I'm in the market for a new PC laptop or 2 in 1, with an eye toward what it can do for me and DW while traveling. We currently use iPhone apps while traveling but a larger screen would be nice, especially for mapping apps. We could upgrade to 6+ and get a larger screen. DW usually uses Mapquest when she is back at the S&B planning trips. I'm wondering if a tablet might be a better choice for on-the-road although I need to have the Office products-primarily Word, Excel and Access (or something better) at the campsite. Usually the DW/navigator would use the ??? while I drive.As I replace my old PC I am looking for ways to make things a little better while traveling. Has anyone been down this road?

I like my 13" MacBook Air with Core i7 CPU for traveling. I also have the Verizon 64GB iPad but I like the larger 13" display for viewing websites, maps etc.

I currently use Delorme TOPO North America 9.0 to plan and navigate with on a 15" HP laptop. Am looking to move to a Surface Pro 3 which runs full Windows 8.1 and will run any x86 based program. Yes, the SP3 is current technology and will be supplanted with the SP4 soon to be released but the SP3 will also be cheaper. I'm looking at the i5 model with 8GB memory and 256GB SSD.

The Surface Pro 3 (or 4 when it arrives) would be my choice for a new laptop.Mind you I am mainly a mac guy: I currently own 3 macs, one of which is a macbook air, and an iPad. I like that the Surface Pro can replace both my air and iPad. You have to see one in person to appreciate it. Apple just doesn't have anything like it--not even a touch screen laptop.Mike

TakingThe5th wrote:I'm in the market for a new PC laptop or 2 in 1, with an eye toward what it can do for me and DW while traveling. We currently use iPhone apps while traveling but a larger screen would be nice, especially for mapping apps. We could upgrade to 6+ and get a larger screen. DW usually uses Mapquest when she is back at the S&B planning trips. I'm wondering if a tablet might be a better choice for on-the-road although I need to have the Office products-primarily Word, Excel and Access (or something better) at the campsite. Usually the DW/navigator would use the ??? while I drive.As I replace my old PC I am looking for ways to make things a little better while traveling. Has anyone been down this road?we usually carry our laptop with us but I'm considering adding one the HP small form factor desktops with a screen on a moveable arm and a wireless keyboard and mouse. something like this although I'd want at least one HDMI port. we're taking delivery of a new MH this summer and I'm anxious to see where or if I can find a place inside for the install.

I have a surface pro 3. In my opinion it can't be beat. It's a tablet and computer. It's touch friendly for when you're on the road. I have the magnetic keyboard from Microsoft and the docking station for the office. It took the place of my laptop and tablet. I can't imagine using a regular old laptop now.

Computers while traveling | Good Sam Community

46 Replies

AsheGuy
Explorer
May 25, 2015
Gjac wrote:
This sounds like a very good option for casual users. I went to best buy to look at laptops and the young salesmen pointed out something not mention here, that the Chrome book is much faster because it does not have all the programs to load up and because of this the Chromebooks would stay faster compared to laptops because of the added memory required to run these newer programs over the next 5 or so years.

Yes, that is true but the same is true if you run Google Apps on a laptop. I use Google apps on all my devices, no apps to update or install. They are always updated on the Google cloud. Of course the same will be true eventually with Microsoft apps as they move into the cloud environment.
Gjac
Explorer III
May 25, 2015
This sounds like a very good option for casual users. I went to best buy to look at laptops and the young salesmen pointed out something not mention here, that the Chrome book is much faster because it does not have all the programs to load up and because of this the Chromebooks would stay faster compared to laptops because of the added memory required to run these newer programs over the next 5 or so years.
trb46
Explorer
May 24, 2015
TakingThe5th wrote:
OP again. How well does Chromebook function without internet connectivity? Are the apps installed on the PC? Can I work on spreadsheets, compose emails, work on documents, etc and do my transmitting later?

Sorry for my Chromebook knowledge shortcomings but I'm catching up.

