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Can You Bring A Desktop Computer On A Plane? (TSA PC Rules)

Last Updated on March 10, 2021

So you want to bring your desktop on an airplane?

Flying with a desktop computer isn’t all that hard, you can literally throw it in a suitcase and off you go.

But getting it to your destination still functional might take a little more planning. Especially if you are intending to bring a monitor too!

This post covers the rules about flying with computers and it’s got some advice on packaging to prevent damage so you’ll still be able to boot up after you land.

TSA Desktop Computer Rules

The Transportation Security Administration is the agency that operates the airport security checkpoint.

I checked what they had to say about taking desktop computers on planes.

The TSA doesn’t have a problem with your PC. So in terms of security screening, there is nothing to stop you from packing a desktop computer case in either carry-on baggage or checked baggage.

The only stipulation is that if you fly with your computer in a carry-on bag you must remove it from your luggage and place it in a separate bin from x-ray screening. The same procedure that you’d do with a laptop or a tablet.

Don’t worry about the x-ray machine damaging your hard drive. Laptops go through the screening process all the time so there is no risk to your data.

Can You Take Computer Parts On A Plane?

Another relevant entry on the TSA website is about bring computer parts when you travel.

Some passengers traveling with PC’s disassemble them to help with packing.

The TSA doesn’t have any restrictions on computer parts in either checked bags or hand luggage.

Can You Bring A Monitor On A Plane?

There is no mention of computer monitors on the TSA website so I checked on Twitter to see if they had answered this question there.

The TSA confirmed that you can pack a computer monitor in checked luggage but they don’t recommend that you do it.

I agree. Packing a monitor in a checked bag would always be a last resort. I’d probably prefer to take my chances shipping a PC rather than letting the baggage handlers throw it around.

David asked the TSA about bringing a computer monitor in his carry-on baggage and they confirmed that monitors are allowed in carry-on bags.

So there are no security concerns about desktop computers in either checked baggage or cabin luggage.

But there’s a catch…

Your PC needs to be able to fit in your suitcase.

The airlines regulate the type, size and weight for carry-on luggage and checked bags.

If you are thinking of flying with your desktop computer you’ll need to know the size and weight regulations for your airline and any applicable fees.

Flying with a desktop is all about balancing the airline restrictions with the fact that your equipment is valuable and fragile.

Packing A Desktop Computer In Your Carry On

The best way to travel with a desktop PC is by packing it in your carry-on bag if possible.

You are in charge of your carry-on. You can be trusted not to throw it around or store it somewhere unsafe.

The most common size of suitcase that can be brought as a carry-on is 22 x 14 x 9 inches and weight limits are uncommon for hand luggage in the United States.

That means that some towers are going to fit and some won’t. You need to get the measuring tape out.

Super towers and full size towers are going to be too large to be taken in carry-on luggage.

If your desktop PC is a mid tower then there is a chance it might be able to qualify as cabin luggage.

You might want to check out Southwest for flights since they have a larger carry-on size limit of 24 x 16 x 10 inches. Also the low-cost airlines Spirit and Frontier have larger carry-on size limits but you need to pay a fee to bring a carry-on.

The Frontier size limit is the same as Southwest. The largest carry-on size is actually with Spirit airlines when you pay the fee they’ll let you bring a 24 x 18 x 10 inches bag. So Spirit might be your best bet for flying with a mid tower in hand luggage.

And consider Delta too. If the three dimensions of your tower add up to less than 45 inches you might be able to bring it as a carry-on on a Delta flight.

Mini towers and other small form factors should fit in most carry-on bags and this is the best place to pack them so you can keep an eye on them.

Remember you don’t need to use a suitcase you can a desktop computer bag. The only important thing is that your bag must be under the size limits of the airline you are flying with.

If you’ve filled your carry-on on suitcase with a tower then you’ll need somewhere else to pack your clothes.

A lot of people don’t realize that the personal item allowance is often quite large.

Check the size limit of your personal item for the airline you are flying with. You can use this extra packing space and might be able to avoid paying for a checked bag just for your clothes.

Packing A Desktop PC In Checked Luggage

Most larger desktop computers will need to be packed in checked luggage.

Checked luggage limits are usually given in linear inches . The most common size limit is 62 linear inches.

This means that the length, width, and depth much sum to less than 62. The case with the most capacity won’t actually be a suitcase shape but in fact a square cube with 20.66 inch sides. You could pack your pc and monitor in a box rather than a suitcase.

However, you are much more likely to hit the weight limit than the size limit. Most airlines only allow checked bags to weigh 50 lbs. A full tower gaming PC can often exceed the 50 lbs weight limit. Spirit and Allegiant have a 40 lb weight limit for checked bags.

This is one of the reasons why you might want to disassemble your computer. If you can remove parts from your build you can pack components in your hand luggage thereby reducing the weight of your checked suitcase.

The fees for overweight checked bags can be substantial so make sure you weigh your suitcase before attempting to fly.

Rather than stuffing your case full of clothes to provide padding packing peanuts will be a lighter option.

Make sure you label your suitcase as fragile and consider damage insurance for your computer.

These fliers packed their desktop in suitcases for travel and you can see how tight a fit it is.

It really comes down to the size of your tower. You might also need to disassemble the monitor stand to pack it more efficiently.

The Bottom Line

Transporting a desktop computer on a plane isn’t a problem from a TSA rules perspective.

The difficulty lies when you have a large build. These systems can only fit in checked luggage and you are then at the mercy of the baggage handlers.

