Best Laptops For Digital Nomads
The digital nomad is light on their feet, always working from new locations. Mallorca represents everything that’s great about working on the move: year round sun, beachside office space and inspirational views.
However, the digital nomad is weighed down by technology; but luckily, computers are becoming lighter and more powerful at an impressive rate. Here are three of the most versatile, lightweight laptops to invest in to reap the rewards of working from wherever you call home.
MacBook Air
The popularity of Apple laptops is steadily increasing, as it eats into Windows’ share of the market to become the world’s fourth most popular brand. This is despite the price tag of a MacBook Air being €1000-€1500. However, for digital nomads, there is little beating a MacBook Air.
Weighing just 2.96 for a 13 inch screen, this ultra-portable laptop will barely make an impact on the weight of your backpack. With up to 12 hours of battery life, you rarely need to worry about finding a plug outlet while on the move. With Intel Core i5 and 8gb of ram, it is a favourite among video editors.
Chromebook
At the other end of the price scales lies the Chromebook. These can be picked up for under €200 and a 13 inch Toshiba Chromebook weighs just 2.9lbs. For this price, you will of course have limited functionality, generally with Intel Celeron CPU. However, for web browsing and Google Docs, they get the job done, so they’re perfect for your typical blogger. A great source of added income for digital nomads is filling in online surveys and other market research. The Chromebook handles emails and online forms perfectly, so for simple jobs such as blogging and completing surveys, it’s really all you need.
They even use a standard micro USB charger. This means you can leave bulky chargers at home and power up your laptop with the same chord you use for your Android phone.
Surface Pro
If you don’t fancy the price tag of the MacBook Air, but still want some powerful photo and video editing software, this could be for you. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 can be purchased for under €720. It’s USP is that it is a tablet, with the same capabilities of a laptop. With up to 16gb of RAM and Intel Core i7, it has the storage and processing power to rival many laptops, without any of the bulk. When detached from its keyboard it weighs just 2lbs. With a pen to write and draw directly on the screen, it is perfect for artists and designers.
Overall, the MacBook Air is so popular among digital nomads and is a tried and tested laptop, with performance, battery life and a low weight. However, if your sole income is from writing, a Chromebook may do the job, while artists and graphic designers may prefer the functionality of a Surface Pro. All three are ultra-portable and lightweight, taking up little space in your bag.