Ethical Hackers need to run software like password cracking tools, virtual machines, Kali Linux to identify system vulnerabilities. All these activities need heavy hardware to handle a massive amount of data, multi-tasking capacity, run a virtual machine, and high processing speed. Other features a hacker need is good battery life, a powerful processor, and better resolution. Failing to meet these specifications can easily disrupt the objective of hacking. Following is a handpicked list of Top Hacking Laptop, with their specifications and website links. Read more…
Best Laptops for Ethical Hacking
Best Hacking Laptops for Ethical Hackers
#1) Dell Inspiron 5000 5510 15.6″ FHD
Dell Inspiron is an aesthetically designed laptop that can be easily used by professional hackers to perform routine tasks. It has an 11th generation i5 chip that provides high-level performance. Laptop with 16GB RAM, advanced multitasking, and 1TB SSD provides enough space to store files needed for pentesting. It has 2 GB graphic card that ensures the flawless running of high-end testing tools/software. It has a good quality of keys that enables you to work comfortably. CPU: 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5 Storage: 1TB SSD RAM: 16GB Dell Inspiron computer has an average battery life that runs for 6 hours on continuous usage. This product contains one 2.0 and two 3.0 USB ports. Apart from this specification, this laptop has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which you can connect with external devices. The 15.6″ display of Dell Inspiron contains an anti-glare LED that helps you to work for a long time without any eye stress. Penetration testers can effortlessly configure this laptop according to their cybersecurity requirements.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Dedicated Special Feature: Anti-reflective Operating System: Windows 10 Home Color: Pebble Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 32.1 x 1.8 cm Number of USB Ports: 2 Weight: 3.60 lbs Battery Life: 54 Wh
#2) HP Pavilion Laptop, 15.6″ HD
HP Pavilion 15 is a laptop that provides high performance and has a 15.6-inch full HD touch screen, very useful for professional hackers and cyber security experts. The notebook supports many ports, including 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 2 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x HDMI, etc. Pavilion 15 has an in-built webcam with a dual array with a digital microphone. By default, the laptop comes with Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system. The weight of such a notebook is 6.29 Pounds, therefore it quite easy to carry from one place to another. CPU: AMD Athlon Silver 3050U 2.3GHz Dual-Core Storage: 1TB SSD RAM: 16GB This HP laptop has a backlit keyboard and numeric pad that help you to type comfortably. It has a media drive as a multi-format SD media card reader. The HP notebook comes with 1TB Solid State Drive (SSD) that helps in vulnerability assessment tasks. It also supports Wireless communication standards like Bluetooth and memory type like DDR4 SDRAM. The laptop has Intel UHD Graphics with shared graphics memory. This lightweight machine can be easily used to run a dual OS like Windows and Kali Linux.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: Webcam, Light Weight, Micro-Edge Display, and Thin Operating System: Windows 11 Home Color: Horizon Blue Product Dimensions: 36.02 x 23.39 x 1.78 cm Number of USB Ports: 3 Weight: 6.29 lbs Battery Life: 9.5 Hours
#3) Lenovo – IdeaPad 3i
Lenovo IdeaPad is a good laptop to work on Windows 11 Pro. It is one of the best options to have 15.6″ LED with an anti-glare display. This machine is Intel Core i5 12th Gen processor that enables hackers to work seamlessly without any hassle. When we talk about storage, such a laptop has SSD of 512GB and RAM of 8GB. It is sufficient for storing high-quality images and videos. Furthermore, you do not need an external hard drive. However, if you like to increase internal storage space, you can easily do it later on. CPU: Intel Core i5 U Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 8GB The design of this Lenovo IdeaPad is quite impressive compared to other laptops. Its weight is 5.44 pounds, and hence you can carry anywhere you want. The battery life of Lenovo IdeaPad has 6.5 hours of battery life that enables you to work without interruption. You do not need a GPU for playing high-quality video as this laptop is equipped with AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: Anti Glare Screen, Light Weight, Thin, and Built-in Microphone Operating System: Windows 11 S Color: Platinum Gray Product Dimensions: 36.22 x 25.35 x 1.98 cm Number of USB Ports: 2 Weight: 5.44 pounds Battery Life: 6.5 Hours
#4) ASUS Vivobook 15.6″ FHD Touchscreen
