Help me choose an EDC laptop

I am looking for help. Below is a long post and I want your feedback on what I should carry as my EDC laptop based on the info in this post and the devices I have available. Email, message on Signal, or get me on Mastodon. One thing to keep in mind, I have exactly $0 to spend. I’d love to buy a new machine. But being poor means I gotta use what I have around.

For Xmas I received a new EDC (everyday carry) backpack. For the last 3 years I’ve been using a small company branded REI backpack I got from my sister who received it as a company gift from her (former) employer. Honestly, it was a nice bag, but extremely cramped. It limited what devices I could carry. Now that I have a bigger EDC bag I have more room for either a larger laptop or even multiple devices. This means I can also have a more thorough portable homelab if I choose. Now I am looking through the devices I have around and considering what I want to have as my EDC laptop.

I have been struggling with choosing an EDC laptop for a couple months, particularly since I have wanted to expand my carry with something that will also be a travel homelab.

These are the key features, ranked in order, I need from an EDC laptop.

1. Linux everywhere. Runs some sort of Linux locally, either the machine itself or a virtual machine or container. Ideally able to do multiples of both, such as up to three VMs and half a dozen containers.
2. Run Docker containers. This is required. I use Docker for all kinds of stuff and is top priority in apps/services that run on the device.
3. Light. This is going in my backpack that has all my other prepper gear. Weight is critical.
4. Long battery life. I work offline for up to 10 hours a day and then charge from my truck and a small Jackery power station (160Wh). It might get used heavily while on the road.
5. Sync Nextcloud files locally. Can’t rely on the cloud since I work offline most days. I need to sync all my files and notes for offline mode.
6. Lots of web apps and a great browser experience.
7. Can become my portable desktop/homelab with a few additions (like a travel router, portable monitor, and an external drive).
8. Edit Excel files locally and offline.
9. Fantastic markdown editor. I write everything in markdown.
10. Entertainment. This is a EDC laptop and what I use when I have long stops between work. I want to be able to play light PC and retro console games, watch TV shows, movies, and YouTube videos I have archived.

This is a list of my options.

Dell 7490

Specs

• CPU: Intel Core i7-8650U
• RAM: 16 GB DDR4-2400
• GPU: Intel UHD 620
• Screen: 15" 1920x1080 120HZ
• HDD: Single m.2 connection; micro SD card
• Weight: 3.5 lbs

Notes

This is my current portable homelab and EDC laptop. I have it kitted out the way I want. Of the laptops I have, this is the newest and most performant hardware and the best screen (when it works).

Pros:

• Decent hardware.
• Full service USB-C port.
• Average battery life. I get 6-ish hours of screen on time.
• Full x86 laptop that runs Linux desktop.
• Surprisingly decent at gaming. Can even run the original Slime Rancher at 720P. Easily runs my other faves like Mini Metro, Slipstream, OlliOlli, and Stronghold.
• Can do dual monitors and the laptop screen for triple monitors with no GPU. One monitor on the USB-C and the other on the full-sized HDMI port.
• I have a ton of Dell barrel chargers.

Cons:

• Keyboard hurts my hands. I can’t type on it for long periods.
• Screen issues. It will occassionally wake/power on missing the “R” in “RGB”. Usually a reboot fixes it, but it definitely has screen problems that will come to a head sooner than later.
• Large. It is a 15" lunch tray. I could never use it in a cramped setting like on an airplane or on the tray in my truck.
• I do not have a USB-C charger that will work with this.

Panasonic Let’s Note CF-SZ5

Specs

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6300U
• RAM: 8 GB LDDR3 soldered
• GPU: Intel HD 530
• Screen: 12" 1920x1200 60HZ
• HDD: Single m.2 connection
• Weight: 2.4 lbs.

Notes

I like this laptop. It has a design that stands out and a great keyboard feel. The battery life is good and sips power, even when plugged in and charging. It is smaller, I think a 12" screen, so easily fits on trays and small spaces.

Pros:

• Very lightweight. It feels lighter than my Chromebook.
• Good battery life. I get 10-ish hours per charge.
• Detachable battery.
• Very comfortable to type on.
• Looks neat. Retro design and a circle touchpad. Definitely has a ton of character.
• Full x86 Linux desktop.

Cons:

• Keyboard layout is weird. Some keys aren’t recognized and others need to be remapped. For example, plus/equals doesn’t work at all and del will enter a semicolon. Not a major problem, but a PITA.
• Thick. Its a chonky boi. Although extremely light, its thicc. Takes up a lot of room for what it is.
• No USB-C. Single HDMI and a VGA connector.
• Only a single m.2 drive and the SD card reader is trash.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Specs

• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
• RAM: 8 GB soldered LDDR4-2133
• GPU: Integrated Qualcomm Adreno
• Screen: 11" 2k 60HZ
• HDD: 128 GB eMMC soldered
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.

