What's your ideal travel computer?

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I've tried numerous. I can find fault in all of them.

So I've just bought a "run out special" (my favourite, as at least they're not usually overpriced).

I bought a HP Spectre 2 with the addition of a Seagate 2TB wireless HD for the following reasons:
1) The HP is half the weight of my current Toshiba Satellite;
2) It's a dual tablet/laptop;
3) It has all the connectivity I need;
4) It so much smaller;
5) My current 500MB Verbatim HD is a pain as the connector is so bloody tempermental; and
6) I like the concept of the hard drive in my "man bag" (also a newie to house these new additions) without corded tethering.

My initial thoughts are:

1) Way too much packaging (it's so flash I feel reluctant to turf it out ... but what do you do with it)?
2) Love the weight as I can have new (bigger) "man Bag" and the the tablet/laptop, 2TB HD and all odd-bod paraphernalia for less weight than just my old laptop.
3) Looking forward to (almost) total wireless connectivity.
4) I'm not so structured as to need to send laptop "checked" due to ... A) slightly bigger man-bag; and B) smaller and lighter laptop.

Cost all up of new man-bag, new laptop and new HD was $1439. I can see it making my life so much easier and perhaps opening up HLO a bit more.



EDIT ... For those of you who know my better half ... please don't mention it ... she's still waiting for her new kitchen! :shock: ;)
 
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I'd suggest getting one with a SIM card in it - then if the local wi-fi is carp you can simply switch over for some 4G varoom...

I have a plan with Telstra where I get a 'free' second SIM to share the data allowance with my phone.

Edit: just looked it up ... it looks like the HP spectre 2 does have a SIM in it?

512GB of SSD ... that's pretty good.

Hmmm .. might have to have a look, although I dislike touch screen jobs and Win10 in general.

Edit 2: Stopped looking. :( I need connection to more screens for desktop/office use ... I can't see even a RGB pin connection, let along connection to expansion port.

but if you don't need that, it looks pretty good.
 
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I'd suggest getting one with a SIM card in it - then if the local wi-fi is carp you can simply switch over for some 4G varoom...

I have a plan with Telstra where I get a 'free' second SIM to share the data allowance with my phone.

Edit: just looked it up ... it looks like the HP spectre 2 does have a SIM in it?

512GB of SSD ... that's pretty good.

Hmmm .. might have to have a look, although I dislike touch screen jobs and Win10 in general.

Edit 2: Stopped looking. :( I need connection to more screens for desktop/office use ... I can't see even a RGB pin connection, let along connection to expansion port.

but if you don't need that, it looks pretty good.
Nah, don't need the additional screens. This is purely a travel computer. My offices have the extra screens and as for touchscreen ... I hadn't even considered that as it has a great detachable keyboard and to be honest I didn't even order the "extra" touch screen stylus pen (optional at US$35 apparantly), only to find it included in the pack! (come in spinner material).

Oh edit again... I have the Amaysim 4G phone with hotspot, which I love, so I can't really complain about the SIM. I did note they provide free iPass, which I have no idea about. Any tips with that?
 
How will you connect with the extra screens in the office? Or is it a separate PC there?
 
I'm very happy with my MacBook Air. Light, not too bulky, travels well, easy to use and does pretty much everything I need it to do. (Let's not talk about the lack of CD drive...)

I've travelled with it fairly extensively now and wouldn't live without it!
 
How will you connect with the extra screens in the office? Or is it a separate PC there?

You'll have to excuse me RooFlyer, as I know I will cause considerable laughter, but I'm a computer idiot. My four offices have separate computers and I use my USBs and hard drive to link the lot. Admittably, I do have three common network drives, but I don't trust them (I have had everything "disappear" in the past). I'm a PITA that has set opinions, I'm afraid!

I'm very happy with my MacBook Air. Light, not too bulky, travels well, easy to use and does pretty much everything I need it to do. (Let's not talk about the lack of CD drive...)

I've travelled with it fairly extensively now and wouldn't live without it!

Can I ask the weight?

I just weighed my newie and it's 1.2kg. I'm reasonably happy, but I keep thinking that's my allowance it's cutting into!
 
Can I ask the weight?

I just weighted my newie and it's 1.2kg. I'm reasonably happy, but I keep thinking that's my allowance it's cutting into!

I've never weighed it, but I'm guessing it's around ~1kg. The charger does take up a little more weight, though.
 
I've never weighed it, but I'm guessing it's around ~1kg. The charger does take up a little more weight, though.

Understandable. My charger is an extra 300g, but that's half the weight of my old charger.
 
Loving my Dell XPS. Small, light, 9+ hours battery life, charger packs up neatly into a small pouch. You can get it with a touchscreen but 1/ it kills the battery life and 2/ I hate touchscreens. The trackpad is by far the best I've ever used. Love it love it love it.
 
I do like my MacBook. It is 930gm and is my only personal PC.

The work laptop on the other hand ... It is a good thing they give me a car to cart it around in. :shock:
 
I do like my MacBook. It is 930gm and is my only personal PC.

The work laptop on the other hand ... It is a good thing they give me a car to cart it around in. :shock:

Any fossils like me on the thread may well remember the (thankfully brief) period where there was a type of portable computer called 'luggables'.

it looked something like this:

Luggable.JPG
 
Another vote for the MacBook Air.
Mine is 13 inch and I don't travel anywhere without it :).
I think it weighs around 1.3kg. I have a leather Sena folio case which adds a bit of weight but is so convenient.
 
