BEST Laptop for Hacking in 2020

December 11, 2020

BEST Laptop for Hacking in 2020

Dear Readers,

AsalaamuAlykum...

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, 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.

Top Pick

Dell Inspiron

SSD 512GB

Dell Inspiron is an aesthetically designed laptopCheck Amazon

1st Runner

HP Pavilion 15

SSD 512GB

HP Pavilion 15 is a laptop that provides high performanceCheck Amazon

2nd Runner

Alienware m15

SSD 1TB

Alienware m15 is a laptop for the people seekingCheck Amazon

Best Hacking Laptops: Top Picks

Processor	RAM	Storage	Screen Size
i7 10th Gen	8GB	SSD 512GB	15.6"	Check Price
CPU i5 10th Gen	12GB	SSD 512GB	15.6"	Check Price
8th Gen-Core i7-8750H	8GB	SSD 256GB	14"	Check Price
Intel Core i7-8550U	8GB	SSD 256GB	15.6"	Check Price
CPU i5 7th Gen	8GB	SSD 256GB	15.6"	Check Price
CPU i7 10th Gen	16GB	SSD 1TB	15.6"	Check Price
i7 9th Gen	16GB	SSD 256GB	15.6"	Check Price
8th Gen-Core i7-8750H	8GB	SSD 256GB	15.6"	Check Price
2.3GHz Intel Core i9	16GB	SSD 512GB	15"	Check Price
Intel Celeron N3060	4GB	1TB	15"	Check Price

1) Dell Inspiron

Dell Inspiron is an aesthetically designed laptop that can be easily used by professional hackers to perform routine tasks. It has a 10th generation i7 chip that provides high-level performance.

Laptop with 8GB RAM, advanced multitasking, and 512GB SSD provides enough space to store files needed for pentesting. It has 4 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.

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.

Pros

Easy to use and setup.
Fast charging of battery.
Quickly loads the apps.
Good quality stainless steel exterior design.

Cons

Frequent crashes.
Poor customer service.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

2) HP Pavilion 15

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 4.08 Pounds, therefore it quite easy to carry from one place to another.

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 512GB 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.

Pros

Fast and easy to use.
Fairly light weight.
Good touch screen quality.
Keyboard including a number pad.
Long-lasting battery life.

Cons

Frequent crashes.
Shut down automatically and restart after a long time.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

3) Lenovo IdeaPad

Lenovo IdeaPad is a good laptop to work on Kali Linux. It is one of the best options to have 14.0" LED with an anti-glare display. This machine is AMD Ryzen 5 3500U processor that enables hackers to work seamlessly without any hassle.

When we talk about storage, such a laptop has SSD of 256GB 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.

The design of this Lenovo IdeaPad is quite impressive compared to other laptops. Its weight is 3.3 pounds, and hence you can carry anywhere you want.

The battery life of Lenovo IdeaPad has 7 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.

Pros

Value of money.
Easy to use.
Provides a high level of performance.
Lightweight material.

Cons

Dim display.
Slow booting process.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

4) ASUS VivoBook S

Specs: Screen Size 15.6" | SSD 256GB + 1TB HD | RAM 16GB | CPU Intel Core i7 | Weight 3.97 pounds

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 i7 processor, 1 TB HDD, 16 GB RAM, and 256 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.

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.

Pros

Lightweight
Aesthetic design and durable
Smooth performance
Good sound speakers
Well-constructed keyboard
Responsive Precision Touchpad

Cons

No SD card reader
Below-average battery life
Dull Display

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

5) Acer Aspire E 15

Acer Aspire E 15 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-5 generation processor.

Acer Aspire E 15 model has SSD 256GB and RAM of 8GB. It has a convenient compartment that enables you to upgrade existing memory and hard drive with ease.

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, E 15 provides a battery life of 12 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 E 15 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, 3.1, and more. It is equipped with the latest 802.11ac wireless technology to enjoy more faster wireless performance.

Pros

Good laptop for the price.
Expandable Ram and SSD.
Great battery life.
Provides powerful performance.

Cons

Hinge can be broken easily.
SSD suffers slow write speed.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

6) Alienware m15

Alienware m15 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 fulfil 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.

Considering the display, the laptop has the fastest panel with full HD high-speed motion graphics. It comes with 3 USB 3.0 ports. The system has a default operating system Windows 10 Home, but you can easily install your preferred operating system later on.

