If you’re a student and going into a cyber security career, make sure your new laptop has all the specifications to give yourself the best chance at success!
In this blog post, we’ll be talking about everything from what software is essential for students in this field to which laptops with the latest processors and specs will help you thrive and succeed.
First off, let’s talk about software. The most popular operating systems for professionals in cyber security are macOS and Linux (Ubuntu). For those who have been using Windows for years and are not ready for an entirely different environment, there are still ways to get their required computing needs on Windows.
Which laptop is best for cyber security?
There are many cyber security laptop software packages with different operating systems, most of which will work on every primary model and generation of laptop.
One crucial thing that all cyber security software needs are some ways to exchange files from laptops and servers. Whether it be Dropbox or Google Drive, whichever you choose, make sure you have a way for your students to upload their work to share with others (maybe even when they graduate!). Some students may want more privacy in their software; if that’s the case, then look into BitDefender and Norton Security Suite.
Next up is hardware. At a minimum, having a strong processor will ensure that your laptop can run the software needed for a successful career in cyber security. Just like with laptops for students who are majoring in art or engineering, the best laptops for students who want to pursue cybersecurity need to have the latest and best processors. Ensure it has a strong processor and 8–16 GB of RAM.
Another essential part of laptops for student cyber security is their ports. With so many new devices being made every year and such rapid changes in wireless technology, you’ll almost always need an adapter to connect your laptop to the internet or a printer.
How much RAM is good for cybersecurity students?
The more memory your laptop has, the better! If you’re working on a project with a dedicated machine and many files you need to manage, then 16GB is the sweet spot for most students in this field.
What features are required in a cyber security laptop?
As we mentioned before, having a strong processor and at least 8GB of RAM will help the software on your laptop run smoothly. What about a graphics card, though? Whether you’re working on an animation project or playing a game that requires high graphics, having at least an integrated graphics card will be necessary.
Also, what about an SSD drive? These drives are much faster than their HDD counterparts and can significantly affect your computer’s performance. In addition to this, having an SSD will mean better battery life as well.
What are the Laptop Requirements for cybersecurity students?
Having all of these components in your laptop means you’ll be able to work efficiently no matter what type of work you’re doing.
- High-speed WiFi connection.
- High-speed, reliable internet connection
- Lots of storage space (SSD drives are a must).
- Graphics card and RAM (at least 8GB of RAM).
- Optical drive for installing software from CDs or DVDs
- Laptop with an optical drive, USB ports, and an SD card reader (sometimes included in the same unit).
How much storage is necessary for cybersecurity students?
If your student needs to store a lot of data and have plenty of programs and files on their laptop, then 1 TB is the minimum storage requirement you should look for. Larger hard drives are usually better at holding more information for more extended periods of time without slowing down, so that’s why, if you can afford it, an SSD (Solid State Drive) will be ideal.
List of Laptops best for Cyber Security College students and Professionals
Here’s a list of laptops that we think will help anyone in cyber security graduate with flying colors!
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop Intel Core i5-7300HQ:
Acer This laptop has an Intel Core i5 CPU, and it has been reported to have an average of 7.9 hours of battery life, which is enough for a full day of work!
Other features include a 15.6-inch display with full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) and IPS technology that makes colors look fabulous regardless of the screen’s angle. It comes preloaded with the Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system and 8GB of DDR4 RAM, allowing the laptop to run multiple programs without any freezes or slowdowns.
It’s pretty easy to carry around in your backpack or briefcase. With a 256GB SSD that allows for quick booting and application loading, this is the best high-end laptop for cybersecurity students who need speed without sacrificing storage space.
Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQ Quad Core 2.5GHz (Turbo Boost up to 2.5GHz)
Memory: 8GB DDR4 2400MHz memory (expandable, supports up to 32GB)
Storage: 256GB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB with Optimus Technology (Up to 4GB of dedicated VRAM; shared system memory is unavailable for VR use).
[/i2pros][i2cons]There’s no DVD or CD drive.[/i2cons][/i2pc]
2021 ASUS ROG Strix G15 15 Premium Gaming Laptop:
This laptop is great for students looking to take their game to the next level! It’s equipped with the 7th Generation Intel Hexa-Core i7-1075HQ processor, which can Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, starting from 8GB of DDR4 RAM to 64Gb of DDR4 1TB SSD, 256GB solid-state drive, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card with 4GB of dedicated video memory.
It is the best Windows laptop for cyber security students looking to start with the best possible laptop by ASUS. Many professional gamers and technology experts also recommend it to give students a great head start.
Processor: 7th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7-7700HQ processor, Quad Core 2.8GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz).
