This is a list of best laptops for radiologists and radiology residents will help you to make the right choice and the buying guide will help you to make your purchase.
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Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for Radiologists or Radiology Residents
For radiologists or radiology residents, the basic requirement in a laptop to perform the basic jobs would be any entry-level processor or an Intel Core i3 processor with a fairly decent base clock speed.
It is okay to have at least 4 GB of RAM and either an eMMC storage of 32 or 64 GB or an SSD storage of 128 GB, a 12-inch screen with a decent resolution, and a powerful integrated Intel UHD graphics chip.
However, the system may slow down when you put it to heavy use if it comes with the minimum set of hardware components.
If you want your system to handle complex jobs as effectively as the basics and also want to make it future-ready, here is the recommended list of hardware configurations that you should look for while shopping for your laptop.
Minimum System Requirements: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 | 8GB DDR4 SDRAM | 256GB SSD | Intel HD Graphics | 13.3 inches screen | 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution.
Recommended System Requirements: 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U or better processor | 16GB DDR4 SDRAM or more | 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD or more storage | Intel Iris Xe Graphics or better GPU | 15.6 inches screen or bigger | 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution or higher resolution.
The 5 Best Laptops for Radiologists & Radiology Residents:
1. Lenovo ThinkPad E580 – Best Overall
Bottom Line: The Intel Core i7 processor of the 8th generation that has enough power to handle all the computing needs of the radiologists or radiology residents makes this the best overall system in this list in terms of performance. With a base and boost clock speed of 1.8 and 4 GHz, it provides faster results.
Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage: 512 GB SATA SSD
- RAM: 16 GB DDR SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i7 8550U
- OS: Windows 10 Professional
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620
Pros
- The keyboard is full-size and comes with a separate numeric keypad.
- There is a fingerprint reader to allow safer and faster access.
- The screen comes with anti-glare properties.
Cons
- The battery life could have been more.
- There is no Thunderbolt 3 port.
- The touchpad is small and needs some improvement.
The 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor of Lenovo ThinkPad E580 with its four cores and an operational speed ranging from 1.8 GHz and up to 4.0 GHz makes the best use of the 8 MB cache to provide adequate power to the RAM, SATA SSD, the Windows 10 Pro operating system and the integrated Intel UHD graphics card.
The full HD display comes with a matte finish and anti-glare property which makes the images softer to the eyes.
The system comes with one RJ 45 port that supports 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 4.1 technology and 802.11ac wi-fi connectivity.
The 720p HD webcam built in the system, the standard notebook keyboard with a distinct number pad, the fingerprint reader, and the d-TPM 2.0 feature makes this device useful for radiologists or radiology residents, professionals and students alike.
There is also one USB 2.0 Type A port, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A ports, one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C port, one HDMI 1.4 port and one 3.5 mm headphone/microphone combo jack that provides a lot of connectivity options.
2. Dell XPS 9380 – Runner Up
Bottom Line: With a screen just a couple of inches smaller, though a 4K UHD touchscreen, and with all other specs remaining just the same as the laptop mentioned above, this runner up device of the list will provide equally fast and accurate data processing results to the radiologists or radiology residents.
Key Features
- Screen: 13.3 inches
- Storage: 512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive
- RAM: 16 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i7 8565U
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
Pros
- The laptop comes with a touch, IPS, 4K UHD display with thin bezel all around.
- The performance and location of the innovative HD webcam is good.
- There is a fingerprint reader for ensuring safe and fast access.
Cons
- There is no 10-key numeric keypad on the keyboard.
- The battery life could be better.
- There is no HDMI or USB Type A port.
This thin and small laptop comes with a stunning display. It is a 4K screen with Ultra HD resolution.
Dell XPS 9380 has Infinity Edge design to provide more viewing and working area on the touch screen to the radiologists or radiology residents.
The images look beautiful from any angle due to the anti-reflective screen. It displays superior images with vivid colors and brightness of 400 nits.
The more cores of the Intel i7 processor belonging to the 8th generation promises enhanced performance. This processor with its 8 MB cache can operate at a high speed of up to 4.60 GHz.
The webcam of this laptop is most innovative and small enough to fit in well on the top narrow border of the screen.
The perfect location of this miniaturized HD webcam enhances its performance by taking and delivering clear and gorgeous pictures.
You need not worry about the durability of the device since it is built from a single block of aluminum instead of using several pieces joined together.
The palm rest is also light in weight but comes with maximum strength, thanks to the use of carbon and woven glass fiber, inspired by the aerospace design.
