Top 7 “Best Laptop For Tails” OS [Jan 2021] | Reviewed!

TAILS is a term for a live system named The Amnesic Incognito live system. TAILS, an authenticated and private OS that combines open source privacy software commonly utilized. TAILS is one of the internet’s most protected operating systems. After it was published that Edward Snowden depended on TAILS to protect his privacy when exchanging NSA information with reporters Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, the Linux software soared to recognition. Over the past few years, journalists, programmers, and IT professionals have adopted TAILS as an integral technology package.

If you want to gain privacy and security on the internet, you can use TAILS. With this advanced privacy tool, you can get maximum privacy on the internet. For that reason, we have gathered up the list of the five best laptops for TAILS. We dedicated hours of research on the internet to find out the best one to operate TAILS, but before that, have a look at what it asks from a system.

Our Top 7 Picks Of Best Laptop For Tails 2021

1. ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop

Best Asus Laptop For Tails

Asus is a well-known laptop manufacturing brand providing high-end laptops fro students, corporates, and professionals all within a reasonable price range. You can rely on this Asus vivbook 15 laptops if you want to hide your privacy on the internet with TAILS. With this thin and light best laptop for online study, you can go incognito anywhere anytime.

ASUS Vivobook 15 is rated TAILS Operating System’s Best Value Laptop in our list. A brand with competitive quality and a variety of functionality that blends and offers the convenient consumer use of TAILS.

The display of this laptop is large enough to provide excellent screen time. The 15.6- inch HD display can impress you with its slim bezels that have a body ratio of 88 percent for the frame. You will definitely appreciate this its minimum four edge bezels, and that too with a webcam on the top of the screen.

The Vivobook is fitted with two separate internal core that is Intel Core i3 Cpu. The CPU has a 2.1 GHz clock speed initially and can be jumped at up to 3.9 GHz. Intel Core i3 8415U is a good option when it comes to everyday activities. You can absolutely do your works on tails with this notebook.

The said laptop has 8 GB of DDR4 Type RAM, and so you can comfortably do various tasks at once and as well as run TAILS OS without any technical glitch. Anyone operating TAILS OS, 128 GB is more than adequate. ASUS has built a solid-state drive instead of a hard disk, which ensures you ‘re going to get an outstanding speed and performance.

If you are a person who is always on the go, you will need a device that will not make you feel uncomfortable with the laptop. For true on-the-go connectivity, VivoBook 15 has lightweight, travel-friendly measurements and a weight of 3.75 pounds only.

A range of connectivity choices is incorporated, since this laptop fits with USB 3.1 type C, USB 3.1 type A, USB2.0, and HDMI ports. If you want to use TAILS, you will need a range of connectivity options, so all of these terminals will help a lot on this laptop.

If you are using tails, you are surely a privacy-sensitive person. With this vivobook, you will be getting one-touch windows hello fingerprint sensor, which ensures maximum protection. And to add a little more, it offers Ergolift keyboard with backlight to provide contented typing experience.

Pros & Cons

2. Apple MacBook Air MD711LL/B

Best Laptop For Tails 2021

Apple is a well-known brand for designing high-end best laptop for gaming overwatch, and that is why it ends up on the radar of many laptop enthusiasts. The reason this Apple MacBook Air ends up on our list the best laptop for tails os is its killer specifications. Let’s discuss in detail what it offers.

Apple MacBook Air emanates on the more reasonable side of your pocket then the MacBook Pro by Apple. The display of MacBook air ropes 11.6 inches LED Backlit with 1366x768p resolution, so you are totally going to relish working on incognito mode with tails on this bad boy.

Regarding performance, this apple MacBook Air encompasses 1.4 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5, which jumps up to 2.7GHz with its turbo booster. You can run tails efficiently on this processor. Additionally, its 4GB onboard Memory of 1600 MHz will come handy for multitasking.

Although, for storage, it does not have much to offer as it has only 128 GB PCIe flash storage. You cannot store high-end games on this laptop, but as you are here for TAILS so you can do internet-related tasks efficiently without compromising your privacy. And one more thing that it has a flash drive for storage, no HDD, so you will be pretty fast with this laptop.

This MacBook is not very port rich in terms of connectivity, but you can surely connect a USB stick for TAILS with its USB port on the left side. The battery time of this laptop is also solid. You can squeeze up to 9 hours of working on this laptop, which is quite a time for this small device.

And the best thing which I liked about this laptop is its weight, which is 1.1 pounds only. Yes, you heard right 1.1 pounds. This laptop is feather-light and comfortable to carry around while you use TAILS anywhere you go. Its backlit keyboard with smooth keys is just what you expect more from this laptop.

