Finding The best laptop for automotive diagnostics is a complicated task unless you have a clear idea of what exactly you are looking for. With tuning being a considerable part of the car culture and an ever-increasing number of cars being launched with advanced computers inside them, it is evident that tuning such cars becomes more manageable with the help of the right automotive diagnostics software.
Being diagnostic in nature, the automotive software requires high-end laptops to handle the heavy workload. Additionally, having a good battery backup is a requirement in this sector. These laptops are often needed to be carried around to check the diagnostic data while being driven around in the diagnosed vehicle.
Hence, we have rounded up some exciting laptops that are efficient and easy to handle while working with automotive diagnostics software.
9 Best Laptop For Automotive Diagnostics : Top Picks List
| Rank | Picture | Name | Shops |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  | Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
|  Price |
| #2 |  | Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55-53E5 Gaming Laptop
| Price |
| #3 |  | ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 15.6
| Price |
| #4 |  | Lenovo Legion 5 15.6
| Price |
| #5 |  | Lenovo Yoga C940
| Price |
| #6 |  | HP Pavilion x360 14
| Price |
| #7 |  | 2021 Apple MacBook Pro
| Price |
| #8 |  | Acer Swift 5 Intel Evo
| Price |
| #9 |  | Huawei MateBook X Pro
| Price |
Best Laptop For Automotive Diagnostics : Buying Guide For 2023
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Specifications:
- Brand: Acer
- Series: A515-54-51DJ
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB
- CPU Model: Core i5
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Special Feature: Fashionable laptop, slim FHD
- Card Description: Integrated
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Acer has some exciting models up its sleeve, and the Aspire series is one of its best-selling ones. Since speed is of the essence in an automotive diagnostics laptop, the Acer Aspire 5 comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 – 8265U processor with 8 GB of DDR4 RAM and 256 GB of PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive. The limited capacity of the SSD proves advantageous for an automotive diagnostics laptop as it need not store a vast amount of data.
On the other hand, since it has an SSD instead of a spinning hard disk, one can save on precious battery backup. Speaking of backup, the Acer Aspire 5 has an impressive claimed battery backup of 9.5 hours. While the real-life battery mileage may vary, a more extended claimed backup also translates to a longer real-life backup.
Additionally, you can also use the laptop in the dark due to the backlit keyboard. Coming to the keyboard, the laptop also has a dedicated number pad which is something you require since you would constantly be entering numbers into the system.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Fingerprint Security
- Dedicated Number Pad
Cons
- No dedicated graphic card
- Average display
Final Verdict
- Acer Aspire 5The Acer Aspire 5 might not be the best option if you are looking for a laptop to run automotive diagnostics software. However, it is a budget-friendly option and has a fantastic battery backup time. Being a cost-effective build from Acer, the laptop has all the basic requirements but fails to provide anything more.
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55-53E5 Gaming Laptop
Specifications:
- Brand: Acer
- Series: AN515-55-53E5
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Black
- Hard Disk Size: 256 GB
- CPU Model: Core i5
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
- Card Description: Dedicated
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
Acer Nitro 5
The Acer Nitro 5 that we have here is a serious laptop for serious work. If you are an automotive tuner and require something that looks cool while working on it with an equally appealing hardware specification to boot, this laptop is for you.
With a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – 10300H CPU, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 for GPU and a 256 GB NVMe SSD for storage, you can be sure that the laptop is equipped to the brim considering its usage for an automotive diagnostics laptop.
Being a gaming laptop, it even has thin bezels around the impressive 144Hz IPS FHD display. The laptop also has a quad exhaust setup to dissipate heat quickly to ensure no thermal throttling despite heavy extended period usage.
Pros
- Higher refresh rate display
- Heavy-duty GPU
- Gamer chassis
Cons
- Gamer Aesthetics
- Limited storage
Final Verdict
- Acer Nitro 5The Acer Nitro 5 is a good choice as an automotive diagnostics machine since it has the hardware required to run heavy games, which automatically translates to good overall performance. Additionally, the higher refresh rate display and the powerful GPU help run the latest diagnostics software with no issues.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 15.6
Specifications:
- Brand: ASUS
- Series: ZenBook Pro Duo
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Black
- Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
- CPU Model: Core i7
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 16 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
- Card Description: Dedicated
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
ASUS ZenBook Pro
The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 is an advanced laptop with an innovative dual-screen setup named ‘ScreenPad Plus’ by Asus. This laptop would help you stand out from the crowd with the second screen’s creative use that allows you to multitask between the several different charts and spreadsheets that you would have to go through for undertaking diagnostics of automobiles.
The unique feature of this laptop is the ‘ScreenPad Plus’ LCD, an additional 14″ screen that enables the laptop to display software on the secondary screen or use it as an auxiliary touch screen for the software displayed on the main screen.
Asus also has made creative use of the remaining space by moving the touchpad to the extreme right side of the laptop. It can even be turned into a virtual number pad with the click of a button. The laptop can also undertake any automotive diagnostics-related tasks effortlessly since it comes with a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 – 9750 processor coupled with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 for visualizing the various simulations related to the automobiles.
