best computer for travel - motorhome and Fly/drive

[jongood]

Before I buy another laptop, just wondering if there are any more portable solutions out there? We do a lot of travelling, mostly by Motorhome but every year about 6 weeks Fly/drive. I'm looking for function and simplicity.

I do as much as I can on the phone, but can't get on with it for writing larger documents, spreadsheets etc.

I currently have a Lenovo ideapad with a broken casing around the hinge. Biggest problem is connectability, it frequently struggles to even recognise wifi devices.

I have a samsung tablet which is great but limited memory and again struggle with typing. I have wondered about a better tablet and a BT keyboard but wonder how workable that is?

Tia
Jon

 

[PP Bear]

I just take SWMBO, as apparently, she knows everything

I’d buy an Apple Mac if I was getting a new laptop, it’s so simple to use if you’ve got an iPhone or iPad

 

[Adtan]

Hi I’ve used a Microsoft surface pro for a few years all the functionality of a laptop including detachable keyboard but not much bigger than an iPad good battery life and easy to transport

 

[funflair]

I would go with MacBook air, a lovely bit of kit but you might not want to go apple operating system.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

I have an iPad in a Logitech armour case with keyboard. Lighter than a similar screen size laptop, can be used with the keyboard folded back or with the screen angled for viewing videos etc.

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[Barti Ddu]

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad. They're a "business class" laptop and built like a tank. Mines approaching 10 years old and still works flawlessly, and the screen, casing, hinges, keyboard, touchpad, etc all look and work as good as new. It bounces around Europe regularly in the motorhome for upto 3 months at a time.

Only problem with mine is that it is stuck on Windows 10 and can't upgrade to Win11 due to the lack of a TPM module. Support for Win10 ends this October. I may well replace it with a newer ThinkPad that does support Win11. There's loads available second hand for sensible money - as corporate users, banks and the like seem to replace them regularly and they filter down the PC food chain.

 

[jongood]

Hi I’ve used a Microsoft surface pro for a few years all the functionality of a laptop including detachable keyboard but not much bigger than an iPad good battery life and easy to transport

Ive looked at these a few times and tempted by the deals.

I'm keen to stick with windows mostly because I'm used to the programmes

 

[JockandRita]

I rarely use the laptop in the MH these days Jon, preferring to use the Samsung Tablet with a Bluetooth qwerty keyboard.
I can do things so much quicker than I can on the phone screen, ie, no fat finger syndrome.

Good luck with your choice of replacement.

Jock.

 

[Geistguy]

My choice is a Samsung Tablet ( the largest and best you can justify ) which I hotspot to my Samsung phone, it does absolutely everything I want. The screenshot facility is useful for saving camping spots etc.

 

[Nigel Crompton]

MacBook Air, get refurbished from Apple. Goes everywhere with us, does everything (nearly) for us and is our "TV" in the camper.

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[Scottish Scrutineer]

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad. They're a "business class" laptop and built like a tank. Mines approaching 10 years old and still works flawlessly, and the screen, casing, hinges, keyboard, touchpad, etc all look and work as good as new. It bounces around Europe regularly in the motorhome for upto 3 months at a time.

Only problem with mine is that it is stuck on Windows 10 and can't upgrade to Win11 due to the lack of a TPM module. Support for Win10 ends this October. I may well replace it with a newer ThinkPad that does support Win11. There's loads available second hand for sensible money - as corporate users, banks and the like seem to replace them regularly and they filter down the PC food chain.

ThinkPads are pretty solid. They can often be picked up at good prices on eBay

MacBook Air, get refurbished from Apple. Goes everywhere with us, does everything (nearly) for us and is our "TV" in the camper.

The Apple Refurbished option can be good value, though its not that easy to find on the website, hidden at the bottom of the page

 

[starquake]

We had the Surface pro 2019-2024 -> lasted well but battery was dieing after 5 years of use, and we had 2 replacement keyboards in that time.

Laptop was used every day in that time.

We now (both) have Macbook Air's -> a top tip with them is if you don't need the latest version and you probably don't need the top ram pack. You can trivially add USB storage if needed or a dock (we have a dock with external storage for when I connect midi keyboards etc).

Price wise, it was CHEAPER than the Surface Pro, and also performs better (the apple M chips are SO fast at things like normal word processing, video editing, and photos that nothing in the PC world competes). I had transferable licenses for the expensive music software I use, so just used them on mac instead.

Costco sell them very cheap for 1-2 weeks a year, usually around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. How cheap you ask, well we got wife the current gen Macbook air, 256 SSD, 8Gb ram model (m3 chip) prior to that spec being removed (it's all she needs) for £649. Macs do not need the same amount of ram as a PC from experience (they work better) so I have no issues reccomending 8Gb ram for a normal user. Me programming, doing music, I have the 16Gb base model, picked up again on Black Friday for £899.

^ is cheaper than the Apple Refurbs, but Costco are selling a newer 16gb base model now (M4 chip not M3 like I have) for £949.

https://www.costco.co.uk/TVs-Electronics-Security/Apple-Devices/Mac/Apple-MacBook-Air-2025-Apple-M4-Chip-16GB-RAM-256GB-SSD-13-Inch/p/MacBookAir13M48CGPU16GB256GB

Worth becoming an online only member for above deal.

 

[starquake]

I'm keen to stick with windows mostly because I'm used to the programmes

90% of PC software now works on the mac, trivially. Theres this software called Wine, and something called macports, and Microsoft releases near all tools (and dev tools) for both operating systems now.

I'm mostly a consultant doing Dev for PC based stuff (windows) and stuff. I use a Mac. It's honestly less of an issue than it was in the past. I use same Word/Office/Excel as anyone on PC if I need to work on stuff like that (part of my o365 license).

The key difference is the cpu's and the battery life (probably most important on latter in a van). The Mac Air's battery literally lasts all day whatever you are doing (14 hours +). Without recharge. The Surface pro I had before when new managed 8 hours with my work use, but at end of life struggled with 4. I'm a year and a half into using the Mac and it's still doing 14 hours +. The cpu in these Macs is revolutionary, if you compare my old Surface just loading a webpage, one the same wifi, on the Mac it's instant-load. On the PC it loads in still.

Honestly saying this as someone who uses both regularly and chooses the mac now -> it's because it's better.
(Thats before you get into useful home features like you can install a apple backup server trivally on any home-server you have lieing around so whenever your laptop is at home it'll automatically backup). You can do this with PC but it's very manual, literally built into mac-os.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Happy with my large screen Chromebook... cheap, does all the travel related tasks admirably, long battery life.