Pentesting & Kali Linux Laptops (10 Best Cheap Options For 2022)

If you are an expert or a rookie looking for the finest laptops for Kali Linux and pentesting, then you have arrived at the correct location at the appropriate time. The Kali-Linux environment, commonly known as the Pentest or Penetrating Test, is a controlled environment in which permitted hacking is conducted.

Most likely, one of the primary reasons why ethical hackers seek the technological market for high-quality laptops is the requirement to run Kali Linux without crashing or freezing. Regardless of whether you are a newbie or an experienced hacker, it is certain that you will want a laptop with some high-end capabilities in order to do penetration testing and run Kali Linux properly. If you are already involved in ethical hacking, you are probably aware that Kali Linux is the most suitable operating system for ethical hacking purposes. As a result, you’ll need a laptop running the Kali-Linux operating system.

It goes without saying that there are a plethora of high-quality laptops available, but regrettably, none of these laptops are capable of running Kali Linux without suffering any issues. In this case, it is noteworthy that certain specialised laptops will perform optimally specifically for this reason.

If you are a hacker and don’t have the time to properly analyse the characteristics of the laptop before selecting one that is suited for Kali Linux, you may use a pre-built laptop. So, perhaps, you will be able to select a laptop that is suitable for running Kali Linux on this page.

What to look for in a laptop for Kali-Linux?

If you are searching for a laptop to use for Kali-Linux and pentesting, the following are the most important considerations to keep in mind before purchasing any laptop from our list:

• Processor:

The Processor is the core of your laptop’s performance. There are multi-core and single-core processors. We recommend that you should go for at least an 8th generation i5 or i7 processor to run Kali-Linux smoothly.  Having a fast multicore processor is always helpful when it comes to Kali-Linux or pen-testing. These are powerful enough to handle any task. But don’t go for laptops with i3 processors as it is not able to handle Pentesting and Kali-Linux easily.

• RAM:

RAM is another important part of any laptop for Kali-Linux and penetration testing. For Kali-Linux, you will need a laptop that can simultaneously run Multiple virtual machines. No matter how strong your processor is, without enough RAM you will not be able to run your pen-testing operations smoothly. We recommend you to go for at least 8 GB RAM but do not go below it. Ideally, you want a laptop with at least 16GB of RAM.

• Battery Life:

This is an important part of any laptop which many people don’t give a lot of significance before purchasing a laptop. The longer your laptop’s battery is, the better, if a laptop can give you at least 2 hours of battery when using Kali-Linux, this would be a good option.

Needless to say that there are tons of high-quality laptops out there, but unfortunately all these laptops are not convincing for running Kali Linux, without experiencing any trouble. it’s conspicuous that some specific laptops will be working best just for this purpose.

If you are a hacker and don’t have enough time to thoroughly check the specifications of the laptop to select a suitable laptop for Kali Linux. So hope, you will find the appropriate laptop here to run Kali Linux.

Macbook pro 13

(Best Laptop for Kali Linux and Pentesting)

The MacBook Pro 13 is probably the best laptop you can buy for Kali Linux and pen testing if you’re willing to spend extra for a fast working laptop and top-quality experience. We are going to highly recommend this laptop for Kali Linux because it is powerful and has the potential to run kali smoothly. Here are some core features of the Apple Macbook Pro.

Performance:

We all know how good Apple products are in terms of performance. The most important factors you should check are the performance like processor, Storage, and RAM first. That’s all you need to run Kali Linux smoothly. The standard model of the MacBook Pro is 13-inch packed with 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor (2.4GHz dual-core) at entry-level. It’s paired with a healthy 8GB RAM (2122MHz LPDDR3), 16GB upgrade is available. When it comes to storage, you’ll get 128GB SSD with (256/512GB/1TB/2TB options).

Battery:

 MacBook Pro is the best laptop for Linux having exceptional battery life, but it may be affected by the screen brightness. We’ve effectively been able to get around 7 to 10 hours from a single charge, even with heavy usage. This gives the MacBook Pro more horsepower and makes this machine more capable of ethical hacking.

