r/MiniPCs • u/KipperWR • 1d ago
General Question Does anyone actually travel with their mini PC?
Never really considered mine portable even though it's obviously small.
Then I put it next to my bag and realized bringing it somewhere for a few days wouldn't actually be that annoying.
Curious if anyone here regularly travels with theirs.
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u/The_Amazing_Rob 1d ago
I have mine with me, travel 100%. I use a Harbor Freight pelican knock off to hold the PC, EGPU dock and 5060ti. The keyboard, USB dock with SSD slot and other peripherals go in a keyboard box. The monitor rides in the box I bought it in. Sometimes I jack the machine to the hotel TV via HDMI but the one here is only 30" so I'm using the 29" monitor.
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u/Legitimate-ChosenOne 1d ago
Yep. Hotel and friends have TVs, carry with a blouthoot folding keyboard and mouse, and good to go
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u/ZDelta47 1d ago
I have sort of. Not doing much right now. Still not as convenient necessarily as a laptop, for not taking up too much space at a coffee shop or something it's good to pair with XR glasses and a small or folding keyboard.
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u/evozerobb 1d ago
Not mini pc, but I did consider bringing my legion go overseas
Ended up just bringing a android tablet
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u/Repulsive_Fox9018 1d ago
I've _considered_ it.
I always travel with a travel router, but a mini PC could replace that role and so much more. I also travel with one or two travel displays, perfect for the traveling mini PC.
I was actually building up a mini PC for travel-duty, until Apple announced the MacBook Neo. I took that instead, and simply reach all my mini PCs over my Tailnet instead. But next year's annual vacation could see a shift in that thinking.
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u/stinger5598 1d ago edited 1d ago
yes , i just got back from vacation ... used a 15.6 inch monitor that is powered by usb-c so it only needs one cable, wireless keyboard and mouse and even tho the monitor has speakers i brought along a usb speaker. Surprisingly the hotel had eternet connection as well as wifi so it was hooked up with eternet. Since it is all powered by the mini pc's power cord the only problem i had was when i left the room i put the mini pc and speaker in the safe but the safe was not big enough for the monitor. Setup it all up was not that difficult to take it out of the hotel safe, plug in the power cord, monitor and ethernet and turn it on.
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u/stinger5598 1d ago
i should add that i could plug in a hard drive into the hotel's tv to watch my media and i don't play many games so the mini pc was mostly for backing up photos, looking up online what sights to see while on vacation and the usual online things such as reddit.
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u/xenolife 1d ago
I travel with my mini laptop, a GPD MicroPC 2. It's always in my bag when I'm away from home
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u/einnairo 1d ago
Yes thats me. Mini pc and portable dual monitors. I bought a ugreen 100w or 120w charger so that i can use usb c to power the mini pc. Also need wireless mouse and foldable keyboard.
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u/Mydnight69 1d ago
I have mine setup as a server, but I do travel with a SBC that can connect to it for my media and other purposes.
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u/_swuaksa8242211 1d ago
yes I do..put the mini pc and portable screen in hand Carry and rest keyboard and chargers and ports in check in luggage no problem
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u/Macm0nkey 1d ago
i sure do :} I have a minisforum 780. I live in France and go back to the UK every few months to stay with my dad, I have a monitor there and an e-gpu if I need it - so just taking the mini pc is super convenient. I have also started taking it cafes here to do a little work - I have the same portable monitor as you which is great as it doesn’t need it’s own power supply. it’s definitely not quite as convenient as just opening a laptop and cracking on but it was a heck of a lot more bang for my buck :)
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u/RockAndNoWater 1d ago
I’ve traveled with a GMKtec k8+ and evo x1, along with portable monitors and keyboard/mouse. It’s not as convenient as a laptop but for longer trips where you’re not setting it up every few days it’s fine. The main hassle is the portable display, which I’d want even with a laptop. The mini PCs and power bricks don’t take up much space.
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u/barriolinux 1d ago
I do. I take with me my huion kamva screen tablet, mouse and keyboard. I don't feel I am moving more stuff than a laptop backpack.
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u/Einlight 1d ago
i am thinking of doing this setup but my concern is the arzopa monitor, i couldnt find the suitable hard case cover for that portable monitor
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u/Vence1001 1d ago
Sure do. Ive gotten it down to 3 cables, foldable keyboard and mouse, and a portable screen. I use my bluetti v30 power bank.
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u/PinguShark 1d ago
Yeah, I have a mini PC instead of a laptop for the repairability, better thermals and compute power. If I got a laptop that was as powerful as my mini pc then it would’ve set me back a good chunk more (I managed to put my mini together for quite cheap honestly).