If you are looking for a great value laptop, then going for VivoBook S from ASUS is the right choice. It is one of the best SSD devices featuring an Intel Core i3 processor, 512 GB SSD, 12 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD makes an excellent combination of performance and power. The product allows users to boot your OS, games, and other programs from SSD, while the HDD to store up your movies and infrequently used files. As a result, it offers improved performance at a budget. I like its elegant chrome book style not seen in other devices within its price range. Multimedia users and gamers will find the full HD graphics and 0.3″ NanoEdge bezel appealing and unbelievable at such price. CPU: Intel 11th Gen i3 Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 12GB I like the 178-degree viewing angles, could view crisp color irrespective of the side I was viewing from. The device comes with an agnomical, backlit keyboard, which guides you on your task and meets up with your deadlines. Also, ASUS VivoBook S weighs 3.97 pounds and features a slim, thin 0.7 inches making most systems look old with its aesthetic design. On the con side, the VivoBook S’ display has produced only 68% of the sRGB color spectrum leading to a dull display compared to competitors. However, it is capable of handling anything thrown at it, including editing software, without getting too hot – thanks to its hardware. The well-featured, high-performance, and aesthetic device has become an excellent alternative to individuals who feel MacBooks are too expensive.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: FHD (1920 x 1080) OLED 16:9 aspect ratio Display, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut Operating System: Windows 11 Home Color: Indie Black Product Dimensions: 23.3 x 36 x 1.9 cm Number of USB Ports: 4 Weight: 3.97 pounds
#5) Acer Aspire 5 15.6″ FHD
Acer Aspire 5 is a sturdy and rough laptop capable of baring shocks while traveling. Coming in a variety of variants, you can choose a suitable laptop based on your need. This laptop model has Intel Core i-3 generation processor. Acer Aspire 5 model has SSD 512GB and RAM of 8GB. It has a convenient compartment that enables you to upgrade existing memory and hard drive with ease. CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3 Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 8GB This laptop has a mature and simplistic design. Therefore, professional, ethical hackers like to buy this laptop for performing hacking activities and daily tasks. Apart from system specification, Aspire 5 provides a battery life of 8.5 hours. You can run this laptop for the whole day and complete all your tasks without worrying much about the power outlet. Talking about the display, Acer Aspire 5 has 15.6″ full HD screen with colour blast technology makes it perfect for working a long time without any hassle. The screen provides a more accurate and realistic display. Though the keyboard doesn’t have backlit, you get a good typing experience with 1.5mm deep key travel. There are also various ports like USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.2, and more. It is equipped with the latest 802.11ac wireless technology to enjoy more faster wireless performance.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: Fingerprint Reader, Webcam, Backlit Keyboard, and Thin Operating System: Windows 11 Home Color: Silver Product Dimensions: 36.37 x 25.04 x 1.8 cm Number of USB Ports: 1 Weight: 4.19 Pounds Battery Life: Up to 8.5 Hours
#6) Alienware m15 R7 15.6-inch QHD
Alienware m15 R7 is a laptop for the people seeking a high-performance system for hacking. This machine is built with hardcore hackers in mind. It has a 16GB DDR4 RAM paired with a high-speed Core i7 processor that is ideal for any hacking application. This machine has an SSD of 1 TB storage that can easily fulfill your storage need. It works on dual airflow thermal technology that keeps laptop cool. Alienware is made with high-quality material like magnesium alloy, steel, and copper that provides a lightweight experience. CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 16GB Considering the display, the laptop has the fastest panel with full HD high-speed motion graphics. It comes with 3 USB 3.2 ports. The system has a default operating system Windows 11 Home, but you can easily install your preferred operating system later on. This laptop has a Lithium-ion battery having 4 hours life. It has many other very useful features for performing pen-testing. It can be an ideal machine to attempt network attacks and their mitigation. Alienware m15 enables you to easily migrate from one location to another.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Dedicated Special Feature: NVIDIA RTX Graphics Card, 4-Zone AlienFX RGB keyboard, and Alienware Command Center Operating System: Windows 11 Color: Dark Side of the Moon Product Dimensions: 27.2 x 35.7 x 2.5 cm Number of USB Ports: 3 Weight: 5.93 Pounds Battery Life: 4 Hours
#7) Lenovo Legion 5 17.3″ FHD
