Getting a laptop for security professionals is no easy task. It is very challenging when looking for the best laptops for cyber security. It may be possible with penetration tests, but it’s also very complicated and depends on hacking tools and other people’s needs. Many things need to be considered before purchasing a cybersecurity laptop.
The laptop for cyber security should be able to run various password recovery applications, dual operation systems, run many virtual machines on the same system, as well as launch Kali from the USB drive. Our Recommendation Best Laptops for College Students Under $300 with the Right Buying Guide.
The Best Laptops for Cyber Security Students
Some laptops come with an Intel i5 and i7 core processor, a large FHD screen for encoding, the best battery performance with the GPU and CPU, a minimum of 4 GB of RAM, or a Windows or Mac OS operating system. X. The type of hardware configuration is also very essential for cyber security.
What is Cybersecurity?
A successful cybersecurity approach has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data that one intends to keep secure. In an organization, people, processes, and technology must complement each other to create an effective defense against cyber attacks. A unified threat management system can automate integrations into select Cisco security products and accelerate key security operations functions: detection, investigation, and remediation.
There is competition between various types of multinationals trying to protect personal data and professional data. All companies that work with security have to deal with many social networking sites and financial transactions, so their data is exposed to the risk of being hacked.
Some companies hire cybersecurity professionals and hackers to look for loopholes in the system to protect company data. An important measure is the performance of most hacking applications and software by IT security professionals.
Why is Cybersecurity Important?
In today’s connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cyber defense programs. On an individual level, a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft, extortion attempts, to the loss of important data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructures like power plants, hospitals, and financial services companies. Securing these and other organizations is essential to keeping our society running.
Everyone also benefits from the work of cyber threat researchers, such as Talos’ team of 250 threat researchers, who investigate new and emerging threats and cyberattack strategies. They reveal new vulnerabilities, educate the public on the importance of cybersecurity, and strengthen open source tools. Your work makes the Internet safer for everyone.
1. Apple MacBook Pro
The 16-inch M1 version is the current performance king in Apple’s MacBooks. the 10-core Apple M1 Pro processor. With the 10-core processor, you can run Mac Virtual Machine but also Windows VM smoothly. Creative professionals can use the 16-core M1 Pro with its focus on video editing, music production, and 3D modeling. With 16 cores, that’s why it is the best laptop for cyber security it has the power and bandwidth for data processing. Our Recommendation Top 8 Best Laptop for Video Editing Under $300.
However, it lacks support for machine learning applications that Nvidia Cuda cores favor. The GPU can run Battle Royale, MOBAs, and some AAA games at over 30FPS in Retina resolution. MacBook has the fastest SSD on the market, so you get fast boot-up and fast application performance. With a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB of RAM, running virtual machines or analyzing data in Wireshark will be smooth.
macOS is ideal for productive apps like After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and all other Adobe Creative Cloud apps. It is also well suited for coding and executing cyber security tasks like blocking intruders, protecting networks from malware or other threats. However, it lacks open access to suspicious applications and the diversity of the Windows ecosystem. Our Recommendation All Rounder Best Laptops for Adobe Creative Cloud in 2022.
This Pro version has slim bezels around 500 nits and a brilliant 16.2-inch Retina display. You will have a clear image to monitor the ideal network and watch Queen’s Gambit after work. A long typing session will be comfortable on a significantly improved keyboard for this series.
You’ll get a traditional scissor mechanism, better travel, and different key shapes. The touchpad is almost twice as big compared to the previous generation. It has a glass surface and high precision. The MacBook Pro still features a single-piece aluminum design, and cybersecurity experts who travel a lot will appreciate the sturdiness and portability at just 4.7 pounds for a hardware-packed 16.2-inch laptop.
You can easily connect up to three external monitors with the Thunderbolt 4 ports. They offer high bandwidth and can transfer large files quickly. Despite a powerful CPU and heavy GPU spending, the laptop has an incredible battery life of up to 21 hours. You can solve security problems for long hours without worrying about autonomy.
While macOS devices aren’t the first choice for cybersecurity, this machine with a 10-core CPU and blazing-fast SSD has plenty of power to run virtual machines, data processing, and other demanding tasks. You’ll love the bright screen, 4-speaker sound system (best for listening to music), improved keyboard, and battery life.
