Laptops have become more and more popular and relevant in the last few years. Nowadays, we have laptops for gaming, watching movies, listening to music, you name it. Today we’re going to talk about a particular branch of laptops – the ones that are used for hacking. So, If you are looking for the best laptops for hacking, you’ve come to the right place.
Many people attribute all sorts of negative synonymous to hacking. That’s mainly out of fear of becoming a victim of hacking. However, there’s a world of differences between a ‘professional’ and an ‘ethical’ hacker.
Ethical hackers test out the limits of PCs and laptop’s protective systems, and we’ll be talking about laptops that will help you do that in the easiest way possible for the least amount of cash. That’s why we will talk about these hacking laptops in here. Without any further more, let’s get straight to it.
| Image | Name | Specs | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  | Our Top Pick | 1. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop |
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 | 2. Apple MacBook Air (Latest Model) |
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 | 3. MSI GF63 THIN 9SCX-005 15 6 FHD Gaming Laptop |
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 | 4. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming laptop |
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 | 5. ASUS VivoBook S15 Laptop |
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 | 6. Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Laptop |
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 | 7. HP 2019 Premium Laptop |
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Top 7 Best Laptops for Hacking & Cyber Security
There is some internet user who needs a good quality laptop for hacking purpose. Today, I researched and listed some top-rated laptops, which can be good for a hacker.
#1 Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15.6 inches
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 256 SSD
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8265U
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 9 hours
Let’s start with Acer’s Aspire 5 Slim Laptop. Essentially, this is a powerhouse laptop outfitted with some serious specs. It could easily pass on for a gaming laptop, but it’s actually pretty great for hacking and pen-testing.
First of all, the Aspire 5 Slim Laptop packs the 8th gen Intel Core I5 8265U processor that sports 4 GHz of power. Suffice to say, this type of CPU lets you run virtually every modern hacking tool and operating system like Linux OS without encountering any problems along the way.
Secondly, the Aspire 5 Slim Laptop comes supplied with 8 gigabytes of DDR4 memory. Again, this is several times more RAM than you need to run several hacking programs simultaneously. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that such a combination of CPU and RAM is absolutely great for gaming too.
Now, let’s talk a bit about connectivity. The Aspire 5 packs all kinds of USB ports, including one 3.1 Type-C port, two 3.1 Gen-1 ports, one 2.0 port, and one HDMI Port. With that being said, it’s quite easy to notice why Aspire 5 is labeled as a laptop with superior connectivity.
The Aspire 5 Slim Laptop features Intel’s premium-quality UHD 620 GPU. This graphics card is very powerful and will allow you to perform hacking operations quickly. Additionally, the keyboard is backlit for better visibility, and there’s the fingerprint reader feature. The latter substantially improves the overall security of this laptop.
Moreover, what makes this laptop so good for hacking is the fact that it comes outfitted with 802.11ac WiFi. This is a relatively old feature, although it does bring a series of benefits to the table. Such would be extended forms of channel binding, an increase in MIMO based spatial streams, improved modulation, and such.
In terms of battery life, Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is pretty great as well. The battery of this laptop can survive up to nine and a half hours. That should be more than enough for you to practice ethical hacking and pen-testing, and then some.
The only thing that’s not so great about Aspire 5 Slim Laptop is its pre-built Windows 10 operating system. Namely, since you can’t hack on any form of Windows OS, you will need to reinstall it and upgrade to a more suitable one, such as Linux.
- Very powerful CPU suitable for gaming too.
- Great graphics card.
- Superior connectivity with plenty of USB ports.
- High battery lifespan.
- Comes with pre-installed Windows OS.
#2 Apple MacBook Air – Space Gray (Latest Model)
Specifications:
- Display: 13.3″ Retina
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB or 512GB SSD
- CPU: Intel Core i3/i5 (10th Gen)
- GPU: Intel Iris Plus Graphics
- Battery: Up to 12 hours
Next up is Apple’s MacBook Air. Essentially, this is a laptop for people who’ve learned the ropes of hacking and are looking for an upgrade. If you are looking a good laptops for hacking, New Apple’s MacBook Air will be the best option for your.