The device is further fortified by the Corning Gorilla Glass 4 which is tough and damage resistant itself.
The RAM and M.2 PCIe NVMe Class 40 Solid State Drive adds to the performance of the machine. The Intel UHD graphics chip, though integrated, is good at producing images quickly with better color reproduction.
The Windows 10 Home operating system makes working on this computer even more comfortable and easier for the radiologists or radiology residents.
There are lots of external I/O ports in the device that allows you to connect a lot of peripherals and accessories.
It includes one micro SD card reader, one USB 3.1 Type C port for power delivery and DisplayPort, and one headset jack.
The best part of the design is that the system comes with two Thunderbolt 3 ports with power delivery and DisplayPort.
There is also a wedge-shaped lock slot that ensures security and a battery gauge indicator that notifies when you need to plug in the system for recharging.
3. Acer Aspire 5 Laptop – Value for Money
Bottom Line: With its great specs and affordable price, this laptop adds a great value. The radiologists & radiology residents will be pleased with its good processing speed.
Key Features:
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
- RAM: 8GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
- OS: Windows 11
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Pros
- The updated processor brings smooth and balanced performance
- Wi-Fi 6 interface
- Updated OS
Cons
- Very short storage capacity
- Poor battery life
- Limited USB ports
The Acer Aspire 5 laptop comes with a powerful 11th-generation Intel Core i5-113507 processor and is an excellent option for radiologists and radiology residents.
This means that it can handle multiple applications and high-resolution images with ease, making it perfect to handle any software related to radiology.
In addition, the laptop boasts a 15.6-inch full HD display with an IPS panel that provides excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles.
The laptop is equipped with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD, ensuring quick and efficient access to data and software.
It also features a built-in fingerprint reader, providing a secure and easy way to log in to the laptop and access patient data.
4. HP Spectre x360 – Superb Speed and Networking
Bottom Line: When the radiologists or radiology residents use this laptop, they can expect superb speed and networking as well as a better performance from it. The fast PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage will allow fast data access and the dual band wi-fi with MU-MIMO support will ensure a faster data transfer.
Key Features
- Screen: 13.3 inches
- Storage: 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- RAM: 16 GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Quad Core i7 8565U
- OS: Windows 10 Home 64 bit
- GPU: Integrated Intel HD Graphics
Pros
- This 2-in-1 laptop comes with a touchscreen.
- The audio performance is good with quad Bang & Olufsen speakers.
- This system has a fingerprint reader and Windows hello with facial recognition.
Cons
- The keyboard does not come with a discrete number keypad.
- The cooling solution needs to be better.
- There is no CD/DVD drive included in the design.
HP Spectre x360 will offer the radiologists or radiology residents more than what they pay for it.
The 8th generation Intel i7 quad core processor comes with 8 MB cache and can run at a base speed of 1.8 GHz and up to 4 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost technology. The four-way processing enhances the efficiency of the processor.
The Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system as well as the quad Bang & Olufsen speakers offer an unmatched performance.
The speakers come with HP Audio Boost technology and are custom tuned to produce a more immersive audio experience.
You will have better networking features of 802.11b/g/n/ac compatible wi-fi and Bluetooth 5 technology with MU-MIMO support.
The system will also allow fast data access due to the PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD and the DDR3 SDRAM allows seamless multitasking.
The HD display is impressive and comes with touch support allowing hands-on control.
The IPS technology of this panel provides a wide viewing angle and the micro-edge design offers larger real estate to work directly on the screen.
This WLED-backlit screen is very energy efficient as well.
The USB Type C port, Thunderbolt port, and the SD card reader slot along with a good keyboard with fingerprint reader makes this device useful for radiologists and radiology residents.
5. Google Pixelbook Go – Lightweight and Long Battery Life
Bottom Line: The radiologists or radiology residents who want to use a lightweight laptop can use this Chromebook that comes with a pretty long battery life as well which adds to its portability factor. It weighs as little as 2.5 pounds and the lithium polymer fast charging battery lasts up to 12 hours.
Key Features
- Screen: 13.3 inches
- Storage: 256 GB
- RAM: 16 GB
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i7
- OS: Chrome OS
- GPU: Integrated
Pros
- The system is light in weight and fast.
- The battery life is pretty long.
- The backlit keyboard comes with hush keys for comfortable typing.
Cons
- The graphics card is integrated.
- The keyboard does not have a distinct numeric keypad.
- There is no optical drive in the system.
Aptly named, this device will keep you on the go. You will not need to stay plugged to an outlet as the battery life of this device is 12-hour long.
