The 7 Best Laptops for Travel

In terms of portability and performance, it doesn’t get much better than the MacBook Pro fitted with the latest M2 chip. The 13.3-inch display size is perfect for travel. And, with it being a little over half an inch thick, it can slot into a carry-on or day bag quite easily while being barely noticeable at only three pounds.

This model has 16GB of RAM and ample storage of 1TB. You can configure these at the time of buying to suit your own needs. However, be aware that you cannot change them after purchase. But, the best-selling point for travelers is the incredible battery life. With an impressive up to 20 hours of use, digital nomads working at the beach won’t feel the need to carry around cumbersome chargers.

The display bursts up to 500 nits of brightness with a 2560×1600 Retina display. Viewing your photos is a joy, and it’s also one of the best laptops for editing. The few that are better are heavier and bulkier machines.

Unfortunately, the FaceTime camera remains at 720p, which is a strange choice considering the MacBook Air M2 has 1080p. It may be a deciding factor if you are an on-the-go educator or business person attending online meetings.

Another drawback is that it only has two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Considering you will need one port when charging, this may not be enough for everyone, and you may want to consider a lightweight docking station.

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If you feel the MacBook Pro M2 is on the pricey side, the MacBook Air M2 is an excellent alternative and will save you a considerable amount. Not only that, but it has a slightly larger screen yet weighs a little less and is even more slimline. It’s another ideal Apple pick for travelers.

You get the same excellent display of vivid colors and detail with an identical 500 nits of peak brightness. Therefore, photo editing is comparable to the MacBook Pro. But, the Pro performs better with intensive video editing. At the same time, watching movies and shows in your downtime is a pleasing experience. You also get an upgrade on the webcam, a plus for travelers and nomads attending online meetings, taking classes, or calling home. Another plus is the reintroduction of the popular MagSafe charger while retaining the two T4 ports. Excellent news.

However, you do need to compromise a little on storage space. Although the 256GB is still ample for most, it may not be enough for traveling professionals such as photographers or designers. Additionally, the battery life is a bit less, although still more than enough at 18 hours.

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For vacationers that don’t use CPU-intensive apps or games, there are more budget-friendly options for you to consider. One of those is the Microsoft Surface Go 3. It’s lightweight, small, and slips into any luggage with ease, handy for any excursions or day trips you make.

However, you should note that this is the device only. To turn it into a complete laptop, you will need to purchase a separate keyboard. You can also buy other accessories, such as the Surface Pen and mouse.

With 8GB of RAM, you can stream movies, browse the internet, send messages, and do other daily tasks with ease. Catching up on documents while sipping pina coladas by the pool is also a breeze. But it’s the webcam and battery life that are especially pleasing. Making calls home or even taking online classes look great. And, with its 11-hour battery life, nomads can spend a full day teaching or taking meetings without worry.

On the downside, traveling business people may find the screen too small for multitasking. Although, it is bright, vibrant, detailed, and indeed good enough for watching movies and shows while on the go. However, headphones are necessary when watching by the pool or on a flight. But, in a quiet hotel room, the audio is surprisingly decent. The battery does drain more quickly when playing video, capping out at four hours. In this instance, you may want to have a power supply handy.

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The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 has 5G connectivity and sports the Microsoft SQ3 chip. This chip offers better energy efficiency and battery life. It’s an excellent choice for traveling professionals. On top of the superb battery life, the 5G connectivity allows you to connect from anywhere hassle-free. However, it may not be powerful enough for creatives running highly-demanding apps. Still, for everyone else, it’s a good choice.

You may be a digital nomad or someone on a short vacation who needs to keep in touch with work. Either way, if video conferencing is essential to you, then this laptop won’t fail you. It has features that make Zoom meetings, online classes, and webinars seamless. The gaze correction feature will make your eyes appear to be looking at the camera at all times. Background noise elimination and central framing are other valuable features. On top of looking great, you will also sound great with the dual far-field microphones.

The screen is bright enough for watching movies while indoors. But, at 450 nits peak brightness, viewing by the pool on a sunny day might mean the screen is difficult to see. However, it has a 120Hz refresh rate, a high resolution, and good contrast.