This laptop features a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 10th-gen processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz. It might be overkill for a beginner hacker, but it’s a necessity for a seasoned veteran. On the plus side, a CPU as strong as this will generally make the entire laptop pretty fast overall.
Now, onto the graphics, we’ve seen that Acer’s Aspire 5 comes with Intel’s UHD 620 GPU, which was quite awesome in its own right. This configuration of Apple MacBook features the Iris Plus 640 GPU, which is even stronger and faster in comparison.
Those are not the only improvements between these two models. Namely, the Aspire 5 had about 9,5 hours of battery while Apple MacBook features up to full ten hours of battery lifespan. Additionally, this laptop also packs the Brilliant Retina type of display. It’s substantially less fatiguing on the eyes so that you can do perform hacking for more extended periods.
Moreover, even the operating system of this laptop is phenomenal. Namely, the Apple MacBook comes with Mac OS Mojave. This basically means that it’s set to go straight out of the box. There’s no need to reinstall drivers or to upgrade, as Mac OS has everything you need unless you want to switch over to Linux Kali, that is.
There’s only one downfall of this configuration of Apple’s Macbook, tough. Namely, it costs quite a lot being in the medium bracket of the boutique price point category. Additionally, although this might or might not be considered as a deal-breaker, most Apple MacBooks can’t be used for anything else aside from programming, coding, hacking, and such.
In good hands, this might be the best laptop for hacker based professions. It packs strong specs and an amazing set of features. If you don’t mind saving up, it holds huge value for the money.
- Ultra strong processor unit.
- Rapid solid state drive.
- Anti-glare features.
- Comes with pre-installed Mac OS.
- Costs quite a lot.
#3 MSI GF63 THIN 9SCX-005 15 6 FHD Gaming Laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15 6″ FHD
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
- CPU: Intel Core i5-9300H
- GPU: GeForce GTX1650 4G GDDR5
- Battery: Up to 10 hours
What I am introducing to you right now is one of the most superior gaming laptops that gives the best value for your money with its special features, amazing graphics and the limitless gaming power to feel. It has an efficient system to generate 10% more power to play hardcore games with an enormous graphics experience.
Intel Core i5-9300H quad-core processor with 4.1 GHz peak comes with the best performance for a hacking laptop. It is an astonishing feature of this laptop that defends any of its competitors with the advance technologies that makes it 10% faster than other laptops of this unit and provides an amazing cooling system.
One of the best offers that you may get in this laptop within this budget is random access memory which is 8 GB DDR4 and its SSD 256 GB which is satisfying for the price that can not be complained by anyone with a max memory input of 64 GB. The SSD space can be upgraded if needed though it will be a little hard.
The laptop offers an NVIDIA GeForce gtx 1650 graphics card with a 15.6 inches screen (1920×1080) which is one of the best to feature a gaming performance even though it has. Poor quality IPS display with a 60 Hz refresh rate that is quite dark and poor for streaming and gaming.
This laptop can do everything for you with its great performance and a huge battery life of up to a day in normal use, and it supports all types of USB ‘1,2,3’ and the type ‘C’ port is also available. It also promises you with impressive sound quality and an “anti-ghost key” feature along with a very fast networking system.
Are gaming laptops good for hacking? Yes, it is good. MSI GF63 has its software and services in the system of the laptop that will also make it easy and comfortable to use even though some hacking experts and gamers might find it disturbing.
- Great cooling system.
- Fast function and gaming.
- Advanced graphics quality.
- Worth its value.
- No backlit available.
#4 Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15.6″ Full HD
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H
- GPU: GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
- Battery: Up to 4 hours
Acer has made it probably as the best laptop for ethical hacking and cyber security uses because of its smooth and fast connectivity which is this device’s key feature. The latest killer technology and a 9th generation 4 core processor makes it one of the most reliable gaming laptops of this series along with other networking system works.