2. Asus Vivobook K571
Best laptop for cybersecurity experts who want comparable performance but don’t want to overspend, the Asus Vivobook K571 might be the laptop of choice. Whether you need to run vulnerability tests or set up a VM, a powerful Core i7-9750H with its high turbo clock and six cores will provide excellent performance.
The mid-range GeForce GTX 1650 GPU doesn’t come with Tensor Cores, but the 896 CUDA cores allow for parallel computing across numerous applications. Running a secure test environment on multiple virtual machines won’t be a problem with 16GB of RAM.
Vivobook K571 has a lot of internal storage. The fast 256GB SSD will help with boot times, and you can store large analytics files and reports on a roomy 1TB hard drive. The device comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed, a classic choice for mainstream laptops, and more than enough to run network diagnostics or penetration tests.
The IPS screen guarantees intense colors. And the 120Hz high refresh rate delivers a crystal-clear image so you won’t miss a thing on the FHD display when running diagnostics. You can opt for wider color coverage, but you’ll be limited to 60Hz in that case.
The backlit keyboard will help you if you have to fix a security breach at night. The chiclet keyboard has shallow travel and has a decent feel. The touchpad is large with integrated mouse buttons and gesture support if you need quick drag-and-drop or other actions, among many supported.
Vivobook K571 has a plastic case and a conventional laptop design. It is sturdy and portable enough with a weight of 4.56lbs. What it lacks in premium materials, it makes up for in port availability with 4 USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1, HDMI for external monitor connection, and a fingerprint reader for added security.
The battery life with a capacity of 42 Wh and this computing power will increase up to 4 hours, which means that you will have to take a power adapter with you if you go to the site to fix security problems. Data analysis, virtual machine configuration, and another performance-thirsty usage will go smoothly on the Asus Vivobook K751 with its high-end CPU capabilities.
The affordable price without some bells and whistles like the use of premium materials is ideal for budget-conscious users.
3. Lenovo ThinkPad P15s
Thinkpad is Lenovo’s business series laptop, and Lenovo ThinkPad P15 is among the cheapest models. It has an Nvidia Quadro mobile workstation GPU with certified drivers for professional applications such as visualization, animation, AutoCAD, and Cinema 4D rendering. The laptop also comes with the usual large ThinkPad keyboard and build quality.
The 8th generation Core i7-1165G7 is a low-power CPU for ultrabooks. The processor is not among the most powerful, but it is still a Core i7 with four cores. Its 4.7 GHz turbo frequency translates into enough performance for gray box hacking or network diagnostics. Plus, running hardware-demanding tasks like virtual machines will feel comfortable with its 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
The Quadro T500 isn’t as fast as the RTX 2060, 2070, and 2080 graphics cards, but the performance is fairly comparable to the benchmark GTX 1060 and GTX 1660 Ti laptops. The GPU is ideal for creative professionals like photo editors and graphic designers but could use CUDA cores for parallel computing and data analysis.
With 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, you’ll have plenty of room for network diagnostic software like Ping, Netstat, and Wireshark. The fast disk will help with system boot time and overall system and application responsiveness.
The ThinkPad P15s comes with Windows 10 Pro and its suite of security features like Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard and Bitlocker, and stronger VPN options.
The 15.6-inch FHD IPS panel has excellent viewing angles but could have better brightness for a workstation device. The machine follows the classic layout of Lenovo business models. You’ll get a rugged laptop for heavy daily use.
At just 3.9 pounds, you can transport the ThinkPad on client-site interventions with ease, if that’s the nature of your cybersecurity work.
If you regularly type multiple commands on Linux distributions or try to hack a system in vulnerability tests, the ThinkPad keyboard with legacy trackpad and touchpad is ideal for heavy use.
Wide and with perfect travel it is among the best input devices for laptops. You’ll get a Thunderbolt port for fast data transfer along with USB Type-C and HDMI, a great option for connecting external monitors.
Two additional USB 3.1 will be enough for all the devices you plan to connect. You can work long hours to resolve security breaches without a power cord. The P15s have a battery life of almost 9 hours.
With Lenovo ThinkPad, you get a reliable, portable, and rugged laptop. You won’t have to doubt your endurance and autonomy, which is great in stressful security breach situations.
The i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM will give you enough juice to run enterprise system stress or vulnerability tests, network diagnostics, or set up virtual machines.
