Buying a laptop particularly for travel in 2019 can be a tricky decision. There are so many factors and models to choose amongst; one can hardly make up our mind. If you are a frequent traveler and most of your trips are business related, then your primary laptop is also your traveling laptop. Therefore it becomes especially important to choose your machine with at most care.
One of the major principles to follow while traveling is to pack as light as possible. This rule applies to everything – bag, clothes, shoes, gadgets, etc. This is a reason why ultrabooks are popular amongst most of the travelers. Others factors to consider while traveling are as follow:
List of Best Travel Laptops in 2019 UK
Top 5 Best Travel Laptops in 2019 UK Comparison
Apple Mac Book Air 2017 | HP ENVY 13 | ASUS Chromebook C423 | Dell Chromebook 11 3000 | HP Stream 14 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Size | 13.3-inch | 13.3-inch | 14-inch | 11.6-inch | 14-inch |
Screen quality | 1440x900 | 1920x1080 | 1366x768 | 1366x768 | 1366x768 |
CPU | Intel Core i5 | Intel i5-8250U | Intel Celeron N3350 | Intel Celeron N3060 | Intel Celeron N3060 |
RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB |
Storage | 128GB SSD | 256GB SSD | 32GB eMMC | 256GB SSD | 32GB eMMC |
Battery life | 12 hours | 14 hours | 10 hours | 10 hours | 10.45 hours |
Price |
No.1: Apple MacBook Air 2017
Apple Mac Book Air 2017 is an ultraportable laptop with a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor. The 13-inch model of this Mac laptop is thin, ranging from 0.11 to 0.68 inches, and weighs around 1.35Kg. It is a lightweight and portable laptop which can be easily classified as a best Mac laptop for travel. The base model of this 13-inch laptop has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash memory. It is a configurable laptop, which means you can get an i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256 or 512GB of flash memory.
Technical Specifications
Descriptions | Apple MacBook Air 2017 SPECS |
---|---|
Processor | Intel Core i5 1.8GHz |
Memory | 8GB |
Screen size | 13.3-inch (1440x900) |
Storage | 128GB SSD |
Graphic | Intel HD Graphics 6000 |
Operating System | Mac OS |
Battery Life | 12 hours |
Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
- Solid state drive (SSD) for internal storage improves speed, boot time and lifespan of the laptop.
- As compared to Windows, MacOS not only is less susceptible to viruses and malware but also works seamlessly with all its hardware components.
- The MacBook Air has a TN LCD screen with a resolution as low as 1440*900 pixels.
- It is quite outdated compared to other laptops available on the market. Developers usually prefer developing apps and software for Windows rather than MacOS because the former has a better reach.
No.2: HP ENVY 13-ah0001na 13.3-Inch
The HP ENVY 13 redefines elegance and durability with its aluminum body, which perfectly complements its full-size keyboard. Its Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce MX 150 graphics contribute to its powerful performance. It also has a long battery backup of 14 hours to let you work without worrying about charging the laptop. Its light weight of 1.3Kg makes it the best HP laptop for traveling.
Experience next-generation entertainment with the FHD micro-edge display screen, which has a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. The screen also transforms itself into retina when viewed from a distance farther than 25cm. It has a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB 3.1 port with a bottom cover like an Ethernet port, a USB type-c port, an SD cart reader on the left, and a power connector, second USB 3.1 port with a bottom cover, and a fingerprint reader on the right.
Technical Specifications
Descriptions | HP ENVY 13 SPECS |
---|---|
Processor | Intel i5-8250U 1.6GHz |
Memory | 8GB |
Screen size | 13.3-inch (1920x1080) |
Storage | 256GB SSD |
Graphic | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB |
Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
Battery Life | 14 hours |
Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
- Long battery backup.
- Ultrathin design.
- Because it is a sleek and thin laptop, it does not offer many ports to users.
Some of the apps cannot scale themselves properly on this laptop. They look tiny even with the improved HD quality screen.
No.3: ASUS Chromebook C423 14 Inch
ASUS Chromebook C423 is designed to let you work, play, and communicate seamlessly. It has a 14-inch HD display with a resolution of 1366*768 pixels. The Nano edge display with an ultra-narrow 5.8 mm bezel and antiglare coating for minimal reflection take your entertainment to the next level.
It has a light weight of 1.2 Kg, a profile of 6 inches, and easy access to the Google Play store for Google library, apps, books, movies, music, live TV, and much more. With all these features, this might be one of the best 14-inch laptops for travel.
Technical Specifications
Descriptions | ASUS Chromebook C423 SPECS |
---|---|
Processor | Intel Celeron N3350 1.1GHz |
Memory | 4GB |
Screen size | 14-inch (1366x768) |
Storage | 32GB eMMC |
Graphic | Intel HD Graphics 500 |
Operating System | Chrome OS |
Battery Life | 10 hours |
Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
- The Asus Chromebook is powered by an Intel dual-core Celeron N3350 processor and has an internal memory of LPDDR4 4GB of RAM.
- Asus Chromebook has 2 processors with processing speed of 1.1 GHz. It is quite low as laptops in similar price range and portability.
- Another disadvantage of the Chromebook is mechanical hard drive as it will increase its mobility and chances of damage are high.
- On single charge battery of Asus Chromebook C 423 can work as long as for 10 hours. It is good but many similar laptops in the given category have better backup to offer.
- It only has storage of 32 eMMC.
