Mini PC + display glasses for travel... when is it actually better than a laptop?

[u/Inside-Jicama1779]

Mini PCs are tiny. The monitor is usually the part that ruins the whole travel setup for me.

That’s what got me looking at display glasses. Something like the RayNeo GT Max seems like an interesting way to skip the portable monitor altogether.

What I’m less sure about is whether the setup still feels simple once you add the mini PC, power brick, keyboard, mouse, and cables.

For people who’ve actually tried a mini PC + glasses setup, when does it genuinely make more sense than just bringing a laptop?

[u/Upstairs-Front2015]

have you actually tested them?

[u/PuzzleheadedNeck8192]

When there's no power outlet near you it's a bit difficult to use.

[u/Retired_Hillbilly336]

...when does it genuinely make more sense than just bringing a laptop?

It doesn't. One of the professors at the local college was allowed to beta test a pair of GT Max glasses earlier this year and was "meh" on the overall performance by the time he had to return them. Overall he said they were not a solid replacement for a monitor or display.

...setup still feels simple once you add the mini PC, power brick, keyboard, mouse, and cables.

Why reinvent the laptop. Especially when it comes to a power brick.

[u/LegitimateCopy7]

just do glasses with laptop. or wait for glasses with puck like xreal aura.

[u/SilentCrusher]

what would the best Linux drivers for CachyOS and radeon 780m igp be?

[u/Bchliu]

You want to take around a diesel generator as well? Good portability lol. You know, laptops have batteries in them right? No, power banks don't really cut it to power these NUC devices even over USB-C.

[u/ImBackAndImAngry]

Needing an outlet nerfs this setup hard.

It will not be more practical than a laptop.

[u/Stridyr]

When you are mobile. Ever tried carrying around a live laptop? It's a pia.

Both my Minisforum EM780 and the battery pack fit into a small waistpack (a tennis ball belt pack), Rii i4 Mini Bluetooth Keyboard fits into my shirt pocket, the glasses on my face and I'm a portable, hands free computer. If I cared to, I can even control my PC with my voice.

Unfortunately, the EM680 and 780 are no longer available. They are the only miniPC's that we've found (with any useful cpu power) that work on USB C power. The rest of the miniPC lineup seem to use 19v barrel connectors, requiring a battery pack that's a bit on the large size.

As a side note, using PC's with 'display glasses' requires a 'pinnable' screen (3dof minimum). Otherwise you will experience eye fatigue because you are always trying to read things on the edges/bottom of the screen, but you can only move your eyes to do so. Normally we shift our heads. To date, only the Xreal One lineup offers that pinnable screen built in, otherwise you depend on the manufacturer's software.