Month long trip bring the laptop or not?

[jollystomper]

I have a Windows notebook and 10" Android tablet that I use only when traveling (BTD, baby! ). For a longer trip I take both, as I find that I always need access to either a Windows or Android app/function on those trips. Nothing is one them that would expose us if they were lost (no financial apps, no permanent signon to email accounts, etc.).

 

[braumeister]

Another point I should have mentioned is that it's not uncommon to have a problem getting the wifi at a hotel, so when that happens I have to log into my phone's hotspot, which is getting internet over cellular. Might as well eliminate the middleman.

 

[N02L84ER]

We always bring our laptop.

 

[Scrapr]

For $159 you can get a simple chromebook for travel. No actual files on it beyond the photos that you sync over and then edit and save.
It makes for a great little travel companion with a real keyboard and decent screen.


If it gets lost or damaged, there you go. Cost of doing business.
You can't say the same for a fancy mac or windows all in wonder with all your apps and stuff on it.

Ha! I picked up a Chromebook for $84 at Best Buy for travel. I did have to buy a mouse for $10. It's an 11 inch screen & pretty light. My backpack has a sleeve to slip it in. Makes it a lot easier to book hotels & flights. Almost every trip to Europe we leave at least a week unplanned. No hotels, no transportation. Just to be a little spontaneous. Ask the locals where we should go. I'm a convert. If the Chromebook gets lost or stolen just change your password & lock out the laptop. You could be back in bidness in 5 minutes

 

[DrRoy]

On a month driving trip, we bring the 17 in laptop. When flying, its the 13 in chromebook.

 

[pb4uski]

I’d bring it. Not just for convenience but to deal with trip issues. You can do it on your phone but personally I find doing anything complicated is easier on a bigger screen.

Enjoy the trip!

+1. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

While I can do a lot between my phone and my tablet, you never know. Bring it and try not to use it the first week and see how it goes.

 

[Lewis Clark]

Can you spend a few weeks at home without using the laptop? Then you will know.

 

[Winemaker]

I don't do anything financial on my phone. I take my laptop with me even for small trips like this weekend. I may not necessarily use it but if I need to do something, I can. And besides, the print is so much bigger.

 

[rodi]

I was in the camp of "bring the laptop" but was talked out of it before our recent asia trip. I did not miss it. We do carry on luggage and enjoyed not having the weight and bulk of the laptop and charger. We were 2 weeks into a 4 week planned trip and didn't miss the laptop at all. Our trip was cut short because of a death in the family... but I'm still a convert.

I am considering getting a surface pro (super light weight, thin tablet/laptop) for our 70 days in Italy this fall... but mainly because I suspect there will be homework in the language school I'll be attending. (Even if they don't assign it, I'll be doing some.) We'll be travelling heavier for that trip, with checked luggage... so I can spare the room in my backpack.

 

[Sunset]

I bring a laptop on long driving trips, but frankly worry it might get stolen. I have my important data encrypted on a thumb drive, but the laptop would hold some data in places.

Additionally I have software on there that could be hard to replace, etc..

It's more carefree not the have the hassle of worrying about a laptop when traveling.

 

[tulak]

I haven’t travelled with a laptop for years, except for work when it’s required.

I use an iPad. I have Apple’s keyboard case, but before that I used a bluetooth keyboard when needed, along with a bluetooth mouse.

I cheat though. I have a VPN setup for home and connect to my laptop for financial stuff (Moneydance) when traveling using the iPad. I could wait until I get back, but it’s nice to do periodic updates so there’s less updating when I get home.

 

[folivier]

My Macbook doesn't necessarily need a separate charger. I can charge it using a standard usb-c charger that my phone uses, although it is slower.
Can windows and other laptops use a usb-c charger also?

 

[marko]

Laptop or at least my tablet for a shorter trip.

A few years ago I had a family emergency and had to book a flight home ASAP. I had to choose between sitting on hold with the airline for 60 minutes or buying a flight online in 10 minutes.

We also get our daily newspapers, portfolio updates etc etc and I'd go blind looking at that small phone screen. You might also end up with a rainy day where a laptop/tablet might quell the boredom.

 

[Flyfish1]

For $159 you can get a simple chromebook for travel. No actual files on it beyond the photos that you sync over and then edit and save.
It makes for a great little travel companion with a real keyboard and decent screen.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-14-chromebook-laptop-intel-celeron-4gb-memory-64gb-emmc-modern-gray/6513217.p?skuId=6513217&extStoreId=366&utm_source=feed&ref=212&loc=17931407033&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA84CvBhCaARIsAMkAvkK5DBu0IzYrklmZxS9uBcTFieds9SmEP9MGYovK3rV3JsX0k1f7WHwaAsugEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

If it gets lost or damaged, there you go. Cost of doing business.
You can't say the same for a fancy mac or windows all in wonder with all your apps and stuff on it.