4. Razer Blade Stealth 13
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is a rare powerful ultrabook model. The powerful 10th Gen Core i7 and GeForce GTX 1650 Ti have excellent gaming performance. Great for gaming usually translates to great for other demanding tasks, like running the best laptop for cybersecurity tools like Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, etc.
The 10nm lithography on the 10th Gen Intel CPUs brought more power efficiency and a slight drop in performance than the 14nm models. Core i7-1065G7, however, has more than enough raw power to run Kali Linux and virtual machines effectively.
Playing games like Cyberpunk 2077 or COD: Warzone won’t be a problem either. GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q will give you decent FPS in AAA games at 1080p resolution. Fast dual-channel 16GB memory will assist the CPU with cyber threat simulation scenarios.
Coupled with a fast 512GB SSD, the memory modules will ensure short boot time, enough storage space for large files, and faster software startup. The slim bezels make the 13.3-inch IPS display stand out. Full HD and 120Hz resolution deliver smooth visuals essential for countless listings in cyber security diagnostics.
As expected in a smaller form factor, the keyboard isn’t full-size. Aside from the lack of a number pad, the keys have enough space. RGB backlighting will help in a dark work environment. Shallow travel doesn’t ruin a good typing feel, but you’ll have to get used to it if you tend to use desktop keyboards.
The touch panel’s glass surface provides a smooth, responsive feel. It’s big, precise, and performs multi-touch gestures flawlessly. The unibody aluminum frame and matte black color create a recognizable design. In addition to durability, the small form factors and weight of just 3.24 pounds contribute to portability.
If you’re stuck out of the office without a power cord, you’ll likely get the job done with up to 10 hours of battery life. In terms of connectivity, Thunderbolt 3 can connect an external monitor or provide up to 40Gbps of data transfer, so you can move large files quickly in the event of a cybersecurity emergency when every second counts.
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 also includes USB Type-C and USB 3.0 Type-A. The sleek design and high-quality build are a plus for a work laptop. The touch panel has superior performance, as does the CPU, along with other components. The smaller dimensions and high price may not be for everyone.
If that’s not the issue, you’ll get an extremely reliable cybersecurity tool that can run VM, Wireshark, and vulnerability tests without a hitch.
5. Lenovo Yoga C940
The Yoga C940 adds an FHD display to that equation, but let’s see how the hardware components compare for cybersecurity experts. Though i7-1065G7 belongs to the 10th generation CPU Core, you will get excellent single-core and multi-threaded performance when running VMware or testing with network threat detection software.
The integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics aren’t the most powerful GPU on the market, and while gaming you’ll need to adjust detail levels in modern games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Fast system performance and heavy cybersecurity workloads will benefit from 16GB memory and a 1TB solid-state drive.
Yoga C940 comes with Windows 10, the best operating system for online security experts. Supports most applications, with 88% of all computers in the world running Windows, the choice of an operating system is obvious. The 14-inch FHD touch screen looks amazing.
It is not too reflective and has excellent color accuracy. The brightness measures 400 nits, which is good, but not the best in its class. A keyboard without a number pad isn’t the best for productivity. Shallow travel doesn’t bother the typing experience.
The quality isn’t up to the ThinkPad level, but you won’t be disappointed with the Yoga C940 keyboard. The touch panel is large and precise, and you can switch between it and the touch screen to navigate through network diagnostics. Exclusive quality hinges allow various modes of use.
You can flip it into tent mode and give a client presentation, or take notes in a meeting in tablet mode. The aluminum case is sturdy, and at 3 pounds, the laptop is sturdy and portable. The laptop has an excellent selection of ports.
You can transfer large amounts of data via a fast Thunderbolt 3 Type C port or connect it with newer external monitors. There are 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C / Intel Thunderbolt 3 (Power Delivery, DisplayPort) and 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A.
Battery life is insane at almost 15 hours, and you can extend it by turning down the brightness. You can be mobile and work all day without having to charge it. Lenovo Yoga C940 is a stylish convertible device with significant autonomy.
The Core i7 CPU will run all cybersecurity software with ease. Network diagnostics, virtual machines, and other cybersecurity applications will run smoothly with the help of 16GB of memory and a fast SSD. So this laptop is great for cyber security students.
6. Microsoft Surface Book 2
Microsoft gave the MacBook Pro a run for its money with the Microsoft Surface Book 2, and it delivered high-end specs and build quality. The only drawback is the price that goes beyond Apple’s flagship model. Intel Core i7 8550U from three generations still offers high-end performance.