Memory: 8GB DDR4 2400MHz memory (expandable, supports up to 64GB)
Storage: 256GB SSD | 1TB 5400RPM 2.5″ SATA HDD
Faster storage access with solid state drives (SSD).
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop:
is an excellent choice for students looking to get the most bang for their buck. It’s one of the best laptops for cyber security college students thanks to its fantastic battery life and speedy processor.
Other features include an Intel Core i7-1165G7 2.8GHz processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD NVMe, which we highly recommend for future use with multiple programs running simultaneously. It also has a 15.
The Intel Iris Xe Graphics 6100 ensures the student can play games or run programs at top speed. It comes with a durable solid-state hard drive and a high-resolution fingerprint reader, which makes this laptop an excellent choice for security students.
Processor: 7th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7-1165G7 processor, Dual Core 2.8GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.0
Memory: 16GB DDR4 2400MHz memory (expandable, supports up to 32GB)
Storage: 512GB SSD
Intel IrisTM Xe Graphics 6100 with Turbo Boost Technology provides up to 6.9GFLOPS of total graphics performance.
2021 Apple MacBook Pro:
This MacBook Pro is often considered by many to be one of the best laptops for cyber security professionals and the reason why is that they’re incredibly lightweight and powerful. This laptop has a retina display that runs at 28801800 resolution with a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
It comes preloaded with Mac OS, making it easy to run many programs without any slowdown. It has three USB ports, an HDMI slot, SD card slots, a MagSafe two-power connector, and an audio in/out jack.
Its powerful M1 Pro chip with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD makes it ideal for students who need to run multiple programs simultaneously. It’s also compatible with external displays, so you can connect this laptop to your television or another large screen.
Processor: 6th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor 16GB DDR4 RAM | 256GB SSD hard drive
Memory: 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory storage
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: M1 Pro
Dell 9310 XPS 2 in-1 Convertible, 13.4 Inch FHD+ Touchscreen Laptop:
This is a convertible laptop that can be turned into a tablet. It’s equipped with the 7th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 2.5GHz processor with TurboBoost up to 3.1GHz, 32GB of 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 13.3 FHD touch screen that provides an excellent multimedia experience and the ability to multitask with ease.
It has an ultra-fast WiFi speed of 22 Mbps, 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 5.0, and this laptop from Dell is an excellent choice for students needing a powerful processor and graphics card at a reasonable price point. With the XPS 9310 convertible touchscreen, you can use this device for a long time.
Processor: 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 processor, Dual-core 2.7 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz
Memory: 32GB of 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: With its great Intel Iris Xe graphics card, you’ll be able to play games and videos without any annoying lags! It also has an impressive 16GB of dedicated graphics memory!
LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop 17:
This is the lightest and thinnest laptop. This laptop comes with a fantastic Intel Core Evo 11th gen Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, which is expandable up to 32 GB. It has a 2 TB SSD, which speeds up the computer’s processing.
The 17.3-inch screen provides enough space to work on your assignments or watch movies comfortably. The battery is highly durable and charges very fast, which makes it an excellent choice for students. It is one of the best laptops for cyber security and coding.
It also has an Intel Xe graphics card with several ports, such as 2 USB ports, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot.
This laptop is ideal for college students who are always on the go, and thanks to its excellent battery life, you won’t have to worry about being stranded without power. It has a powerful processor and plenty of memory, so you can expect this laptop to last through your college career.
Processor: Core Intel® Core™ Evo 11th gen Core i7 processor 1.8GHz processor (Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz)
Memory: 16GB DDR4 system memory
Storage: 2TB SSD Storage
Graphics: Intel® Xe Graphics
Display: 17.3 Inch Size
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop:
If you’re a student who’s into gaming, then this is the laptop for you. This laptop comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H chip. It also has 8GB of DDR4 RAM, which is expandable to 32GB, and a 256GB SSD.
This laptop comes with an internal graphics card, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, which is excellent for multimedia entertainment requirements at an affordable price point. The 15.6-inch FHD screen provides a broad view while gaming or working on projects.
It has a 120Hz refresh rate, which is excellent for gaming and students who need to work on projects. Many ports, such as 3 USB ports, 1 USB Type-C port, 1 Type-A port, 1 HDMI port, and a MicroSD card slot, make this laptop extremely versatile.
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H Quad-Core with Radeon Vega Graphics 6th Generation Processor (up to 3.60GHz) | 8GB DDR4 RAM | 256GB SSD
Memory: 8GB DDR4 System Memory
Storage: 256GB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics Card with 4GB GDDR5 dedicated video memory(up to 80W)
Display Size: 15.6 inch
ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 Ultra Slim Convertible Laptop:
This is an ultra-slim convertible laptop with a fantastic Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor. The 13.3-inch Full HD touch display makes it an excellent choice for students who enjoy watching videos and working on projects.