Google Pixelbook Go also comes with a fast charging ability to regain 2 hours of charge in just 20 minutes.
The device is light in weight making it easy to carry and use anywhere by the radiologists or radiology residents.
It also comes with a Titan C security chip that will protect all your data and the built-in antivirus software along with the latest security features will make using the Chrome operating system more productive.
The device boots up in seconds and stays fast all through and the 8th generation Intel Core processor is powerful, quick and responsive enough to support the RAM and storage of the system.
The backlit keyboard comes with hush keys making it comfortable and quiet. The large and spacious touchpad is also very sensitive to touch allowing smoother navigation.
The excellent HD touchscreen provides an amazing viewing experience and the dual stereo speakers offer a better audio experience.
How to Choose Best Laptops for Radiologists and Radiology Residents?
There is no hard and fast rule that you should choose only the models of laptops mentioned above.
There are also several other laptop models that are good enough for the radiologists and radiology residents and students to use.
However, if you want to take that route, make sure you look for these specs in them to make the right choice.
Keeping this buying guide handy will ensure that you do not miss out on any of the crucial aspects.
Operating system
The choice of the operating system on the laptop for radiologists and radiology residents will typically depend on the specific type of software to be used.
In most of the cases, you will be using specific software programs like Citrix, or its likes, to connect to the available database.
In such situations, you will be better off if you choose a Mac or a Windows laptop. Both these operating systems and devices will allow running the software seamlessly.
However, if you are personally in favor of buying a Windows laptop, then be informed that you can install Windows operating system on a Mac PC but the converse is not possible. Therefore, choose wisely and according to your needs.
Display
Probably, one of the most important components of a laptop for a radiologist or a radiology resident is the display.
You will need a good quality display to study the exam reports, scans and other vital medical information.
You simply cannot get away with an average display for that matter as that will affect your professional work and advice.
Ideally, you should go for a display size of at least 15.6 inches. This is a pretty good display size that will not only allow you to take a closer look at the scans but will also provide you with a greater screen real estate to work with.
However, remember that, larger the screen size, more will be the weight of the laptop. Which will, in turn, affect its portability.
The resolution of the screen is also quite an important factor to consider. You should not settle for anything less than a full HD resolution ideally, but you will be better off if you go for or can afford a UHD or a 4K resolution.
The display of the laptop must also have a better aspect ratio and a higher contrast ratio, along with proper brightness, measured in nits.
This will help you to differentiate clearly between brighter whites and deeper blacks due to the better greyscale performance of the display.
It is also crucial to have an IPS panel because it will ensure excellent colors and a wider viewing angle.
A wider viewing angle is very important for radiologists because they will need to share the screen to explain the scans to the patients.
If possible, you may go for a touchscreen as that will help in better navigation.
Processor
The type of the processor to have in a laptop for radiologists and radiology residents is also a critical factor to consider while shopping.
To ensure that the processor has a good performance speed, as a radiologist, you should avoid an Intel Core i3 processor or an AMD equivalent, or any other entry-level processors.
Ideally, as a minimum requirement for your laptop, you should go for an Intel Core i5 processor with at least two cores.
You may also go for an Intel Core i7 processor or any equivalent AMD processor that has enough power to support running the software meant for radiology.
The processor on your laptop must also come with a decent enough base clocking frequency and also should be able to operate at a higher clock speed using the Turbo Boost technology as and when required.
Memory
Especially for a radiology student, a minimum of 8 GB of RAM is required in their laptops.
On the other hand, if you are a professional radiologist, then you will be needing a higher amount of RAM in your laptop, preferably 16 GB.
This will ensure that you carry out your daily operations and computing tasks without encountering any glitches or disturbances whatsoever.
As a student, you may also go for a system with 16 GB of RAM even though it may seem to be an overkill.
It will ideally give you the peace of mind as well as the support that you need to complete complex computing tasks down the road in your course of study.
A few of these tasks include rendering, reconstructing, looking at several scans of different patients, and other radiology activities.
However, your budget will play a significant role in this matter.
Storage
When it comes to storage in a laptop for radiologists and radiology residents, it is the type of storage you choose that matters more than the amount of it.
A 256 GB of storage is good enough for a radiology student, but a professional radiologist may need some more storage space than that, may be 512 GB, if not more.
As for the type of storage, whether you are a radiology student, resident, or an established pro in this field, you should normally not go for the traditional hard disk drives.
The HDDs are mechanical and have spinning disks inside it. Therefore, these are way too slow as compared to the SSDs when it comes to dealing with modern operations.
