Best PC for Virtual Machines
How to choose a POWERFUL Pre-built PC for your VM lab environment…
You might not know it, but there are top brand PCs great for running multiple virtual machines, and there are duds!
We’ll avoid the duds and focus on the best desktops and laptops that can run your virtual machines easily.
In this VMinstall guide, we’ll show you what you’ll need to know before buying a PC for running virtual machines.
What’s Your Use Case?
We all want a Powerful PC with lots of memory and SSD storage space, but there’s more to high performing VM host than a cool case or brand logo.
In a minute, we’ll dive into the juicy technical details and best practices, but first, let’s start with an important question before we look at the best computer for virtualization.
What do you intend to do with the VMs running on your new system?
- Maybe you’re building a virtual test lab and plan to just mess around with different virtual machine software for work.
- Maybe you’re a developer and need various test VMs set up to test your code while you are working out the bugs.
- Or, maybe you’re like me and do a lot of training and need to install different software packages. I always have VMs running in my virtual test lab for something.
This guide will help you decide which options and configurations to consider for your virtual machine use case.
If I missed your use case, please leave a comment or question below.
Buyerâs Guide for the Best PC for Virtual Machines
Look, depending on your use case, the configuration for the best way to run multiple virtual machines follows some basic best practices:
- CPUs with faster (GHz) and more CPU cores – Faster CPUs are a must-have, but also you want to slice up your cores so that you’re allowing enough cycles per core, so you don’t oversubscribe the clocks and cause the CPU to wait. CPUs with 6 – 8 cores can be carved up into VMs with 2 – 4 vCPUs. For best performance, keep your CPU to vCPU ratio at 1:1. This means each physical CPU core can support 1 vCPUs at most. For example, a 6 core CPU can support 3 VMs with 2 vCPUs each or 2 VMs with 3 vCPUs.
- Lots of fast memory (16 GB or more) – Memory is cheap, so more is always better. I also keep memory at a 1:1 ratio for physical to virtual memory. However, as a best practice, I reserve half my memory for my main system OS. So a PC with 16GB has 8GB available for the main PC hosting the VMs and 8GB to be shared with the VMs. Based on a PC with a 6 core CPU and 16GB of memory, you can get 2 VMs with 3 vCPUs and 4GB of memory. Obviously, you can assign more memory if you oversubscribe, but performance will degrade quickly. It really does matter what you plan to do with your VMs. If you have 32GB, you can reserve 8GB for the main system and use 24GB to assign to VMs.
- NVMe SSD or ATA SSD (Dedicated 500 GB – 1 TB of space) – If you need speed, don’t run your VMs on your main PC storage. Buy a dedicated SSD for your VMs. Disk IO is tricky and can impact the performance of even the best PCs negatively when running multiple virtual machines. You don’t want to create a bottleneck for disk reads and writes. With one drive, everything is sharing the same read/write path with the storage controller. NVMe’s are best, but the new ATA SSDs also smoke. Another benefit you get when putting your VMs on a separate SSD is that VM files and directories are easier to track when you need to clone or move your virtual machines around.
Make sure you have plenty of room for growth.
Your new system for hosting virtual machines needs to be able to expand. Later you will want to add upgraded WIFI adapters, network cards, graphics cards, memory, SSDs, NVMe storage, CPUs, and USB devices.
Be aware that motherboards have limited amounts of PCIe, ATA, NVMe, and memory slots.
Planning ahead will make your virtual machine lab more expandable later, especially if you are building virtual machines for business use cases that rely on keeping up with new software requirements.
The best desktop for running virtual machines can keep expanding if needed – conder a minimum of 3 PCIe slots, 4 memory slots, 2 NVMe slots, and 4-6 ATA connectors.
That said, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for the best PC for virtual machines. It depends on your specific needs and what you plan to use your virtual machines for. These are my general tips that can help you choose the right system for your needs.