There is a real risk to damage of your PC if you check it. You can remove some of the more fragile components and pack them in your hand luggage.

That also might help mitigate the risk of theft. Things go missing from checked bags all the time. I’d leave a note for any would be thief to let them know that components have been removed from the PC and that it won’t boot up.

You also need to be very careful about the 50 lb weight limit. Go put your tower on the bathroom scales and see what it weighs!

If you are moving permanently one option could be to remove components and pack them carefully in hand luggage. Then buy a new PC case and rebuild your rig at your new home.

Alternatively, you might be better to ship your PC rather than bringing it on a plane with you.

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8 Tips for Flying With a Desktop Computer

When I started  flying with a desktop computer , it was such a hassle.

I put together this article to give you insider information from someone who has logged thousands of airline miles with a gaming PC in tow.

Whether you’re moving or traveling for work with your desktop, here’s what I wish I knew when I started traveling with my desktop.

Flying With A Desktop Computer

You can take a desktop computer with you on a flight in both checked and carry-on luggage. A checked desktop computer is going to need to be packed very securely to withstand being tossed around with the rest of the flight’s baggage. If you take your desktop computer as carry-on luggage you can expect some additional security screenings.

Desktop Computers as Checked Baggage

One of the best ways to travel with a desktop computer is just to check it. This saves you a ton of hassle when you go through the security screening.

The only thing you need to keep in mind is that checked luggage takes a lot of damage when it goes to the baggage claim process.

You’re going to want to pack your desktop computer with plenty of protection.

Putting a Desktop in Your Carry-On

Packing your desktop computer in your carry-on luggage is a great option. This gives you more security and lowers the risk of your bag being tossed around which could damage your computer

However, you need to keep in mind that your computer is going to need to go through some additional security screenings.

You want to pack it in such a way that it is secure and can be quickly removed when it needs to be scanned.

Should You Disassemble Your Desktop PC Before Flying?

There’s some give and take in the argument for packing your desktop PC assembled.

Leaving your desktop PC together makes for easier packing. All you need to do is securely wrap up the entire PC, and you’re good to go.

However, there is a pretty big risk with leaving all of those components together.

The large components that attach to your motherboard, such as your graphics card, can do some pretty serious damage if they shake loose during the flight.

The graphics card can actually rip a hole in your motherboard if your luggage gets thrown around hard enough.

Taking apart your PC and packing your components individually is the safest way to go. So, why shouldn’t you do this every time?

This increases the difficulty of going through the TSA security checkpoint as you now have a bunch of different components to scan rather than just one PC.

Desktop Computers and the TSA

Desktop computers, as well as computer components, are allowed as both checked baggage and carry-on by the TSA.

However, the rules specifically state that the TSA is always at their discretion for what items they allow past the security checkpoint.

There are plenty of news stories about people having computers and computer parts confiscated by TSA agents who didn’t know what they were looking at.

You will likely be alright when flying with your desktop computer, but you should be ready for some extra questions and screenings when you go through the checkpoint.

Additional Security Screenings While Flying With Computers

You might have to face off against additional security screenings when traveling with computer parts.

I’ve been questioned by the TSA when traveling with graphics cards, motherboards, and power supplies.

Just be ready to say that you’re traveling with a desktop computer, and you should be good to go after a short questioning.

Don’t Get Your Desktop Stolen While Flying

Theft is a serious consideration when flying with a desktop PC. There could be thousands of dollars worth of technology that you’ve got in your bag.

The best way to face this is to do all the best practices for being safe while flying but to take them up a notch.

Always make sure your baggage is on your person when you’re carrying your desktop PC. You should also try to avoid clearly signaling what’s in your bag.

Avoid any logos that might let a would-be thief know that a computer is in your bag.

How to Safely Pack Your Desktop When Flying

The safest way to pack your desktop PC when flying is to take it apart. Place each of the ends of the components in their original shipping boxes and then pack those into your luggage.

This will likely take up a lot of room, but it is 100% of the safest way to go about packing a desktop PC.

Desktop Computers and the Dreaded Gate Check

You need to do your best to avoid a gate check for your desktop PC. Gate checked luggage can take some extra wear and tear.

You typically don’t have the room to pack your gate-checked luggage the same way you do a checked bag.

You should consider paying for an upgraded seat that has a lower chance of being asked to gate-check luggage.

Sure, it might cost you more to buy that priority seating, but that cost is definitely lower than having to replace a damaged graphics card.

Frequently Asked Questions About Flying With a Desktop Computer

I put together some quick answers to common questions about flying with desktop computers. Let’s take a look.

What Luggage is Best for Desktop Computers?

The best luggage for  flying with a desktop computer is the luggage that’s going to offer the most protection and security. You want to find a hardshell case that has enough room to put plenty of padding around your desktop computer.

Can the TSA Confiscate My Desktop Computer?

The sad truth about this is that the TSA is capable of confiscating nearly anything they deem to be potentially dangerous. There have been news reports of individuals having their laptop computers confiscated while crossing the border into the United States. Extra precautions should be taken to avoid having your desktop computer confiscated.

Can You Put a Desktop Computer in Overhead Storage?

Wrapping up flying with a pc.

I’ve been  flying with a desktop computer for years. I’ve taken both domestic and international flights with my desktop computer in tow.

These are the tips I’ve learned along the way, and hopefully, they will be able to help you the next time you fly overseas with your computer.