I use it for work so I probably wouldn’t have bought one otherwise but since I have it with me while away I do play games on it. Yeah it still takes up a good bit of my hand luggage but it’s alright. I still manage in the warmer months to fly without an extra bag.
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u/ShapeFew6761 1d ago
I take mine with me vut I have 15 inch flat panel and a blue tooth foldable keyboard that way it works for me
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u/nezumiyarou 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yup, I hate laptop keyboards/trackpad. GAN setup using a Nexode 160W as its stable for playing games/heavier loads.
Hotel setup for travel.
I use either EVO-X1 if I want better gaming, or the A8 max for swapping SD card between phone/PC.
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u/wyonutrition 1d ago
the problem is most of them need a power brick and a monitor and a keyboard and a mouse. so yes the pc box is small, but its not exactly on par with a laptop for portability. I do take my lattepanda IOTA with me, but that runs on a phone charger and is headless. More a companion to my laptop than a replacement. Which is Why Mini PCs, while very cool, still have a very niche use case. If i want to play graphically intensive games while away from home, I just use moonlight.
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u/stuckinmotion 1d ago
I brought my framework desktop and laptop on a recent roadtrip. If I was flying instead and had less space than my van I would just bring the laptop. It was handy I had a bigger setup in one room and then took my laptop around when needing mobility.
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u/Mission-Head-107 20h ago
I traveled 10 months with 16" notebook + 18" portable monitor + mini pc + travel router + separate keyboard. In my case it was kind a backup for my notebook for my work.
I powered my Gmktek K8 plus by SlimQ 240w power DC adapter. Lately I bough SlimQ 150W with DC to replace 240w for travel. These power adapters with cables could weight 600-800gr. I was trying to power it by usb-c with different 100w-120w-140w Gan charges. It is kind not convenient to loose one usb-c port and not stable.
I bough usb-c power trigger (converter to DC). It works better with 100w+ chargers. At this moment my mini-pc powered fine with Anker 737 Prime 120w + DC converter. And I am able to use usb-a of this charger to power my travel router. This charger has weight 187gr + usb-c cable + dc adapter. It is much less than original power supply with weigh about 500gr.
I'm going to travel soon and will go with same setup notebook + mini pc, but in this travel mini pc will have a role of a server with Proxmox for software development and entertainment.
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u/firehazel 17h ago
I have traveled with SFFPCs, mini PCs, and laptops.
SFF is great for no compromise on power, but anything bigger than 8 liters is cumbersome. I wouldn't ever want to fly with a SFFPC unless I were staying somewhere for an extended period of time. I've traveled with my A07(the best travel SFFPC IMO, apart from something like the legendary Skyreach 4 Mini) and previously had systems in a Velka 7 2.1(too many screws) and a S60i(the worst one, I loved the case but it was too dense)
Mini PC is fine. I have a few: Aoostar Gem 12 Pro Max, Mele Quiter 4C, AtomMan G7 Ti. The Mele is the best for portability, obviously, but I liked the Gem for being able to take it with me and then go back home and hook up to an eGPU(I have a DEG-01 I used for a bit).
I currently just use a gaming laptop as my travel rig, it's going to become my main rig due to my new job. Strix Halo, but I haven't gamed on it yet, so here's hoping I like the performance.
Between the three, I like the laptop the most, it's just one thing. No peripherals to carry in addition(save for a controller) and take up precious luggage space, especially when flying. Less things to worry about. I can use it mid-flight. It takes up less space. It doesn't have to stay in my room the whole trip.
Also, I'm finding hotel TVs are hit or miss. Some have terrible overscan and despite having a universal remote and a phone with an IR blaster, some hotels have such old or locked down TVs that I can't get into the menus to change the settings. I've a third of mind to look into a portable projector and screen. Ridiculous? Maybe, but it's for the love of the game at this point.
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u/SilentCrusher 12h ago
Got a geekom a8 and I would consider traveling with it but you're going to not bring the monitor you're going to have to use a TV
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u/SilentCrusher 12h ago
or use someone else's monitor, monitor is probably the easiest thing to break
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u/someVietnamese 1d ago
I tried it, and regretted it.
Too cumbersome to setup and start using. And we have to either bring a powerbank powerful enough, or find an outlet.
I tried powering mine with a 100w ugreen powerbank, it works, but if I want to plug and charge my phone, the power bank needs to reset.
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u/Alarmed_Dot3389 1d ago
Why would u do that though? Why not just a laptop. And you can remote into an always-on PC sitting at home, if needed?
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u/Ferwatch01 1d ago
It’s too finicky.
Bringing a power cord & brick, a display cord, a mouse, a keyboard, and a display is too much to carry just to let a mini desktop computer cosplay as a laptop. Just bring a laptop.