The Best PC for Virtual Machines – 3 Alternatives for Windows & Mac Users
Important: Regardless of which PC brand you decide to choose, the key is to make sure it has the ability to run virtual machines.
There is a setting in the BIOS that must be enabled for virtualization to work. This is a must-have for the best desktops or laptops running virtual machines. Most new motherboards have it enabled by default, but some might not make it available.
Major Brand Desktops – Alternative #1
Please read the reviews and compare the technical specification for yourself before making a purchase of any of these systems.
My Best Pick
Dell XPS Desktop –Â All Use Cases
The Dell XPS Desktop is the most versatile best-in-class desktop. Highly customizable.
- Powerful 10th Gen Intel Core i5 ProcessorïŒEquipped with Intel Core i5-10400 6-core 12-thread CPU, up to 4.3GHz boost clock, delivers smooth multitasking for daily office work, content creation and casual gaming.
- Balanced Memory & Dual Storage ComboïŒ16GB DDR4-2666 high-speed RAM ensures fluent multi-task operation; 256GB NVMe SSD offers fast system boot & program loading, paired with 1TB HDD for massive file, media and game storage.
- NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti 6GB Dedicated GraphicsïŒComes with GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6 discrete GPU, supports mainstream gaming, photo editing, video rendering and multi-monitor output via DisplayPort & HDMI ports.
- Slim Premium XPS Compact Tower DesignïŒDell XPS 8940 mini-tower chassis features space-saving slim form factor with stylish textured front panel, easy placement in home, office and study rooms, friendly for interior layout.
- Abundant Versatile I/O InterfacesïŒRich front & rear ports including USB-A, USB Type-C, SD card reader, HDMI, DisplayPort, RJ45 Ethernet and audio jacks. Convenient to connect monitors, external drives, peripherals and accessories without extra hubs.
Runner-ups for Business Use
Lenovo ThinkCentre V50s Desktop – 1st Runner-up Better Choice
The Lenovo ThinkStation is best for serious gamers or graphic designers.
- DISCLOSURE - Brand New Computer has been resealed to upgrade Memory/SSD. 1 Year warranty by Issaquash Highlands Tech
- TINY YET POWERFUL - Part of Lenovo's Tiny portfolio, the ThinkStation P3 Tiny delivers workstation-class performance beyond the ThinkCentre M70q, M80q, and M90q. As a replace(12TD001UUS) upgrade, its ultra-compact 3.01 lb design is up to 96% smaller than a traditional desktop while helping optimize valuable workspace without compromising performance or reliability. Built to meet military-grade durability standards and ISV-certified for AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, ArcGIS, Creo, and MATLAB, the P3 Tiny provides stability, compatibility, and performance professionals depend on for mission-critical workloads
- HIGH PRODUCTIVITY - With the Intel 14-Core i5-14500 vPro Processor and Intel UHD 770 Graphics, this system delivers exceptional speed and responsiveness for professional workloads and graphics-intensive business applications. Configurable with memory options from 8GB to 64GB DDR5 RAM and storage options from 256GB to 2TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, enabling smooth multitasking and fast loading across a wide range of applications
- RICH CONNECTIVITY - Front: 2 x USB-A, USB-C, Headphone / microphone combo jack; Rear: DisplayPort 1.4, 4 x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet; Native dual-display support with up to 8K@60Hz via DisplayPort 1.4 and 4K@60Hz via HDMI 2.1 for an expanded workspace; Full-size USB keyboard with number pad, USB mouse for seamless productivity. With Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, ensuring fast wireless connectivity and compatibility with a wide range of peripherals
- OPERATING SYSTEM - Windows 11 Pro with Copilot AI enables AIâassisted productivity across business applications, supporting task organization, information retrieval, and collaboration. Builtâin security protections and enterpriseâgrade management features help safeguard data, enforce policies, and simplify system administration, delivering a stable and secure operating environment for professional computing
HP Envy Desktop – 2nd Runner-up Good Choice
Bring your data center home. The Pavilion Desktop features extraordinary processing power, graphics, and storage at an affordable price for personal use.
