Best Laptops for Virtual Machines
The best laptops for using virtual machines are ones which need to have a lot of resources capable of running multiple operating systems at the same time. Whether you're a full-stack developer looking to test applications on multiple devices, or simply want to play games only available on certain platforms, running a virtual machine can be a very useful utility.
Laptops for Virtual Machines
What is a Virtual Machine?
A virtual machine is a piece of software that allows you to run operating systems like windows, macOS and linux within your current computer without having to dual-boot the system. It's like running an app inside your phone, but this allows you to run entire operating systems. If you've ever wanted to run Windows on a Mac or have multiple instances of windows open on a single computer, then a Virtual Machine is the way to go.
A Virtual Machine can also be contained and sandboxed so that anything you run on a VM will not interact with your current operating system. You can customise a Virtual Machine to use a specific amount of Ram, processing power, hardware space and so much more. You can run as many Virtual Machines as your computer is capable of.
What kind of computing power do I need to run a Virtual Machine?
Running an actual Virtual Machine usually doesn't require too much extra power. The problem lies within running applications inside those Virtual Machines. If you try to run a game within a Virtual Machine, you're going to need some serious power to process it.
One of the most important aspects of running Virtual Machines is Ram and Harddrive space. RAM is really important for running multiple instances of virtual machines. I have run Windows 10 on around 3-4 GB of RAM, but that usually needs to be increased if I ever need to run intensive applications within those instances.
For your harddrive you want to look at getting an SSD. SSD's are very fast and will allow you to load up copies of Virtual Machines instantly. Space wise they can easily start accumulating up to 100s of GB if you're installing games and other data.
Your Processor and Graphics Card are shared between Virtual Machines. You can normally configure a Virtual Machine to use only 1 or 2 cores of your processor to help make sure your normal computer runs fine alongside the Virtual Machines. With the new i7s and i9s, you've got plenty of cores to work with that make multi-tasking applications like Virtual Machines run easily.
The Best Laptops for Virtual Machines
Check out these high-end laptops that can run Virtual Machines very well. These are great for running multiple instances or even just running one which you use to run intensive applications.
| Computer | CPU | RAM | Storage | Graphics | Purchase | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop | ||||||
 | Intel i7-10750H | 16GB | 512GB NVMe SSD | GeForce RTX 2060 |  Check Price On Amazon | |
| Dell Gaming G3 15 3500 15.6 Inch Full HD 120Hz Gaming Laptop | ||||||
 | i5-10300H | 8GB | 512GB SSD | GTX 1650 Ti | Check Price On Amazon | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S Gaming Laptop | ||||||
 | i7-11800H | 16GB | 512GB SSD | RTX 3060 | Check Price On Amazon | |
| MSI GP66 Leopard Gaming Laptop | ||||||
 | i7-11800H | 16GB | 512GB SSD | RTX 3070 | Check Price On Amazon | |
| Alienware m15 R4 RTX 3070 | ||||||
 | i7-10870H | 16GB DDR4 | 1TB SSD | RTX 3070 | Check Price On Amazon | |
| MSI Crosshair17 17.3" | ||||||
 | i7-11800H | 16GB | 512GB SSD | RTX 3060 | Check Price On Amazon | |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 (2021) Gaming Laptop | ||||||
 | AMD Ryzen 7 4800H | 8GB | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD | RTX 3050 | Check Price On Amazon | |
Last Updated on March 2022
High-End Laptops for Virtual Machines
The high-end laptops are more than capable of running Virtual Machines, but also pack a lot more power for you to do more.
![MSI GS76 Stealth Gaming Laptop: 17.3" 300Hz FHD 1080p Display](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41RubYBshZL._SL160_.jpg "MSI GS76 Stealth Gaming Laptop: 17.3" 300Hz FHD 1080p Display")
![MSI GE66 Raider 15.6" UHD 4K Anti-Glare](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41LnJKFWe2L._SL160_.jpg "MSI GE66 Raider 15.6" UHD 4K Anti-Glare")
Last Updated on March 2022
FAQ for Virtual Machines
What are some good Virtual Machine software to use?
There are many different Virtual Machine options you can use. Some you have to pay for and others are free. For Windows, try Oracle VM VirtualBox and for Mac try Parallels.
Suggestions for running Virtual Machines on Laptops?
If you've got any recommendations for laptops that run Virtual Machines well, let us know in the comments and we'll be happy to investigate them for you!
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