Are you looking for some more tips on traveling? Check out our other articles and the best advice from seasoned travelers.

Hey guys! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of carry-on-baggage.com. I am dealing with hand luggage related issues on a daily basis and I own several websites in this niche. Travelling is one of my biggest passions in life and I, therefore, happen to know a thing or two about hand luggage. I hope you all have a safe trip! Take care and thanks for the support. I really appreciate it.

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How To Pack A Desktop Computer For Airplane

April 5, 2023

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

‍ Key Takeaways

• Most airlines will allow you to take desktop computers onboard their aircraft, even for international flights
• You can take your desktop computer in either your carry on or checked bags, though most recommend you take it in your carry on
• The only way to pack your desktop computer is to disassemble it
• It can be packed into its original box and placed inside a hard shell suitcase or in a specially-designed box

‍ As a writer, I firmly believe that a writer’s computer is their life. After a recent trip, I began wondering the best way to pack your desktop for a flight?

To pack your desktop computer for a flight, you should:

• Disassemble it
• Pack the components safely and separately
• Secure the computer case
• Check your airline’s regulations surrounding taking desktop computers onboard
• Consider taking it in your carry on or checked bags
• Reassemble once you’ve arrived!

I’ve written this guide having taken TSA guidelines, the policies the majority of airlines employ for taking computers onboard, and my own experiences as a pilot and traveler into account.

Table of contents

‍ how to pack a desktop computer for airplane, step one: disassemble the desktop computer components.

To ensure the best protection for your computer hardware during travel, you'll need to take apart the desktop computer components. This process includes removing individual parts like the monitor, keyboard, mouse, CPU, graphics card, RAM, and hard drives.

After powering down the computer, begin by unplugging all cables, peripherals, and other external devices connected to the computer. Then, follow these steps:

Monitor: If possible, remove the monitor from its stand. To give it extra protection, wrap the monitor in anti-static bubble wrap, and secure it with packing tape. Ensure the screen faces inward and is well-guarded against potential impacts.

Keyboard and Mouse: Safeguard the keyboard and mouse by placing them in a sturdy plastic bag or wrapping them in bubble wrap. This will help shield them from any potential damage during the journey.

CPU: Start by opening the computer case, which involves removing the side panel. In some instances, you might need to unscrew the panel or release a latch. Remember to keep track of any screws or small parts you remove during this process.

Graphics Card: To remove the graphics card, first, unscrew any screws that hold it in place, then gently disconnect it from the motherboard. After removing the card, place it in an anti-static bag or wrap it with anti-static bubble wrap for protection.

RAM: To release the RAM sticks, gently press down on the tabs found on either side of the RAM slots. Once released, carefully remove the RAM sticks and place them in anti-static bags or wrap them with anti-static bubble wrap.

Hard Drives and SSDs: To remove hard drives or SSDs from the computer case, first unscrew and disconnect them. For added protection, place them in anti-static bags or wrap them with anti-static bubble wrap.

Other Components: If your computer has other components, such as cooling systems, optical drives, or additional expansion cards, make sure to remove them as well. Wrap each component with anti-static bubble wrap and secure it using packing tape.

Step Two: Pack the Components Safely

Once you've disassembled your desktop computer, it's time to pack each component securely for air travel. Use the following tips to ensure the safety of your computer components:

Use Anti-Static Materials: As mentioned earlier, using anti-static bags or bubble wrap is crucial for protecting sensitive electronic components from static discharge. This can help prevent any damage to your hardware during transportation.

Use Sturdy Boxes: Pack each component in a sturdy box with ample padding. Double-wall cardboard boxes are an excellent choice for added durability. Make sure the boxes are the right size for your components, with enough space for padding but not so much that the items can shift around during transport.

Pack Components Separately: To prevent components from knocking against each other during the flight, pack each component separately in its own box. This will minimize the risk of damage from impacts or vibrations during travel.

Fill Empty Spaces: Fill any empty spaces in the boxes with packing materials like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or crumpled newspaper. This will provide extra cushioning for your components and help prevent them from moving around during transport.

Label Boxes: Clearly label each box with its contents and indicate which side should face up. This will make it easier for baggage handlers to handle your items with care and help ensure your components are treated properly during the journey.

Step Three: Secure the Computer Case

After packing all the individual components, don't forget to pack the computer case itself. Follow these steps to ensure the case is secure and well-protected:

• Clean the Case: Before packing the case, give it a thorough cleaning. Use a can of compressed air to blow out any dust or debris from the inside and outside of the case.
• Wrap the Case: Wrap the computer case in a protective material, such as bubble wrap or a moving blanket, to protect it from scratches and dents during transportation.
• Pack the Case: Place the wrapped case in a sturdy box that is large enough to accommodate it with room for padding. Make sure to fill any empty spaces with packing materials like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or crumpled newspaper. This will provide additional cushioning and help prevent the case from shifting during transport.
• Secure the Box: Use strong packing tape to seal the box securely. Be sure to reinforce the bottom and top of the box to prevent it from opening accidentally during transit.
• Label the Box: Clearly label the box with the contents (i.e., "Desktop Computer Case") and indicate which side should face up. Additionally, consider adding "Fragile" and "Handle with Care" labels to the box to encourage careful handling by baggage handlers.

Step Four: Check Airline Requirements and Restrictions

Before packing your desktop computer components for air travel, it's essential to check your airline's specific requirements and restrictions. This will help ensure that your items are packed according to their guidelines and avoid any potential issues during check-in or boarding.