- input voltageïŒ100 -240V
- YOUR CREATIVE SIDEKICK: Render, edit, game and stream better than ever before
- FAST PROCESSOR: 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10700 Processor, 8-Core, 2.90 GHz base frequency, up to 4.8 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
- MEMORY: 16 GB DDR4-2933 SDRAM memory (2 x 8 GB) (upgradable to 32 GB)
- INTERNAL STORAGE: 1 TB 7200RPM SATA hard drive & 512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive (HDD 3.5" expansion bay available)
Runner-up for Home Use
Asus ROG Strix Desktop – 1st Runner-up Better Choice
Features extraordinary processing power, graphics, and storage that is usually much more expensive. For the best performance, this ASUS Desktop PC will give you everything you need to run your virtual machine lab with ease.
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (EXTREME processor)
- 128 GB of DDR5 RAM (PREMIUM performance)
- 11 TB Storage (1 TB SSD + 10 TB HDD); Win 11 Pro
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti with 8 GB GDDR6 dedicated memory & up to 16 GB total video RAM
- Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Triple band) 2x2 + Bluetooth 5.3; Rear Ports: 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, 1x HDMI, 3x Displayport 1.4, 1x PS2, 3 x Audio jacks, 4x USB 2.0 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A. Front Ports: 1x Headphone-out, 1x Mic-in, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A.
Acer Nitro Desktop – 2nd Runner-up Good Choice
The Nitro is a great starter system with many growth options.
- Panoramic Perfection: The Nitro N85 removes the barrier between you and your build. Its specially curved glass panel flows from front to side, delivering a stunning panoramic view that makes components appear to float in mid-air. The result is a pure, uninterrupted showcase from every angle. It features Reverse-Ring ARGB fans that maintain a premium aesthetic by keeping vibrant light rings facing the glass rather than the brackets for a clean, high-end look
- Game Without Compromise: Intel Core Ultra 7 265F with 20 cores, 5.3GHz boost, dedicated NPU for AI tasks like background removal and auto framing. Game, stream, and create simultaneously without dropping a frame
- Game Changer: Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, the GeForce RTX 5070 GPU delivers game-changing performance for gamers and creators. With a massive 988 AI TOPS, RTX 50 Series graphics unlock next-level visuals, faster creation, and entirely new experiences. Boost performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate content at incredible speeds, and bring your ideas to life with NVIDIA Studio
- Supreme Speed and Superior Visuals Powered by AI: DLSS is a breakthrough suite of AI-driven rendering technologies that boosts FPS, reduces latency, and enhances image quality. With DLSS 4, experience new Multi Frame Generation along with improved Ray Reconstruction and Super Resolution powered by GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and fifth-generation Tensor Cores for smoother gameplay and jaw-dropping visuals
- Stay Fast and Stay Connected: The Nitro 85 keeps you in the game with high-speed Realtek Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5GbE LAN for low-latency play and lightning-quick downloads. Front-mounted USB 3.2 Type-C and Type-A ports let you plug in on the fly, while five rear USB ports handle all your connections and fast data transfers
DIY Home Lab Server
Custom Build a Home Lab Server – Alternative #2
Custom building your own virtual machine lab desktop is definitely not for everyone. But if you want total control, assembling a system from parts is the way to go.
Here’s a sneak peek of the computer parts you will need:
- Motherboard & CPU
- Memory (RAM)
- Storage (NVMe or ATA SSD)
- Case with a power supply
- Graphics card
- Keyboard and mouse
- WIFI network adapter
Building a home lab server for your own virtual machines can be a great way to learn about hardware and best practices for assembling a system from parts.
If you’re interested in this option but have no idea where or how to start building a home lab server on your own, we recommend checking out our starter guide, “How to build home lab server.”