Design:

The MacBook Pro is an exceptionally good-looking notebook, with a compact aluminum finish (Silver/Space Gray) on the outside and the cogitative Apple logo in the center. It’s recognizably thinner and lighter than the models from a couple of years back. At 3.03 pounds, it feels thickly packed with tech and strong enough to run Kali Linux or pen-testing. The 13-inch MacBook Pro has four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and on the right side, you’ll find the headphone jack.

Display:

Another reason to get a MacBook Pro is for the screen and display resolution. Apple’s 13.3-inch Retina display is an eye-catcher, packing an LED-backlit IPS screen at 227 pixels per inch through 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. Contrast is consistently exceptional, the display is sparkling and hyper-detailed, and it also gets very bright at 500 nits. This is one step above the MacBook Air’s 400 nits brightness, and the difference is observable. You will not struggle to see the Macbook Pro screen in any scenario.

Acer predator Helios300

(Best Laptop for Kali Linux and Pentesting)

The Acer Predator Helios 300 remains impressive. Its GPU is quick enough for Kali Linux and pen-testing. Solid design throughout and has reasonable ergonomics. This Acer machine has enough speed and quality to give an excellent experience.

Performance:

Another incredible Acer product, Predator Helios 300 yields amazing performance and sizeable storage limit courtesy of its Core i7-9750H (ninth generation) processor. It’s paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD which is adequate to run Kali Linux.

Meanwhile, the built-in 9th gen processor speed is impressive (courtesy of a Turbo boost technology). For all these features and advanced specifications, we included this laptop in the list of best laptops for Kali Linux and pen-testing.

Graphic Card:

As noted, Acer’s Predator Helios 300 is (usually) a little expensive laptop, and that is almost because of one component upgrade; the inclusion of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti / RTX 2060 GPU instead of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti or 1050. It has Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 video adapter with a 6GB dedicated VRAM. This upgrade may sound small for you, but it’s tremendously significant when it comes to graphics capabilities and it really increases the overall performance of this machine.

Design:

Outwardly, the predator Helios 300 has a typical look of a gaming laptop. The body design is moderately precise, and it’s combined with bright red and gleaming silver accents. The body is largely made from metal, and it looks good. The lid is crafted out of brushed aluminum, hard plastic surface with a Predator logo alongside two metallic lines. 

Display:

The Predator Helios 300 the best laptop for Linux has a 15.6-inch in-plane-switching (IPS) screen (at 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution). The Predator screen has a matte finish. Being an IPS panel, its viewable from any angle even in bright lighting conditions, which is significant when you have many people watching the screen, some from over your shoulder.

Asus Vivobook Pro 17 N705FD-ES76

(Good Laptop for Pentesting and Kali Linux)

Asus Vivobook Pro 17 is another astonishing choice for you. If you have a limited budget then this laptop is the best option for you. If you are looking for the best laptop that can fulfill your dream about running Kali Linux smoothly and gaming needs then this laptop is the best alternative for you. 

Performance:

The VivoBook Pro 17 comes with an Intel Core i7-8565U Whiskey lake 8th Generation processor. The i7-8565U has a higher considerable maximal clock speed of 4.6 GHz instead of 4.0 GHz. This Vivobook Pro 17 has 16GB RAM (DDR4 at 5400 RPM) and 256GB Solid-State-Drive which is truly an expansive memory. The SSD is splendid cause the read/write speeds that you get are almost ten times quicker than their mechanical counterparts. The processing power and smooth response, make this laptop a great ally for Kali-Linux.

Graphics:

The Vivobook pro has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (4GB) GPU. With this GPU, the VivoBook is able to play the most advanced games in high settings and at a native 1080p resolution. It has the superior graphic quality and splendid crispness in the image.

