In this era of smartphones and tablets, laptops are no longer indispensable for travelers or students. Well, not everyone would agree.
People like me still carry a laptop when traveling to places. After all, tablets can’t do everything. But traveling with laptops can be a real pain. A laptop is relatively big and heavy. Along with the charger and additional accessories, it can take up a lot of space in your travel bag. Plus they can get damaged pretty easily if you’re not careful.
If you take your laptop on trips, it’s always a good idea to check how much it weighs.
Is traveling with laptops a bad idea?
Not necessarily. If you travel often, buy a laptop with excellent mobility. Some laptops are built for performance, and some are designed for portability and longer battery backup. For instance, there are bulky gaming laptops for gamers, while there are also sleek and lightweight Chromebooks.
There are many notebooks designed specifically for frequent travelers. Take the Ultrabooks or the Chromebooks for instance. These types of laptops are usually compact in size and provide excellent portability.
How heavy is my laptop?
There’s no single answer to how much a laptop weighs. Different models usually have different weights. So we researched different classes of laptops to calculate their average weight and dimensions. Here’s what we found:
- Conventional Notebook
- Weight: 3 to 5 pounds.
- Screen size: 13 to 17 inches.
- Thickness: less than 1.5 inches.
- Ultraportable/Ultrabook
- Weight: less than 3 pounds.
- Screen size: 12 to 16 inches.
- Thickness: less than 0.75 inches.
- Convertible 2-in-1
- Weight: less than 3.5 pounds.
- Screen size: 9 to 13 inches.
- Thickness: less than 0.8 inches.
- Chromebook
- Weight: less than 4 pounds.
- Screen size: 9 to 17 inches.
- Thickness: less than 0.8 inches.
- Gaming Laptop
- Weight: 4 to 18 pounds.
- Screen size: 17 to 21 inches.
- Thickness: 1 to 3.3 inches.
How much does a 17 inch laptop weigh?
A 17-inch laptop is usually heavier, especially the gaming laptops like Dell Alienware or Asus ROG series. Roughly speaking, a 17-inch notebook can weigh about 4 to 6 pounds. And a 17-inch gaming laptop can weigh about 5 to 8 pounds.
How much does a 13 inch laptop weigh?
A 13-inch screen has become standard for portable laptops and Ultrabooks, as it strikes a good balance between screen real estate and portability. On average, 13-inch notebooks weigh about 2 to 3 pounds.
Travel weight is different
Most manufacturers provide weight measurement only for the laptop. But when traveling, it’s not just the laptop that you carry. You’ll need the charger and other accessories like portable media, power banks, headphones, etc. Consider those too when estimating the travel weight of your laptop.
How do I choose a Laptop for travelling?
If you travel often, the weight of your laptop matters a lot. For travelers, mobility and portability should be the highest priority when buying laptops. You don’t wanna buy something that’ll hurt your back or fill your backpack. Here are some ideal specs for a portable notebook:
- Weight: less than 3 lbs.
- Screen Size: less than 14 inches.
- Thickness: less than 0.7 inches.
Considering the above specs, ultrabooks are perfect for frequent travelers like you. They are very lightweight and takes up minimum space in luggage or a backpack.
Is 4lbs too heavy for a laptop?
No, you can carry a 4 pounds laptop. It’s not super portable, and carrying it on the back for too long can cause pain. Ideally, laptops weighing less than 3 pounds are great for traveling.
Is it OK to carry a laptop in a backpack?
You can carry your laptop in a backpack, But you need to handle the backpack with care. You can also use a laptop case or sleeve to prevent damage. Always keep the charger and accessories in a separate compartment.