The guide will show you everything you’ll need to consider before getting started. It also includes a list of components best suited for powering your virtual machines.
The Best Laptop for Running Virtual Machines (Windows/Mac Users) – Alternative #3
Just like with desktops, the recommended laptop for powering virtual machines is one that has at least an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor with 16 GB of RAM. Running virtual machines takes a lot of memory, so having at least 16 GB is the best practice. If you can get 32GB of RAM, that would be even better.
Where things get tricky is laptops aren’t as upgradeable. Some have 4 memory slots and an additional connection for a second ATA or NVMe SSD.
These are the best laptop computers for running VMware Workstation, Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and Parallels (if you have a Mac). But as with desktops, please read the reviews and compare the technical specification before purchasing any of these systems.
Laptop Options for Apple Users
First off, when you’re using a virtual machine for Windows 10 to do work at the office, you don’t want it to be sluggish. If your Guest OS runs slow, it isn’t worth using. Make sure you size your MacBook for the job to be done.
The best MacBooks for the virtualization of Windows 10 or Linux:
My Best Pick for Business Use
Apple MacBook Pro – Best Choice
Most Mac Power Users love this system. This MacBook is at the top of the list.
- Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip for a massive leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Up to 10-core CPU delivers up to 3.7x faster performance to fly through pro workflows quicker than ever
- 16-core Neural Engine for up to 11x faster machine learning performance - Up to 17 hour battery life
- Up to 32-core GPU with up to 13x faster performance for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 1080p FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor for sharper video calls
Runner-up Business Use
Apple MacBook Pro – 1st Runner-up
The New Apple MacBook is one of the best laptops sold today. It has exceptional specs running Windows virtual machine software.
- The MacBook Pro 14inch features a stunning Liquid Retina XDR display, a wide range of ports for advanced connectivity, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and the best audio system in a notebook.A game-changing combination of phenomenal performance, unrivaled battery life, and groundbreaking features.
- M1 Pro also delivers up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth â nearly 3x the bandwidth of M1 â and supports up to 32GB of fast unified memory. Designed to dramatically speed up pro video workflows, M1 Pro adds a ProRes accelerator in the media engine, delivering unbelievably fast and power-efficient video processing.
- MacBook Pro is designed for developers, photographers, filmmakers, 3D artists, scientists, music producers, and anyone who wants the worldâs best notebook.With industry-leading studio-quality mics, a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system, and support for spatial audio, MacBook Pro delivers the best audio system ever in a notebook.
- MacBook Pro features an advanced thermal design, delivering phenomenal sustained performance while staying cool and quiet.
- MacBook Pro features a Magic Keyboard with a full-height function row and the industry-best Force Touch trackpad.
My Best Pick Home Use
Apple MacBook Air – Best Choice
The MacBook Air has great features and is currently the best Mac laptop to run Windows on the go.
Runner-up Home Use
Apple MacBook Air – 1st Runner up
The perfect MacBook Air laptop for running VM software is the 1st generation or 2nd generation, depending on your budget.
- All-Day Battery Life â Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
- Powerful Performance â Take on everything from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming with ease. The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation while using way less power.
- Superfast Memory â 8GB of unified memory makes your entire system speedy and responsive. That way it can support tasks like memory-hogging multitab browsing and opening a huge graphic file quickly and easily.
- Stunning Display â With a 13.3 inch Retina display, images come alive with new levels of realism. Text is sharp and clear, and colors are more vibrant.
- Why Mac â Easy to learn. Easy to set up. Astoundingly powerful. Intuitive. Packed with apps to use right out of the box. Mac is designed to let you work, play, and create like never before.
Laptops Options for Windows Users
My Best Pick for Business Use
Lenovo ThinkPad Laptop – Best overall
There are a few laptops that are best for running virtual machines. The Lenovo ThinkPad is a great option if you are looking for a laptop that is best for business.
