3 Best Laptops for Kali Linux in 2024
From this article, you will know what are, in our opinion, the best laptops for Kali Linux you can buy and use in 2024.
Kali Linux is an open-source Linux-based operating system (OS) that many people use to do pentesting. The OS can run many tools that you can use for the activity.
To use Kali Linux, the most preferred device is probably a laptop. The portability and potential computational power of a laptop can make it an ideal device to use for the work that people usually do with Kali Linux.
If you want to use Kali Linux too but you don’t have a laptop for that, you might be interested in buying a new laptop. However, it can be confusing to find the right laptop for Kali Linux from many laptop models and specification choices available out there. This is why Compute Expert has created a list of the best laptops for Kali Linux you may want to use as your laptop-buying reference.
Want to know what laptops we think are among the best for Kali Linux and the reasons why we recommend them? Let’s get on the list right away.
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| Image | View on Amazon | Product |
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Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 | |
 
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Dell XPS 15 9520 | |
 
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 |
Table of Contents:
What are the Best Laptops for Kali Linux?
Now, let’s see deeper at the laptops that make it to our list of excellent laptops to use Kali Linux with. Using one of these laptops should give you the laptop support you need to do your activities in the Kali Linux OS more optimally.1. Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 is the first laptop we recommend for Kali Linux. Lenovo ThinkPad laptops are known to be great for Linux-based OS like Kali Linux and this laptop has the specifications to handle tasks related to pentesting well.
This laptop has an AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U processor and 16GB RAM capacity in place. These are excellent specifications to have for a laptop and it should run Kali Linux and the software you need in it smoothly. The AMD processor can give you splendid performance as it has 8 cores and a speed up to 4.7 GHz.
You can stretch this laptop up to 180 degrees thanks to its flexible hinge. Working in the most comfortable position for you should be easier to be done with it. When you need to type some commands to do your security system audit work, this laptop has an excellent keyboard so you can type comfortably.
There is an Ethernet port too on this laptop which can be handy to have for pentesting. All in all, this Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 can be the ideal laptop choice for you to use Kali Linux with.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 14 inches, 1920 x 1200 pixels
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 6850U with speed up to 4.7 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 16GB
- Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 8 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent specifications for Kali Linux
- Sleek and lightweight
- Solid build
- USB-A, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet ports
- Stretchable hinge (up to 180 degrees)
- Friendly-to-the-eye display
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
- A full-HD webcam
Cons
- No SD card reader slots
2. Dell XPS 15 9520
Dell XPS 15 9520 is the next laptop we think can be excellent for Kali Linux. It is a professional-looking laptop from Dell that can deliver the performance level needed to use Kali Linux optimally.
To back up its performance, this laptop uses a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 with 14 cores and a speed up to 4.7 GHz. Looking at the processor details, it should be more than adequate to support the activities you want to do in Kali Linux. The RAM capacity is 32GB, which is plenty for multitasking and doing complex tasks.
There is a dedicated GPU in this laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU with 4GB VRAM in place. It should help to process graphics much more smoother should your pentesting activities need it. When you need to transfer data or use external monitors, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports ready to help you.
This laptop is sleek and looks professional so it should fit in any professional setting where you want to work. Overall, this Dell XPS 15 9520 is a solid laptop and can be just what you need to use Kali Linux optimally.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1200 pixels
- Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 with speed up to 4.7 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 32GB
- Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 9 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent specifications for Kali Linux
- Sleek and professional-looking design
- Premium build
- Two Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
- Great speakers
Cons
- No USB-A and HDMI ports
- Average webcam quality
3. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is another laptop you might want to take a look at. It is a sleek and lightweight Microsoft laptop with good specification quality to support your work in Kali Linux.
Performance-wise, this laptop should be up to the task to handle things related to running tools in Kali Linux. After all, it has a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM capacity as its specifications. To store your files internally, there is 512GB SSD storage space ready for you to use in this model.
This laptop is highly portable in its design so you should be able to bring it around easily. This can be important when you do your pentesting activities with high mobility. When you need to use its battery, it can last a full day on a single charge so you can stay productive without a power outlet near you.
Want a capable laptop to run the Kali Linux OS for you? This Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 might be something you want to consider buying and using too.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 15 inches, 2496 x 1664 pixels
- Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 with speed up to 4.7 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 17 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent specifications for Kali Linux
- Sleek and lightweight
- Thunderbolt 4 USB-C and USB-A ports
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
- Good display and sound quality
Cons
- No HDMI ports and SD card reader slots
- Thick bezels
- Average webcam quality
What are the Things We Should Consider When We Want to Buy a Laptop to Run Kali Linux With?
Here are the things we think you should consider when you want to buy a laptop to do activities in the Kali Linux OS.- Processor. The laptop you buy should have a good processor so it can run Kali Linux and all the tools in it smoothly. We recommend a laptop with at least a late-generation of i5 or Ryzen 5 processor for this
- RAM capacity. The laptop you buy should also have adequate RAM capacity to anticipate the memory space needs from the activities you do in Kali Linux. We recommend a laptop with at least 8GB RAM for this
- Storage. You may need to store a lot of files related to your work in Kali Linux internally on your laptop so you can access them later much easier. Therefore, the laptop you buy should have adequate storage space to accommodate those files. We recommend a laptop with at least 512GB SSD storage space for this
Wrap Up
When you want to buy a laptop, you may want one that can help you to run Kali Linux and all the tools in it optimally. However, it can be confusing to pick the right laptop from many laptop choices out there. This is why Compute Expert has compiled a list of the best laptops for Kali Linux to help you.To summarize, here are three laptops we recommend for Kali Linux.
We hope our list can help you buy the best laptop to support your work in Kali Linux!
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