What to Look for in a Digital Nomad Laptop

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Are you a digital nomad living the laptop lifestyle and searching for the perfect laptop to meet your needs? As someone who is always on the go, finding a computer that will travel with you wherever life takes you can be challenging. Whether it’s an ultra-light laptop for carrying around all day or one with enough power to handle intensive projects and editing, there is something out there for everyone.

Fortunately, there are tons of exceptional laptops today. Some are affordable with low specs, while others have impressive specs but are expensive. However, you will also find laptops that are just right for you. It all depends on your preferences and what you’re looking for. So below are some things to consider when you’re looking to buy a new one.

Is it Lightweight?

You want to avoid carrying heavy laptops as someone working remotely while traveling. They need to be compact but not too small. Laptops under 3.5 pounds are enough; make sure they won’t weigh your bag down. Furthermore, they must be usable even in tight spaces like trains or airplanes.

If you choose a lightweight and small laptop, you must sacrifice some features. These usually have smaller screens, limited power specs, and fewer ports. But it’s all about finding the right one for you that won’t sacrifice your quality of work.

Don’t Miss Out on a Long Battery Life

Battery life is essential, significantly if you cannot charge your laptop for a long time while you’re working by the beach. Of course, outlets are few and far between while you’re traveling. So choosing a laptop with long-lasting battery life is a must.

It must have at least eight hours of battery life. And the best way for you to find these types of laptops is by reading the reviews, as they will tell you honest answers, especially since manufacturers tend to exaggerate just to make a sale.

You can even find manufacturers marketing the battery life on car decals. Once you see the over-the-top marketing ads on car sticker decals, you should do your research instead of believing them immediately.

What Platform Do You Use?

The three most common platforms today are macOS, Windows, and Chrome OS. Below are some features to think about:

Windows: Windows is a reliable and flexible operating system that most laptop models commonly use. These offer many features, such as dual graphics chips and touchscreens. The latest is Windows 11, an improved version of Windows 10 with its handy features.

macOS: MacBooks are the only laptops that use macOS. It has the same functionality as Windows, but the user interface is unique. Furthermore, it doesn’t have a touchscreen feature. But it’s great for users familiar with Apple products or prefer a macOS-based laptop.

Chrome OS: Chromebooks offer good performance, especially at a very cost-effective price. Even though they’re more limited than macOS and Windows, these are still outstanding options for online work that are light.

Is it Sturdy & Reliable?

You should look for a laptop that can handle demanding situations everywhere and at any time. While traveling, you don’t want to have to deal with the expense and inconvenience of replacing it.

So make sure that you only buy from reliable laptop brands. Fortunately, there are many incredible options. Some of the brands are as follows:

Asus
Acer
Dell
MacBook
Lenovo

It Must be Fast

Since you’re making money from this machine, it must be fast enough to do the job. Most of the time, its speed depends on the specs that you choose. For example, it must have a high processor to work according to your needs.

You can choose an i5 or higher processor. You can also choose a processor with more cores and a faster clock speed because they will increase performance overall but also be much more expensive.

Discover the Beauty of 2-in-1 Laptops

Some of you may wonder if you need a tablet or laptop. Some are buying both, which can be very expensive. Fortunately, there are 2-in-1 laptops you can buy today, which can be converted into a tablet due to their touchscreen features.

They come in two styles. The first ones have screens that can be detached from the keyboard, and the other style is convertible laptops that can be bent up to 360 degrees. Detachables lean more on giving a superb tablet experience. On the other hand, convertibles are laptops first and tablets second.

Are there Enough Ports?

Certain functionality will have to be given up if you want a little portable laptop. Its ports are one of these aspects. So don’t panic! There are still laptops available with enough ports to meet your requirements.

If you find one, consider it a plus. But if you still need an adapter, you will need an adapter. In addition, consider choosing laptops with USB-C ports as they’re deemed the “ports of the future.”

It’s Time to Pick Your Specs

The most confusing, but also the most important, is the specs. Even laptop enthusiasts need help choosing the best one. But it all depends on your workload and what you can afford.

The specs you must look out for:

CPU: The processor is the brain of your computer. So it has the most notable influence. However, achieving your desired results can be relatively inexpensive.

RAM: There are many RAM options, such as 4G, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64 GB. However, you need at least 8GB to do your work efficiently.

GPU: If you will use graphics-intensive applications, a dedicated GPU is necessary. The more pixels you have, the sharper your content will look on screen.

Storage: The primary choice for most digital nomads is SSD, especially if you only need a little internal storage. It offers thrice the speed compared to the hard drive.

Choose the Best Laptop for Your Digital Nomad Lifestyle

If you’re considering working while traveling, consider the best laptop to help you achieve your goals. But you’ll need some guidelines to help you find the right one according to your needs and requirements. The list above is a great start!

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