This laptop has a Lithium-ion battery having 6 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.

Pros

Highly responsive keyboard.
The laptop speed is fast.
Provides good quality full HD graphics.
Components are easy to upgrade.

Cons

Heating issues.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

7) Lenovo Legion Y545

Lenovo Legion Y545 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 15.6" size panel of this laptop is good for working a long time without any issue. It includes a 256GB solid-state drive for full power multi-tasking, hacking applications. This machine provides the best performance with a 4-hour battery life.

Lenovo supports two wireless standards, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, that allow you to connect with other devices securely. It comes with the Windows 10 OS. However, you can be upgraded to Kali Linux, Parrot, DEFT, and more.

The laptop has 16 GB RAM and 256GB flash memory to store frequently access hacking-related data and run multiple VMs. It also has an energy-efficient LED backlight. Lenovo offers USB 3.0x3 port and 1 x microphone/ headphone combo jack.

Pros

Easy to travel.
Good battery life.
You can run multiple operating systems.
High performing processor.

Cons

The number pad layout is not familiar.
There is no media card reader.

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

8) Dell XPS 9570

Dell XPS 15 weights about 4 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 2.20 GHz. It has a 32GB RAM size, which is more than enough for multitasking and storage of 1TB SSD that can store almost anything.

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 6 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 1050Ti dedicated graphics card.

Pros

Amazing 4K resolution touchscreen display
Lightweight, yet impressive performance
Simple aesthetics
Great battery life

Cons

Poor positioning of the webcam
SSD suffers slow write speed

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

9) MacBook Pro

Specs: Screen Size 16" | SSD 512GB | RAM 16GB | CPU i9 | Weight 4.3 pounds

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 16" IPS display compared to some of its competitors and would have been perfect if it could be slimmed down. The MacBook Pro has a 3072 x 1920-pixel panel that offers vivid quality images with a brightness of 354 nits. This laptop is the first to use the Apples True Tone technology feature to adjust color and intensity.

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 weigh more than 4 pounds and 13.8" x 9.5" 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 8.4" x 0.6".

Apple has designed to be competitive with windows 10 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 8 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.

Pros

Fast SSD
Thin and light design
Improved keyboards
Extended battery life
Great sound
Sharp, vivid display
Great and speedy performance

Cons

Very expensive
Port selection still stinks
Warm underside
No USB Type-A ports

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

10) Microsoft Surface Book 3

Specs: Screen Size 15" | SSD 512GB | RAM 16GB | CPU i7 | Weight 3.38

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 futuristic and classy design.

If you prioritize versatility, then Microsoft Surface Book 3 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 i7 10th generation processor.

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 Nvidia GTX 1060 powered and latest processors.

Surface Book 3 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 11.5 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.

Pros

Incredible long battery life
Excellent cooling
Lightweight yet strong performance
Great audio
Dramatic Design
Adaptive Dial and Pen are cool

Cons

Small trackpad
Very Pricey
No Thunderbolt 3 support

Check Latest Price and User Reviews on Amazon

FAQ:

💻 How to choose the best laptop for ethical hacking?

In order to choose the best laptop for hacking, you should check:

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 Windows
Pick 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.
Chose 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.

🔐 How is a laptop used for hacking different from an ordinary laptop?

Standard laptops are made for normal people, whereas the specifications of hacking laptops are according to the need of hackers. They require large internal storage and high performing processor a normal laptop does not require such configuration.

❓ Are gaming laptops good for hacking?

Yes, gaming laptops have high ram, fast CPU, and good graphic card. This configuration makes it ideal for performing various hacking activities.

✔️ How much RAM do you need for hacking?

For a hacking laptop, you require a minimum of 8GB RAM. It is more realistic to have a 16GB or 32GB is more realistic, specifically running multiple virtual machines.

⚡ Why Choose a Laptop with SSD Not HDD?

If you are not a computer geek, you may find the terms "SSD" and "HDD" mere letters and purchase any as long as the storage numbers in front work for you: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB. About half a decade ago, only thin and high-end laptops featured an SSD data storage, which was often expensive. SSD laptops are not only requested in colleges and schools, but different individuals from different walks of life also make use of these types of data storage for maximum productivity.

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.