Pros & Cons

3. Lenovo ThinkPad E595

High Performance Laptop For Tail

We consider the battle for tails concerning the right laptops very challenging. Not that there are too many choices to explore, but there are just too enough alternatives that you can never find the right choice for you. That’s why we added this Lenovo Thinkpad E595 on our guide for the best laptop for tails 2021.

As you can see from the key specification above that this laptop has a lot to offer to TAILS users. Not just can they hide behind TAILS, but they also can enjoy its killer features. First of all, its display offers a crisp view with 15.6 inches full HD and anti-glare screen. Its presentation of 1920 x 1080 pixels with 2450 nits is just what you can ask for the display.

As for the performance, it houses an AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Quad-Core Processor with 2.10 GHz, which can jump up to 3.70 GHz. Furthermore, its 8GB RAM with 2400 Mhz power; you can do multitask while using TAILS. It has a storage drive of 256 GB SSD, which seems a bit low for storing large files. But as you are here for TAILS so you can compensate that.

You can adore its graphical display with Integrated AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics just perfect for everyone.  If you ask about its battery backup, it kits up with a battery providing up to 15 hours. You can definitely use TAILS for long hours without finding sockets to charge up your laptop. This laptop has a port-rich construct for maximum connectivity options for TAILS.

If you look at its keyboard, it has a full keyboard with a backlit feature. You can turn on and off the light of the keyboard according to your use too. Furthermore, this iconic laptop of Lenovo is not very heavy with 3 pounds of weight only. You can comfortably carry it in your bag for on the go use of TAILS.

4. ASUS VivoBook F512DA Laptop 

Best Cheap Laptop For Tails In 2021

Asus never disappoints when it comes to a quality laptop. That’s why we have this second pick from ASUS Vivobook. This F512DA model of Vivobook 15 comes with the high specifications for the TAILS operating system. Let’s see what it has for you.

If you look at its exterior, it comes up with a slate-grey color metal finish with ErgoLift for a keyboard for comfortable working. Its display is 15.6 inchse3 with Full HD of 1920×1080 pixels, which provides crisp and clear viewing angles.

In terms of processing, it comes fitted with AMD Ryzen 3 3200U Dual-core Processor with 2.60 – 3.5GHz. Its this much processing power is more than enough for running TAILS OS. Now moving to its ram and storage, which is extraordinary with 12 GB RAM and 1000 GB of SSD storage. Yes! You can run games of high specs or 3D movies on this too without concern about space.

You may get disappointed about its battery backup, which is only 5 hours at max. But its other killer specs can surely cover that for running TAILS. It weighs down a bit with 4 pounds, but you can carry it around as for the laptop. AMD Regon Vega Graphics is another luxury of this laptop, which you get besides running TAILS.

This laptop is intended for maximum security, the proof of which is its fingerprint sensor on the touchpad. You will have maximum protection of your computer with TAILS OS inside and a fingerprint sensor on the outside.

This laptop houses maximum connectivity options with its port rich structure. It has an HDMI, a USB 3.1 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and a USB-C 3.1 port. So you can easily connect TAILS flash drive into the laptop. Furthermore, you will feel delighted with its keyboard as it comes with a backlight and a 2-degree lift with ErgoLift technology.

Pros & Cons

5. ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 2-In-1 Laptop

Best Chromebook 2-In-1 Convertible Laptop

Chromebooks are the game changers of the laptop industry. It comes with a built-in chrome OS which is perfect for anyone who wants online access with google services all the time. It can be one of the best platforms for hosting TAILS OS too. This Chromebook by ASUS has a lot to offer for TAILS.

The very first appreciatable feature of this Chromebook is its design—the 3D texture finish top makes it durable against drop and accidents. This 2-in-1 laptop comes with a 360-degree hinge to convert it into a tent, tablet, or laptop mode. You can enjoy its touchscreen according to your adjustments.

This laptop is precisely designed for durability and sturdiness. Its rubber safety grip, anti-drop design, and anti-spill keyboards are the proofs of that. So besides running tails on this laptop, you will be getting a long-lasting device.

Now if you look at its processing, it encompasses intel Gemini Lake Dual-Core Celeron N4000 Processor with up to 2.6 GHz and 4 GB RAM, just perfect for snappy handling. However, you may find its storage to be so small with 32 GB which is less than even smartphones. But as for the Chromebooks, it mostly works on the online platforms of Google.

