Best Laptops for Work Travel and Personal Use
What laptops are recommended for a mix of work usage and personal?
I'm looking for something that is 1) capable of running large, complex models (i.e. infra models) and is 2) ergonomically for traveling (i.e. lightweight, decent keyboard, decent battery, etc.).
I've been using a late 2010s Dell XPS 13 that I got for college, which has overall been decent, but now it is too old and too small for work.
Any help with specific laptops and specs (i.e. 16 vs 32 GB of RAM, etc.) is appreciated. Thanks!
A lot of people like the Lenovo X1 Carbon series but personally I’m a bigger fan of the P1 series. It’s pretty pricey but you get pretty powerful specs in a good chassis with lots of ports. You sacrifice a bit of portability but I think the extra screen real estate is worth it.
Thanks. Assuming you mean the 16"?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some laptop recommendations that align with your needs for work and personal use:
Lenovo ThinkPad Series:
Dell XPS Series:
MacBook Pro (M1/M2 Chip):
HP Spectre x360:
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio:
For your specific needs (running large models and traveling), prioritize: - RAM: At least 16GB, but 32GB is ideal for heavy workloads. - Processor: Intel i7/i9 or Apple M1/M2 for high performance. - Storage: SSD (512GB or more) for speed and reliability. - Weight: Lightweight models under 3.5 lbs for travel convenience. - Battery Life: Aim for 8+ hours to ensure productivity on the go.
These options should provide a balance of power, portability, and ergonomic features for both work and personal use.
Sources: Best laptops for an MBA program, I Need Laptop Recommendations, What finance jobs can be done from a laptop at home or anywhere?, Best Laptop for Undergraduate Finance Major, Girl Investment Bankers - Any tips?
Would you ever consider MacBook?
You’re crazy if you think that shit version of Excel on MacOS handle an infra model.
Macbooks are a no go given 1) I would like to use this over my firm issued laptop and 2) at this point I'm more comfortable on windows for day-to-day use.
You can just run Windows/Linux via a VM or Boot Camp and still benefit from the superior MB hardware
Don't. I've got a tower that I've been updating piece by piece since 2009. 16 cores, 5ghz is a lot more powerful than the AMD Phenom 1 X3 that I started with. Yes my work laptop can handle what I need from it, but the desktop is much better, and handles my two 4k monitors with less lag.
A desktop obviously has more grunt but OP is specifically asking about something portable for work travel. Unless he wants to learn to build a SFFPC and tote around a monitor and peripherals, a desktop isn't the right solution.
My vote is Lenovo. X1 Carbon or a P series (these are their workstation units with better internals and better warranties and support)
I'll sit with a Surface. My Go will run BBG in a pinch.
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