Small, light, 9+ hours battery life,

The big downside from the tech reviews with mine is a 6.5 hour battery life. That's a whole 2.5 hour less than yours, but what I have found previously is that battery life is very ambulatory ... it may happen, or most likley it may not! I need (by large), 3-4 hour battery life. That won't suit everyone, but I'm half thinking that is about what anyone gets anyway, by the time the "advertorial bullcrap" is discounted!

I'd love to hear some real data ... if you guys wouldn't mind ... without the "my dick is bigger than yours" bullcrap, if you wouldn't mind!
 
The big downside from the tech reviews with mine is a 6.5 hour battery life. That's a whole 2.5 hour less than yours, but what I have found previously is that battery life is very ambulatory ... it may happen, or most likley it may not! I need (by large), 3-4 hour battery life. That won't suit everyone, but I'm half thinking that is about what anyone gets anyway, by the time the "advertorial bullcrap" is discounted!

I'd love to hear some real data ... if you guys wouldn't mind ... without the "my dick is bigger than yours" bullcrap, if you wouldn't mind!
Yes and it seems totally to vary across different machines - I've heard some people with 4 hours only, some up to 13. Seems a bit of the luck of the draw. I got pretty lucky I think! Depends of course on what you're doing on it - for me it's mainly PDF reading, internet browsing and some OneNote. Games and heavy duty graphical things will drain it quicker. Movies don't seem to drain it.

I actually don't know how long I can use it in one stretch - 9 hours is my max at a marathon meeting. But I used it on the plane ride home after that, and didn't charge it again straight away. When it's at home, I only charge it once a week or so (tend to use it for an hour or two most nights, then a few hours more on weekends).
 
I do like my MacBook. It is 930gm and is my only personal PC.

The work laptop on the other hand ... It is a good thing they give me a car to cart it around in. :shock:

I'm looking strongly at this. I have a Toshiba notebook 10" of some sort but had for >5yrs and its intermittently coughping out.

I like the weight and size of the new MacBook.
You have to download an app to use inflight mode? I keep forgetting my apple password.
How long is the battery life?
Is the charger cord bulky? It disappeared into the desk so I couldn't see.
I dislike that the keys don't sit as proud as other chiclet keyboards or even their MacBook Air.
Slightly concerned over no USB ports but I see you can get a connector ..... I guess it's rare I use more than 1 USB at a time but it is another small piece I'd need to be conscious not to lose.
I have previously checked in my Toshiba well padded in suitcase but the MacBook looks so frail I don't think I would.

I have an iPad mini as well but it's cough for lots of typing and you can't switch between internet pages easily as it has to reload them etc...

i just need microsoft office and Internet so nothing complicated. I'll buy MS for Mac.

I really wanted a non apple pc mainly to keep in touch with Windows as my desktop is Mac, but I haven't liked what I've seen so far, too small or too big or I guess new brands I'm not sure about (similar problems to selecting planes I fly:D). Functionally I'd probably be fine with anything but I'm just not sure and I hate buying when I'm not sure....but the Apple MacBook I like more than others currently.
 
For real lightness I just use my iPhone 6plus at a pinch it does the job almost as well as a laptop!
 
For real lightness I just use my iPhone 6plus at a pinch it does the job almost as well as a laptop!

i can understand why some people substitute their phones that size for a tablet. But seriously you'd get peeved off trying to type up a CV on that thing!
 
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Edit 2: Stopped looking. :( I need connection to more screens for desktop/office use ... I can't see even a RGB pin connection, let along connection to expansion port.

but if you don't need that, it looks pretty good.

I use one of these via USB to connect a second (external) screen to my laptop while working from the office - it works well

USB Display.jpg
 
I bought a HP Spectre 2 with the addition of a Seagate 2TB wireless HD

OK, a quick update. I've tried these now in flight and I'm pretty happy. The Seagate wireless connectivity to the Spectre 2 was flawless (Seagate on the seat beside me) and using both the wireless and Bluetooth (headphones) worked well and it was easy to set up. I'm also thinking that the Seagate should be able to stream to multiple devices but I couldn't try it as I hadn't downloaded the Seagate app on my iPhone. On a 3 hour flight, I predominantly watched a movie, but also mucked around with documents and the Spectre battery dropped to 51% (but I'm not entirely sure it was completely charged to begin with) and the Seagate battery dropped to 71%, so for my usual flying, the battery life will be adequate, but for longer distances, It may be restrictive. The thing that I was disappointed with, is the Bluetooth audio broke up quite often. I also noticed this when I was at home playing with it and when I put on the iPod, I had no issues (nor did I have issues when I plugged in earphones) so I'm half thinking the Spectre Bluetooth may be faulty. I'll do some more playing and if I keep having the problem, I'll make a warranty claim on it.

Next flight I'll leave the Seagate in my man-bag in the overhead and see if that still streams without problem and if so, I think I'll be very happy (provided I get the Bluetooth sorted). Total cord free entertainment is what I've been after. The only pet hate that I do have, is why do computer manufacturers love these mirror like screens? They're a PITA to watch as you see reflections everywhere. What ever happened to a nice matt finish screen?
 
I use a Microsoft surface, does all the things I require for work, keyboard detaches to be used as a tablet, super light, and doesn't have to come out of my bag during airport security :)
 
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