 SDRAM
  • CPU Model – Core i7
ProsCons
Incredible performanceIntegrated graphics struggle with creative workloads
Phenomenal battery lifeA little flexible
Long list of business-friendly featuresVery high price
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (4)

Lenovo Yoga 7i

Newest Slim Designed Yoga 7, The x360 degree hinge allows ‘Laptop’ mode for everyday computing, ‘Yoga’ mode for sharing things, ‘Flip’ mode for binge-watching, or ‘Tablet’ mode for more intuitive interaction; Long battery life, 71WHr Battery Last Up to 19.5 Hours

  • Brand – Lenovo
  • Year – 2023
  • Model Number – Yoga 7i
  • RAM Type – DDR5 RAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – LCD
  • Screen Size – 16 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – VRAM
  • CPU Model – Ryzen 7
ProsCons
Wide port varietyDim display
Decent 1080p webcamRAM soldered to the motherboard
Under $1,000
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (5)

Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro

CAREER ACCELERATING SPEED: Strivers and thrivers, this is the PC laptop for you. Accomplish your ambitions with a powerful processor that’s the latest design by Intel — ideal for fast-paced lifestyles.

  • Brand – Samsung
  • Series – Galaxy Book3 Pro
  • Year – 2023
  • Model Number – NP960XFG-KA1US
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – Amoled
  • Screen Size – 16 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – Shared
  • CPU Model – Intel Core i7
ProsCons
Minimalistic design and solid feelFans get noisy
Stunning displaySpeakers could have been louder
Productivity orientedNo touchscreen display
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (6)

Lenovo ThinkPad E16 (AMD)

It is a 16-inch commercial laptop in the ThinkPad E Series – the ThinkPad E16 Gen 1. It’s nothing fancy, but this ThinkPad is a fine deal for people seeking a business notebook for modest means.

  • Brand – Lenovo
  • Series – Lenovo ThinkPad
  • Model Number – ThinkPad E15
  • RAM Type – DDR4 SDRAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 512 GB
  • Display Type – LCD
  • Screen Size – 16 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – Shared
  • CPU Model – Ryzen 5 4500U
ProsCons
Aggressive starting price for ThinkPad lineNot the brightest, nor the most colorful, display
Delivers to traditional ThinkPad build quality and keyboardNo SD card slot
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (7)

Acer Swift 3

The Ultimate Premium Laptop Experience: Don’t sacrifice performance, graphics or battery life. Enjoy superior performance with the Acer Swift 3, based on the Intel Evo platform; it charges fast, lasts, wakes instantly, and is super thin and light.

  • Brand – acer
  • Series – SF314-512-73YZ
  • Year – 2022
  • Model Number – NX.K0FAA.00D
  • RAM Memory Maximum Size – 16 GB
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB
  • Display Type – LCD
  • Screen Size – 14 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – Shared
  • CPU Model – Core i7
ProsCons
Ultra-lightweightNo SD card reader
3:2 display is very usefulRAM not upgradeable
Backlit keyboard
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (8)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

This laptop is a Copilot on Windows 11; it is your everyday AI companion – Copilot empowers you to complete tasks with ease and lessens your cognitive load – making one complicated task simple.

  • Brand – ‎Microsoft
  • Series – ‎Surface Laptop
  • Year – 2022
  • Model Number – ‎RBG-00026
  • RAM Type – DDR5 RAM
  • Hard Disk Size – 0 TB
  • Display Type – LCD
  • Screen Size – 13.5 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – DDR5 RAM
  • CPU Model – Intel
ProsCons
Thin and light design.Battery lasts only eight hours of light use.
Comfortable keyboard; responsive touchpad.Poor reflection handling.
Excellent webcam.
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (9)

HP Pavilion 15

It is a laptop with premium performance, so you can spend less time getting more done; it’s like a small PC that’s compact enough to go where you go with a long-lasting battery to power you through your day.