Notes

For a $300 Chromebook it is amazing. It has features a $1,000 Android tablet doesn’t have and can run Android apps, plus it has the Linux Container. I have loved carrying this tablet/laptop. However, it misses some items I want to have for my EDC nowadays. In particular, it can’t play games or run virtual machines.

Because it is an arm chip it runs forever. Then, with the right battery bank, it will run for days from a single charge on each. I could use it all day and still have enough battery to watch a show or two before bed.

I have spent a ridiculous amount of time working on this device, fine tuning how to use it as an EDC and a portable homelab.

Pros:

• Fantastic battery life. Get 12 hours or more.
• Light. Just barely over 1 pound.
• Uses the same charger as my phone. No need to carry a special charging brick and can charge from my battery banks.
• Touch screen. I can use it like a tablet.
• Dual USB-C ports with display out and charging.
• An actual Linux environment. The Linux Container on ChromeOS can run Docker and most other Linux stuff I want to do.
• Tiny. An 11" screen that will fit anywhere.

Cons:

• It can run other browsers, but Chrome is the only real option.
• No virtual machines. There is just the one Linux Container and they took away the option to run multiples.
• Runs ChromeOS
• Everything is a kludge. A workaround. Gotta make sure to do all kinds of funky steps to get Android or Linux apps to work right and even then they will misbehave.
• Linux apps and services will not autostart on reboot.
• Soldered RAM and storage. Cannot upgrade anything.
• No x86 gaming and only some Android games.
• No hinge. Makes using on my lap a PITA.

Misc devices

These are theoretically options, but aren’t actual laptops. This means there will be many workarounds, but it is technically possible to do what I want.

S10e phone with Dex Mode

Using my phone as my EDC laptop was my go-to for many years. I have a UPERFECT lapdock and, when connected with the proper USB-C cable, turns on Dex Mode and becomes like a laptop. I loved this setup for a long time.

Pros:

• Single device that is with me all the time.
• Ultra-low power. Charges on any USB port, even from the lapdock. Has a 4,000-ish MAh battery, so I can charge it 3-4 times from my battery bank and 8 times from the Jackery.
• Lightweight. The phone is tiny and the lapdock is roughly 1 lbs.
• Can run a Linux desktop inside of pRoot environment. Can even run multiple instances.
• Dex Mode is surprisingly capable.
• PC gaming with Winlator or Gamehub, plus whatever Android games I want.
• Sync files locally with multiple different apps. Currently I use FolderSync and then edit notes with Markor.
• Built-in mobile data.
• SD card slot which currently has a 1 TB card.

Cons:

• Old device. It is 6 years old and really showing its age. Running pRoot environments has slowed down. The PC games I can run in Winlator/Gamehub is small and even then don’t run good.
• Not receiving updates any longer. I need to upgrade this device, but I’m limping through one more year. I’m unsure how much to invest in it.
• Android filesystem is weird and makes accessing files from Termux, pRoot, or even other apps a huge PITA.
• No Docker.
• Mobile browser. Its actually not a great browser experience, especially with Firefox.
• No Linux. Technically you can run a pRoot environment. But, that is kneecapped with the lack of a FUSE filesystem (so no network shares, flatpaks, etc), no containers, and no access to the wider filesystem on Android including the SD card. Termux does okay, but has all the same limitations.

To be clear, I will have this with me anyway. The question is if this should be my only carry. My EDC bag is big enough I’m going to carry the lapdock as a screen for this phone and then a second monitor for whatever my main carry will be.

iPad

This is a very recent addition. My BIL parents gave me a stack of old iPads, including a 9th gen that is still getting updates. I have only dipped my toes into iPadOS

Pros:

• Performs well with great battery life.
• Screen is nice and works well outside.
• Can charge in my truck and from any of my battery banks.
• It has a keyboard case with a hinge. So it actually feels like using a laptop.
• Browser experience is much better than it is on Android, especially for Firefox.

Cons:

• Lightning port for charging. I would have to get a dedicated charger and a few cables.
• No local Linux. The closest thing is iSH, which I would say is similar to Termux on Android. The only difference is it possible to access files outside of iSH through the filesystem integration.
• No Docker.
• No expandable storage.
• Can’t plug in random accessories via USB. Technically possible, but I’d have to buy new accessories or adapters.
• App store only, which doesn’t have all the OSS apps I like to use, which I can sideload on Android.
• DNS problems. It will just randomly stop using my custom DNS and I’ll have to stop/start wifi to fix it.
• Emphasizes using other commercial software. Its a mainstream device for mainstream, boring people.
• Its Apple and I hate dealing with Apple’s bullshit. I would rage-use this device.

Other devices

I also have these devices around and unused.

• Microsoft Surface RT (running PostmarketOS)
• Dell Latitude e5440 (old, but I have a ton of accessories for it; heavy)
• Dell Precision M4700 (huge; needs a battery)
• Compaq Presario V2000 (about 20 years old)
• Lenovo Ideapad 110S (currently in my emergency kit; N3060 w/2GB of RAM)

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