Always go for an SSD or solid-state drive, though these are expensive, as these can operate faster.
It will also be less prone to failures and damages, and will be quiet during operating. It will also not generate more heat during the process.
If you have an SSD in your laptop, it will boot the operating system in a couple of seconds and also be fast in opening and closing the applications.
Most of the laptops today come with an SSD storage and therefore it will not be difficult for you to find one.
There are also a few that come with low SSD storage and cloud storage support or with a combination of low SSD and a very high HDD.
Both these types of laptops are good to go for, if you can afford, keeping the growing number of files to store down the road in mind.
However, unless it is extremely necessary or you have an abundant supply of money, do not go for those laptops that come with 1 TB of SSD storage right at this moment.
Graphics card
As for the graphics card or GPU, it is essential for a radiologist to have a laptop that is equipped with a dedicated graphics card.
This is because you will need to run a lot of software to handle scans which will need quite a fair amount of rendering to deliver accurate and detailed images.
If you have an integrated graphics card, it will not make things look natural and will also be very slow in rendering.
With a dedicated graphics card, you will need much less time for it and also get an assurance of getting the best results.
However, you do not need to go for any of those high-end dedicated graphics cards.
A mid-range graphics card belonging to Nvidia or AMD, or at the most an upper mid-range graphics card will be more than enough to meet all your needs in most of the cases.
Keyboard and trackpad
A good keyboard is a compulsory requirement in a laptop for radiologists and radiology residents.
It will provide a good typing experience and not cause any pain in the fingers even if you type on it for a long time.
Therefore, make sure that the keyboard comes with a good layout, adequate spacing between the keys to allow typing fast even with larger hands, a decent key travel, and a pleasing tactile feedback.
A full-size keyboard with a dedicated 10-key number pad will surely prove to be handy.
It will also be very helpful if the keyboard on your laptop comes with backlighting.
This will allow you to work in dimly lit settings, a common scene seen in the radiology rooms.
You must also have a Windows precision trackpad on your laptop to get full support for gestures.
If you select a MacBook, then you can rest assured that the trackpad will be pretty good.
Battery life
Having a very long battery life is not essential on a laptop for radiologists.
This is because, as a radiologist, you will be confined to a specific room most of the time doing your work silently.
There will be enough free power outlets available all the time. You can charge your laptop whenever it is required.
However, having a long battery life will surely help the students of radiology a lot if they are on the move most of the time.
This will allow them to do their work all day on a single charge in their college where free charging outlets are hard to find. However, 6 to 8 hours of battery life is good for both.
Same applies for portability. A laptop for a radiology student should be more portable, weighing between 3 to 5 pounds, than that required by a radiologist who will be working in his or her dedicated room.
Questions & Answers:
Can a laptop help the radiologists make changes in information flow?
Yes, it can, because the radiologists will be able to access more clinical data and information than that available on the requisition.
This will change the flow of information and data in and out of the workstation and also alter the referral patterns. In short, it will modify the tasks and the thought process.
How do laptops for radiology residents help in establishing clearer communication?
A laptop will allow using a few integrated tools to establish a clearer communication with the radiologists and the referring physicians.
This is crucial for warranting quality care. These tools will help in keeping a proper track of the receipt of a report and the necessary follow-up actions taken.
Is it required to have a great interface in laptops for radiologists?
Yes, it is, because a great interface will make the workstation more intuitive. However, there is a significant difference between a good and a great user interface. The primary metric is to understand the thought process.
Apart from easy navigation, there must be a synergy between the mental model of the user and the screen flow.
How can the laptops for radiologists simplify the workflow?
The laptop will let you use different shortcuts than the keyboard and mouse. This will not break your concentration having to remove your eyes from the images.
Using shuttle Pro control devices, a five-button mouse, headset mic, and voice commands are some of the best ways for hardware and software controls, the paragon of an idyllic user interface.
Will the Graphical User Interface in laptops for radiologists be of any help?
Yes, it will be. With the use of intelligent software, a graphical user interface will help in developing a personality based on the user.
It will display only those tools that are specific to an exam type and the specialty of the physician. It will help in removing clutter from the screen offering more convenience and relevance.
How can you use the laptops for radiologists to sift through the EMR in the best possible way?
When you need to sift through the EMR, you should filter the data. It is important to increase productivity as the image datasets will be large and PACS is now integrated with the EMR.
You must also use advanced visualization software with 3D and 4D capabilities for imaging studies and routine interpretation.