The very first thing of a gaming laptop to be noticed is its processor which is Intel Core i5 -9300H octa-core 9th gen which can produce you a powerful force of up to 4.1 GHz. This qualification is enough to justify a gaming laptop that can take the heavy pressure of its users, which develops a regular gaming laptop in the run.
The GPU of this predator Helios laptop can fight with any complaints. It contains NVIDIA GeForce gtx 1660 graphics card with 6 GB GDDR6 ram which in one of the best deal of graphics you can ever have at this price along with the most contributed functions of this device to make your gaming experience go above what you can think.
This laptop has an 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD that can also be upgraded with a 2.5′ SSD system easily. The laptop also offers a very stylish keyboard and backlight that gives you an astonishing ambient even though the laptop comes with very poor battery life and one of the best cooling systems.
A typical LCD of 300 nits in this laptop is quite dark, which may be a breaking point for this device. 120 Hz refresh rate in that 15.6″ inches screen offers the best of what you can feel through gaming. The screen resolution of this laptop is 1920×1080 that can be called a perfect combination for an IPS display.
‘Killer” chip in this device has made the network so amazing and one of the fastest to use for hacking and gaming users. Anyone would love the 25 MB/s internet and 23 MB/s WiFi which can be obtained so easily with this predator. So, it’s not only a good machine for gaming (like League of Legends, WOW), fusion 360 or twitch streaming but also the best choice for a hacker.
- Incredibly fast networking and processor.
- Astonishing GPU.
- Amazing cooling system.
- Very fast refreshing screen.
- No option to disable functions like ‘Optimus’.
#5 ASUS VivoBook S15 S512 Thin and Light Laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15.6 inches
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 256 SSD
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8265u
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 6 hours
Here we are looking at a bit less expensive option for an experienced hacker. The Asus Vivobook S15 Thin and Light laptop sports a wide array of high-spec features, such as the i5 8265U CPU, wide-view 15,6-inch screen, plenty of RAM, and exceptional connectivity.
The first thing you’ll probably notice about Asus VivoBook S Ultra laptop features a similar type of connectivity in comparison to Acer’s Aspire 5. There’s one USB 3.1 Type C port, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and an HDMI port. On top of that, it also sports a dual-band 802.11ac type WiFi. However, Apple’s MacBook has a feature that makes both of these laptops look a bit outdated. The two Thunderbird 3 USB C ports really tip the scales in Apple laptop’s favor.
Further on the note of connectivity, this laptop also utilizes the Bluetooth 4.1 feature. It’s true that version 4.1 isn’t the newest one, but it’s still better than no Bluetooth at all. That’s not the only similarity, though. Most notably, Asus VivoBook S15 laptop packs 8 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM, precisely like the Aspire 5.
Now, let’s discuss some of the most notable differences between these two laptops. First and foremost, the 8th gen i5 8265U 2.3 GHz dual-core CPU is superior. The additional core really makes a difference by a long shot, especially once you start multitasking. Most notably, a dual-core CPU is superior to single-core models because certain advanced hacking tools can’t be utilized without them.
One of the greatest features of the Asus Vivo Book is its slim profile. Namely, this is a 14.2-inch laptop that’s only 0,7 inches thick (or better said, thin). It utilizes Asus’ patented Nano-Edge bezel technology with 80% of screen to body ratio.
In terms of price, it’s drastically less expensive than Apple’s Mac Book Pro, but it’s still far from being ‘cheap’ per see. Nevertheless, this is one of the best hacking computers as the features it comes supplied with are absolutely phenomenal.
- Compact, slim profile, and design.
- Outstanding connectivity with plenty of ports.
- Bluetooth version 4,2.
- Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
- Not exactly robust in terms of build quality.
- Mediocre battery lifespan.