As with other Microsoft Surface devices, accessories are separate. Adding the keyboard to what is already a relatively expensive purchase may displease some. However, there are other options available, such as no 5G connectivity, that can make the device more affordable.

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The latest Dell XPS 2-in-1 laptop is the 9310 model. It is lighter than the previous iteration and features the 11th-generation Tiger Lake processor. This processor gives gamers a solid performance and seamlessly runs CPU-intensive tasks. There are two versions of this model, one of which is a standard laptop design. The other is this model, which features a 360-degree hinge allowing you to use it as a tablet or a laptop.

The 13.4-inch screen is the perfect size for travelers. It’s large enough for daytime productivity and a good size for evening entertainment. At the same time, the design and weight allow you to slip it into your bag for ease of travel. The display is bright at 500 nits peak with accurate color, excellent contrast, and sharp details. Additionally, the thin bezels give the screen a contemporary look.

For travelers needing a quality webcam, this device offers 720p only. It’s fine in a bright room but may lead to dull and pixelated video if your accommodation has low light. However, the battery life is good, and Dell claims that you can get up to 14 hours with low-intensity use. It is Intel Evo certified, meaning watching in HDR will give you up to nine hours of viewing pleasure.

The one issue that anyone should consider before buying is the keyboard. The keys have a very short travel distance. Although there is still a slight tactile click, it is minimal. If this is not a problem, because everyone has a different feeling, you will be buying an excellent 2-in-1 laptop. But, if you like clicky keys with longer travel distances, you might want to consider something more suitable.

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The Lenovo Yoga 9i is an excellent choice for travelers. It’s slim, light, and compact. It’s another ideal 2-in-1 option that any intrepid adventurer would love to have. Thanks to the 360-degree hinge, you can fold this laptop seamlessly into tent, tablet, or laptop mode. The keyboard is also comfortable with snappy keys. Meanwhile, the included stylus pen is a bonus, and digital nomads will find it a blessing when scribbling notes.

For those times when you are traveling during the monsoon season, you can catch up on movies or shows in glorious 4K while waiting for the storm to pass. Images are natural and vibrant with excellent contrast. The 16:9 aspect ratio is good for watching movies, but you may find scrolling and productivity hampered by it when working. The superb display is rounded off with 500 nits peak brightness, and surprisingly good audio accompanies it.

The Dolby Atmos soundbar rotates and directs the audio straight to your waiting ears no matter which mode you have the device. Additionally, the rare presence of subwoofers means that low frequencies are clear. Movies and music feature more bass than other machines can offer, adding to the immersive experience.

With 2TB of storage, you can store all the entertainment you need to last your entire trip. Battery life is pretty good, too. You should get around eight or nine hours with everyday tasks and video playback. However, professional nomads or gamers using more intensive apps may need to look at more powerful options.

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If you are searching for a travel laptop with a gorgeous display, you might want to check out the Asus Zenbook 14X. This laptop has a stunning 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate pumping out a peak brightness of 550 nits. On top of that, it has an extensive color gamut. With a DCI-P3 and an sRGB of 100{fa54600cdce496f94cc1399742656d2709d9747721dfc890536efdd06456dfb9}, and an RGB of 99{fa54600cdce496f94cc1399742656d2709d9747721dfc890536efdd06456dfb9}, you can be sure that colors are vivid while blacks are deep and dark. It’s an excellent laptop for watching movies and editing travel photos and videos.

It’s a powerful and lightweight laptop that you can transport around with ease. Streaming, surfing, and creating content are seamless, while gamers can even have a decent experience. It doubles as an excellent entertainment source in your downtime or when flying. However, It has below-par battery life. So, on-the-go educators with a full day of classes and long-haul flyers will need to be near a power source.

One unique feature this laptop has is the ScreenPad. It’s larger than most trackpads, but it’s also a secondary screen. Some may see this as a gimmick, but others may find genuine uses for it. Anyone multitasking will find it particularly helpful. These tasks can include working on the main display while you chat with colleagues or enter data on the ScreenPad.

Another thing to consider, especially for digital nomads, is the average 720p webcam. It works well enough in a brightly lit room. But teachers and travelers joining online meetings may want to find something more suitable.

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