Weight and Size Limits

Each airline has different weight and size limits for checked and carry-on baggage. To find this information, visit your airline's website or contact their customer service department. Make sure your packed components do not exceed these limits to avoid additional fees or the risk of not being allowed to bring them onboard.

When packing your components, use a luggage scale to accurately measure the weight, and consider using a measuring tape to confirm the dimensions of your packed boxes.

Restricted Items

Airlines typically have a list of restricted items that passengers are not allowed to bring in their checked or carry-on luggage. Review your airline's list, which can usually be found on their website or by contacting customer service, and make sure none of your computer components fall into these categories.

Certain types of batteries (such as lithium-ion) or cooling systems (such as liquid cooling with coolant) may not be allowed in checked or carry-on luggage due to safety concerns. If you have any doubts about a specific component, contact your airline for clarification.

Packing Guidelines

Airlines often have specific packing guidelines for electronic items to minimize damage during transportation. Familiarize yourself with your airline's packing guidelines, which can usually be found on their website or through customer service.

These guidelines may include recommendations on using anti-static materials, the type of padding required, or how to properly secure your components in their boxes.

Insurance and Liability

Inquire about your airline's insurance and checked bag liability policies. Most airlines have a limit on the amount they will reimburse passengers for lost or damaged luggage, which may not cover the full value of your desktop computer components.

You may want to purchase additional insurance, either through the airline or a third-party provider, to protect your investment in case of loss or damage during transit. Make sure to research the coverage options, including any deductibles, and carefully read the terms and conditions before purchasing insurance.

Step 5: Consider Hand Luggage vs. Checked Baggage

When flying with a desktop PC, you have the option of packing the components in your carry-on or checked baggage. Each option has its pros and cons, and you should carefully consider which one is best for your needs:

Carry-On Bag

Packing your components in your carry-on luggage allows you to keep a closer eye on your items, reducing the risk of loss or damage. However, due to limited space and weight restrictions, you may need to prioritize which components you bring in your carry-on.

Smaller and more valuable components, such as your hard drive or SSD with important data, RAM, and CPU, can be prioritized for carry-on luggage. When choosing this option, be prepared to comply with airport security requirements, including removing electronic items from your bag for screening.

• Greater control over the handling of your components
• Reduced risk of loss or damage
• Faster access to your items upon arrival
• Limited space and weight allowance
• May need to remove items for security screening
• Inconvenient if you have multiple components or larger items

Checked Bag

Packing your components in checked baggage allows you to bring more items, but there is a higher risk of damage or loss due to rough handling and multiple luggage transfers.

If you decide to pack your components in checked baggage, ensure they are well-protected using sturdy boxes, padding, and anti-static materials.

Consider purchasing additional insurance to cover the value of your components in case of loss or damage during transit. Additionally, clearly label your boxes as "Fragile" and "Handle with Care" to encourage careful handling by baggage handlers.

• Greater allowance for size and weight
• Can pack larger items or more components
• Less hassle during security screening
• Higher risk of damage or loss due to handling
• May need to purchase additional insurance
• Longer wait time to retrieve items upon arrival

Step Six: Reassemble Your Desktop Computer

Once you've arrived at your destination, it's time to reassemble your desktop computer. Follow these steps:

• Unpack Components: Carefully unpack all components, removing them from their protective materials.
• Inspect Components: Inspect each component for any signs of damage that may have occurred during transit. If you notice any issues, contact your airline to file a claim.
• Reassemble the Computer: Reassemble your desktop computer by following the disassembly steps in reverse order. Make sure to reconnect all cables and peripherals correctly.
• Power On and Test: Once everything is reassembled, power on your computer and test its functionality to ensure everything is working as it should.

Further Considerations

When packing and transporting a desktop computer for air travel, it's essential to keep these further considerations in mind to ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience:

Backup Your Data

Before disassembling your computer, make sure to back up all important data on an external hard drive or cloud storage. This will protect your valuable information in case of damage or loss of any components during transit.

Check for International Restrictions

If you're traveling internationally, be aware of any customs regulations or restrictions on the import and export of electronic devices. Research the rules for your destination country to avoid any unexpected complications upon arrival.

Prepare for Security Screening

When traveling with electronic components, be prepared for additional security screening at the airport. Make sure your items are easily accessible and neatly packed, so they can be quickly inspected if needed.

Carry Essential Tools

Bring along any essential tools, such as screwdrivers or pliers, that you might need to disassemble or reassemble your desktop computer. Pack these tools in your checked luggage, as some tools may not be allowed in carry-on baggage.

Bring Spare Parts

If you have any spare parts or components, such as extra cables or screws, pack them in your luggage as well. These may come in handy if any parts are damaged or lost during your trip.

Consider a Professional Packing Service

If you're unsure about packing your desktop computer safely and securely, consider using a professional packing service. These services can provide you with expert advice and materials, ensuring your computer components are well-protected during transit.

Keep Track of Tracking Numbers

If you decide to ship any components separately, be sure to keep track of the tracking numbers and monitor the shipment progress. This can provide you with peace of mind and help you stay informed about the status of your items.

Anti Static Bags and Other Airplane Safe Transport Materials Breakdown

Static electricity can cause significant harm to electronic components, potentially leading to permanent damage or data loss. This is primarily due to the discharge of electrostatic energy, which occurs when two objects with different electric charges come into contact or close proximity.

Electronic components, particularly those with microchips and integrated circuits, are highly sensitive to these discharges.