#6 Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15.6 inches
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U
- GPU: Intel Integrated Graphics 620
- Battery: Up to 5 hours
We’ve taken a gander at what Dell had to offer and settled for the Inspiron 15 5000 laptops. In fact, the Inspiron 15 5000 might be the best laptop for cyber security within the price range. It packs a big touchscreen display, an incredibly strong processor, plenty of storage space, and awesome connectivity. Let’s break this up piece by piece.
First of all, the Inspiron 15 5000 sports a 15.6-inch LED-backlit touchscreen with 1920 by 1080 pixel display. The screen is so big that it’s actually perfect for watching movies and gaming too. Sadly, the graphics card of the Inspiron could’ve been a little better. This model features integrated Intel-620 graphics which are pretty great, but should you want an upgrade, you’ll need a new laptop.
On the plus side, the processor unit is absolutely amazing. Dell’s Inspiron 15 5000 comes outfitted with a quad-core 1.6 gigahertz i5-8250U processor. So, it has the strongest CPU so far, up to the point that some might even say that it’s too powerful. We’d beg to disagree, as hacking processes are incredibly overwhelming in this department, so the stronger, the better.
In terms of RAM, this laptop is pretty much on equal grounds with every model we’ve covered so far. Namely, all of them feature 8 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM, and this one is not an exception.
The connectivity is also great. The Inspiron packs two USB 3.1 ports, one USB 2.0 ports, one HDMI port, two dual-band wireless ACs, and the Bluetooth version 4.2. Though not the latest version, this Bluetooth is quite better than the 4.1 version that Asus VivoBook comes supplied with.
Moneywise, the Dell Inspiron is a great catch. It’s among the most affordable laptops in our review, yet it offers some of the best specs. Of course, it’s still quite expensive for a beginner hacker, although not nearly as Apple’s MacBook or Asus VivoBook.
- Some of the most powerful CPUs.
- Tremendous connectivity.
- Exceptional value for the money.
- Suitable for both professionals and beginners.
- SATA is used for storage.
- Intel’s integrated graphics.
#7 HP 2019 Newest Premium Laptop
Specifications:
- Display: 15.6 inches
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4
- Storage: 1 TB HDD
- CPU: Intel Dual Core AMD A6-9225
- GPU: AMD Radeon R4
- Battery: Up to 4 hours
We’re wrapping it up with HP’s 15.6 inch HD laptop. First of all, we need to make it clear that this is the cheapest option you could possibly get in the range of quality laptops for hacking and pen-testing. Even though it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, the HP 15.6 inch HD laptop offers much in terms of performance.
It packs Intel’s AMD A6 9225 dual-core 2.6 gigahertz CPU, Radeon’s R4 GPU, and 8 gigabytes of RAM. In a nutshell, these specs are not so different from the laptops we’ve seen so far. The dual-core CPU offers reliable performance, and the fact that the GPU is not integrated means that you could always upgrade it at a later point. Furthermore, the RAM is already great as it is.
In terms of connectivity, HP 15,6 inch HD laptop is quite awesome, although certain features are completely useless for hacking. Such would be the headphone and microphone combo jack, for example. On a brighter note, you will be able to utilize two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, and one HDMI port.
Sadly, this laptop comes with a pre-installed Windows 10 operating system. We recommend switching over to Linux or Mac OS as soon as possible. Overall, the benefits HP 15,6 inch HD laptop brings to the table are well worth the money. You’d have to look far and wide in this price range to find a similar laptop, let alone a better one.
- High performance.
- Superb connectivity complemented with Bluetooth.
- Great dual core processor.
- Decent GPU.
- No SSD drive.
- Low battery life.
Hardware Requirements for Hacking Laptop:
Obviously, you can’t use just about any PC or laptop to learn to hack, let alone perform the plethora of complex operations regarding it. You will need a strong processor unit, a solid graphics card, and plenty of RAM because most hacking tools will eat it in the blink of an eye.
