Laptop with VMs/Virtual PCs

**stek** · 26 February 2016, 17:15

Originally posted by LondonManc View Post

Hello,

Looking at getting a new laptop in the summer which can host multiple virtual pc/vm machines. Is there a recommended set up that you'd recommend/have good experience with.

Ideally I'd want to set up:
One for general personal usage (music, art films, Hotmail. facebook, etc)
One for business usage (ltd co accounts, emails, quotes, letters, invoicing, etc)
3-4 more for different software setups that I typically work with (Oracle, SQL Server, etc.)

Thanks in advance for the non-numpty answers; the rest of you know who you are.

How many do you plan to run at once?

**sal** · 29 February 2016, 16:30

CPU: Any quad core CPU should be enough, i7 recommended.
RAM: The amount of RAM depends on how many VMs you plan to run simultaneously. But i wouldn't by anything with less than 8GB even if no VMs are going to run on it.
Disk: Large SSD highly recommended 512GB ones are cheap enough nowadays. Multiple VMs I/O will wreck a laptop HDD in many cases

The rest is a matter of personal preference / budget.

**LondonManc** · 29 February 2016, 16:56

Originally posted by stek View Post

How many do you plan to run at once?

Two max probably.

Originally posted by sal View Post

CPU: Any quad core CPU should be enough, i7 recommended.
RAM: The amount of RAM depends on how many VMs you plan to run simultaneously. But i wouldn't by anything with less than 8GB even if no VMs are going to run on it.
Disk: Large SSD highly recommended 512GB ones are cheap enough nowadays. Multiple VMs I/O will wreck a laptop HDD in many cases

The rest is a matter of personal preference / budget.

Thanks.

**SimonMac** · 29 February 2016, 18:39

MacBook Pro, use as your general day to day it will be impractical using a VM for movies/films etc, not sure why you want a separate one for your company, unless you think having a VM for the company means you will be able to put it though the company books, but we all know you won't try and claim that as the machine will be used for personal use too.

VirtualBox for your VM's, I have a Windows server and a linux server running as guest VM's.

**dogzilla** · 29 February 2016, 19:46

Any current new laptop can do this to some degree. It comes down to your budget and specific requirements. The more ram the better.

I run a macbook pro with 16gb ram and VMware fusion. Works well.

**clearedforlanding** · 29 February 2016, 20:22

I run a Citrix session to a VM on my home computer for my activity here.....

I have a slight latency issue with posts from MF & the truth.

**SueEllen** · 29 February 2016, 22:21

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

MacBook Pro, use as your general day to day it will be impractical using a VM for movies/films etc, not sure why you want a separate one for your company, unless you think having a VM for the company means you will be able to put it though the company books, but we all know you won't try and claim that as the machine will be used for personal use too.

Doesn't it depend on how much personal use he does?

**SimonMac** · 1 March 2016, 08:41

Originally posted by SueEllen View Post

Doesn't it depend on how much personal use he does?

IMHO no, even once or twice a month using a video player or music streamer like spotifiy would make having the non personal aspect of his usage not go through a VM.

Or did you mean how much personal use the laptop would have compared to business use as to whether or not he can legitimately claim it as a business expense?

**LondonManc** · 1 March 2016, 08:50

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

MacBook Pro, use as your general day to day it will be impractical using a VM for movies/films etc, not sure why you want a separate one for your company, unless you think having a VM for the company means you will be able to put it though the company books, but we all know you won't try and claim that as the machine will be used for personal use too.

VirtualBox for your VM's, I have a Windows server and a linux server running as guest VM's.

No taxation reasons behind it, purely segregation of usage.

Laptop with VMs/Virtual PCs