5 Best Laptops for Virtual Machines in 2025
From this article, you will know what are the best laptops for virtual machines you can buy and use in 2025, according to us.
A virtual machine is like a computer inside a computer. It is software that can emulate the Operating System (OS) that a computer device usually uses to host all of its operations.
As you can imagine for software as complex as that, using it in a laptop requires high-level computational power. If we don’t have a laptop like that yet, we should buy one if we plan to use virtual machines in a laptop.
However, it can be hard to pick a laptop with the right model and specifications to run virtual machines smoothly from many laptop choices out there. This is why Compute Expert has come up with its list of the best laptops for virtual machines to help you choose the best laptop to buy and use.
Want to know what laptops that make it into our list and why we recommend them? Let’s get on it right away.
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| Image | View on Amazon | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Dell Latitude 5550 | ||
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | ||
| HP EliteBook 660 | ||
| MSI GE78 HX Raider | ||
| Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 |
Table of Contents:
What are the Best Laptops for Virtual Machines?
Now, let’s see the laptops that we think are excellent for running virtual machines thanks to their models and specifications. Using one of these laptops should help you do your activities in the virtual machines more smoothly.1. Dell Latitude 5550
Dell Latitude 5550 is the first laptop we recommend on this list. It is an excellent business laptop from Dell that has better specifications than many laptops have to offer in this model.The performance of this laptop is backed by a 12-core Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor and 32GB RAM capacity. Considering these specifications, you should be able to run multiple virtual machines quite smoothly. There is also 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage to store the files needed for virtual machines.
This laptop has a full range of ports with two Thunderbolt 4 ports ready to help you whenever you need to connect to external devices. As for the battery, it should be able to last for quite some time when you do your work before you have to charge it again.
As a result of the quality specifications in it, this laptop isn’t too sleek. However, it should be able to run any software and files without much problem, including virtual machines.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080 pixels
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U with 12 cores and speed in the range of 1.7-4.8 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 32GB
- Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 8 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent performance in running virtual machines
- Solid build
- A full range of ports with two Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Good webcam
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
Cons
- Average display quality
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the next laptop we think should run virtual machines well for you. This one is a solid ThinkPad laptop that can give a fast performance to support your activities.The processor here is an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor. It is the same level of processor as the Dell Latitude we discussed previously, although with a different processor model. This processor is excellent and should be able to handle what you need to run virtual machines smoothly.
As for the RAM capacity, it is 32GB. It should be enough to multitask while you run your virtual machines. Looking at the design, it should fit in your bag quite easily since it has a sleek design.
The display and sound outputs on this laptop are good as it has support from Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Overall, this Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a fine laptop and can be the one that you choose to do virtualization with.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 14 inches, 2880 x 1800 pixels
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with 16 cores and speed in the range of 3.8-4.8 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 32GB
- Storage: 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 10 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent performance in running virtual machines
- Sleek and sturdy design
- USB-A, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, and HDMI ports
- Flexible hinge (stretchable up to 180 degrees)
- Good display
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
Cons
- No SD or micro-SD card slots
3. HP EliteBook 660
HP EliteBook 660 is another business laptop that can become an able device for virtual machines. It has high-quality specifications that can boost its performance to support your activities capably.This laptop uses an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor which is quite fast and has 12 cores to run all your software and files, including your virtual machine software. The performance level should be enough to smoothly process tasks while you do your work in your virtual machines.
There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the sides of this laptop to let you transfer data fast. When you need to work online, there is Wi-Fi 6E technology to let you connect optimally to your Wi-Fi network.
As a bonus, this laptop has an excellent 1080p camera too to help you do video calls or recordings clearly. Overall, this HP EliteBook 660 is a premium business laptop that should handle virtual machine software well for you.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 16 inches, 1920 x 1200 pixels
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U with 12 cores and speed in the range of 1.7-4.8 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 13 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent performance in running virtual machines
- Premium-looking design
- USB-A, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, and HDMI ports
- Quiet operations
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
Cons
- No SD or micro-SD card slots
4. MSI GE78 HX Raider
MSI GE78 HX Raider is an excellent gaming laptop you can use for virtualization too. The specifications in this model should provide you with everything you need for the tasks.The processor that backs its performance is a 13th Gen 24-core Intel Core i9 processor. Looking at the quality of the processor, this laptop should run virtual machines without much problem. The RAM capacity itself is 64GB so there shouldn’t be a problem with the RAM capacity specification either.