And a maximum 4GHz turbo boost will boost your system in heavy workload scenarios like running virtual machines. The GPU can help the performance of professional software with CUDA cores. Fortnite and CS: GO will work fine if you like gaming, but you’ll need to adjust the resolution for most games to Full HD.
Multitasking between Wireshark and the company’s security panel will be fast, as will boot time, thanks to 16GB of memory and a speedy 512GB SSD. You can also store most of your work files and reports on the spacious internal storage.
Surface Book 2 has the Windows 10 Pro operating system that comes with enhanced security features. The laptop also has an HW TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security and a camera for biometric recognition for Windows Hello facial login.
The screen comes with an aspect ratio of 3:2 and a resolution of 3000 x 2000. It is a 13.5-inch touch screen with excellent performance. It is suitable for Surface Pen which is sold separately. In addition to creative professionals, cybersecurity experts will appreciate sharp images for their huge lists.
Our tests showed excellent keyboard performance, with enough travel and feedback. The backlit keyboard will come in handy in Night White’s hacking attempts. The touchpad is spacious with no visible buttons and you can use it with touchscreen settings.
The laptop has a brushed aluminum body and weighs just 3.62 pounds, making it a stylish, rugged, and reliable companion. You will get 3 USB ports, one of which is Type C, but no Thunderbolt. The two surface ports connect to the power adapter and dock.
Rugged build quality and 17+ hours of battery life will make Surface Book 2 a great choice for cybersecurity experts who travel a lot. You can present your vulnerability test results with Surface Book 2 in tent mode, or you can take notes by detaching the display and using it as a tablet.
With a powerful CPU, sufficient RAM, and GPU, this is the best Laptop for Cyber Security students will provide excellent performance when running cybersecurity tasks and software in all modes.
7. Acer Swift 3
Acer started the craze for cheap ultrabooks. The winning formula included slim laptops, premium materials with slightly less powerful components. The Acer Swift 3 used the new AMD Ryzen 7 CPUs that provide high-end performance for less money.
Data processing or code-breaking are important tasks for Ryzen 7 4700U. The CPU has eight cores and thrives in multi-threaded applications. The integrated GPU doesn’t make much of a difference to cybersecurity software, but it can run Dota 2, CS: GO, and Fortnite at 30+ FPS.
You won’t need external drives or massive cloud backups. NVMe SSD with 512 GB has enough storage space if you don’t go overboard with installing games. However, 8 GB of RAM is the bare minimum for modern laptops and could be the bottleneck in running virtual machines or other work-heavy applications.
Swift 3 is a consumer laptop and comes with Windows 10, which lacks certain profile and security options, but still offers the best operating system for a variety of cybersecurity software.
You will get a classic 16:9 aspect ratio and FHD resolution on the IPS screen. It doesn’t offer high brightness levels, but it has the good image quality and you can work with Wireshark on a 14-inch screen.
A smaller form factor means the keyboard doesn’t have a number pad and lacks a palm rest due to a high-quality touchpad. Smooth clicks and shallow scrolls on a backlit keyboard will serve you well while trying to hack the system with John the Ripper.
Swift 3 has an ultrabook aesthetic with a unibody metal case. It is easy to carry at only 2.6 lbs and only 0.63 inches thick. You also get 3 USB ports (one Type C) and HDMI for connecting external displays. The device includes a battery life of more than 11 hours.
Acer Swift 3 is extremely affordable and the best Laptop for Cyber Security for the performance it offers. If you don’t mind 8GB of memory, you can get a rugged and lightweight ultrabook with excellent battery life. Performing CPU-dependent tasks will be easy with the high-capacity Ryzen 7.
8. HP 15-DY1036NR
HP 15 is an upgraded version of the company’s mainstream laptop. The configuration is based on the Core i5 CPU and other components are in line with the best budget laptop for cyber security in the price range. You shouldn’t rule out the 10th Gen Core-i5. It has four core eight threads, and a maximum turbo frequency of 3.6GHz, which is comparable to older i7 CPUs.
The processor is more than capable of high-end tasks, and vulnerability tests with Kali Linux’s White Hack applications will run without a hitch. The integrated Intel GPU can use thread detection technology to scan memory for malware. You can also enjoy all available media formats at your leisure.