Lenovo Legion 5 is easy to use a laptop for performing hacking activities and identify vulnerability in the system. It is a fully-featured machine that enables you to determine possible unauthorized access of the system. FHD 17.3″ size panel of this laptop is good for working a long time without any issue. It includes a 1TB solid-state drive for full power multi-tasking, hacking applications. This machine provides the best performance with a 6.5-hour battery life. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H Storage: 1TB SSD RAM: 16GB Lenovo supports two wireless standards, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, that allow you to connect with other devices securely. It comes with the Windows 11 OS. However, you can be upgraded to Kali Linux, Parrot, DEFT, and more. The laptop has 16 GB RAM and 1TB flash memory to store frequently access hacking-related data and run multiple VMs. It also has an energy-efficient LED backlight. Lenovo offers USB 3.0×3 port and 1 x microphone/ headphone combo jack.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Dedicated Special Feature: Webcam and Backlit Keyboard Operating System: Windows 11 Color: Black Product Dimensions: 28.98 x 39.88 x 2.62 cm Number of USB Ports: 3 Weight: 6.57 pounds Battery Life: 6.5 Hours
#8) Dell XPS 9500 15.6″ FHD
Dell XPS 9500 weights about 5 pounds and is designed not to eat up your desk space, as it is only 9.3″ deep, 0.45″ 0.66″ tall and 14″ wide. Unlike those flaky and traditional swipe-style fingerprints readers, this gadget has the reader integrated into the power button. This is one of the best SSD laptops available ideal for anyone irrespective of your walk of life. The machine sports the 8th generation Intel Core i7-8750H processor operating with a clock speed of 2 GHz. It has a 32GB RAM size, which is more than enough for multitasking and storage of 1TB SSD that can store almost anything. CPU: 10th Gen Intel i7-10750H Storage: 1TB SSD RAM: 32GB I like the radiant silver look, and it has given you a wireless connectivity option. The webcam is poorly positioned below the display rather than above the display. The poor positioning gives a rising view of your nostrils and chin. In my tests, the battery lasts up to 8 hours of intense gaming and 14 hours watching movies with the windows media player in airplane mode. You will love the gorgeous edge-edge screen with an Infinity edge design, 15.6in 4K UHD touchscreen display that is perfect for video editors and photographers. It has an impressive GeForce Gtx 1650Ti dedicated graphics card.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Dedicated Special Feature: Anti-reflective Operating System: Windows 10 Home Color: Silver Product Dimensions: 23 x 34.5 x 1.8 cm Number of USB Ports: 3 Weight: 5 pounds Battery Life: 8 Hours
#9) Apple MacBook Pro M2 chip
MacBooks are popular for delivering impressive futuristic devices, and MacBook Pro is no exception. Just like the older versions, this device features the same aesthetic and minimalistic outlook. However, it would have been nice to have a different futuristic and classy look. MacBook Pro features a thicker bezel around its 13.3″ IPS display compared to some of its competitors and would have been perfect if it could be slimmed down. The MacBook Pro has a 2560 x 1600-pixel panel that offers vivid quality images with a brightness of 500 nits. This laptop is the first to use the Apples True Tone technology feature to adjust color and intensity. CPU: Apple M2 chip, 8-core Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 8GB I like the Touch Bar, but it’s still in its infancy. With time, more applications will become compatible with Touchbar making it indispensable. MacBook Pro 15″ doesn’t weight more than 3 pounds and 11.9″ x 8.36″ x 0.6″ making it slightly lighter and help maximize your desk space better than the majority of its competing notebooks. Its 13-inch variant is designed to offer more portability and less weight, as it only weighs about 3 pounds and 12″ x 8.3″ x 0.6″. Apple has designed to be competitive with windows 11 and other window-based machines and is excellent for workstations and gaming laptops. It has an option for the latest six cores Intel Core i9 processor and a fantastic 4.8 GHz clock-speed ceiling, which makes it one of the best raw computing performances coming from the manufacturer. The battery can easily sustain a full workday without charge. For regular usage like streaming videos, surfing the internet, etc. the battery can serve you for as high as 11 hours, which is exceed most battery life experienced with several premium laptops with an average time of 20 hours. I like the Force Touch Trackpad that has pressure-sensing capabilities and cursor control. Although it is pricey, it is among the very best laptop offering high power and performance right now.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: Portable, Backlit Keyboard and Thin Operating System: Mac OS Color: Starlight Product Dimensions: 34.46 cm Number of USB Ports: 4 Weight: 3 pounds Battery Life: Up to 2 Hours