There is 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage to store the files you need for your activities. As a large laptop with a thin bezel, this laptop should give you more viewport than most laptops to see multiple virtual machines you run at the same time.
Looking for an excellent laptop to run your virtual machines? You may want to consider this MSI GE78 HX Raider laptop too.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 17.3 inches, 2560 x 1600 pixels
- Processor: 13th Gen Intel Core i9 with 24 cores and speed in the range of 2.2-5.6 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 64GB
- Storage: 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 5 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent performance in running virtual machines
- Solid build
- A full range of ports with one Thunderbolt 4 port
- MUX switch technology
- Great speakers
- Comfortable keyboard to type on
Cons
- Fans can be loud
5. Asus ROG Strix Scar 18
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is the last laptop we recommend on this list. It is a gaming laptop that should be able to give the performance you need to run your virtual machines.The storage in this laptop is a 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD. There should be enough space for all your virtual machine files with this kind of capacity in place. The RAM capacity itself is 32GB and you can upgrade it to up to 96GB later which should enable you to run several virtual machines quite smoothly.
This laptop has a 14th Gen Intel Core i9 processor to run its operations. It is a 24-core processor that should be fast enough to handle your tasks. There is also an excellent thermal management system in this laptop that can help its processors cool down significantly and be more stable.
Want a laptop that can support your virtualization process capably? Take a look at this Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 laptop too.
Key Features
- Screen Size, Resolution: 18 inches, 2560 x 1440 pixels
- Processor: 14th Gen Intel Core i9 with 24 cores and speed in the range of 2.2-5.8 GHz
- RAM Capacity: 32GB
- Storage: 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Battery Life (Estimation): up to 5 hours of usage capacity
Pros
- Excellent performance in running virtual machines
- USB-A, Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, and HDMI ports
- MUX switch technology with NVIDIA Advanced Optimus
- High-quality friendly-to-the-eye display
- Excellent thermal management to avoid overheating issues
- Great speakers
Cons
- No SD card reader slots
- Average webcam quality
What are the Things We Should Consider When We Want to Buy a Laptop to Run Virtual Machines?
Here are the things we think you should consider when you want to buy a laptop for virtualization.- Processor. A high-quality processor with several cores can help your laptop to run virtual machines smoothly. We suggest at least a late-generation i7 or Ryzen 7 processor with at least 8 cores
- RAM capacity. Virtual machines can eat up a lot of memory space when we use them so the laptop we buy should have a huge RAM capacity. We recommend at least 32GB RAM, although 64GB RAM will be better
- Storage. Virtual machines can have many large files in them so you should have much storage space to anticipate it. We recommend at least 1TB SSD storage in your laptop to help you with this
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is More Important to Run Virtual Machines in a Laptop: CPU or RAM?
Both are important as we need a high-quality CPU with many cores and huge RAM capacity to run virtual machines optimally. However, if you have to choose one, you may want to go with RAM.Will Virtual Machines Slow Down My Laptop?
Yes, they can slow down your laptop, especially if it has a bad or average processor and/or low RAM capacity. Thus, if you plan to use virtual machines, you should use a high-level laptop like the five we recommend above.How Much RAM Do I Need for a Virtual Machine?
We recommend at least 32GB. However, 64GB will be better.Do You Need a Good GPU for Virtual Machines?
No, as virtual machines mostly use CPU in their process.Are Gaming Laptops Good for Virtual Machines?
Gaming laptops can be good for virtual machines as they usually have excellent performance specifications. If you plan to buy a gaming laptop to run virtual machines, just double-check that it has the level of specifications needed to run your virtual machines.Wrap Up
When we want to buy a laptop, we may want one that can run virtual machines well. However, it can be difficult to pick the right laptop for that from many laptop choices out there. This is why Compute Expert has come up with its list of the best laptops for virtual machines to help you.To summarize, here are five laptops we think are excellent to do virtualization.
- Dell Latitude 5550
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- HP EliteBook 660
- MSI GE78 HX Raider
- Asus ROG Strix Scar 18
We hope our list can help you buy the best laptop to run the virtual machines you want!
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