Design:

The Asus VivoBook Pro 17 features a plastic surround with sheets of brushed aluminum covering the palm rest and display lid. The metal introduces an overwhelming level of solidness to the design giving it firmness. From a distance, the entire structure is simple on the eye and has a stylish look that’s reassuring of its quality. At 16.2 x 10.6 x 0.8 inches and 4.90 pounds the Asus VivoBook Pro 17 is enormous and massive.

Display:

In Asus Vivobook pro 17, You will find a wide and fully High-Definition display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution IPS panel technology that offers dynamic colors and a clear HD display. Asus Vivobook Pro 17 is a machine that is flawlessly usable for different purposes such as Kali-Linux, photo editing and so more. Its viewing angle is much better than the VivoBook pro 15.

MSI GV62 8RD-034

(best Linux laptop for developers)

Performance:

MSI GV62 8RD-034 is the best Linux laptop for developers and why we choose it take a look at the spec sheet of this laptop reveals a well-balanced machine capable of handling hard tasks. Inside MSI GV62 8RD-034 you’ll find an Intel Core i7-8750H (8th generation) processor combined with 8GB / 16GB of RAM and the speedy 128GB / 256GB SSD or mechanical hard drive storage. The Core i7-8750H has 6 cores and 12 threads. This Best choice laptop is capable of handling high demanding tasks such as Kali-Linux, video editing, and gaming. Amazon customers rate this laptop 4.1 out of 5.0.

Graphics:

The MSI GV62 8RD-034, the best Linux laptop for developers, packs an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti with 4GB of DDR5 memory. Battery life isn’t much worse. The battery lasted more than 5 hours with regular use at 75% brightness on rundown tests.

Design:

MSI is using basically a similar case as most of its predecessors in the GV62 lineup with some insignificant changes. The most dramatic change in this model is that they made it slimmer from the previous models. Dressed in matte black plastic, with a thin red line on the back, joining the dual fan grilles.

Display:

The MSI GV62 8RD-034 has a matte 15-inch (1920X1080 resolution) full HD display that uses IPS technology. it provides wide viewing angles and better brightness. The 1080P resolution is great for the display letting us play games in high settings with good FPS. These specifications make MSI GV62 laptop the best Linux laptop for developers.

Dell G5587 – 7866BLK 

(The Best Budget and the Cheapest Laptop For Pentesting and Kali Linux) 

Performance:

The Dell G5587-7866BLK laptop is brilliant when it comes to performance. On Amazon, the rating of this laptop is 4.1 out of 5.0 enough to satisfy its customers to purchase this book online. This laptop lands at number 4 in our list of best cheap laptops for Kali Linux and pen-testing. In this laptop, you’ll find an Intel Core i7-8750H (8th generation) processor, a six-core 12 threads processor built to convey high-performance and run kali-Linux smoothly. This is a hexa-core processor that has a clocking speed of 2.2GHz and can push up to 4.1GHz with the help of turbo boost technology. when it comes to real-world performance, the i7-8750H has enough power to perform high-quality tasks more quickly.

Graphics:

The laptop comes with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4GB GDDR5) GPU, which is a high-end graphics chip. This GPU is truly outstanding in the world. One significant thing that makes this laptop the best budget for pen testing, is the cooling on the laptop. You’ll find a great cooling setup on this laptop.

Design:

Dell managed to create a pleasing design, being an all-metal premium build, especially over this price range. Dell G5587 – 7866BLK comes in a black body with red accents and a logo. The body is completely plastic, but it has a softer finish on the lid and a generally stronger body that prevents it from feeling cheap. Overall, this laptop has a simple and stylish design.

Display:

The display is an essential piece of any laptop. This model has a 15.6-inch LED-backlit display (1920 x 1080 resolution) with an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel which ensures great wide viewing angles. The motion of the screen is fluid enough to provide an excellent experience.

So if you are in search of a high-performance laptop that can run Kali Linux / pentesting then Dell G5587 is the best choice for you.

