virtualbox.org

I want to buy a new laptop. For my IT studies next year I'll need to run 4 virtual machines (1 windows server, 1 linux server, 1 windows os and a firewall) I don't really know what we will exactly do with that (learning to administrate a fake network I guess),...
So I need a new pc and I saw one with I7 7500U, 16gb ram and a SSD. Will this processor be good enough ? Because I'd rather buy a "thin" ultrabook than a gaming laptop with a I7 HQ (because I'll run those vm's just for one lesson)...
If someone have this processor and already tried to run multiple VM it could be cool to give your impression about this processor .
Thanks

Peg112 wrote:I saw one with I7 7500U, 16gb ram

If this is the processor you're talking about, then it's got 2 cores / 4 threads. Since VirtualBox cares about cores, and since the host has to use a core, that leaves you with 1 (one) running VM. You could have 2 VMs running concurrently, but, you're pushing it. Four? You're really, really stretching it and I would not be surprised if your host or your guests crash and burn.

On the RAM side, it's rather simple; add all the guests' RAM, add all the guests' video RAM, add a couple of hundred of MB for overall overhead, and of course add what your host might be using at the time, including all of its applications. Is that number less than 16 GB? You're in good shape... Otherwise I would not be surprised if your host or your guests crash and burn.

Yes that's this CPU... Okay, so it might be a better idea to buy a laptop with a 7700HQ (with four cores) ?

Of course it would! The more, the merrier... i7-7700HQ vs. i7-7500U.
You even save 15$ !!!

The OP says he wants to run 4 VMs. However I'm not convinced that he needs to run them concurrently. ISTM that's a lot for a school to require of a cash strapped student.

I see no reason, for example, why you'd want to run Windows and Linux servers at the same time.

The problem is that laptops with a quadcore I7 are more expensive and bulkier, most of them are gaming pc (red and black, quite ugly,...)

And we're not "obliged" to buy such a powerfull pc, we do have good pc's in our university but since I wanted to buy a new laptop it would be cool that I could work at home too...

The PC that I like is discounted today so I need to define if it's processor is good enough :p

I would not let a short-term course influence what laptop I bought. But then, I would not run vms on a laptop anyway.

BillG wrote:But then, I would not run vms on a laptop anyway.

Why not? My laptop is 6 years old, it's running absolutely fabulously and it may even be faster than some of today's desktops. Sure, I paid a lot for it, but my philosophy is get the top of the line when you get a computer. It's going to look and feel great, even after 6 years. As for my even older desktop, I paid even more for that, 11 years ago. Alive and really kicking. It plays fine last year's games...

Yes, they work fine - I just don't do it. Perhaps I was put off by the early problems with Speedstep processors which were pathetic running vms. And the reluctance of manufacturers to enable hardware virtualization in laptops.

I like to have a host which has good cooling and room for multiple hard drives. Maybe its because I use vms mainly for networking, so I have lots of vms running at a time, and lots of adapters in the host.

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BillG wrote:I like to have a host which has good cooling and room for multiple hard drives.

Funny that you mentioned cooling... These days it's really hot on this side of the world (~40 C) and the poor desktop is having a hard time, so I opened the side cover and I put one of those big floor fans right up to it! It works better than liquid nitrogen! Of course it sounds like you're inside a WW-II bombardier, but the earplugs really help a lot!

BillG wrote:I like to have a host which has good cooling and room for multiple hard drives ... and lots of adapters in the host.

I like desktops too. I'm an inveterate tinkerer, I like having the ability to easily swap out drives, add more internal adapters, add RAM etc. I also like having a full size keyboard and a large immersive (24" / 60cm) monitor. I've had laptops in the past, but they lie around unused. Tablets are a different story, but they're used as internet and media browsers, not for working. Definitely not for VMs (one is Win10 x86, in theory it could run VBox, but not well).