HP 15-dy1036nr has a basic configuration with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of internal storage. Running multiple virtual machines or other heavier workloads may require more memory to run smoothly. You will also have to rely on external or cloud storage for your data. As the main offer, the laptop has the Windows 10 Home edition.
HP did not include an IPS screen for this price range. A decent-quality 15.6-inch FHD display with an anti-glare coating will be great for Zoom meetings and managing your security app dashboard. The HD webcam and dual-array microphones will make video conferences more enjoyable.
The chiclet-style keyboard has a full Numpad layout. The shallow travel keys perform decently for your password scrambling or scrambling convenience, and the large touchpad is reliable and responsive. The laptop has a minimalist design without unnecessary details.
The plastic casing is sturdy enough for everyday use and just 3.75 pounds makes the HP 15 portable for travel. You’ll also get three USB 3 ports, with one Type C and HDMI 1.4 output, so you won’t have any issues with connectivity. HP Fast Charge is a great feature that can charge your battery up to 50% in 45 minutes.
The device has a good battery life of over 10 hours, which is more than you’ll probably need on a normal day. HP 15 is perfect for cybersecurity students, who can get an affordable device with a robust CPU, long battery life, and excellent connectivity.
9. Dell G3579
Although this laptop comes with larger combined storage and an equally powerful Intel Core i7 processor than the previous one, it’s a slightly lower graphics card and smaller screen this is the best laptop for cyber security students and professionals use to prevent hacking.
The SSD and HDD combo provides huge storage space and speed to the system. The keyboard comes with a separate number pad and the Audio quality is quite good with two front-facing speakers. At 5.57 pounds, the system is quite heavy. The touchpad is not in the center, which can cause problems when typing.
There is no optical drive in the system This is a gaming laptop and therefore it comes with high-end specs that will support all professional, heavy, and basic computing tasks. Cyber security students and professionals will also find this machine extremely helpful in preventing hacking.
The Intel Core i7 processor belongs to the 8th generation and its features like six cores and 9MB cache help it process data at a high speed of 3.9GHz with Turbo Boost. The DDR4 RAM comes with a bandwidth of 2666 MHz, and if you need it, the system allows you to expand it up to 32 GB.
The combination of 256GB SSD storage that helps boot up the system quickly, as well as 1TB SATA HDD storage that runs at 5400rpm, provides a larger space to save your data and access it quickly.
The Full HD screen is quite large and the IPS technology, anti-glare property, and LED backlight function ensure energy conservation and better image display.
The backlit keyboard makes typing easy and comfortable in the dark, and the Windows 10 Home operating system lets you be more productive.
The system also provides a wonderful audio experience with the two front speakers that come with Waves Maxx Audio Pro technology to deliver louder sound and deeper bass. Our Recommendation Best Gaming Laptops under $800 Review.
10. MSI GL65 Full HD
MSI has been making amazing laptops for cyber security. One of their featured products is the MSI GL65 which is suitable for users running code and other types of hacking tools. Its keyboard and large screen allow students, professionals, and cybersecurity hackers to type much faster. The screen is a gigantic 15.6-inch Full HD display with resolutions of 1920 x 1080.
It will allow you to do many tasks together by opening multiple windows to each other using custom minimization. The graphics on this laptop boast the boosting speed of the graphics card, and the graphics increase performance by nearly 15%. MSI Cooler Boost technology cools down the laptop when it gets hot as it has a powerful processor.
The process gives you the power that allows you to perform different tasks quickly and easily. This laptop has a powerful 2.8 GHz Intel Core processor with 16 GB of RAM. The capacity is great and it is distributed in two units.
There is a hard drive and a SATA solid-state drive that stores personal and useful information as much as possible. The essential thing for students and professionals of Cybersecurity is their keyboard. The keyboard will be widely used by cybersecurity students and professionals for codes.
It has a keyboard that includes the ghost key as well for good feedback and proportionate wrist use. The sound of this laptop is advanced and provides users with enhanced 3D as well as surrounding noise from outside which reduces sound over time.
The weight of this laptop is almost 5.29 pounds and the dimensions measure 15.07 x 10.23 x 1.06 inches. The home of the Windows 10 operating system runs easily and increases performance. The connectivity options are many for all types of users.
Connectivity options are very advanced, such as a power connector, SD card slots, a display port, two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, and an HDMI port. This laptop has a lithium polymer battery that provides a good battery life of almost 4-6 hours with hectic and very heavy use.