- 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H Processor (2.30 GHz, up to 4.60 GHz with Turbo Boost, 8 Cores, 16 Threads, 24 MB Cache)
- 17.3 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, 300 nits
- USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (always on), USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11AX (2 x 2) & Bluetooth 5.1 with vPro, HDMI 2.1/2.0, Headphone / mic combo, Fingerprint Reader, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, SD card reader, Kensington lock slot
- 32G DDR4 RAM 1TB Nvme M.2 SSD
- Windows 10 Pro, Free upgrade to Windows 11 when available.
Runner-up for Business Use
Dell XPS Laptop – 1st Runner-up
The best Dell XPS laptop to run virtual machines has the Intel Core i7 processor, and the NVIDIA dedicated video card.
- Powerful Creation: Run creative apps smoother and faster with powerful Intel Core Ultra processors with a dedicated engine to help unlock AI possibilities on the PC.
- Variable Refresh Rate: Moving content is smoother with up to 120Hz variable refresh rate, which also improves battery life when viewing static images or web pages.
- Sleek, Modern Design: Crafted with machined aluminum and Gorilla Glass 3 to deliver a strong, lightweight laptop.
- Innovative Interiors: Switch tasks effortlessly with modern, easy-to-use interiors that deliver a clean, harmonious look.
- Windows Copilot: Your own personal AI assistant built right in to do the heavy-lifting so you can do the extraordinary. With Copilot in Windows get real answers, inspiration, and solutions for your questions, projects, and to-do-list.* *Timing of feature delivery varies by device. Feature availability varies by market. Requires Microsoft account sign in.
HP Envy Laptop – 2nd Runner-up – Good Choice
This is a good laptop for a smaller budget.
- ăPowerful Performanceă Equipped with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700H (14-Core) processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics card, this laptop offers a smooth experience for both productivity and gaming entertainment.
- ăTouch Interactionă Featuring a 17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) touchscreen display with micro-edge IPS edge-to-edge glass and 300 nits brightness, it provides an immersive viewing and interactive experience.
- ăSuperior Audio Qualityă Built with Bang & Olufsen dual speakers, it delivers an immersive audio experience, perfect for movies, music, or gaming, ensuring top-notch sound quality.
- ăAdvanced Communicationsă Comes with Wi-Fi 6E (2x2/160) Gig+ and bluetooth 5.3 for ultra-fast and stable connections. The HP True Vision 5MP IR camera includes a camera shutter, temporal noise reduction, and integrated dual array digital microphones, ensuring clear communication for video conferencing or remote learning.
- ăUnleash Creativity with Power and Flexibilityă The HP Envy series offers top-tier performance with advanced processors, high-resolution displays, and versatile features, making it the perfect companion for work, creativity, and entertainment.
Windows Users Home Uses
The best laptops to run virtual machines have the Intel Core i7 processor and the NVIDIA dedicated video card.
Our Best Pick
ASUS VivoBook Laptop – Best overall
For the best ASUS laptops for virtualization projects, you need to consider these three aspects: performance, lightweight and screen quality. The ASUS laptop with excellent performance is the ASUS VivoBook.
- ăIncredible performanceă: Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 512GB SSD, this laptop is designed to provide an ultrafast and smooth experience
- ăFast charging batteryă: ASUS fast-charge technology can recharge the battery up to 50% capacity in just 30 minutes, allowing you to quickly top it up without interrupting your workflow
- ăExtra toughness and durabilityă: This laptop stays cool in all situations thanks to ASUS IceCool thermal technology, and meets US military-grade standards for longevity and sustainability
- ăEffortless typing experienceă: The precisely measured and fine-tuned ErgoSense keyboard design reduces strain on your hands and wrists
- ăSmooth video call experienceă: AI Noise-Canceling Technology isolates unwanted noise for smooth communications
Runner-up Home Use
Dell Inspiron Laptop – 1st Runner-up – Better Choice
The Dell Inspiron is the best general purpose laptop for doing just about anything.