Yes, but certainly more limited than a PC laptop. Google "can I use a Chrombook without the Internet." (Sorry, I'm not sure how to do links, or I would.) there are several links on Google. Hope this helps.
TakingThe5th
Explorer
May 24, 2015
trb46 wrote:
Gjac wrote:
trb46 wrote:
One option that hasn't been mentioned is a Chromebook. If you just need to search the web and do email, it can be a lower-cost option. Also you have all the Google apps built in. You do need wi-fi. I bought an Acer Chrombook 11 from BestBuy and it works great. Looks like a laptop, only lighter; has a nice keyboard, 11.5" screen, two USB ports and an SD card slot. This is not a paid endorsement; I just like what I bought.
The Chrombook looks like an interesting option, besides email and internet the only other thing I do with my laptop is download pictures from my camera can a Chrome book store photos?

Sure, or you can store them on the cloud in Google Drive.

OP again. How well does Chromebook function without internet connectivity? Are the apps installed on the PC? Can I work on spreadsheets, compose emails, work on documents, etc and do my transmitting later?

Sorry for my Chromebook knowledge shortcomings but I'm catching up.
time2roll
Nomad
May 23, 2015
+1 for Chromebook
strollin
Explorer
May 23, 2015
Hoosier Cruiser wrote:
...Plus on AT&T you can use the internet and make calls at the same time which you cannot do on Verizon.

This isn't true. I don't know if there are any requirements in order to use talk & data simultaneously on AT&T but on Verizon you need to have a 4G signal and the device you have needs to support it. Works fine on my LG G2 phone as long as I have a 4G signal.
Hoosier_Cruiser
Explorer
May 23, 2015
We have iPhones 6 & 6+ and 2 laptops. One laptop is using MS 8.1 and the MS 7. The iPhones are our hotspots, but we tether them which is faster. My most recent laptop has 8 gig of memory and 500 gig disk drive purchased for less than $350 last December. We travel country wide and rarely are without service on AT&T. Plus on AT&T you can use the internet and make calls at the same time which you cannot do on Verizon.
trb46
Explorer
May 23, 2015
Gjac wrote:
trb46 wrote:
One option that hasn't been mentioned is a Chromebook. If you just need to search the web and do email, it can be a lower-cost option. Also you have all the Google apps built in. You do need wi-fi. I bought an Acer Chrombook 11 from BestBuy and it works great. Looks like a laptop, only lighter; has a nice keyboard, 11.5" screen, two USB ports and an SD card slot. This is not a paid endorsement; I just like what I bought.
The Chrombook looks like an interesting option, besides email and internet the only other thing I do with my laptop is download pictures from my camera can a Chrome book store photos?

Sure, or you can store them on the cloud in Google Drive.
trb46
Explorer
May 23, 2015
TakingThe5th wrote:
trb46 wrote:
One option that hasn't been mentioned is a Chromebook. If you just need to search the web and do email, it can be a lower-cost option. Also you have all the Google apps built in. You do need wi-fi. I bought an Acer Chrombook 11 from BestBuy and it works great. Looks like a laptop, only lighter; has a nice keyboard, 11.5" screen, two USB ports and an SD card slot. This is not a paid endorsement; I just like what I bought.

OP again. I'm going to check out the Surface Pro at Best Buy and I'll take a look at the Chromebooks too while I'm there. I worry tho about my spreadsheets which are pretty involved - would Google Apps be able to handle them?

One of the Google apps is called Google Sheets, it's Excel-compatible.
strollin
Explorer
May 23, 2015
TakingThe5th wrote:
OP again. I'm going to check out the Surface Pro at Best Buy and I'll take a look at the Chromebooks too while I'm there. I worry tho about my spreadsheets which are pretty involved - would Google Apps be able to handle them?

It depends what you mean by pretty involved. Google sheets have the same spreadsheet functions available but if you use VBA to write macros in Excel then no, they don't support that.

Gjac wrote:
The Chrombook looks like an interesting option, besides email and internet the only other thing I do with my laptop is download pictures from my camera can a Chrome book store photos?

Chromebooks generally come with very little in the way of storage, many only have 16 or 32G. I guess you could use a Chromebook as a temporary staging area, offload pictures from camera to Chromebook while traveling, then move to permanent storage when you get back home.

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Computers while traveling

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