No.4: Dell Chromebook 11 3000 2-in-1
Speed, simplicity, and security are three features which best define the Dell Chromebook 11. It is powered by an Intel Celeron processor with a processing speed of 2.48 GHz. It has a user interface which can be easily employed by non-savvy users. It is sleek in design, with dimensions of 20.8*30.4*20.8 cm and a weight of 1.44 kg. Its lithium-ion battery, with a backup of 10 hours on a single charge, makes it the best Dell laptop for travel.
It has an 11.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1366*768 pixels and an IS touch display. This screen resolution and contrast are good but because it is a mobile laptop and will be used in several places, under different lighting conditions, better contrast could have been used by the company.
Technical Specifications
Descriptions | Dell Chromebook 11 3000 2-in-1 SPECS |
---|---|
Processor | Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz |
Memory | 4GB |
Screen size | 1366x768 |
Storage | 256GB SSD |
Graphic | Intel HD Graphics 400 |
Operating System | Chrome OS |
Battery Life | 10 hours |
Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
- Introduced to be used mainly by educational institutions, the computer is convertible and can be used in four modes: laptop, tablet, stand, and tent.
- Dell has not only given the laptop a strong casing but also included a rubber frame to prevent dents.
- None
No.5: HP Stream 14-cb007na 14 Inch Laptop
If you want to access basic computing at home or while traveling, the HP Stream 14 is a very good option. It is a good laptop for business travel, as you can easily access web browsing, chat, social media, office apps, email, business conference calls, and so on. It is powered by an Intel Celeron processor with a processing speed of 1.6 GHz.
It is a sleek and lightweight laptop that weighs 1.26 Kgs. A one-year subscription to OneNote and Access is included with this laptop. Now you can store all your files in the 1TB of memory from OneDrive. Apart from that, you can enjoy additional extended storage from a hard disk and SD card. If you are someone who loves doing things non-conventionally, this laptop is your perfect match.
Technical Specifications
Descriptions | HP Stream 14 SPECS |
---|---|
Processor | Intel Celeron N3060 1.6GHz |
Memory | 4GB |
Screen size | 14-inch (1366x768) |
Storage | 32GB eMMC |
Graphic | Intel HD Graphics 400 |
Operating System | Windows 10 Home+Office 365 and 1 TB OneDrive Cloud Storage, 1 Year Subscription Included |
Battery Life | 10.45 hours |
Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
- It comes in vibrant and non-conventional colors to set you apart.
The powerful battery has a backup of 10.45 hour, making it a good choice for portable laptops.
- Many laptops in similar size and price ranges offer battery backup as high as 14 hours.
Because it has two processors, its boost can be slow in comparison to laptops which have four processors.
Tip No.1: Battery Life
We believe the most important thing to consider while buying a travel laptop is battery life. While many things are uncertain while traveling, this includes sockets and electricity to charge a laptop. Your laptop can also be used to charge your other gadgets like cell phone, camera, and other similar devices. Therefore, having a laptop with greater battery life is a huge advantage.
Tip No.2: Processors
They are the brain of your laptop. There are so many options available in the market that it is hard to keep it down to a single choice. Intel is the market leader in processors, and they have a system in naming their processors.
They mainly have i3, i5, and i7. The most powerful of them is i7, i5 and then followed by i3. They also have Core M processors which are little underpowered compared to i5 and i7 but have other advantages like better battery life and fanless cooling.
Tip No.3: Number of cores and speed
After selecting your processor the next thing to look in a laptop is number of cores. Most of the laptop is either dual core or quad core. While quad core might seem more powerful than dual core but this exactly is not true.
It mainly depends on the combination of processor, number of cores and there clocking speed. We know this sounds a little complicated, but don’t worry. Just follow this simple step – first choose your processor per your usage then number of cores you require and its clocking speed.
Tip No.4: Screensize and quality
Laptops are available in various screen sizes from 10 inches to 17 inches. However, the most popular sizes are 12”, 13.3” and 15.4”. The choice here is entirely according to your comfort.
Regarding screen quality, there are various options as 4k resolution, full HD, and HD display. You should also remember the fact that a better and a high-quality display will also need higher battery power and thus results in reduced battery life.
Tip No.5: Weight
Now we arrive at the most straight forward choice after few complex decisions. The lighter your laptop weight, better it is to carry around. If you are happy to spend few extra bucks, then we highly recommend you to buy an ultrabook. They are lighter, compact and slimmer than standard laptops.
Tip No.6: RAM
RAM helps you run multiple programs at once. If you do multitasking, then buying a higher RAM version seems a better option. Many manufacturers provide an additional slot for increasing RAM when needed. There are two types of RAM – DDR3 and DDR4. DDR4 is an upgraded version of the previous model, and it is only clubbed with a high-end processor as DDR4 is expensive and only require in high-intensity tasks.
Tip No.7: Number of ports
The consequences of slimming down laptop has had the adverse effect on ports. Many manufacturers are sacrificing ports to accumulate thinner and lighter design. Lack of ports has caused a negative impact for the buyers and especially travelers.
It is very annoying to carry those additional connectors every time you need to connect; connectors also somehow have the ability to get lost now and then. Therefore, you must have a good look at the number of ports and kind of ports offer by a laptop.
Tip No.8: Warranty
Last but a critical factor is a warranty. Every laptop has some sort of warranty, but things to look here is kind of warranty and customer support offered by the manufacturer. Nobody wants to be stuck in a strange land with a broken laptop, especially if you are there to stay for some time. Therefore, we urge you to opt for a laptop with international warranty.
Final Thought
To bring you to a conclusion, we think battery and weight play the most crucial part in selecting a good travel laptop. The processor and RAM are equally important only if you are a heavy user. Other things such as screen size and the number of ports entirely depend upon your personal preference.
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