When transporting sensitive electronic components, it's crucial to use the proper materials to protect them from damage during air travel.

Anti-Static Bags

These bags are designed to prevent the buildup of static electricity, which can damage sensitive electronic components. They are typically made from a low-charging material, such as polyethylene, that dissipates static charges.

Anti-static bags are ideal for protecting components like graphics cards, RAM sticks, hard drives, and SSDs. Make sure to seal the bags properly to ensure maximum protection.

Anti-Static Bubble Wrap

Similar to regular bubble wrap, anti-static bubble wrap provides cushioning and protection for delicate items. However, it is designed to be non-static, making it safe for wrapping electronic components.

Wrap individual components in anti-static bubble wrap and secure them with packing tape to protect them from physical damage and static discharge.

Anti-Static Foam

This foam material is designed to provide cushioning and protection for electronic components while also preventing static discharge. It is often used to line shipping containers or boxes for added protection.

You can cut anti-static foam to fit the size and shape of your components, then place them between the foam layers for secure transportation.

About THE AUTHOR

Salomon Marco

Having fallen in love with aviation at the age of 12 when he went to visit family abroad, Salomon Marco decided to pursue a career in aviation. As an avid pilot and flight instructor, Salomon Marco has flown nearly every aircraft imaginable, from small single-seat kit planes to some of the world’s most expensive corporate jets.

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CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case, Double Layers Computer Tower Travel Bag with Wheels for PC Chassis, Keyboard and Mouse, Black (Bag Only, Patented Design)

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• COMPATIBLE WITH: The rolling pc carrying case is specially designed for transporting your heavy desktop computer. Interior dimensions 20.1" x 9.5" x 18.6". Please check the size before purchasing. (Bag only, NOT includes PC and accessories.)
• MULTIPLE STORAGE: Top compartment with 2 large zipper pocket for keyboard, wires etc. Front compartment with 2 elastic pouches and 1 zipper pocket for headphone, hard drive and other essentials.
• WELL DESIGN: Detachable folding trolley for convenient transporting PC chassis on trips. Reinforced top handle and padded shoulder straps make it easier to carry your computer tower from room to room.
• FULL PROTECTION: Nylon materials lined with thick padding prevent your computer from dust and scratches. Bottom removable wooden pad will reduce the damage of bumping and offer better protection.
• GREAT PARTNER: CURMIO pc travel case features double layers design with multiple pockets to keep all computer peripherals organized, makes your business meeting and traveling more convenient.

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CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case with Wheels

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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the versatility of the case. They say it's useful for transporting a computer and excellent for traveling. However, some customers have reported issues with the durability of the bag. They mention that the bottom plastic piece is not durable, the front support breaks easily, and the carrier wheels broke too quick.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the suitcase very useful to transport a computer. They say it's excellent for traveling, and the fabric is a bit weak. However, some customers mention the bag is well designed and makes lugging around a PC much easier.

"...durability or sturdiness, but it's well designed and makes lugging around a PC much easier ." Read more

"Great size and super easy to carry around " Read more

"...Though it is study and excellent for traveling - the fabric is a bit weak / not durable - I noticed that just from my one journey where I was pretty..." Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the durability of the laptop bag. They mention that the bottom plastic piece was not durable, the front support breaks easily, and the carrier wheels broke too quick. The bag was used once and broke. The front legs of the cart broke, and it's very flimsy without a bottom. The fabric is a bit weak and not durable.

"...They just aren't able to hold up over time. The bag part is still good - I wish I could figure out how to only replace the wheeled frame." Read more

"...is study and excellent for traveling - the fabric is a bit weak / not durable - I noticed that just from my one journey where I was pretty careful -..." Read more

"...of plastic, and both times I have purchased it, the support had broken within a few weeks ...." Read more

"The bag it great but the carrier wheels broke too quick " Read more

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Must-Have PC Travel Accessories

Anyone who travels with their PC will want to get their hands on these amazing accessories!

Using a PC is one of the most powerful ways to interact with a screen. However, there is a reason they aren't called "mobile" devices, as they're generally stuck in one place. Traveling with a PC takes dedication and effort and is usually only done with purpose, such as at a gaming convention, work site, or during a move. People worry too much about messing up their favorite CPU , monitor, or other gear to travel with their PC regularly. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be so tricky, and companies are largely aware of the stress associated with traveling with a PC. Some have even looked to make the experience enjoyable.

Typically, PC travel accessories come in the following flavors: Desktop tower carrying cases, keyboard/mouse carrying cases, monitor carrying cases, and specialized equipment to use specifically while traveling. While many of the larger tower carrying cases have storage compartments for other items travelers often carry, there are also products designed for specialized uses, such as USB/cord organization cases and specialized mouse compartments. Mixing and matching products based on the gamers' personal traveling needs is recommended.

CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case

Trunab computer desktop tower carrying case, curmio rolling desktop computer carrying case, kemove x keyboard travel case, nuphy air 75, logitech g305 lightspeed gaming mouse, rlsoco hard case, anker soundcore vr p10 wireless earbuds, curmio 24-inch monitor carrying case, waterproof cable organizer bag, gamesir g7 se wired controller for xbox.

The CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case is a solid carrying case for any PC tower and has room for other PC peripherals, such as keyboards and headphones. Additionally, it thinks about the smart parts on the inside of a tower by providing 6-sided protection and reduced bumping and sliding.