In this section, we’re going to talk about minimal and recommended requirements in terms of the components your laptop needs for hacking and penetration testing.
CPU Power:
Generally speaking, you need at least a gigabyte of CPU to run the most basic hacking and pen-testing tools. However, the bare minimum will only get you so far. Most people who actually know a thing or two about hacking would recommend at least a dual-core 1GB (each) processor unit.
As you get better with hacking, you will start using more advanced hacking tools and emulators. Eventually, you will start using them simultaneously. That’s the reason why you should stock up on quantity and cores if you want to ensure your laptop’s smooth performance.
Graphics Card:
It seems a bit paradoxical that a graphics card is needed for hacking. Visually, most of the hacking tools are not ‘heavy’, so some people even ask ‘is GPU even needed?’
Simply put, not only is it needed, but it can make your hacking life a lot easier. Namely, CPUs have several cores at best, whereas GPUs have hundreds, sometimes even thousands. These tiny cores are, of course, in many ways different when compared to CPU cores.
It would be best if you had a decent GPU because this particular component does the instantaneous calculations across thousands of threads. In plain words, CPU does the ‘heavy lifting’ while the GPU performs many smaller operations.
RAM (Memory):
Memory is perhaps the most important element of your hacking laptop. It ‘fuels’ the tools you use, as well as the operating system you are on. It’s pretty safe to say that you won’t be even able to run most hacking tools without at least a gigabyte of RAM.
In this case, ‘the bigger, the better’ is best applicable. The more RAM you have, the more complex operations you can perform. Most hacking tools devour up a substantial amount of RAM initially. The further you progress, the more threads you employ, the more RAM you will need. For Ethical hacking and pen-testing, a gigabyte of RAM would suffice.
Network Adapter:
You shouldn’t use your ‘regular’ internet connection if you want to hack for obvious reasons. First, you will leave plenty of traces online, and secondly, you will need a stable connection, or all of your efforts might go to waste at any given point.
There are a couple of vital elements a Network adapter needs to give you if we want to call it a ‘good one’. First and foremost, a reliable adapter has a good antenna (or two in some cases, such as Panda’s PAU09).
Secondly, you’ll want an adapter that has a sufficient operating range. The bigger the range is, the more stable the connection will be as you reach its limit. Lastly, your adapter needs to be compatible with your laptop (the best connectivity is ensured with USB connection).
What is OS Good for Hacking?
You shouldn’t use Windows for hacking, be it professional or ethical. Windows won’t allow you to play around its source code, whereas other systems do. That’s one of the main reasons why you should try Linux (Kali, specifically) or Mac OS. But if you are thinking about security for your laptop, we also have a guideline for you.
Linux OS:
Generally speaking, the relatively new software called Kali operates on the Linux OS. Currently, it’s one of the most widely recognized and used hacking software, not to mention that it’s also the most easily accessible one.
Linux is basically an open-source replica of Unix OS, so naturally, it offers numerous downloadable software based on it. However, Linux has a relatively complex UI and inferior gesture support, which is the reason why more and more people turn over to Mac OS.
MacOS:
The first good thing about Mac OS is the ‘amount’ of anonymity you will be able to benefit from it. By using this operating system, you will be substantially harder to track down in comparison to using Linux, let alone Windows operating systems.
Additionally, the Mac OS allows you to work in terminal environments. You will be able to access things that are generally inaccessible with any other system. Further on that point, that also means that Mac OS is a bit harder to use by beginners.
Final Words:
Many laptops are labeled as ‘good’ or ‘best for hacker’s’. The truth is, most of them were ‘gaming laptops’ with high configurations. If you’re looking for the best hacking laptops, you can pick any of these laptops.
We’ve handpicked seven models from six of the biggest names in the industry, knowing that they possess the leading technologies. Acer’s Aspire 5 offers an inexpensive and the best option; Apple MacBook Air is actually suitable but costly. Now, kick back, and take your pick, these are among the best laptops for hackers.