# Help me buy a travel computer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820 "2022-12-20T01:29:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/1 "2022-12-20T01:29:57Z")
About ten years ago, I bought an MS Surface to travel with. At the time, my son worked at MS and I was able to get a substantial discount. It is now having trouble holding power and I am afraid the battery is coming to the end of its life. My son no longer works there and I really think it is overpriced. I want a lightweight computer that I can stuff into my backpack. It must be a Windows computer, compatible with all my software. The screen should be at least 10", but not much more. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/2 "2022-12-20T01:55:13Z")
Just get a Thinkpad or something. According to the following table, > **[Template:ThinkPad (Main Lineup)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:ThinkPad_(Main_Lineup))** the 11e Yoga has a \< 12" screen btw can’t you replace the battery in what you have, if it otherwise works fine? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/3 "2022-12-20T02:38:43Z")
A [Surface Go](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/surface-go-3/904H27D0CBWN/2L0C?OCID=AIDcmm44c8o18d_SEM_bc74b6c0d8ea17cb07f3d561c761c7c1:G:s&ef_id=bc74b6c0d8ea17cb07f3d561c761c7c1:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!4249!10!79233619022332!4582833208423160&msclkid=bc74b6c0d8ea17cb07f3d561c761c7c1&activetab=pivot:overviewtab) might fit your bill. Disclaimer: I am a microserf. That said, the Microsoft Store items all are crapware free and IMHO have a pretty good return policy. You’ll need a keyboard too, but these are pretty awesome road warrior devices. Check it out and see if it fits budget and horsepower requirements. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/4 "2022-12-20T06:36:00Z")
How many day a year do you travel? If not that much just get a used/refurbished computer. What programs do you use on it? Gaming? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/5 "2022-12-20T11:50:28Z")
iPad? I don’t have one, but my coworker does. She loves it. On edit: I see you mentioned Windows. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/6 "2022-12-20T11:51:22Z")
Get a refurb Intel\* Mac Air, bootcamp it and install Windows. I’ve got one and it’s a superb travel machine, fits in my skinny backback I haul on flights easily. Super light, great tech. I’m typing on it now from a hotel in Thailand. \* Make sure it’s Intel, not Apple Silicon, or BootCamp won’t work. Which is probably perfect for you - last gen laptops are cheaper laptops. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/7 "2022-12-20T13:01:26Z")
I’ve had a Surface Go for a couple of years and am quite satisfied with it. It does actually have a physical keyboard (a must for me!) so I’m not sure why you said one is needed. The base models are a bit skimpy on storage: I’d advise you to go for at least 8GB of DRAM and, especially, 128GB of SSD. I think you’d rapidly find yourself squeezed for disk space with only 64. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/8 "2022-12-20T13:36:42Z")
I’m typing on my Surface Pro 7. It’s got the i7 4-core 8 processor version, 16GB RAM & a 480GB SSD. Which is my travel computer and my daily use computer. I bought it used / refurb from Microsoft through Amazon for ~$400. You’re not going to beat that deal for the horsepower. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/9 "2022-12-20T15:37:01Z")
Sorry I can’t help w/ specific models, but I bought a Mac Air a couple of years ago and now use it exclusively at home and away. Not sure whether it is windows compatible, but I think I’ve seen small PCs of similar dimensions. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/10 "2022-12-21T02:12:14Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’m typing on my Surface Pro 7. It’s got the i7 4-core 8 processor version, 16GB RAM & a 480GB SSD. Which is my travel computer and my daily use computer. > > I bought it used / refurb from Microsoft through Amazon for ~$400. > > You’re not going to beat that deal for the horsepower. That sounds good. To answer some other questions raised: The web site insists the battery is not replaceable. Which makes me wonder what it means to be refurbished and how long it will last. I travel, visiting three kids, for maybe a month total in any year. When traveling, I use it mostly for email, playing wordle online, reading the Times, reading SDMB, maybe some light editing. Even retired, I get Office 365 from my employer and need space to install it; otherwise nothing very space demanding. And I absolutely require the text editing program I have been using (with many upgrades, e.g. to Windows) since 1984. Its actions are embedded in my muscle memory. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2022, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-buy-a-travel-computer/976820/11 "2022-12-21T02:33:16Z")
Surface batteries are not replaceable by the end user. Nothing is user-replaceable. I’ve had several Surfaces over the years starting with the Model 2. Usually the screen dies before anything else; just goes black one day. They seem to have plenty to sell, and they give a rebate if you send the old one in. I tentatively conclude they can replace screens pretty easily. My assumption is they can (and do) replace batteries too.