• Reinforced Padding
• Bump and Slip Resistant Bottom
• Room for Additional Accessories

The CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case is the perfect standard PC tower carrying case for typical users. It provides a snug, rectangular interior that fits the shape of most PC towers, as well as double-layered cushioning to make sure the precious motherboard and awesome graphics cards aren't getting jostled about too much. When moving about, the CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case can be carried by a soft, reinforced hand grip and an optional shoulder strap. Need to rest? Putting a PC down on the ground won't be troubling either, as this case includes anti-slip feet pads and an optional bottom pad (that goes inside the case) to reduce bumping even more. Of course, this comes with the slight downside of not having wheels, but it is hard to have excellent vibration dampening and wheels on the same device.

The CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case also provides room for other PC parts and peripherals. For example, the rectangular compartment up top will be great for a keyboard (if the keyboard can fit on top of the desktop, it should fit) while the other side compartments can take a mouse and headset. They're all encased in double-layered softness as well. Ultimately, the CURMIO Double-Layer Carrying Case comes together to act as a luggage container for a very special co-traveler.

The Trunab Computer Desktop Tower Carrying Case is a PC tower carrying case in backpack form. Users can carry any PC tower and accompanying accessories by back or use the top handle to carry it like any other luggage compartment.

• Chest Support Strap
• Option to Carry
• Additional Spots for Accessories
• Limited Padding
• Rough on Back for Long Trips

The Trunab Computer Desktop Tower Carrying Case is a great carrying case alternative for those who need to keep their hands free for all their other luggage. In addition to the traditional handle, gamers can also stick their arms through hoops to carry their PC along with them, backpack style. There's even a connector strap to give users more support. It has a large interior that supports even the largest PC towers or pre-built PCs , with additional room for accessories. But don't get too excited; users will still need to carry the products on their back.

Naturally, Trunab understands that gamers probably won't want to carry a PC on their back for a lengthy amount of time. As a result, the Trunab Computer Desktop Tower Carrying Case works excellently as a handle-carried case as well. It even comes with anti-slip feet and a bit of padding. It can be the best of both worlds for those who plan right.

The CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case is a PC tower carrying case that acts like an airport luggage case. It has an extendable handle and wheels for easy rolling.

• Adjustable Handle Height
• Double-Lined Interior
• Space for Other Accessories
• Still Best to Carry Over Gravel, Rough Surfaces

The CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case is perfect for flights or taking a PC up to and out of the hotel. Like many standard luggage compartments, it has wheels on the bottom and an extendable handle. In this way, users can roll it — and the PC tower — together to make it to their destination easily. In addition to the main, softly double-lined compartment for the PC tower, users will find similarly soft and double-lined compartments for other PC products. In this case, gamers will want to load up as much as possible — keyboard, mouse, headset, headphones, even a toothbrush — as the CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case's wheels make everything feel lightweight and easy to move.

Unfortunately, the CURMIO Rolling Desktop Computer Carrying Case is not for every situation. Due to the nature of how wheels and surfaces work, the PC inside might still go through a rather bumpy ride if it goes over the wrong surfaces, such as gravel or cobblestone. Even rough concrete can cause a certain amount of bumpage or rattling. Luckily, there is still a comfortable handle to use in these situations. That being said, this PC tower carrying case is a bit more expensive than others — primarily due to its rolling nature — so for those gamers who aren't going to get maximum usage out of the wheels, it's an easy skip. However, if the route will take advantage of the wheels to maximum effectiveness, it could be worth every penny. It all depends on the gamer's unique situation and needs.

DIERYA's KEMOVE X Keyboard Travel Case is the perfect choice for traveling with a 60% or 65% mechanical keyboard. It is made of a combination of soft nylon fabric and a hard EVA shell to offer maximum protection.

• Hard Outer Case
• Inner Strap to Reduce Movement
• Optional Shoulder Carrying Strap
• Won't Fit Wide Keyboards

Moving a mechanical keyboard from one place to another can be a bit stressful. After all the time spent carefully putting customized keys on a mechanical gaming keyboard , the thought of getting it banged about in a backpack is just a no-go. To keep a keyboard safe, try the KEMOVE X Keyboard Travel Case. It provides a cushioned interior with a hard EVA case to provide the perfect combination of soft padding and tough shell that an excellent keyboard deserves. There is even an internal strap to "buckle" the keyboard in and prevent extra shaking about. There's also an additional mesh compartment for a couple of small cords, spare caps, or whatever else can be needed.

The KEMOVE X's interior dimensions are 11.8" x 3.9" x 1.4" and are designed around being compatible with 60%-65% mechanical keyboards. This is worth noting for gamers looking for a keyboard case for a long move. For travel, however, the KEYMOVE X will suit most needs fine and help gamers make conscious decisions about how much they need on their travels.

The NuPhy Air75 is an ultra-thin keyboard made for people on the go who don't want to compromise their typing experience. Measuring only 16mm thick, this keyboard is unlike most mechanical keyboards on the market. The Air75 aims to be the first thing people think of when they hear "thin keyboard".

• Incredibly lightweight
• Works with up to 3 devices (including PC, tablet, and smartphone) simultaneously
• Difficult for those with Extra Large Hands

For those gamers who want a keyboard that is easy to pack even without a case, look no further than the NuPhy Air 75. This ultra-thin keyboard measures only 16mm thick and does not compromise the typing experience. The NuPhy Air75 is a mechanical keyboard with red, blue, or brown low-profile mechanical switches, but it is also fully hot-swappable, so gamers who want to customize it and make it their own can easily do so.