I like this reasoning: Therefore I am typing this on a $149 HP laptop. Now if I can figure how to hotspot it to my phone which is an iphone. Not used to Windows products anymore.

 

[Sunset]

I like this reasoning: Therefore I am typing this on a $149 HP laptop. Now if I can figure how to hotspot it to my phone which is an iphone. Not used to Windows products anymore.

On my android phone that could do hotspot, it was easy.

On the phone I set up hotspot, which meant setting up a wireless ability: gave it a name (for the ssid) and a password , (maybe also picked a secuity encryption type, don't recall).

Then on the other phone/laptop just looked for that wireless name, and put in the password.

From then on, it was like connecting to any wireless network after I turned on my hotspot.

 

[Scrapr]

My Macbook doesn't necessarily need a separate charger. I can charge it using a standard usb-c charger that my phone uses, although it is slower.
Can windows and other laptops use a usb-c charger also?

My chromebooks all have USB c chargers. Very good because that is my phone charge port. On a couple trips I had to carry USB a & c chargers. Lots easier now with a single charger. On occasion both will need charging and I'll slip a slow charger on the phone. Have to be careful on the hotel rooms that have key card to turn on the electricity in the room. It's easy to just pull the card 7 walk out while your laptop (isn't) charging. We've taken to getting 2 key cards 7 leave one in the slot

 

[TheWizard]

I don't understand the reluctance of some folks to do financial transactions on a smartphone or other device while traveling.
I suppose it's possible to get a fraudulent wifi connection somehow, but how likely is that?

Would be good to get factual info on this vs fear based speculation...

 

[OldShooter]

... Lots easier now with a single charger. ...

I always carry two camera chargers and 2 USB chargers. If a charger dies, the corresponding device is just an expensive paperweight. I also carry several camera batteries.

I don't understand the reluctance of some folks to do financial transactions on a smartphone or other device while traveling. ... Would be good to get factual info on this vs fear based speculation ...

It's not the transactions, it's what might be found by an expert who has possession of my stolen phone or laptop.

BTW, all caution is in some sense "fear based."

 

[Stwicky]

I replaced my 17" Lenovo laptop with a MacBook Air last year. We travel four or five months of the year and this has made a huge difference. Highly recommended. And the transition from PC to Mac was a non issue.

 

[skyking1]

I look at it this way.
I go travelling to get away from the daily chores and the like. When I go, I prefer to have all the bills paid and any of that drudgery done so I can take it all in.
When playing fast and loose and planning as you go, as @scrapr says, I prefer two things over the alternative:
A bigger screen.
A real keyboard.
Some people are happy typing in or voice to text with a touch screen, but I think it is less than ideal.
My inexpensive chromebook has all that and has a touch screen.
I nuke it back to factory new and then we go. No saved bank logins, etc.
Now I have a comfortable place to do photo editing and also searching for the next destination's fun things to do.

 

[audreyh1]

I have my iPad mini when traveling as well as my iPhone. I’m able to use my cellphone as a hotspot even overseas. I don’t really need to check my accounts unless it’s over a month (rare) but I can do that from my iPad.

We used to carry a laptop to back up photos from our DSLRs, but I think we found a drive solution that will work.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Depends on the Laptop. I have a powerhouse Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 11 fully loaded that goes with me everywhere. It weighs a little more than my DW's tablet and is about the same size.

 

[Route246]

I always bring my laptop, even on 4-day long trips. You are not increasing security risk simply when travelling. I cannot live without my laptop as like you, I do all my banking stuff on it. I fly with my laptop all over the world as well as domestically. One of my professional background and working knowledge was in info security (CISSP). Continue to run your VPN.

+1. Use a VPN and you should be fine. I never travel without a laptop, ever. Too much of my life is convenient by having it. I know it is a tether and anchor but I can live with that.

 

[Sunset]

I don't understand the reluctance of some folks to do financial transactions on a smartphone or other device while traveling.
I suppose it's possible to get a fraudulent wifi connection somehow, but how likely is that?

Would be good to get factual info on this vs fear based speculation...

I'm not concerned about the wifi, as I use VPN on my phone/computer when traveling. I'm worried about losing either one as it would be a pain.

I don't put financial apps on my phone as I've seen the video here in Chicago of the fella walking home and stopped by 2 guys who ask for his stuff. They shoot him twice, then ask him for the password and after he gives it, they shoot him again. Off they run with the phone which they can now turn off lock and access all apps

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/j08FZmO6/2022.05.06-robbery-shooting-webster-wayne-wm.mp4

 

[brett]

We do not keep financial information our ipads or on our phones. We typically leave our phones at home when we travel outside of NA.