11. Razer Blade Stealth 13
The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is the best laptop for cyber security students, and professionals will be fond of it while using this laptop. The screen is the first thing to consider when buying a laptop for cybersecurity. The screen of this laptop is 13.3 inches with QHD capability and a touch LED which is not available in all laptops and it has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with great color saturation.
The image is clear with the 178-degree wide-angle. The laptop has a 4.6 Hz A8 Cortex processor along with 16 GB LPDDR3 RAM which will improve the image quality and make the processing faster compared to other laptops. The portable and elegant design allows you to easily carry it with you and gives people a good impression of your personality because it is very elegant and simple.
Single, large aluminum blocks are used, making this laptop very durable and stylish. The keyboard of this model is Razer chroma anti-ghosting with different functions and allows you to have a fast and smooth experience with many features of cybersecurity students.
Its Touchpad is precise and sensitive. The battery life is not very long as if you are using it intensively it will only last you almost 3-4 hours at most.
There are many types of connectivity options such as SD card reader, Thunderbolt port, Bluetooth, PCI Express, headphone port, HDMI port, and display port. You can connect everything you want with your laptop.
12. Alienware M15 R3
Alienware M15 R3 is a great laptop for cyber security This device checks almost all the boxes, starting with a magnesium alloy chassis, top-notch keyboard, and high-end specs that deliver desktop performance. Dell’s Alienware is quite popular with gamers and is associated with gaming. If you are looking for high performance, gaming laptops are usually the best option.
With Alienware M15 R3, you will not only be able to do your cybersecurity-related work but also be able to do other activities such as editing videos, using any Adobe CC applications, playing with large datasets, etc. You can easily run virtual machines on this high-end device. The powerful 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H six-core CPU with a 5GHz turbo boost won’t be the system bottleneck.
RTX 2060 is a mid-range graphics card with 240 Tensor Cores that you can use for parallel processing of large datasets in TensorFlow and Pytorch libraries if you’re also into machine learning. The combination of 6 GB VRAM with CPU can also help with network analysis tasks for sensitive information.
The RTX 2060 can run AAA game titles like Cyberpunk 2077, World of Warcraft, PUBG, Fortnite, League of Legends, or Call of Duty: Warzone in FHD resolution at max settings and comfortable FPS. We were able to achieve scores of around 90-100 FPS on the highest settings. Alienware has 16 GB of RAM to help the powerful CPU.
These components will make the system responsive and fast, from a quick boot process to an immediate application launch. With a 512GB PCIe SSD, you’ll have plenty of room for your projects, spreadsheets, documents, and other files. This RAM-SSD combo benefits both heavy workload and overall user experience.
The device comes with Windows 10 Home, which is second best after the Pro version but suitable for VMs, network monitoring, and data processing. The display is Alienware’s strong point. The FHD IPS display has a 144Hz refresh rate where you can comfortably game with a 2060 GPU.
More importantly, the excellent contrast and 300nit brightness will allow you to get pristine visuals even in bright sunny conditions. You could grab a coffee and browse the security app dashboard in the park. M15 R3 has a design that smells like a game due to the recognizable logo and the rear vents.
Dell improved the cooling system with more copper, vapor chamber technology, and dual exhaust design, resulting in a cool machine even after a long data crunching session. The keyboard has separate arrow keys. It’s comfortable for long typing sessions and has 1.7mm of travel, with 4-zone RGB technology and anti-ghosting.
Typing lines at Command Prompt, Wireshark, or Linux distributions like Tens or Kodachi will be perfect. The touchpad could be bigger, but it has precision point glass technology, which provides precise gestures and responsiveness.
The chassis is slimmer than other gaming rigs and weighs in at a decent 5.5 pounds. You will probably be satisfied with the ports. Your laptop’s Thunderbolt 3 port will give you speeds of up to 40 Gbps or 10 Gbps over a USB cable. You can connect your laptop to two 4K displays to get a better overview of network traffic and dashboards.
The battery is disappointing, lasting only 3-6 hours with medium to heavy use. If battery life isn’t one of your concerns, then you’ll love the M15 R3’s raw performance in handling virtual machines, network scanning, or data encryption.
You’ll also get a premium laptop display and build quality, so you can carry the device around without worrying about its sturdiness.
