The world of digital security is evolving as more people turn to those that understand how to defend sensitive data. That is why professionals in cybersecurity are looking for the best laptop for Kali Linux. Whether it be for maximum multitasking potential or having the best battery life possible, there is a laptop option for everyone. Here is how to pick the best Laptops for Kali Linux.
Kali Linux is a Linux operating system created with the purpose of ethical hacking. Ethical hacking refers to the process of ensuring that your system is safe and secure from people that have other intentions in mind. Often, ethical hackers will test the current security system that a company has to see if there are any exploits to be capitalized on.
Because Kali Linux is a form of Linux, it is an open-source operating system. This means that the company or you can make changes to the operating system as you see fit, rather than relying on updates strictly from the company.
Best Laptops for Kali Linux
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – 13.5" Touch-Screen – Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB Solid State Drive (Latest Model) – Platinum with Alcantara | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | ASUS TUF FX505DT Gaming Laptop- 15.6", 120Hz Full HD, AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H Processor, GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics, 8GB DDR4, 256GB PCIe SSD, RGB Keyboard, Windows 10 64-bit - FX505DT-AH51 | Prime | Buy Now | |
 | Lenovo Flex 5 14" 2-in-1 Laptop, 14.0" FHD (1920 x 1080) Touch Display, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Processor, 16GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, AMD Radeon Graphics, Digital Pen Included, Win 10, 81X20005US, Graphite Grey | Prime | Buy Now | |
 | ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" VR Ready 120Hz FHD Gaming Laptop,8Core AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(Beat i7-10750H),16GB RAM,1TB PCIe SSD,Backlight,Wi-Fi 6,USB C,NVIDIA GeForce RTX2060 Max-Q,Win10 (Moonlight White) | Prime | Buy Now | |
 | Lenovo ThinkPad E595 15.6" Full HD Laptop, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core, Up to 3.70 GHz, 8GB Ram, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Pro | Prime | Buy Now |
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
These Are The Top Five Laptops for Kali Linux
These are the top five laptops that you should pick up for Kali Linux, as well as getting through everyday life:
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
- Asus TUF FX505DT Gaming Laptop
- Lenovo Flex 2-in-1 Laptop
- Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
- Lenovo ThinkPad E595
They offer fast processing speeds, high-resolution monitors, and a robust amount of RAM. Not only that, but they offer the I/O needed to easily convert your laptop into a desktop.
All of these components come together to create reliable and fast laptops that can easily run Kali Linux. In fact, you can easily run Kali Linux and when you’re not using it, you can switch to an operating system that is less intensive like Windows 10.
1.Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
- Clean, elegant design — Thin and light, starting at just 2.79 pounds, Surface Laptop 3 is easy to carry
- Choose from rich tone-on-tone color combinations: New Sandstone, plus Matte Black, Cobalt Blue, and Platinum
- Improved speed and performance to do what you want, with the latest processors – Surface Laptop 3 is up to two times faster than surface Laptop 2
- More ways to connect, with USB-C and USB-A ports for connecting to displays, docking stations and more, as well as accessory charging
- All-day power on the go, with up to 11.5 hours of battery life, plus standby time when you’re away. Go from empty to a full battery with fast charging - up to 80% in about 1 hour
Prices pulled from Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
2.Asus TUF FX505DT Gaming Laptop
- Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 4GB graphics (base: 1395MHz, Boost: 1560MHz, TDP: 50W)
- Quad-core AMD Ryzen 5 r5-3550h processor
- 15.6” 120Hz full HD (1920x1080) IPS-type display
- 256GB NVMe SSD | 8GB DDR4 RAM | Windows 10 Home
- Gigabit wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11AC)
- Durable gaming laptop with MIL-STD-810 military standard construction
- Dual fans with anti-dust technology | RGB backlit Keyboard rated for 20-million keystroke durabil
Prices pulled from Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
3.Lenovo Flex 2-in-1 Laptop
- Thin, light, and stylish – This 2-in-1 laptop weighs just 3.64 pounds and is only 0.82 thick. Its soft and comfortable to the touch, with a durable paint that creates a better user experience. Digital pen included
- The 10-point, 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen allows the Lenovo Flex 5 14 2-in-1 laptop to be comfortable, fun, and easy to use. Its also great to look at, with 4-side narrow bezels
- The 360⁰ hinge lets you use your 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop in whatever mode works best for you; Use it in Laptop mode for everyday computing, Tent mode for sharing things, Stand mode for binge-watching, or Tablet mode for more intuitive interaction
- Enjoy up to 10 hours of battery life, plus quick charge to 80% in just 1 hour
- Powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U mobile processor with Radeon graphics, you have the performance to do more, from anywhere. With more cores, youll experience responsiveness that leaps into action for productivity, gaming, and content creat