It can cover that storage issue with 100 GB free cloud storage for one year. So if you were thinking about savin games on this laptop, it is not meant for that. You will be pleased with the battery backup of this laptop which hold all day with 11 hours. You can use TAILS all day long without finding sockets to plug in the device.

As for the chrome they are often lightweight, and portable so is this model of ASUS is of 2.6 pounds only. But as compared to MacBook above on our list, it’s still a bit heavy. Although, if you are looking for a cloud-service based laptop for running TAILS, this Chromebook will do the thing for you.

Pros & Cons

6. Lenovo 15.6 inch HD Laptop

Laptop That Comes With Linux Tails

With the fast-moving era, everything is now moving towards e-platforms. From selling a plot to booking a flight, all the activities and transactions are processed online. In such time, a laptop is a must-have. No need to go anywhere as the best laptop for tails has brought you the best options.

If you are a game enthusiast and want your laptop to run high graphic games for you smoothly, the Lenovo is one of the tails compatible laptops. With 12 GB RAM, heavy graphic designing Software, and graphically intense games run as smooth as butter.

As it is obvious from its specs that this laptop has a lot of for TAILS users. First of all, it displays an HD view with 15.6 inches’ screen.

It has better performance output with its Intel Core i7-7500U Processor with 2.7 GHz. Furthermore, with its 12GB RAM, you can run intense graphic games while using TAILS. It has a battery timing of 5 hours, which seems low for its operation.  But as you are here for TAILS so you can compensate for that.

Who will resist buying such a laptop that comes with a Linux tail?

If you look at its keyboard, it has a full keyboard with a backlit feature. Furthermore, this iconic laptop of Lenovo is not very heavy with 2.2 kg of weight only. You can comfortably carry it in your bag and take it anywhere with you.

Pros & Cons

7. HP OMEN 15-EN0023DX Gaming Laptop

High End Gaming Laptop 2021

If your only wish is to have a laptop with high-performance and edge cutting graphics, then HP OMEN is one of the tails burner laptops you should go for.

Tails HP laptops are just ready to fight the battle with their sharp graphics, enhanced audio and powerful hardware.

What gamers want is a portable laptop they can take anywhere with them. Search is over here as hp laptops with their 5 lbs weight are super portable. This latest model differs when it comes to awe-inspiring display options and graphics processor with 6 GB graphic card.  The HP OMEN gaming laptop comes standard with Intel Core.

Be the first to try every graphics-intensive game with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphic coprocessor.

Pros & Cons

Best Laptop For TAILS—Buyer Guide

The TAILS OS contains Debian and is simple to manage from a USB stick on MacBooks and Windows. TAILS encodes all local data, operates all internet communications via Tor and prevents any unsecured links, and defines a series of encrypted network tools like a tor web browser.

As for the laptop, it does not ask for much. An advantage of using Linux is that it will need relatively small device specifications. You don’t even have to think about spending a fortune while you are shopping for the best laptop for TAILS.

The particular requirements for running TAILS are straightforward. It requires a thing to plug TAILS, in other words, a memory stick, an x86 CPU, and a minimum of 2 GB RAM. Practically any laptop can let you load from a flash drive or CD / DVD, and almost all laptops are using x86. But remember one thing that you must not use an ARM processor for tails. Don’t let the technical terminologies of the laptops bother you, as all the laptops I suggest here are absolutely TAILS compliant. So let’s see what these laptops have to offer in our guide.

How To Install Tails On USB

For installing tails on USB stick follow the following steps

What To Look For When Buying Best Laptop For Tails

A few things that need to be considered while purchasing the best laptop for tails are as follows

Memory: Memory is one of the most crucial concerns while buying any laptop in general. This applies to laptops that are meant to be used to run Tails OS as well. For Tails OS you need at least a minimum of 2GB of RAM in order to run it smoothly. Getting a laptop with 4GB RAM is actually better than 2GB. However, for best experience with Tail OS a laptop should have 8GB RAM.

Battery Life

Battery life is another important factor that needs to be considered for running tail OS. Battery life can affect your working and performance as well. For long term working, you’d at least need a laptop whose battery can live up to your working hours. A long battery gives you more freedom to not only use your laptop but also carry it around. Since you are able to carry around the tail’s OS then ultimately a laptop that can be carried around as well should be your priority.

Storage

Since tails OS runs on a DVD or external flash drive, having huge storage is not important. However, sometimes you will use some OS in conjunction with tails so for that you might need at least some amount of storage that is not too less.