HP Pavilion Laptop – 2nd Runner-up – Good Choice
The HP Pavilion is a very good laptop for general purpose use.
- ăProcessor & Performanceă: Powered by Intel N150 processor with 4 cores reaching turbo speeds up to 3.6GHz and 6MB L3 cache, delivering reliable performance for everyday computing including web browsing, document editing, video streaming, and online learning. Integrated Intel Graphics handles multimedia content smoothly. Perfect for students managing coursework, families browsing and streaming, budget-conscious users seeking essential computing, and first-time laptop buyers needing dependable performance for daily productivity tasks.
- ăDisplay & Visual Experienceă: Work and play on the 14-inch HD (1366x768) micro-edge anti-glare display with 250 nits brightness and 79% screen-to-body ratio, providing clear visuals for productivity and entertainment. Anti-glare coating reduces reflections and eye strain during extended use. Dual speakers deliver clear audio. HP True Vision 720p HD camera with temporal noise reduction and dual-array digital microphones ensures professional-quality video calls for remote learning, work, and virtual meetings.
- ăMemory & Storageă Equipped with 4GB LPDDR5-4800 RAM for smooth everyday multitasking across web browsing, email, document editing, and video streaming, plus 128GB UFS storage that provides fast read/write speeds for quick boot times and application launches. LPDDR5 memory technology offers improved energy efficiency for extended battery life up to 11 hours video playback. Multi-format SD media card reader enables easy expansion for photos, videos, and additional files. Perfect for students, casual users, and budget-conscious buyers seeking essential computing performance.
- ăConnectivity & Portabilityă: Stay connected with WiFi 6 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4 for fast wireless speeds and reliable connectivity. Comprehensive ports include 1x USB-C 10Gbps with DisplayPort 1.2, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, HDMI 1.4b for external displays, headphone/microphone combo jack, and SD card reader. Weighing just 3.24 lbs and measuring 0.71 inches thin with natural silver matte finish and vertical brushing pattern, this lightweight laptop fits easily in backpacks for students, remote workers, and families needing portable computing.
- ăOperating System & AI Featuresă: Pre-installed with Windows 11 Home and 1-year Microsoft 365 Personal subscription including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive cloud storage. Microsoft Copilot provides intelligent AI-powered assistance accessible with dedicated Copilot key for enhanced productivity. AI Noise Reduction filters background noise in multi-person environments for clearer team conversations. Enjoy up to 11 hours battery life for all-day productivity. Natural silver finish with matte coating provides professional aesthetics and fingerprint resistance.
Best Practices for Virtual Machines Lab PCs
This list of best practices for running virtual machines on a desktop or laptop comes from years of experience in the field of virtualization technology.
I’ve built and supported 1000s of server virtual machines on power server hardware designed for virtualization and small virtual machine labs on desktops and laptops. And in every flavor and version of an operating system for Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Best practices to consider when deciding which PC configuration you get.
1. Remember, having more physical memory is best for performance. A VM reading from memory is always faster than reading from a disk, even from fast SSDs. When you shut off your machine, everything stored in memory (RAM) will be wiped clean so always save your work.
When you have a good amount of RAM, you don’t risk starving your main OS of VMs for memory.
2. The system also needs to have a couple of USB ports and an HDMI port so you can connect other devices to them. And It should also be able to support a lot of SSD storage upgrades via NVMe or ATA connectors.
3. The processor should have a lot of fast CPU cores. BTW, I’m not going to spend much time on whether you should get a system with an AMD CPU or an Intel CPU. I’ll leave that up to your preference – they both work well when combined with SSD storage and lots of memory.
For me, it all comes down to how you plan to use the virtual machines.
The best practice is CPUs with the most cores, highest GHz, lots of memory, and SSD storage.
Related guide: Best NUC or Mini PC for Virtualization
People also ask:
What is a Virtual Machine?