As far as gaming on this keyboard, it is an absolute delight. There are three ways to connect it: wired, 2.4GHz wireless, and Bluetooth. Most gamers will probably want to use the wired or 2.4GHz wireless option because Bluetooth is not quick enough for fast-paced gaming. However, the Bluetooth connection is excellent when gamers are in a pinch or want to connect it to their tablet. By default, the Air75 only comes with the keyboard, but for those who plan to travel with this keyboard, a folio carrying case can be added on for an extra $19. This folio case won't just protect the keyboard from bumps and scratches, but it also doubles as a tablet stand.

With up to 250 hours of battery life, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed Gaming Mouse will outlast almost any wireless mouse. At the same time, the mouse's HERO sensor is rated at up to 12,000 DPI, so gamers sacrifice little when opting for this more portable, budget-friendly mouse.

• Up to 12,000 DPI
• 1,000 Hz polling rate
• Incredibly long battery life
• No Bluetooth connection option
• Have to replace AA battery there is no way to recharge it via cable.

Mice are typically smaller and will fit into most bags or cases regardless of the size of the mouse, so finding one that is good for travel is generally easier than most accessories. But where the Logitech G305 makes the case for itself as the best travel gaming mouse is the price and impressive battery life. Unless gamers are traveling for an e-sports competition and can not give up their favorite gaming mouse, carrying around an expensive top-of-the-line mouse might not be the best idea. The G305, however, is typically below $50 and is okay if it gets banged up or tossed around a bit.

When traveling, gamers will not always have access to a typical gaming desk setup, so having a wireless mouse will reduce the need for a clear path for the cable. Of course, with a wireless mouse, it will need to be recharged at some point, but because the G305 is incredibly efficient, it has an extremely long battery life of 250 hours. If it does happen to die while traveling, users can replace the AA battery for another 250 hours of use instead of recharging.

The RLSOSO Hard Case is a mouse case that is designed for Logitech G Pro series and MX Master series mice. It will also support similarly sized mice from other manufacturers. The case has a hard shell with a soft coating, plus a nice interior strap to keep the mouse even more stable during travels.

• Internal Strap to Reduce Shaking
• Soft Interior, Hard Exterior
• Basically Universal
• Loop for Carabiner
• Limited Internal Storage with Larger Mice

As some gamers seem to have a soft spot for Logitech gaming mice , it figures that they'll also need to transport them about. RLSOCO's hard case is designed with Logitech G, G Pro, and MX Master series mice in mind, although it can also carry any mouse under 5.5" x 3.9" x 2.0" in size, as it is truly universal.

The RLSOCO case features a hard EVA exterior that can keep a mouse from getting crushed and a soft interior that will keep it from getting banged about. There's even a "seatbelt" strap inside to reduce extra moving. With it ready to go, toss the small case in a bag or use the loop to carry it. Users can attach it to a carabiner or pop it on a keychain. This makes the RLSOCO mouse case an excellent choice for con-goers or LAN party attendees who expect to have a PC provided but want to bring their own special mouse.

The Soundcore VR P10 wireless earbuds are made to be used with the Meta Quest 2, but thanks to the under 30ms latency and USB-C 2.4Ghz dongle, these earbuds can be used for gaming regardless of the system. Plug in and play using the USB-C dongle to connect to Meta Quest 2, Steam Deck, PICO 4, PS4, PS5, PC, or Switch. And don't worry about running low on battery. The dongle has a pass-through charging port to keep gamers playing all day.

• Excellent sound quality
• USB-C dongle connection for ultra-low latency connection
• Built-in microphone
• Fairly short battery life

Gaming headsets make any gaming experience much more immersive and enjoyable, but most travelers won't have room for a full-sized headset in their bag. The Soundcore VR P10, on the other hand, offers incredible sound, a low latency wireless connection, and a built-in microphone, all in a tiny package that can fit in a pocket. The VR P10 are true wireless earbuds made for gaming with the Meta Quest 2, but thanks to the USB-C 2.4 GHz dongle, gamers can easily connect them to their PC.

These earbuds won't give the same surround sound experience that some gaming headsets offer, but they sound absolutely fantastic for their price and size. They have a feature called Super Hearing that boosts the bass in game, so it is easier to hear footsteps and shots. Plus, they can be used as regular Bluetooth headphones with a simple, understated look when not gaming.

The CURMIO 24-Inch Monitor Carrying Case is perfect for taking any monitor on the go. The 24-inch size is a great compromise for most gaming setups. This case completely covers the monitor and leaves room for the accompanying stand.

• Lightweight
• Don't Need to Remove Stand
• Sturdy, 6-Clip Design
• Limited Other Storage
• No Stand Protection

The CURMIO 24-inch Monitor Carrying Case surrounds and secures a monitor as users travel with it. Unlike a lot of cases where the product it is meant to protect is inserted into the case, the CURMIO case initially appears as a sheet. By folding this "sheet" around the monitor and using the six provided clips, a 24-inch gaming monitor will be completely surrounded and protected. There's even a cutaway for the stand and a handle at the top. This means users can carry their monitor like any other piece of luggage and rest it on its stand when they stop moving. Not that gamers should expect to need to put the case down regularly, as it is only one pound.

While the CURMIO 24-inch Monitor Carrying Case boasts extra storage compartments, gamers will likely find that they are limited and don't offer the solid protection that more dedicated cable cases offer on this list. Additionally, the stand isn't afforded any protection from this setup, which can feel like an oversight. However, for those traveling with a PC and monitor and having any say in how they are handled, this will easily be the setup to go for.