Connectivity

Tails OS needs USB drives. This is because the OS needs to run on flash drives. Look for laptops that have at least 3.0 ports or newer since that will increase their transfer speed. USB C is fast for both connectivities and for data transfer.

Display

A minimum of 11.6 inches is recommended for an average display. A good display allows a better experience. While it isn’t as compulsory to get a big screen or small screen while working with the OS but it can certainly add to your working experience.

Burner Laptop

Getting a burner laptop is not a necessity. It depends upon what you are planning to do on that laptop. A burner laptop is one that is meant for one task only and you don’t mind discarding it if the need is there. The best burner laptop for tails is the one that fits your needs for anonymity. Obviously, you wouldn’t be using a burner laptop for playing games or using social media so the cheaper the better so that you are able to discard it later on.

FAQs

Is tails OS safe?

Yes, Tails OS is quite safe at least in comparison to a normal OS. A normal OS when running stores the encryption keys and files on RAM so that when your power is turned off, any data that is present On RAM disappears with it. However, there is a certain period of time where this data is not fully degraded and can be recovered. A few minutes can really make a lot of difference when it comes to private information that can be dangerous if seized. Moreover, if the RAM is frozen using aerosols or liquid nitrogen then the data won’t be degraded which makes it insecure enough for a cold boot. In contrast, tails have special emergency amnesia which can feature a shutdown that wipes the RAM and erases all data traces before the computer turns off. As long as your tails itself hasn’t been compromised and has been safely and securely installed; it is the safest operating system there is.

How tails OS works?

Tails is simply a live operating system that works off a DVD or a USB flash drive. It is an alternative operating system that doesn’t make any changes to your original OS. Since the entire system lives on removable media and can be accessed using that, so it is pretty much interchangeable over computers. In fact, it can boot without ever accessing your internal hard drive.

What Is Tails OS?

Tails is an operating system that is designed for maximum privacy and security. It is a free OS which is a strong alternative to hard-drive-based OS as it is installed on USB flash drives. It is GNU/ Linux OS which alters the way everything works. It has a custom suite of encryption software that allows maximum privacy and security from both networking to file storage.

Can I install tails on a hard drive?

No, you cannot install tails on a hard drive. Tails are meant to be installed on removable devices in order to carry on it amnesiac traits. Since a permanent hard drive is meant to save data in a persistent way. You can however copy the ISO directly to drive if your netbook has an internal drive. This will keep the amnesiac traits since it is only acting as a read-only internal drive in such a case.

What’s the best laptop to run tails program on?

The best laptop for tails program is the one that fulfills your needs. Generally, a good laptop for Tails OS is one with good storage, battery life, connectivity, and memory. In case you need a laptop for a single purpose and can discard it later on then you can consider a burner laptop. In the end, it all depends upon what you intend to use the OS for.

How to download tails?

To download tails you need to run an antivirus check for it to be really secure. Then you have to go to the official Tails OS website and download the OS. It is better to have Firefox on your device as there is also a browser add-on plug-in available to authenticate the OS image file download. From there on all, you have to do is wait for it to download.

How to install tails on window 10?

To install tails on windows 10 ensure that you have enough capacity (at least 4GB) and time as the whole process may take 2-3 hours. Once you have downloaded the OS, simply insert the USB drive with the OS on it. Respond to the consent pop-ups and follow the on-screen instructions. Do keep a mobile or tablet to help you with the instructions when you need to reboot. Use Boot Menu Key while rebooting to select tails as your preferred OS. Once you’re in, simply insert the second USB and install the OS on the second drive and follow instructions. After you have finally rebooted with the OS on the second USB, you can now use tails on windows 10.

Final Words

So this is the end of our list for the best laptop for TAILS.  I hope by now you have found your pick for the TAILS laptop. We have not gathered up the list of many laptops for TAILS, which may leave you confused about choosing the best one. Instead, we selected only the top five laptops for you to select easily.

All of the above-mentioned laptops are tails compatible laptops. We did hours of research to check whether they fit in our category.  If you ask us the best one from our list, we will say Lenovo ThinkPad E595. Its killer specs combined with amazing security features provide maximum protection with TAILS OS. You can have a snappy and smooth performance of TAILS while enjoying different activities on this laptop.

Although, if you want a portable notebook with adequate features, then you can go for Apple MacBook Air and Asus Chromebook. With its lightweight and sellar battery life, you can use TAILS anywhere on the go. However, we have mentioned other laptops too for you to chose the most appropriate one for you.  So halt your search for the best tails laptop here and buy yours now from our guide.