#10) Microsoft Surface Laptop 4, 13.5″
This super high-end machine has earned the respect of painters and artists and has dropped their tablets for Microsoft Surface Book 3. No doubt, Microsoft has not failed in its design and has produced a laptop offering a futuristic and classy design. If you prioritize versatility, then Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 should be your choice. You can use this device in three different modes – tablet, laptop, and book. It is an appropriate choice for people who prefer the outstanding design and eye-catching SSD laptop over power and performance. However, this doesn’t mean the system lack enough horsepower. The system is available in five varieties, including the pricey variant with 15 inches’ screen and an Intel Core i5 10th generation processor. CPU: 11th Gen Intel i5-1135G7 Storage: 512GB SSD RAM: 8GB The machine sports an improved Surface Pen with low latency, accuracy, tilt, and pressure sensing, making it an excellent stylus in the business. I love the Adaptive Dial rotary accessory, which performs general computing functions such as controlling the volume, zooming, scrolling through web pages, etc. The Adaptive Dial can prove effective on some specific tasks while working on creatives tools like Photo editors. It can adjust opacity, sizes of brush, and other settings. Although its 3.2K IPS display may not be up to par with the popular 4K display, it still offers superb visual quality optimized for better battery life and excellent performance. I think it is a decent tradeoff. The machine may not be able to perform excellently as most of its competitors. Yet, it offers a tremendous performance thanks to its Iris Xe Graphics powered and latest processors. Surface Laptop 4 isn’t touted by Microsoft as a device perfect for content-creation like Surface Studio. However, it comes with the same excellent color profile – enhanced profile and standard RGB – making its colors slightly more vivid. Another remarkable feature is its incredible battery life. The laptop has 70 watts of hours with an impressive overall battery life of 17.5 hours. It eliminates the need to plug in your laptop to a power source constantly. Unlike most convertible notebooks, the product lacks the appealing 360-degree hinge, which makes it easy to flip the display and reattach for tent mode or detach for use as a conventional tablet.
Technical Specifications:
Graphics Card: Integrated Special Feature: Dual Studio Mics, Fast Charging, whisper-quiet cooling Operating System: Windows 11 Home Color: Black Product Dimensions: 30.7 x 22.4 x 1.4 cm Number of USB Ports: 1 Weight: 2.79 pounds Battery Life: Up to 17.5 Hours
FAQs
Choose the right size: Choose the size of your laptop, depending on how portable your need for the machine is to you. Sizes vary from 11 inches, which are the lightest systems to 1 i8 inch, which are famous as a gaming laptops, and I recommend that you pick this size if you don’t intend to move about with your machine often.Pick a Platform: Chrome OS, Mac, and WindowsPick your specs: Choose a laptop whose specifications meet your needs. Specs like the processor, memory size, display, storage drive, graphics, Battery life, and ports are important aspects to consider before purchasing a machine.Price: Plan your budget before you source for a laptop. A budget will assist in choosing a computer that has a better display, high performance, and fast without denting your finances.Choose a good brand: Laptops are as good as their manufacturer. Invest in a model that has quality, durable laptops so you can get value for money and effective customer support.Processor: If you want to run multiple VMs, you need to check the clock speed and power. For data crunching or password cracking, you may choose a multicore processor.
Now, what is the difference between an SSD and HDD? Here are multiple reasons to help understand why SSD is highly demanded today.
SSD stores and retrieve data about five times faster than any Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Programs load faster and enhance the user’s productivity.Hard drives need power from the laptop’s battery to spin its moving parts while saving or retrieving files resulting in shorter battery life. At the same time, SSD’s helps extend battery life.SSD takes about 10 – 12 seconds to boot up, while HDD takes 20 – 30 seconds more.SSD’s lack of moving parts; therefore, it makes no sounds.Durability is another great benefit that comes with the use of SSDs, and any external physical trauma does not lead to data loss or device breakdown.
You might be asking the question, “what will happen to your SSD once the lifetime expires.” Worry not because even as the lifespan of the drive becomes shorter over time, the data on it does not disappear. It becomes a read-only drive. I recommend that you replace the SSD two or three months before the expiration date of the old Drive.