  • Brand – HP
  • Series – Pavilion
  • Year – 2021
  • Model Number –15-eg0025nr
  • RAM Type – ‎16 GB 16GB DDR4
  • Hard Disk Size – ‎512 GB SSD
  • Display Type – FHD
  • Screen Size –‎15.6 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – DDR4 SDRAM
  • CPU Model – Intel
ProsCons
Attractive design and robust caseHigh power consumption
Good system performanceUnpleasant fan noise under load
Envy-like design, full-size Num Pad, narrow bezels, USB Type-C, quiet fan.
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (10)

Acer Aspire 5

With 20GB memory for multitasking and adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once acer aspire 5 is your way to go. The Hard Drive is upgraded to 1 TB Solid State Drive allows fast bootup and data transfer.

  • Brand – ‎Acer
  • Series – Aspire 5
  • Year – 2023
  • Model Number – ‎A515
  • RAM Type – ‎20 GB DDR4
  • Hard Disk Size – 1 TB SSD
  • Processor – ‎3.5 GHz ryzen_3
  • Screen Size – ‎15.6 Inches
  • CPU Model – AMD
ProsCons
Solid single- and multi-core performanceThe body is almost entirely made of plastic
Handy fingerprint scannerNo dedicated graphics card
Efficient 10th-gen Intel processor

Asus ZenBook 14

With Latest AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Processor (16M Cache, up to 4.6GHz, 8 cores) and AMD Radeon Vega 7 Graphics, Ergo Lift hinge and backlit keyboard, Number Pad and IR webcam with Windows Hello support this laptop has it all.

  • Brand – ‎ASUS
  • Series – ‎ASUS ZenBook 14
  • Year – 2021
  • Model Number – UM425QA-XH99
  • RAM Type – ‎16 GB DDR4
  • Hard Disk Size – ‎1 TB SSD
  • Display Type – FHD
  • Screen Size – 14 Inches
  • Graphics RAM Type – DDR4 SDRAM
  • CPU Model – AMD
ProsCons
Strong integrated graphics performanceNo audio jack
Light and portableNo fingerprint sensor
Long battery life, and quick USB-C chargingRAM and WLAN not user-upgradeable
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (11)

HP Envy x360

Innovatively engineered to rotate 360 degrees so that you can use your device in four positions. Work in laptop position, watch in reverse position, play in tent position, and go in tablet position. You can use this laptop the way you want.

  • Brand – HP
  • Series – ‎HP
  • Year – 2021
  • Model Number – ‎HP
  • RAM Type – ‎DDR4
  • Hard Disk Size – 256 GB SSD
  • Display Type – FHD
  • Screen Size – 15.6-inch
  • Graphics RAM Type – DDR4 RAM
  • CPU Model – Core i7
ProsCons
Excellent productivity performancePoor performance in Adobe applications
Good keyboardBloatware is annoying
Quiet under most low to medium loads
Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (12)

Ready To Get the Best Laptop for Your Accounting Operations?

Here, we have given you 13 best laptops for accounting professionals who can ease their workloads with good performance and technical features.

If you want a laptop with good battery life, go for – The Dell XPS 15, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9), or Asus ZenBook 14. If you are going for a good display, choose – the Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro or Acer Swift 3, and if you want a top-performing one, then you can choose any, as these are the best laptops available on the market.

The role of a well-performing laptop in the life of a CPA during tax season cannot be overstated. Make this tax season successful by selecting the best option according to your preference. Ensure a successful and efficient tax season with a great laptop.

Move Your Accounting Software To The Cloud With Us Today!

Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Best Laptops for CPAs and Accountants this Tax Season 2024? ›

What kind of computer would a CPA need? CPAs need a laptop that can efficiently run accounting software and handle large, complex spreadsheets. The key specs to look for include: Processor: An Intel Core i5 or i7 processor or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 processor will provide the best performance for accounting tasks.

What kind of computer should a CPA use? ›

What kind of computer would a CPA need? CPAs need a laptop that can efficiently run accounting software and handle large, complex spreadsheets. The key specs to look for include: Processor: An Intel Core i5 or i7 processor or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 processor will provide the best performance for accounting tasks.