Prices pulled from Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
4.Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
- 14in Full HD Display with 1920 x 1080 Resolution with 120Hz refresh rate, Latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(beat 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H), 8 Core processor up to 4.30GHz
- 1TB SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics Backed by 6GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory, Virtual Reality Ready
- Speakers with Smart AMP Technology and Dolby Atmos, Two 2.5W speakers produce incredible Dolby Atmos sound, Wireless/Wired connectivity (WiFi 6 - 802.11 ax)
- Chiclet keyboard with white backlight, Allows you to enjoy comfortable and accurate typing, even in dim lighting., Weighs 3.64 lbs. and measures 0.7 thin, Windows 10 H
Prices pulled from Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
5.Lenovo ThinkPad E595
- 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS 250nits Anti-glare Non-touch, Integrated AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core Processor, 2.10 GHz (up to 3.70 GHz), 4MB L3 Cache
- 8GB 2400 MHz DDR4 Ram, 256GB M.2 NVMe PCIe Solid State Drive
- 1 x USB Type-A (USB 2.0), 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 1), 1 x USB 3.1 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Supports DisplayPort and Power Delivery), 1 x HDMI, 1 x microSD card slot
- Windows 10 Pro, 1 Year Warranty, Headphone & Microphone Audio Jack, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11
Prices pulled from Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Picking the Right CPU
Laptops for Kali Linux should focus on multicore performance, rather than a single core. It allows your computer to handle multiple workloads at once and has better interaction with your RAM. This is why AMD is a better choice, as their multicore performance paired with good RAM is hard to beat.
Most individuals that are running and coding with Linux are often ensuring that their computer is running multiple instances of coding at one time. This makes the higher-end AMD options more appealing, as they often have anywhere from 8 to 16 cores, with 16 to 32 threads.
Intel has also now been found to have major exploits related to their Thunderbolt jacks, making them less secure. The whole point of Kali Linux is to increase security measures, so turning to them for your laptop is a bit ironic.
Picking the Right Amount and Speed of RAM
After picking out the right CPU, be sure to pick out RAM that matches it. AMD works well with higher-speed RAMs, thanks to the Infinity Fabric. The direct correlation is essentially the idea that the faster the memory speed, the faster the CPU will perform.
Most coding and security workloads will work fine with an amount of 16 GB of high-speed RAM. A good rule of thumb is to stick to a minimum of 3200MHz of RAM. While ECC RAM would be optimal for those that are coding and attacking, ECC RAM is hard to find in laptops.
Also, check to see what the Column Access Strobe latency (examples would be C16 or C18) is, as the numbers will also adjust the performance of your RAM. Lower is better in this scenario, so try to find C16 and lower.
I/O Considerations
People often focus on the hardware inside the laptops that run Kali Linux, rather than looking at the outside (meaning the input/output options that are available for the laptop). You can have the best specs in the world, but if you only have 1 USB port and a charging port, you’re not going to be able to maximize your productivity.
Consider a laptop that has a minimum of 2 USB-A ports, to connect a USB hub as well as a mouse. From there, look for at least 1 USB-C port, as these are becoming more standard than USB-A. Also, look to see if there are HDMI outputs, ethernet connections, and a headphone jack.
Each item on that list will help make your life easier when it comes to maximizing your laptop. An HDMI port can have your computer hook up to a monitor to expand your screen real estate. An ethernet port can ensure you get the highest speeds possible with the lowest amount of ping, while also getting the highest amount of security possible.
Storage Device Type
Check to see what type of storage device the laptop utilizes. Almost all laptops are featuring at least some component of an SSD nowadays, leading to an increase in performance times. The storage device is important for running Kali Linux, as the read and write speeds of these will play an impact on downloading and uploading items from your computer over a network.
Aim to get at least a PCIe SSD, which plugs directly into the motherboard of your laptop. These often have the highest read and write speeds, as Gen 4 SSD’s now go up to 5,000 MB/s reads and 4,400 MB/s writes.
From there, to use for bulk storage of other items, aim to also have a 7200 RPM HDD. These are often just utilized for bulk items that are not as necessary, like pictures or documents but don’t cost an arm and a leg to implement into your laptop.
The Best Laptop for Kali Linux Comes Down to Your Preference
Choosing the best laptop for Kali Linux will also come down to your personal preferences. Do you want a laptop that is RGB, or do you want one that is small and compact? Style choices will also be up to you, but be sure to have this hardware in there.
If you want to learn more about how to find the best laptop for every profession, check out the rest of our blog. If you need a review of a specific laptop, be sure to contact us to see if we can!