It has 8GB of memory, expandable up to 16GB, and 512GB of SSD storage, ensuring enough space to store all your projects, assignments, movies, and other multimedia files. It has 2 USB ports, 1 HDMI port, 1 USB Type-C port, one headphone jack, and a card reader slot.
This convertible laptop comes with the Windows 10 operating system, allowing you to use all Microsoft products like Microsoft Office, etc. It also has an Intel Iris Xe graphics card, which is great for multitasking on projects and at work.
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 processor, Quad-core 2.10GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.80GHz)
Memory: 8GB DDR4 system memory
Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: Intel® Iris™ Xe Graphics
Display Size: 13.3 OLED Display
Razer Blade 14 Gaming Laptop:
This laptop is a gaming laptop that is compact and powerful. It has an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8-core processor, which has hyper-threading technology that makes it one of the fastest gaming laptops on the market.
It has 16GB of DDR4 memory and offers up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, ensuring that you can run several applications simultaneously without any lagging or hanging issues. The laptop also has two HDMI ports, two USB ports, one USB Type-C port, and one headphone jack port.
The 14-inch QHD display makes it an ideal choice for students who love gaming, watching movies, and working on assignments. The battery life is pretty good and lasts up to 5 hours, depending on your usage. It has an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphic card, which is great for visuals.
It comes with the Windows 10 operating system, which allows you to use all Microsoft products. The laptop is also lightweight and thin, which makes it very portable and easy to carry making it the best laptop for cyber security.
Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 9-Core CPU with Radeon™ Vega Graphics
Memory: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3070 Graphics
Display Size: 14″ QHD (2,560 x 1,440)
ASUS VivoBook Pro 14 OLED Slim Laptop:
This beautiful laptop has a 14-inch OLED display screen, which is stunning. The laptop is very lightweight and thin, making it an excellent choice for students who need portability and functionality. It runs on an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU processor with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card.
The 14-inch screen of this laptop has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, making it an ideal choice for students who need to watch movies and work on projects. Its 16GB of RAM makes it a dream machine for playing graphics-intensive games and working on high-resolution videos or images.
It has 1 TB of SSD storage, ensuring you have enough space to store all your assignments, multimedia files, movies, and games. This powerful laptop has 2 USB ports, 1 USB Type-C port, and a card reader slot.
It has the Windows 10 operating system, which enables you to use all Microsoft products like Microsoft Office and other applications. The battery life of this laptop lasts up to 7 hours, depending on your usage. Its sleek design makes it look beautiful and stylish, along with the ability to carry it anywhere in the world due to its lightweight and thin body.
FAQ’s
What are cyber security laptops?
Ans. Cyber security laptops are those laptops that are designed for students who are enrolled in cyber and information security courses.
These laptops come with the latest security software and safety features to ensure students can use them to stay safe while surfing the internet or working on their assignments.
What operating system should I use as a cyber security student?
Ans. Most laptop manufacturers now have customized operating systems (OS) like Windows 10, Mac OS, etc. Windows 10 is one of the most popular operating systems used by almost all college students today.
Many people worldwide use Mac OS as another commonly used operating system, but it lacks the wide variety of applications available on Windows 10.
How do I choose the right size of a computer system?
Ans. It mainly depends on the college type and curriculum you have been following and what you need the computer for. A laptop with a smaller screen may be suitable for students who only use it for lectures or internet surfing.
However, if you need to do certain types of graphics-intensive work (like 3D graphics) or if you want to view very high-resolution videos, then it is better to go with a laptop that has a big screen with lots of space on it.
Why do I need anti-virus software?
Ans. There are many viruses and malware online, so you must install reliable anti-virus software and keep it up to date. Most college students make the mistake of not keeping their anti-virus software up to date and end up in trouble.
What are some of the factors that I need to consider when buying a laptop for cyber security?
Ans. Like any other college course, a cyber security course can be very time consuming and challenging, so you must choose the right laptop to help you complete your assignments on time without any trouble.
Conclusion
Choosing the right laptop for a student is essential as it determines how well they can work on their assignments and projects. Choosing the right laptop can make or break your college career, so you need to be very careful while choosing one.
There are different types of laptops available on the market, and choosing one that suits your needs will ensure that you take full advantage of it.
All the laptops mentioned above have their own pros and cons. Still, these are the best budget laptops for cyber security students who need reliable and durable laptops to help them complete their college assignments.