How much RAM do I need for accounting? ›

A laptop with a minimum of 8GB of RAM is required to run multiple applications at the same time, which accountants usually do, but if you frequently work with large datasets or run resource-intensive applications, 16GB or more is strongly recommended for optimal performance.

Do you need a laptop for CPA? ›

For CPA PEP examinations, CPA preparatory course examinations and the CFE, all CPA students/candidates will receive CPA-issued laptops at the examination writing centres to write their exams. These laptops will be pre-loaded with the Surpass (SecureClient) software.

Is a desktop or laptop better for accounting? ›

Laptops are preferred if the staff is more mobile. Determine who needs a laptop and which departments. Usually the Finance and Accounting people get a laptop and a desktop since their data is security they can RDP into their Desktops. And they need high performance for their spreadsheets.

What is the best computer for tax preparers? ›

What Are The Best Laptops for Accounting Professionals in 2024?
LaptopCPURating
Dell XPS 15Intel 12th Gen Core i7-12700H5/5
Apple MacBook Air M2Apple M2 chip, 8-core CPU4.8/5
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)Gen 9 Intel Core i7-1165G74.7/5
Lenovo Yoga 7iAMD Ryzen 7 7735U4.5/5
9 more rows
Jan 10, 2024

What technology does a CPA need? ›

Many CPA firms have adopted prevailing technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), big data, business analytics, and robotic process automation (RPA), to enhance their businesses.

What is the best processor for accounting? ›

For Tally and Excel, an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor or higher should suffice. These processors provide good performance for everyday office tasks.

Is a MacBook good for accounting work? ›

A1: The Dell XPS 13 and the MacBook Air are often recommended as the best laptops for accounting work, offering a balance of performance, portability, and reliability.

Is 16GB RAM enough for office work? ›

Generally, we recommend 8GB of RAM for casual computer usage and internet browsing, 16GB for spreadsheets and other office programs, and at least 32GB for gamers and multimedia creators.

Is the CPA Exam open book? ›

All tests are open-book. You have three opportunities to take the exam within one year from date of purchase.

Do I need a CPA if I use Quickbooks? ›

Yes, you do need a bookkeeper even if you have Quickbooks. We understand that you're a small business owner, and you want to save money where you can. But relying on software alone may cost you more in the long run. Accountants and bookkeepers can offer so much more than Quickbooks.

Can a CPA self study? ›

CPA Self-Study provides instant access as soon as you purchase a course and instant grading after you complete an online exam. You will have immediate access to your CPE certificates within your Profile, as soon as you pass an exam for one of your self-study courses.

Do accounting firms use Windows or Mac? ›

Conclusion: The choice between Mac and Windows for accountants ultimately comes down to personal preferences and specific business needs. Windows is the traditional choice for many accountants due to its wide software compatibility and budget-friendly options.

Do accountants like QuickBooks online? ›

We save them time. 94% of accounting professionals agree that QuickBooks Online saves them and their clients time by automating features like recurring transactions and bank feeds. From bookkeeping to strategic advising, accounting pros have the power to be a financial superhero for small businesses.

What computer program do accountants use? ›

QuickBooks. A widely-used accounting software that offers comprehensive features for financial reporting, invoicing, and expense tracking, suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.

What type of hardware does a CPA need? ›

The computer is often where all client records and information are kept. Specialty software aids in the actual accounting process, and helps you store all the data you collect. You also likely need a printer that connects with your computer so you are able to print documents as necessary.

What is PC for CPA? ›

A professional corporation (PC) or professional limited liability company (PLLC) is a C corporation, S corporation, or limited liability company (LLC) organized to provide professional services in industries that require a state license in order to practice.

Do CPAs use QuickBooks? ›

QuickBooks Online Accountant is trusted by over 600,000 accountants worldwide. See why CPAs and chartered accountants choose QuickBooks Online Accountant.

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