Pros
- Innovative ‘ScreenPad Plus’
- Touchscreen laptop
- Good graphics performance
Cons
- Poor speaker quality
- No actual number pad
Final Verdict
- Asus ZenBook ProThe Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 is for a particular automotive mechanics class using visual charts and graphs to understand the different tuning setups on the same car. It is not for everyone as most automotive diagnostics software doesn’t require the extreme specifications provided by this laptop.
Lenovo Legion 5 15.6
Specifications:
- Brand: Lenovo
- Series: 81Y6003YUS
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Color: Moss Green
- Hard Disk Size: 1512 GB
- CPU Model: Core i7 Family
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 16 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10
- Card Description: Dedicated
Lenovo Legion 5
The Lenovo Legion 5 is a gaming laptop primarily, and as such, it performs exceptionally well under heavy workloads. The laptop also comes with a robust chassis meant to dissipate heat from the laptop while undertaking tasks that require heavy processing, such as new video games with excellent graphics.
All of the factors mentioned above also help the laptop to be used for automotive diagnostics duties. Additionally, the laptop also has the hardware specifications to match the looks. It comes with a potent 10th Gen Intel Core i7 – 10750H CPU combined with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a dedicated GPU in Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti.
Lenovo has generously provided a 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD with a high speed 1 TB hard disk running at 7200 RPM. These factors result in a high-speed machine that can even undertake modern simulations to find the minutest margin for increasing the efficiency of your tuning setup.
Pros
- Gaming chassis
- Dual storage
- Excellent performance
Cons
- Average battery backup
- Heavy system
Final Verdict
- Lenovo Legion 5The Lenovo Legion 5 is a gaming laptop, and hence, it has the same advantages and disadvantages as a gaming laptop. It performs exceptionally well due to the gaming laptop specifications, and it has excellent thermals due to the gaming laptop chassis. On the other hand, it has an average battery backup, and the system is heavy due to the same reason.
Lenovo Yoga C940
Specifications:
- Brand: Lenovo
- Series: Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Gray
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- CPU Model: Core i7
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 12 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Graphics Coprocessor: Intel Iris Plus
- CPU Speed: 1.3 GHz
Lenovo Yoga
The Lenovo Yoga series was built to be used in a non-traditional manner from a legacy laptop. The Lenovo Yoga C940 that we have here is a non-traditional laptop that is perfect for being used as a portable automotive diagnostics machine.
For added portability, the laptop is thin and extremely light. Additionally, it is also a touch screen, and the screen can be flipped a full 360 degrees to be used as a tablet. For use as a tablet, it is also equipped with a touchscreen. The laptop also comes with a fingerprint scanner for added security.
All these factors and the exceptional performance of the Lenovo Yoga C940 help it be an exceptional choice as an automotive diagnostics laptop. The 14″ FHD touchscreen display, combined with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 – 1065G7 CPU, 12GB LPDDR4 RAM and 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD, makes it a good performer in this domain.
Pros
- Touchscreen
- Ultra-thin and lightweight
- Fingerprint security
Cons
- Limited storage
- Lack of a dedicated GPU
Final Verdict
- Lenovo Yoga C940The Lenovo Yoga C940 is an excellent overall performer. It is highly portable, can be used as a touchscreen tablet, and has the necessary specifications to run any automotive diagnostics application. The only disadvantage is the lack of a dedicated graphic card, as it would have helped run simulations of different tuning setups.
HP Pavilion x360 14
Specifications:
- Brand: HP
- Series: HP Pavilion x360 14 Laptop
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Natural Silver
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- CPU Model: Core i5
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Card Description: Integrated
- CPU Speed: 3.6 GHz
HP Pavilion x360
The HP Pavilion x360 is a laptop meant for ‘doers’ like the automotive mechanic. This convertible 2-in-1 laptop offers excellent portability, thanks to its ultra-thin construction and lightweight design.
The 14” FHD touchscreen and the 306-degree hinge ensure that the laptop can be used in any four modes: laptop, tablet, stand, and tent. The keyboard is also backlit for enhanced accessibility even in the darkest environment.
Additionally, the laptop comes fully loaded with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – 1035G1 CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and onboard graphics to ensure a lag-free performance even when using demoing automotive tuner applications. The laptop also boasts an impressive 9.25 hours of battery backup and 0% to 50% charging time of 45 minutes with HP’s proprietary fast-charge technology.
Pros
- Highly Versatile
- Touchscreen
- Highly Portable
Cons
- No dedicated GPU
- Limited storage capacity
Final Verdict
- HP Pavilion x360The HP Pavilion x360 is a great laptop if you wish to have the versatility of a tablet and the robustness provided by a laptop. The 14” screen size is also ideal for portability, and the lack of a dedicated graphic card is the reason for it having such good battery backup.
