Thanks to the advancements in technology, it’s now easier for people to be nomads and still remain connected to the rest of the world.
A phone might be enough for your communicating with other people, taking pictures, or doing something lightweight like editing pictures and creating a Word document. However, if you want to do more, you’ll need to look for a good, sturdy, travel laptop to carry along with you.
Finding a laptop that allows you to do more while being travel friendly can be quite tricky. That’s why we’ve put together this list of fantastic laptops that combine both, functionality as well as convenience.
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Apple MacBook Air
The MacBook Air has been successful in being one of the thinnest laptops ever since it came out. At some point, it became the world’s thinnest notebook. Apple demonstrated this by fitting it into a plain manila envelope.
Today, though, many laptops can contest that title, the Air always remains a strong contender. This makes it one of the best travel laptops on the market.
Not only is it thin and light, but it’s also fast, and powerful enough for most processes. It’s quite durable, as well, as it can last years without failing on you.
Its Retina display is quite a bonus and features like Touch ID, Magic keyboard, and such make for a great package. If you have an iPhone, choosing this laptop is almost a no-brainer since the integration between Apple products is seamless.
As user-friendly as it is, though, macOS is not for all people. If you want to use programs with heavy processing needs on your laptop, you may also need more than an Air. You may end up with your MacBook overheating too often.
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Dell XPS 13
If macOS is not for you, Dell’s XPS 13 is a solid alternative. Its pricing is in the middle range, so it’s cheaper, too.
Nonetheless, it’s pretty powerful for its size. Its size and weight are almost the same as the MacBook Air, and its specs are comparable to Apple’s, as well. If you care about the looks, many might say the Dell looks better.
In other words, you get almost the same package at a lower price. Its display is good enough for your average viewing purposes, making it as great a travel laptop as any.
If you have a higher budget, though, you may still consider the Dell XPS 13 but with a touchscreen display. This might fare better on your travels.
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
Surface Laptop 3 is Microsoft’s flagship. As such, it comes with powerful capabilities in a sleek shell.
It’s similar in looks to the MacBook line, although it’s a bit heftier. It weighs 2.89 pounds while the MacBook Air 2020 is at 2.8 pounds. The difference is almost negligible; it won’t be a bother in your travels.
The Surface Laptop 3 also packs some serious specs; the higher the price, the more power you get. Video editing on this device is manageable, although hardcore gaming is out of the picture here.
One of its advantages over the competitors is its signature 3:2 aspect ratio screen that’s present in all Surface devices. This gives you more vertical space – useful for when you’re scanning through some documents.
The fast-charging feature is a plus, as well. It allows you to charge 80% of the battery in an hour. That’s useful you’re also on the go.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 7
We’ve only talked about traditional ultrabooks thus far, but what about dual-purpose laptops?
Surface Pro 7 is Microsoft’s latest offering in its line of powerful tablets, which you can transform into a laptop in an instant. It runs Windows 10, sporting the powerful 10th Gen Intel Core “Ice Lake” CPUs.
It’s a lot cheaper than your traditional options, but it’s more portable. If you’re only looking for portability, the Surface Pro 7 is less expensive.
As you can expect, it’s a lot less powerful. It’s beyond its capabilities to do some heavy lifting, but you might not even need extra power if you only need to create documents, transfer files, view your pictures, and video chat during your travels.
It doesn’t have a dedicated GPU and a large battery life, so take that into account.
Overall, though, it’s a great travel companion for its price. Note that you’ll have to buy the keyboard as a separate accessory.
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Acer Spin 13
The Acer Spin 13 is another dual device that you can use as a traditional laptop or as a more compact tablet, although it’s a laptop first. As such, it’s more powerful than the Surface Pro 7, having an Intel i7 processor out of the box.
You’ll have to fold it back to use it as a tablet, so yes, that means it has a touchscreen. Want to watch a video? Don’t fold it all the way back and use it as a stand – perfect for watching movies on a plane.
Speaking of, the 13-inch screen is an upgrade from the 12-inch screen of the Surface Pro 7. Its specs are no joke and compare to many high-end laptops in the market.
The kicker is that it costs about the same as the Microsoft offering. That means you’re getting a more powerful device for the same price. That puts its price to hundreds of dollars cheaper than its respective counterparts.
The downside to this good device is its portability. It’s thicker and heavier than the other alternatives, but it’s still good for travel. You have lighter options when you need it, but when you need a more powerful device at a cheaper price, the Acer Spin 13 is here.
Finding the Best Travel Laptops for Your Needs
These are our choices for the best travel laptops you can buy today, but which one is right for you is yours to decide. You can’t have it all in a single package, so weigh your pros and cons carefully.
We hope this guide helps you make the right decision, but don’t you stop doing your research. We invite you to check out the rest of our informative guides on here, and stay updated on all the latest tech trends!