Looking for a laptop for pen-testing? If you are a professional ethical hacker or even a newbie in this field looking to get the best laptop to run Kali Linux (or other GNU / Linux designed primarily for general computer security and auditing.) And do penetration testing, then I can assure you that you have come to the right place.
As you may already know, you can run Kali Linux by dual boot or using virtualization software like VirtualBox or VMware. Regardless of which method you choose to run Kali, you will need a laptop that is capable of running it without any issues. After reviewing various laptops and speaking with various security experts, I made a final list of the best laptops for Pentesting of 2021. I won’t waste any more time, so let’s get started.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3
HP OMEN
Dell Vostro
Laptop Buying Guide for Kali Linux and Pentesting
I have already talked about laptops for Kali Linux and Pentesting a few times and if you are having a hard time choosing the right laptop then I am going to share some tips that may be helpful in choosing a suitable laptop for you.
There are many aspects to look at on a laptop while finalizing it, but now I am going to cover only 3 main aspects.
- Performance – No matter what purpose you get a laptop for, you shouldn’t pick up a laptop with outdated or old specs. Here are the three things that decide the performance of any laptop.
* Laptop Buying Guide for Kali Linux and Pentesting
I have already talked about laptops for Kali Linux and Pentesting a few times and if you are having a hard time choosing the right laptop then I am going to share some tips that may be helpful in choosing a suitable laptop for you.
There are many aspects to look at on a laptop while finalizing it, but now I am going to cover only 3 main aspects.
- Performance – No matter what purpose you get a laptop for, you shouldn’t pick up a laptop with outdated or old specs. Here are the three things that decide the performance of any laptop.
Processor: For Kali Linux or Pentesting, I would definitely recommend this for a laptop with Intel Core i5 processors. If you are on a higher budget, you can go for the Core i7 processor, but don’t go for the Core i3 processor, even if it costs cheaper. You will face a lot of performance issues while running Kali if you choose Core i3 processors.
RAM memory: a laptop with 8GB of RAM is the minimum I would suggest for this profession. A 16GB machine would be an ideal option in my opinion. That is the reason why I have suggested most 16GB laptops in this post. Don’t go below 8GB unless you are ready to face some issues.
* Graphics card: It is not mandatory to have dedicated graphics to run Kali Linux, an integrated one will do the job. But if you are getting a laptop for a longer period of time, I suggest looking for a dedicated GPU. That is why I have shared all laptops with a dedicated GPU.
Storage: A 256GB SSD laptop would be good enough in my opinion. If you are on a tight budget, a hard drive will do the job. I will always choose an SSD drive over HDD unless I am on a very small budget.
Battery Life – This is a crucial part of any laptop that a lot of people don’t give much thought to before buying a laptop. If a laptop can give you at least 1 hour of battery life while using Kali, then that would be a good option in my opinion. I’ve talked about laptops with good battery life on this list, you should check them out.
Conclusion
Choosing a perfect laptop can be difficult at times because not everyone has time to research them and know all their features, study them and make the decision. That is why I chose the task to do research on your behalf and presented you with these 3 best laptops for Kali Linux and Pentesting in 2020.
We will be happy to hear what you think
: For Kali Linux or Pentesting, I would definitely recommend this for a laptop with Intel Core i5 processors. If you are on a higher budget, you can go for the Core i7 processor, but don’t go for the Core i3 processor, even if it costs cheaper. You will face a lot of performance issues while running Kali if you choose Core i3 processors.
RAM memory: a laptop with 8GB of RAM is the minimum I would suggest for this profession. A 16GB machine would be an ideal option in my opinion. That is the reason why I have suggested most 16GB laptops in this post. Don’t go below 8GB unless you are ready to face some issues.
Graphics card: It is not mandatory to have dedicated graphics to run Kali Linux, an integrated one will do the job. But if you are getting a laptop for a longer period of time, I suggest looking for a dedicated GPU. That is why I have shared all laptops with a dedicated GPU.
Storage: A 256GB SSD laptop would be good enough in my opinion. If you are on a tight budget, a hard drive will do the job. I will always choose an SSD drive over HDD unless I am on a very small budget.
Battery Life – This is a crucial part of any laptop that a lot of people don’t give much thought to before buying a laptop. If a laptop can give you at least 1 hour of battery life while using Kali, then that would be a good option in my opinion. I’ve talked about laptops with good battery life on this list, you should check them out.
Conclusion
Choosing a perfect laptop can be difficult at times because not everyone has time to research them and know all their features, study them and make the decision. That is why I chose the task to do research on your behalf and presented you with these 3 best laptops for Kali Linux and Pentesting in 2020.
We will be happy to hear what you think
