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Laptop, netbook, Mac Air, Chromebook, et al
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Hopefully going abroad on extended vacation this year.
I'm a avid PCer. Not a day goes by that I don't use the main PC for something or other.
I'm considering my options while I'm abroad.
Buying a PC while out there is out of the budget I think.
I'm willing to compromise that I won't get loads of functionality while away (such as gaming I'll do without) but I do need basic Internet access.
Seems to be tons of stuff available and I'm having a tough time narrowing down the choice.
What about iPads, some of the Chromebooks look cheap?
I'm a avid PCer. Not a day goes by that I don't use the main PC for something or other.
I'm considering my options while I'm abroad.
Buying a PC while out there is out of the budget I think.
I'm willing to compromise that I won't get loads of functionality while away (such as gaming I'll do without) but I do need basic Internet access.
Seems to be tons of stuff available and I'm having a tough time narrowing down the choice.
What about iPads, some of the Chromebooks look cheap?
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Tablets do all of this, but to a generally more basic level. I also knew I'd miss a keyboard for months if I was typing blogs and emails etc
I'd rule out a Chromebook, simply because depending on where you are you might need more offline functionality than it provides.
So I'd go with a small, light laptop. Not a netbook but a Macbook Air or similar sized (and cheaper) Windows clone.
Gulp. I just looked up MacBook Air on Amazon. Way out of my budget. If I had that, I'd probably buy a cheap PC and install it in the room I'll be renting.
Netbooks from my limited reading seem maybe underpowered. I'm going to read up on the ultrabooks! How do they differ from a regular laptop?
I'm also considering a tablet, something like Asus Google Nexus 7 Inch 3G.
I have to consider how I'm going to access the net. I'm assuming I need to buy a mobile dongle while there?
Ultrabooks are very light, usually without an optical drive, often high-end specced. My Samsung S9 is 13'' and weighs ~1kg, very easy to carry around. You can often get an ultrabook with a simcard slot, which simplifies things. But they tend to be very expensive. About mobile dongle abroad, depends where you are going, it can be quite expensive, you may be better off with free Wi-Fi in restaurants and such, if you don't need to be always online.
I carried assorted Netbooks, mostly a Dell Mini 9, as travelling machines for some years. Mostly they were running Solaris (hardly famed for its small footprint) but in later years I hackintoshed a Mini 9. It depends which matters more when you're travelling: being light, small and cheap enough that loss or damage isn't the end of the world, or being a rootin' tootin' high performance machine.
Having read abit more. UItrabooks might be over specced for my needs.
I will take advantage of wifi whereever possible but might need a solution for the rented room. AFAIK doesn't have broadband. Unless I can persuade one of the neighbours to let me piggy onto their network (which I'd be happy to pay for).
Leaning more towards low spec than high (as I can live without some of the features or uses that would require something powerful).
Basic web access so I can look up things to do, where I'm going, reviews, e-mail so I can stay in touch with people on the cheap, maps would be very helpful, store some photos etc. Anything else is a bonus.
Some uk mobiles are offering deals for international data roaming which may be ok for simple surfing emails etc. Downloadiing and watching videos can use a lot of data.
Always turn data roaming off on your mobile.
A friend of ours went roughing it in South America, and she took a £250 Samsung netbook with her. She found it ideal as it was small and light to carry. She had an external drive to watch DVDs, and could catch up on email at wifi hotspots.
If you take anything too expensive with you it will get lost/broken/stolen.
I was thinking of buying a local payg sim for a mobile phone and also a local data solution. I think they would be the cheapest options so far as I know.
About £250 is probably all Iwould want to spend and feel comfortable.
I think I've ruled out Tablets now as I want to do a blog and do more writing and therefore need a keyboard.
It looks to be a matter of the best laptop I can get for £250.
Reviews: http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/laptops/1296052/acer-aspire-e1-571 and http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Acer-Aspire-E1-571G-Notebook.88806.0.html
Thanks guys, really appreciate the effort you put in there Evil!
I spent a good while reading up reviews and all the varieties open to me.
You're right that I was thinking Netbooks would drive me mental after a while. I'm used to speedy computing (main is i5 3570k with 8Gb memory).
But having not experienced a Netbook firsthand, I don't know how slow they are. It may well be a case of if they will do the job then I'll have to get used to it.
I could as with anything always speed more cash at it but then I really should bare in mind that the primary use will just be for the holiday (even though it might be 3 months) after that, when I get home I have all the computing I need.
It does appear that to get up to the rung of a basic laptop I need to jump to 300 pounds plus. I'm assuming you get alot more power per pound at this level compared to a Netbook?
I could do with going to try a Netbook out and see if it is something I can live with.
Dont chrome books just surf the web? Maybe a problem for travelling with no wifi hotspots. I'd recommend a tablet because of the apps you get on them.
E-mail
Web access (ideally I'd be able to run youTube videos at 480p or 360p)
It will act as my only computer while away (I'll be taking a 'phone).
I'll need to do some writing / blogging with ability to upload and process pictures from either my mobile or dedicated camera. I don't mean process as in Photoshop, just the ability to store, post them to blog, attach to e-mail or maybe resize to smaller format (for web).
If it could playback avi that would be a bonus as I could allow for some entertainment.
There'll almost certainly be a net cafe if you need to do other stuff anyway
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASUS-11-6-INCH-ULTRA-PORTABLE-LAPTOP-320GB-4GB-RAM-SILVER-REFURB-/330888432019?pt=UK_Computing_Laptops_EH&hash=item4d0a7cc993
Thoughts?