A virtual machine is best described as a virtual copy of a physical system. They run on a hypervisor, i.e. virtual machine software that emulates physical hardware.
A PC running a hypervisor can support multiple virtual machine copies of the hardware with a different OS running on each copy. The performance of your VMs greatly depends on the hardware configuration of the PC.
The benefit of running virtual machine software is it allows you to run another operating system that was not installed on your physical computer alongside your main operating system i.e. Windows, Linus, MacOS.
The best PC for virtual machines is defined as one with lots of virtual CPUs, RAM memory, and SSD storage space.
Do you need a good PC to run virtual machine software?
Do you really need the best PC to run virtual machines? It all depends on your application. If you are just trying to run a simple Windows or Linux app, you can get away with a used or cheap PC with less powerful CPUs and HDD storage. But don’t skimp on memory.
Is CPU or RAM more important for virtualization?
For best performance, a balance between CPU and memory is best. Memory is cheap, don’t skimp on it. But a good rule of thumb is to keep your physical host physical. This means only allocating one-half of your total RAM to VMs.
Memory is more of a factor for VMs running large applications and CPU is more of a factor for quickly processing transactions.
Both affect performance when there isn’t enough.
What is better VMware Workstation or Oracle VirtualBox?
Both VirtualBox and Workstation work. VirtualBox is free (open source), whereas VMware Workstation will cost you.
Another alternative of virtual machine software I like to use is Hyper-V. If you have Windows 10 Pro, Hyper-V comes built-in.
If you’re running Linux, KVM is another free (open source) option built into most Linux distributions.
Here’s where you can learn more about virtual machine software alternatives, including software for running Windows on Apple’s OS X.
What is the best laptop for virtual machines?
Check out the list above, but as a quick rule of thumb, the best laptops for virtual machines have a minimum of a Core i7 CPU. They’ll be quad-core or more and have lots of fast RAM (16 – 32GB) that you can throw at your VMs.
They also have a second slot for dedicated storage via NVMe or ATA connection.
What if I want more power for my lab?
If none of the powerhouses shown above is enough for you, then here’s a VMinstall guide about new and refurbished server hardware host virtualization from all the top server brands.
What is the best laptop for IT students?
When it comes to laptops for IT students, there are a few key factors to look for. First, the laptop should have a good amount of RAM and storage space in order to run complex software programs. Second, it should have a good graphics card to allow for graphics-intensive tasks such as 3D modeling. And finally, it should be a durable laptop that can withstand the wear and tear of daily use.
With those factors in mind, here are our picks for the best laptops for IT students:
- Apple MacBook Air â Best Choice
- Dell XPS Laptop â Best overall for Windows
- Dell Inspiron Laptopâ Next Best for Windows
Will these powerful PCs also work for a small business server?
Yes, you could make them work with changes to security and a good backup system. For better hardware, you could also consider a powerful built tower server that is specially designed for SMB.
Time to Pick a PC for Your Virtual Machines
Important: Make sure you have plenty of room for growth.
As we wrap up, I want to state one last time that your new PC for hosting virtual machines needs to be expandable.
Later on, I guarantee you will want to add upgraded WIFI adapters, network cards, graphics cards, SSDs, NVMe storage, CPUs, and USB devices.
Planning ahead will make your virtual machine lab more future-proof, especially if you are building virtual machines for business use cases that rely on keeping up with new software requirements.
The best desktop or laptop for running virtual machines can keep expanding if needed before you need to replace it with a new bigger system.
Look, these suggestions all have their Pros/Cons depending on what you plan to do with your virtual machine overall, but they are all good for building a virtual machine lab.
In conclusion, the best PC for virtual machines is waiting for you! Now it’s time to check out the reviews, compare the specs, and pick the winner…
Let us know in the comments which brand and model you decide to get and why.
VMinstall.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, and other Amazon stores worldwide. *Best Sellers last updated on 2026-09-18 at 06:20.