2021 Apple MacBook Pro
Specifications:
- Brand: Apple
- Model Name: MacBook Pro
- Screen Size: 14.2 Inches
- Color: Space Gray
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- CPU Model: Others
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 16 GB
- Operating System: Mac OS
- Graphics Card Description: Integrated
- Graphics Coprocessor: M1 Pro
2021 Apple MacBook Pro
The 2021 Apple MacBook Pro is a laptop best suited for automotive diagnostics since it is ultra-slim and hence, highly portable, has a good battery life and is a powerful machine.
The 14” laptop comes with the advanced Apple M1 chip that utilizes machine learning for peak performance. The chipset comprises an 8-core CPU and a 14-core GPU coupled with 16 GB of memory for blazing-fast performance.
While the laptop can be customised for additional storage, the one that we have here comes with 512 GB of SSD storage. Apple is also claiming up to 21 hours of battery backup with the MacBook Pro, which might seem a bit over the top. However, it also translates to excellent battery backup even if real-world usage might result in a lower figure.
Pros
- Excellent battery backup
- Extreme performance
- XDR Retina display
Cons
- Limited ports variety
- Limited storage space
Final Verdict
- Apple MacBook ProThe Apple MacBook Pro is an excellent laptop for running automotive diagnostics software. If it had a touchscreen, it would have been better for the job. If you are okay with adapting to the Apple ecosystem, go for the MacBook Pro, as it ticks all the right boxes for an automotive diagnostics system.
Acer Swift 5 Intel Evo
Specifications:
- Brand: Acer
- Series: SF514-55TA-74EC
- Screen Size: 14 Inches
- Color: Mist Green
- Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
- CPU Model: Core i7
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 16 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Special Feature: Multi-touch Gesture
- Card Description: Integrated
Acer Swift 5
The Acer Swift 5 is an Intel Evo certified system that helps it be a perfect combination of features and performance. In fact, most of the laptop’s advantages are evident with the Intel Evo certification ensuring multiple parameters such as remarkable responsiveness, fast charging, long battery life, premium design, and good sound quality.
All these factors result in a laptop that is a good performer and thin and light, and efficient in completing its tasks. Speaking of performance, the Acer Swift 5 comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 – 1165G7 CPU with an integrated Intel iRIS Xe GPU, 16 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 1 TB NVM SSD; these specifications help it be extremely fast, especially when it comes to automotive diagnostics software.
The laptop also has a claimed battery backup of 15 hours and comes with a fingerprint reader for extra security.
Pros
- Intel Evo certified laptop
- 90% screen to body ratio
- Excellent battery backup
Cons
- No dedicated GPU
- RAM is not upgradable
Final Verdict
- Acer SwiftThe Acer Swift stays true to the ‘swift’ brand name, with Intel themselves certifying it as an ‘Evo’ laptop. It ensures that the machine is fast and makes efficient use of its hardware to be highly portable. It is an ultra-slim and lightweight laptop that can effortlessly help you undertake automotive diagnostics-related tasks.
Huawei MateBook X Pro
Specifications:
- Brand: HUAWEI
- Series: Huawei Matebook X
- Screen Size: 13.9 Inches
- Color: Space Gray
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: Windows 10 Home
- Card Description: Dedicated
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce MX150
- CPU Speed: 1.8 GHz
Huawei MateBook X Pro
The Huawei MateBook X Pro is the world’s first ‘FullView’ touch display with an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 91%. The laptop invokes a bit of ‘MacBook’ design elements by being the same colour as their ‘space grey’ laptops.
However, unlike the Apple MacBook, this is a Windows laptop, and the one we have here is the Signature Edition that comes with Windows 10 Home Signature Edition with no bloatware. The performance of the laptop is also excellent with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 – 8550U, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD and a dedicated GPU from Nvidia in the form of Nvidia GeForce MX150, that is adequate for undertaking the daily tasks related to automotive diagnostics.
Other unique features of this laptop include a pop-up webcam for extra privacy, a USB C port that supports Thunderbolt 3, a fingerprint reader for extra security and the overall thin and lightweight design.
Pros
- Premium design
- 3K LTPS display
- 91% screen-to-body ratio
Cons
- Bad webcam
- High fan noise
Final Verdict
- Huawei MateBook X ProThe Huawei MateBook X Pro Signature Edition is an outstanding laptop for running automotive diagnostics software since it has good performance specifications. Additionally, the larger screen within the smaller form factor helps maintain its portability while having a larger screen than other laptops of the same physical size.
Conclusion
Automotive diagnostics is not easy to undertake, and having a powerful laptop can hugely help complete jobs on time and be successful in the business. As a result, picking up the right laptop is essential, and we hope that this article has helped you pick the right one for your automotive diagnostics-related requirements.
All the laptops provided in this article perform more or less the same concerning automotive diagnostics software, and hence, you can check out their pros and cons and finalize the one that suits your needs after checking out our ‘final verdict’ on each laptop.
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Now I would like to hear from you.
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/Technicians?
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