My Chromebook isn’t my main laptop, but when I travel, it’s typically the one I reach for. It’s not the most powerful machine, but for trips—short or long—it’s proven to be a reliable companion.
Why I Love to Travel With My Chromebook
One of the biggest reasons I love traveling with my Chromebook is how lightweight and compact it is. My ASUS Chromebook, which measures about 29 cm by 20 cm, is roughly the size of an A4 notebook. In contrast, my HP EliteBook, which is my primary work laptop, is significantly bulkier, as is the case with most traditional laptops when compared with Chromebooks.
A Chromebook typically fits effortlessly into your carry-on without adding noticeable weight, making it far more convenient than lugging around a full-sized laptop.
This portability alone makes it an ideal travel companion, but the real game-changer is the battery life. My Chromebook easily lasts a full workday on a single charge, which makes it perfect for long trips, layovers, or working from coffee shops where power outlets are scarce. If it were my primary laptop, I’d need to charge it at least three times before my Chromebook even came close to running out of juice.
Of course, I could just rely on my phone. It’s even smaller, and with a good power bank, battery life isn’t much of a concern—especially if you have one of the best power banks for traveling. But let’s be real: doing real work on a phone for extended periods isn’t (or shouldn’t be) ideal. The smaller screen and on-screen keyboard just can’t compete with the comfort of a full-sized keyboard and a larger display. Plus, there’s always the risk of getting distracted and falling into a doomscrolling rabbit hole.
My Chromebook strikes the perfect balance. The keyboard is comfortable enough for long writing sessions, and with productivity apps like Google Docs and Notion, I can easily jot down notes or draft articles. Since most of my travel work revolves around writing, it’s just what I need.
Moreover, everything syncs online, so I never have to worry about losing important files. As long as I have a Wi-Fi connection, my work is accessible from anywhere. Even when I don’t, I can still use offline modes in Google Docs and other apps to keep working.
Why a Chromebook Isn’t a Complete Replacement for My Work Laptop
As much as I love my Chromebook for travel, it’s not always enough for everything I need to do. Even something as simple as cropping and resizing an image can be difficult to achieve on a Chromebook.
ChromeOS is largely designed around web apps, which is great for lightweight tasks but tricky when I need to use specialized software. Google Play offers plenty of apps, but they’re often mobile versions rather than full desktop alternatives. That leaves me stuck between an Android-like experience that isn’t fully optimized for a laptop and a laptop that can’t always run the tools I rely on.
There are workarounds, like using Linux apps or Google Chrome Remote Desktop, but they’re not always practical, especially when I’m on the go. And while modern Chromebooks handle multiple tabs and apps better than before, they still can’t match the performance of my main laptop. Push it too hard, and multitasking turns into a lesson in patience.
At the end of the day, my Chromebook is the perfect travel companion when portability, battery life, and convenience matter more. If I know I won’t be doing a lot of demanding work on the road, it’s all I need. But when I need serious computing power, my main laptop stays ready at home, waiting for my return—or I just pack a bigger bag.
Would I ever replace my main laptop with a Chromebook entirely? Probably not. But for travel, it’s hard to beat.