Lenovo Legion Y 7000

(Best Pentesting Laptop 2022)

Performance:

If you are looking for the best laptop for Linux OS and Pentesting then Lenovo Legion Y7000 should be your choice. No doubt Legion Y7000 is the best pentesting laptop 2022. Lenovo Legion Y7000 has an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8750H processor with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, that is actually what Lenovo promised. Lenovo’s 256GB SSD copied 4.97GB of data in 8 seconds, for a fiery-fast data transfer rate of 640MBps that nearly doubles the 323-MBps category average.

Graphics:

The GeForce GTX 1060 is a well-established piece of hardware in this model which is more than enough to handle complex tasks like Kali-Linux and Pen-testing. The Legion Y7000 performs modestly in VR, as it scored 8 out of 11 on the SteamVR Performance Test. The 4.4 out of 5.0 rating on Amazon makes Lenovo Legion Y7000 the best choice for those who need a laptop for Linux operating system.

Design:

The design of the Y7000p is somewhat unique in which Lenovo offers up a mature moderate look that is still clearly meant to evoke a sleek laptop. The rear of the display panel has a matte aluminum-plated lid, while the rest of the body is encased in sturdy matte black plastic. The white Legion logo in the middle looks elegant.

Display:

On the other hand, you’ll find a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 1920×1080 resolution, a standard 60Hz refresh rate. Images are sharp, and the color reproduction is more than enough for any Kali-Linux user needs.

Alienware Aw17R4-7006SLV-Pus

(Expensive Laptop for Kali Linux and Pentesting)

Performance:

Alienware Aw17R4-7006SLV packed with a 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7820HK (Quad-Core, 8MB Cache, Overclocking up to 4.4GHz). It has 16GB of DDR4 RAM at 2400MHz and a 256GB SSD. Also, the 8MB of the cache will essentially help in dealing with the most extreme tasks. This Alienware AW17R4-7006SLV laptop is a powerful machine that is incredible for more than normal usage. In terms of performance, this is a decent but expensive laptop for Pentesting and Kali Linux.

Graphics:

It has a NVIDIA GTX 1070 GPU. This model is the most powerful gaming laptop that is designed for the most immersive VR.

Design:

The build quality of Alienware 17 is really surprising. The majority of the laptop is made of aluminum and is very rigid and strong. It does not give you a cheap feel about the laptop. The build quality is much better than other Alienware models.

Display:

It has a 17.3-inch screen with two display resolutions i.e Full HD and QHD. It is your own choice, however, we would recommend you go for a full HD display If you want good battery life. An anti-glare display conveys robust color and unrivaled brightness with generous viewing angles.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M

(Best laptop for Pentesting and Kali Linux)

Performance:

Asus ROG Zephyrus M has a powerful 9th generation Intel Core i7-9750H processor with 16GB RAM  and a fast 512GB SSD storage. Also, there is a second M.2 slot for further expansion of storage. It is one of the few laptops that are perfect for Kali-Linux and pen-testing.

Graphics:

Zephyrus M has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card with 6GB of video memory. GTX 1660 Ti is one of the powerful latest releases of GPU. You will not notice any lag and Zephyrus will do a decent job for you while using Kali-Linux.

Design:

The different shades of black and stylish sharp lines give Zephyrus a threatening yet exquisite appearance. The fortified magnesium alloy chassis lends a sturdy hand and has a brushed finish on the cover, around the keyboard and trackpad there is an elegant matte finish.

Display:

The Zephyrus M features a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display with a 3ms response time and a 144Hz refresh rate. The display is surrounded by 6.2mm thin bezels and the matte finish keeps the screen free of glare.

Lenovo Ideapad L340

(Best Gaming Laptop for Kali Linux and Pentesting)

Performance:

The Lenovo Ideapad L340 is equipped with the 9th generation Intel Core i5-9300H processor, paired with 8GB of RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, and GeForce GTX 1650 GPU that will provide smooth operation on daily computing or running Kali Linux. The chip’s 2.4GHz base clock speed is a maximum of 4.1GHz in turbo mode and can be maintained on two synchronous cores supported by efficient cooling on the system.

