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Mini-guide: pack a full workstation into airline carry-on dimensions

Off Topic by kat_fold 5 replies 157 views
kat_fold

Moderator OP

Moderator

9 #1

Hey folks saw some chatter about portable setups in other threads so here's my mini-guide. Got my full workstation into airline carry-on: 14" laptop, 60% keeb, flat mouse, USB-C hub, all in one slim pouch. key specs: total weight 3.2kg, fits Ryanair sizer with millimeters to spare.

  • Laptop: used business-class 14" from CloudCone marketplace
  • Keyboard: low-profile mechanical, detachable cable
  • Hub: 5-in-1 with HDMI 2.0 and 100W passthrough
  • Mouse: flat folding travel mouse, actually usable
The trick is the pouch goes in personal item, not carry-on, so you keep bag for clothes. Anyone else doing this?

~be kind or be gone~
techmei

Member

#2 

$ ls ~/carryon/
laptop
keyboard
mouse
hub
cable.txt

XD I have two server in my backpack before but TSA no like. Will travel with one server now. Your setup is GOOD idea. I use same hub from Hetzner. 
$ dmesg | grep usb
no problem with power delivery.

Viejito

Member

retired & rooted

#3

The terminal is very important in my setup good. I carry raspberry pi 4 with small screen no? Double negative: I never go without it. TSA agent in Dallas asked "is this a BOMB" and I said no is computer. He did not believe. Capitalized for emphasis: NEVER AGAIN with that airport.

wendy

Member

#4

I run Windows Server on my travel laptop for RDP back to home lab, and some hotel networks block VPN unless you clone phone MAC. Your hardware list is solid though. I skip the mouse and use the trackpoint.

Have you tried restarting it?
armstrongvds

Member

ARM Enjoyer

1 #5

Insane value on ARM laptops now! My Ampere-based ultrabook runs circles around x86 in watts-per-task. 18 hour battery, no charger needed for day trips. Full workstation in 1.1kg. Specs: 16GB LPDDR5, 512GB NVMe, 8 cores. Just use ARM and forget the hub, enough USB-C ports native.

one small ping for man...
prague1983

Member

btw I use Arch

#6

Just use a ThinkPad from 2012. Skill issue if you need more than core2duo and 4GB RAM. TSA agent asked ME for build specs once because "this looks custom" no it looks like PATINA. Kids these days with their RGB carry-ons. My entire setup cost $40 from university surplus and I compiled kernel on it in the terminal last flight.

oops: 0000 [#1] SMP

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