Starting out as a cyber security expert requires that you get gadgets that are suitable for the services you want to provide.
Interestingly, for cyber security professionals, getting a laptop that is equipped with all the needed security components and software is paramount.
Cyber security is basically about protecting information and data in the cyberspace, and you cannot just use any laptop for your business.
As a matter of fact, you should first research the manufacturer of the laptop to be sure they are not going to be spying on your data. In fact, there are certain smartphones manufactured outside the United States that government officials are not permitted to use.
If you are starting out in the cyber security industry, and you are not sure of the laptops you should go for, we will look at some of the best laptops that are highly suitable for the cybersecurity industry.
Best Laptops for Cyber Security Business
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Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1
The Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1 weighs just 2.9 pounds making it very light to carry along with you anywhere you want to go.
Despite the fact that the Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1 is light, it is a rugged laptop that can withstand the rigors of the job.
The Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1 also comes with an ideal storage capacity and processing power that will help you carry out your job as a cyber security expert or student.
The Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1 can easily be used for software downloads, taxing programs, and various applications. The Dell Latitude 7430 Laptop or 2-in-1 comes with an outlet fan and vented cooling system that operates silently.
Like other Dell laptops, it also has ComfortView to protect the eyes. For extra security, the laptop clocks when you walk away and locks up until you return.
Features:
- Battery life: Roughly eight hours
- Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1265U
- Operating system: Windows 11 Pro
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB
- Security: McAfee 30-day trial or subscription available, look away detection and onlooker detection
Price: US$1,869, Dell
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Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series
Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is a Windows 10 laptop with a 15.60-inch display that has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. It is powered by a Core i3 processor, and it comes with 8GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 packs 256GB of HDD storage. Graphics are powered by Intel Integrated HD Graphics 520.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 delivers when used for cyber security activities, and interestingly, the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is decently well-built, with a thin and light design that makes it easy to carry around for business trips.
Its Intel 11th Gen CPU can handle most productivity tasks like web browsing, text formatting, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Features
- Battery life: Between three to five hours
- Processor: Core i5-1035G1
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- RAM: 32 GB
- Storage capacity: 1 TB
- Security: Digital protection, including a 30-day trial of McAfee LiveSafe
Price: US$629, Amazon
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Acer Predator Helios 300
Even though the Acer Predator Helios is specifically designed as a gaming laptop, it comes with features that make it also highly suitable for cyber security.
Interestingly, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is a good competitive option in comparison to an ASUS laptop or similar but is relatively more affordable without losing quality graphics or speedy functionality.
Although the Acer Predator Helios 300 is an old model laptop, it is still one of the laptops that will deliver anytime or any day because the laptop is highly reliable.
Features
- Battery life: Up to four hours
- Processor: Intel Core I7 11800H
- Operating system: Windows 10 Home
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage capacity: 512 GB
- Security features: Firmware Trusted Platform Module solution, lock slot, BIOS passwords
Price: US$1,165.94
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Dell Ultimate Precision 7770 Workstation
The Dell Ultimate Precision 7770 Workstation is a precision workstation that makes an excellent laptop for cyber security professionals, engineers running CAD applications, or a laptop for finance professionals crunching massive sets of data. Dell Optimizer is a built-in, AI-based optimization software that learns and responds to the way users work.
It is typically more powerful than a regular laptop and is equipped with advanced hardware such as faster processors, more RAM, and dedicated graphics cards.
It might interest you to note that the Dell Precision 5570 (2022) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both excellent mobile workstations. They both have a premium build and offer a great user experience.
Features
- Battery life: Up to 13 hours
- Processor: Intel Core i9-12950HX
- Operating system: Windows 11 Pro
- RAM: 64 GB (up to 128 GB)
- Storage capacity: 1 TB (up to 4 TB)
- Security features: SafeScreen, dims when the user looks away, Dell endpoint security measures
Price: US$6,697.39
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Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57-79TD Gaming Laptop
The Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57-79TD is a good choice for cyber security professionals, gamers, content creators, or those who need a powerful laptop for any other purpose.
Despite the fact that the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57-79TD is a budget-friendly laptop, it has impressive specs and performance.
The Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57-79TD Gaming Laptop is dustproof and water-resistant. The 15.6″ IPS display features a Full HD 1920 x 1080 screen resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The screen also has multi-touch support.
Features
- Battery life: Up to eight hours (most see around five)
- Processor: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H
- Operating system: Windows 11
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage capacity: 8GB DDR4 3200MHz memory
- Security features: Firmware Trusted Platform Module solution, lock slot, BIOS passwords
Price: US$818.50
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HP ZBook Studio 16 inch G9 Mobile Workstation PC Wolf Pro Security Edition
The HP ZBook Studio 16-inch G9 Mobile Workstation PC Wolf Pro Security Edition is a laptop that doubles as a machine for cyber security work and leisure. The ZBook Studio has one feature that makes it stand out from other laptops — its self-healing BIOS.
For those who are not familiar, any cyber-attacks or intrusions that alter or corrupt the HP ZBook Studio Workstation PC Wolf Pro Security Edition will essentially be reversed, bringing the laptop back to its original state.
The HP ZBook Studio comes equipped with Wolf Pro Security, a great defense system for preventing data breaches, malware, and phishing.
