GPD Win 1 - Running A Kali Linux VM in VirtualBox
The GPD Win 1 has a built in controller and mini thumb type keyboard which is perfect for running old games on Steam and emulators but what about using it as a laptop? Could a Sysadmin or Pentester use this ? Considering you can buy one used for between $200 - $300 it might make for a great purchase.
I decided to install Kali Linux as a VM in VirtualBox instead of installing it directly onto the computer. Giving the VM 1.5 GB of RAM was just enough to get it running slow but usable.
I was able to launch and use Metasploit and Armitage and also run an nmap scan though it felt much slower than on my regular laptop. Traversing the file system and moving windows around felt slow but not unusable. I was also able to use the remaining RAM to have a victim VM running alongside the Kali VM. In my test I used Metasploitable 2 which I allocated 512MB of RAM to. This left 2GB of RAM for the host OS.
Additional Resources:
https://www.gpd.hk/
https://www.kali.org/
Specs
Processor: Intel Atom x7-Z8750
RAM: 4GB LPDDR3-1600 RAM,
HDD: 64GB ROM eMMC 4.51
Display: 5.5-inch 1280×720 (720p)
Ports: Micro SD, USB 2.0, USB C, Headphone Jack
OS: Windows 10 Home
Running Kali Linux
I decided to install Kali Linux as a VM in VirtualBox instead of installing it directly onto the computer. Giving the VM 1.5 GB of RAM was just enough to get it running slow but usable.
I was able to launch and use Metasploit and Armitage and also run an nmap scan though it felt much slower than on my regular laptop. Traversing the file system and moving windows around felt slow but not unusable. I was also able to use the remaining RAM to have a victim VM running alongside the Kali VM. In my test I used Metasploitable 2 which I allocated 512MB of RAM to. This left 2GB of RAM for the host OS.
Conclusion
I wouldn't recommend using this computer for penetration testing as it is uncomfortable to use and slow. My tests do prove however that the GPD Win 1 is capable of running these VMs if that is something you are interested in doing. I hope this article was helpful to anyone looking to run Kali Linux or any other OS in a VM on the GPD Win 1. The newer and more powerful GPD Win 2 should be able to handle these tasks with ease.
Additional Resources:
https://www.gpd.hk/
https://www.kali.org/