Therefore, performance can be considered very stable and smooth. As configured, this laptop can provide stable performance during running Kali-Linux and penetration testing. This will provide smooth performance on daily tasks including spreadsheet processing and light media creation, among other projects.

Design:

Ideapad L340 is a stylish 15-inch laptop and is also suitable for gaming. It is made entirely of plastic, such as the Legion Y540. However, the body of the Ideapad is shiny and glossy in contrast to the circular design and has a rubberized base and a gorgeous lid.

Ports:

In terms of connectivity, they start with a dedicated Lenovo charging port, an RJ-45 connector, an HDMI port, two USB Type-A 3.1 (Gen 2) ports, an audio jack, as well as a USB Type-C. 3.1 (Gen 2) Port.

Display:

Lenovo Ideapad L340 features a full HD TN panel. Apart from its 1080p resolution that is perfect for gameplay with the GeForce GTX 1650. It provides bright and colorful images, acceptable viewing angles and an anti-glare display. The IPS panel has a 60Hz refresh rate.

The screen ratio of this laptop is 16:9, moreover, one of the most significant nature of the screen is that the screen turns into a retina display when seen a way off equivalent to or greater than 60 cm (24″). The measured maximum brightness of the Ideapad is 300 nits in the middle of the screen and 260 nits as an average for the entire area of the screen is exceptional, even if you are going to use your laptop outside the room.

Stop are you going to purchase a laptop wait a minute and read our complete laptop buying guide click the link below

Acer Aspire E15 

(Best laptop for Pentesting and Kali Linux)

Performance:

With a 1.8 GHz Core i5-8250U (eighth generation) processor, 8GB memory, 256GB M.2 SSD and 2GB Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics, this E15 delivers quick performance with common home office tasks and running Kali-Linux. If you like, you can get more storage and also get 32 GB RAM for a smooth experience. With this laptop, cranking through daily activities like music streaming and running Kali-Linux will not slow down while running Google Chrome with half a dozen or more tabs open.

Graphics:

The entry-level MX150 graphics chip cannot take you away from its gaming performance. However, this is a clear improvement over Intel’s UHD Graphic 620 integrated GPU.

Design:

The first thing you will notice about the Acer Aspire E15 is its design, which is sleek and slim. The laptop is largely made of plastic, but it feels sturdy and does not look like it will break under normal use. That said, its plastic chassis has a kind of metal-like texture – making it look a bit smoother, otherwise, it could be given a plastic build.

Display:

Instead of a 4K-resolution touchscreen, you’ll get a fully equipped 15.6-inch full HD display. This is usually a good screen with the appealing colors you get at this price and has decent viewing angles. It is, however, brighter and while matte finish means reflections will be less an issue.

Conclusion:

So, above we have covered all the best laptops for Kali Linux and pen testing to buy in 2022. If you are searching for a powerful laptop with a long-lasting battery, then your best option would be MacBook Pro 13. There is a lot more to offer by this gorgeous MacBook Pro 13, from being easy to use to converting whatever you want into a notebook or computer.

It is very lightweight and compact. We are sure that by now you have made your choice from our list of best laptops for Kali-Linux and Pen testing. We don’t make a list of more than 20 laptops as they are very confusing when choosing one option. So a short yet high review and a curated list are mentioned.

With a powerful GPU, multicore CPU, and high memory you can get the best performance when running Kali Linux and Pen testing. After considering all the specifications required for Kali Linux and penetrations testing, we have also included some gaming laptops. Choose the best one from this list and tell us which one you think would be best suited for you as a Kali Linux user or IT security professional.

Kali Linux and Pen testing require powerful hardware configurations so that the tests can be completed very easily. We always recommend having the standard minimum required hardware, and after that, we leave the purchase decision to the user’s budget and usage requirements.