13. HP Specter x360
The HP Specter x360 is a high-end convertible ultrabook from HP best laptop for cyber security students. It has a slim and strong body. You can use it as a tablet and take notes, or place it in a tent position for presentations. HP even managed to install a decent dedicated graphics card. The Intel Core i7-10510U quad-core CPU has great performance.
Even though this is an older 10th generation of Core processors, running John the Ripper or Wireshark to check for vulnerabilities will work fine. The MX250 is a low-end GPU that lets you play games like Overwatch, Minecraft, Sims 4, and more with decent frame rates.
With 16 GB of RAM and a fast CPU, you can run virtual machines without any problems. The fast 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD enables short boot time, contributes to high-level performance, and makes the system fast and responsive. The system runs Windows 10 Pro, a version with the most security features.
HP Specter x360 is a 2-in-1 device with a huge 15.6-inch IPS touch screen. It has 4K resolution and your network lists will look legible. The sharp resolution and image quality make it a great multimedia device. Specter’s classic design with aluminum body, black color with copper accents, and quality hinges result in a reliable and durable device.
You can flip the screen all you want, and at just 4.81 pounds, you can easily carry it around. The Chiclet keyboard has shallow travel and a sturdy backplate. You won’t have to worry about longevity, and if you’re stuck in a dark server room, a backlit keyboard will come in handy.
In addition to a reliable keyboard, Specter includes a large, precise touchpad with gesture support. The convertible ultrabook has all the latest ports. It has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports for fast data transfer up to 40Gbps. There is also legacy connectivity with USB 2.1. HDMI v2.0 and Thunderbolt allow connection to additional displays.
You’ll probably use a webcam and microphone for conferencing and video calls on apps like Skype or Zoom. HP implemented security features such as a webcam kill switch and a microphone mute button. Even with full performance, Specter offers up to 14 hours of battery life on its 84Wh 6-cell battery. You can work outdoors without thinking about the charger.
You get a capable machine with a fast CPU, enough RAM for advanced tasks, and a fast SSD. If you don’t mind the high price, you also get capable graphics cards that can help with TensorFlow and other machine learning applications.
What to Consider When Buying a Laptop for Cyber Security
Don’t forget to look for the following features to buy the best laptop for cyber security before investing in one.
Screen size
The size of the screen depends on the cybersecurity professional and their requirements according to the needs of the job. Some people prefer to buy a laptop with a small screen, while others prefer to buy a laptop with a large screen. In our opinion, cyber security professionals should go for large screen laptops as they have to work longer hours.
Resolution
A screen resolution tells us how many pixels a screen has in the horizontal and vertical directions. A screen with higher resolutions provides high-quality images compared to screens with lower resolutions Pentesting. The higher the resolution, the more accurate the display quality.
1366 x 768 (HD) – poor quality (especially if you have a large screen with that resolution) 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) – average, nowadays most budget laptops come with this screen resolution IPS 1920 x 1080 (touch screen); 1000:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits brightness, 85% sRGB. Good! you can easily find mid-range laptops.
IPS 4K (3840 x 2160) (touch screen); 1200:1 contrast, 340 nits brightness, 100% aRGB – excellent! Available in expensive premium laptops.
RAM
We all know that RAM stands for Random Access Memory. A cybersecurity professional needs to multitask. This multitasking becomes difficult with low capacity RAM. More RAM allows you to use more applications at the same time.
It is the RAM that will allow a cybersecurity professional to run security applications and tools. A laptop that is suitable for cyber security will need to be able to boot dual operating systems and run password recovery applications, run multiple virtual machines on the same system, and boot Kali from the USB drive.
Battery
Do not forget to check the battery times of the desired laptop. If the laptop does not come with the longest battery hours, it will be difficult for you to work as the person will not be able to take it out with our sufficient battery.
Laptop Weight
It is recommended to go for the cyber security laptop which is light in weight and can help you in remote jobs. Our detailed list should have given you an idea of what a cyber security guard should look for in your laptop and what some of the standouts on the list are.
Conclusion
A high-quality Best laptop for cyber security students is a must-have an impressive CPUs, graphics cards, and high storage capacity that will never fool you. Not only do they offer great specs and unrivaled performance, but they also run all leading software and applications without difficulty.
Overall, the Apple MacBook Pro is the winner, the Razer Blade 15 is the runner-up, and the Dell XPS 15 is in third place overall. You can choose any of these laptops for cyber security according to the demand and budget. We hope that this article ends your research and that you are capable enough to find the one that suits your needs.