The laptop is also great for students and professionals constantly on the go. The slim frame slips into backpacks and bags and its battery lasts longer and charges up quicker than others. Only a half hour is required to get it back to 50 percent.
Feature
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Processor: Intel Core i7-12700H
- Operating system: Windows 11
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 512 GB SSD storage
- Advanced security features: Self-healing BIOS
Price: US$2,499
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Apple MacBook Pro 16″ Laptop
The Apple MacBook Pro 16″ Laptop comes with q 16.2-inch display screen, and the 16.2-inch display has 254ppi at 3456p by 2234p.
Apple MacBook Pro 16″ Laptop operates at 1,000 nits of sustained brightness but can crank up to 1,600 units for HDR content. The 120Hz ProMotion display enables a variable refresh rate that adjusts to whatever content is on the screen.
Please note that both of the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models offer one additional hour of battery life over their predecessors, rising from 17 to 18 hours on the 14-inch model and 21 to 22 hours on the 16-inch model.
Features
- Battery life: Up to 21 hours
- Processor: M1 Pro or M1 Max
- Operating system: Mac OS
- RAM: 64 GB
- Storage capacity: Up to 8 TB SSD storage
- Security features: Touch ID
Price: US$2,699
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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 (16” Intel) Laptop
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 (16” Intel) Laptop has a reputation for being a powerful and incredibly durable computer and this is the major reason why people use them for cyber security tasks.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 (16” Intel) Laptop has up to 65 GB of RAM, so you won’t have any problem powering through multiple programs.
In terms of personal security tools, if the laptop gets stolen, it is Tile-enabled, so even if it is powered down it can be tracked through a smartphone.
The screen of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 (16” Intel) Laptop is equipped with low blue light panels, which is a great perk for specialists who are looking at screens for hours every day.
Features
- Battery life: Around five hours
- Processor: 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H Processor
- Operating system: Windows 11
- RAM: Up to 64 GB DDR5 4800MHz, dual
- Storage capacity: Up to 8 TB SSD storage
- Security features: Tile-enabled, fingerprint reader
Price: US$1,949.35
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Acer Nitro 5
The Nitro 5 is highly in demand by cyber security professionals in recent times, courtesy of its 12th Gen Intel Core processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics—powered by Ampere NVIDIA’s RTX architecture Next.
The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (4GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is powered by award-winning architecture with new Ray Tracing Cores, Tensor Cores, and streaming multiprocessors that support DirectX 12 Ultimate for the ultimate gaming performance.
With the sharp visuals of a 15.6” Full HD IPS display with a lightning-quick 144Hz refresh rate, your operations will be fluid, unbroken, and unmatched.
The newly refined chassis for the Acer Nitro 5 comes with a few extra tricks up its sleeve in the form of dual-fan cooling, dual intakes (top and bottom), and a quad-exhaust port design.
Features
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
- CPU Model: Ryzen 7
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 32 GB
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Special Feature: Backlit Keyboard
- Graphics Card Description: Dedicated
- Graphics Coprocessor: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
Price: $1,199.99
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MacBook Air M2
The M2 chip for the MacBook Air M2 is built using an enhanced second-generation 5‑nanometer technology. It features over 20 billion transistors — 25 percent more than M1.
Its 16-core Neural Engine is capable of executing up to 15.8 trillion operations per second to accelerate machine learning tasks.
The M2 chip brings more speed to everything you do — whether you are editing a video for class, collaborating on a business plan, or streaming a show while you shop online. And with all-day battery life, you can leave the power adapter at home.
Compared to a PC laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, MacBook Air delivers up to 2x faster performance, up to 50 percent faster web browsing, and up to 50 percent longer battery life.
Features:
- Screen Size: 13.6 Inches
- Hard Disk Size: 512 GB
- Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
- Operating System: MacOS Ventura
- Graphics Card Description: Integrated
- Graphics Coprocessor: Apple M2 8-core GPU
- CPU Speed: 3.2 GHz
Price: $959.99
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Laptop for Cyber Security Business
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Processor and operating systems
Usually, Intel Core i7 and newer are usually the best processors you should consider. Please note that for serious cyber security operations, we recommend you use Windows operating systems and Intel’s processors.
2. The Memory
Another factor you should consider when shopping for a laptop to use for cyber security operations is the memory or storage capacity of the laptop. Basically, a storage capacity of 500 GB is ideal.
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The Battery Life
The battery life of a laptop is what determines how long the laptop can be powered without plugging it into a power source.
Trust me, as a cyber security professional, you may be required to work long hours in the field where you may not have access to charge your laptop hence you need a laptop with long battery life.
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Security Features
You should not consider any laptop as a cyber security professional if you are not comfortable with its security features. Interestingly, there is a wide range of security tools and features to choose from.
This can be multi-factor authentication, fingerprint readers, special screen dimming and locking settings, and built-in antivirus systems.
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The Price
As a cybersecurity expert, you are expected to use your laptop on the field on a regular basis, and the laptop will be exposed to elements of the weather that can cause damage to the laptop, as such, it is not a wise decision to spend a fortune to get a laptop for your business.
Please note that with a moderate price, you can still get durable and high-performing laptops for your cyber security business.