The ORIENT FORMULAY Travel Electronics Waterproof Cable Organizer Bag is a great way to keep computer cables organized and untangled when travelling. Plus, there is even room for an iPad.

• Carries All Small Accessories
• Anti-Tangle Design
• Can Store Tablets, Power Banks, Etc.
• Water Resistant
• Double Zipper Design Provides Entrance for Water

The waterproof cable organizer bag from ORIENT FAMULAY is a great way to carry a ton of USB, HDMI, and other connection cables that stick into a PC tower. Not only does it keep them organized and as tangle-free as possible, but it also keeps them safe from the elements with a water-resistant outer casing. While the double zipper design does leave an opening for water to enter during a deluge, being smart and keeping the zippers to the side should protect the wires and gear from most sources of harm.

Gamers will also find storage slots perfect for a power bank or an iPad, so if gamers happen to be using their vacation to get through a backlog of great iPad games , then the ORIENT FAMULAY bag will suit their needs well.

The G7 SE Controller is a licensed Xbox controller featuring Hall Effect sticks and tons of customization options. With two extra buttons and four on-board profiles, remapping the button layout is quick and easy. The GameSir Nexus app allows for further customization of the controller's haptic feedback and input sensitivity. The only Xbox controller to have Hall Effect joysticks, this wired controller is one of the most cutting-edge options available.

• Only Xbox controller with hall effect sticks
• Save up to four profiles
• Extremely customizable
• Long wire may be too unwieldy for some gamers
• Only two extra buttons

A controller is always a great thing to have, even though most PC gamers prefer the accuracy of a mouse and keyboard. For those casual games or games like Dark Souls that are nearly impossible to enjoy on a mouse and keyboard, a portable and sturdy controller is an excellent thing to have. For this list, Game Rant has selected the GameSir G7 SE. The under $50 price tag for such high-end specs makes it a no-brainer for most PC and Xbox gamers alike.

Related: GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller Review

The main draw of the G7 SE is the Hall effect joysticks, which have become all the rage lately, with that no-good stick drift ruining everyone's day. Thanks to the Hall effect joysticks, gamers can easily throw this controller into a bag and not worry about having issues with it afterward. The only real downside of the G7 SE is that it is wired, but when traveling, it feels like everything needs to be recharged, so having one accessory that is only wired might be a relief.

How to choose good PC travel accessories

It's already pretty stressful thinking about having to move a PC around, so most gamers don't want to have to overthink getting the carrier as well. Don't worry, it's not too complicated!

Beyond simply picking out a carrier that fits the device , be sure to also look at the materials used to support the outside and inside, the ease of carry , and the shock absorption of the accessory.

While there are similarities between the carriage of a PC tower and the other components that come with computing, sometimes the needs and capabilities to do so are different. When these differences are significant enough, this guide will highlight those differences.

Materials — Inside & Out

The exterior of PC travel accessory bags is usually a soft, water-resistant material that is built tough to resist wear and snags. This soft material will help avoid pain from repeatedly bumping into the skin. Sometimes, smaller accessories skip this part and simply provide a harder exterior. This is because these carrying cases are meant to be put in a backpack or other carrying case and aren't so focused on protecting from the harshest outdoor elements.

Some cases have a hard layer to protect the device from crushing damage. This is more typical for smaller cases made for gamers' favorite mechanical gaming keyboard or mouse. Where PC towers already have a hard exterior shell, letter keys, and mouse buttons are more likely to take damage in transit.

The interiors are typically made up of nylon , a lightweight but strong material that is often used in luggage. Nylon is non-conductive , so it is often used in electronics products but can have some static issues. As a result, users may wish to carry their hard drives in a special carrying case .

Traveling with the best gaming monitor ? The form factor may be completely different. Monitors are more likely to be "strapped in" to a carrier than placed inside one. Still, the materials used will be similar. Need a new gaming pc entirely? Check out Game Rant's list for the best gaming PCs !

Ease of carry

There are several carrying styles used by PC travel accessories. Factor in stature, strength, and predicted walking distances when evaluating a carry style for PC accessories. Also, if traveling with other stuff (clothes, etc.), don't zero in so much on carrying a PC that the essentials like clothes are forgotten. In any event, here are the likely things most gamers will encounter and what to know about each one:

• Handle: The most basic style of carriage. Since the materials in a carrying case are usually quite light, that won't be an issue, but the PC tower on the inside might add quite a lot of weight. Be sure the handle is made of a comfortable material.
• Backpack Loops: Backpack style carriage is nice for saving a hand, but can have other issues. Typical school backpacks push the books down, keeping a low center of gravity, where PC tower backpacks tend to go high and raise the center of gravity. Shorter, lightweight people may struggle with this type of case.
• Handle and Wheels: The best carrying style for avoiding dealing with heavier weights. If traveling over gravel or uneven surfaces, it is still advised to carry off the ground to avoid unnecessary jostling.

Shock Absorption

The final piece of the puzzle is shock absorption. The soft interior takes care of part of it, but that doesn't account for the whole story.

Interior shock absorption is aided by straps, tightening belts, and (if the travel accessory is meant to hold multiple components) having separate compartments for each component. Foam inserts and choosing a carrying case that fits snuggly around a PC tower further help. Cases for mice and keyboards are typically aided by elastic straps , but be on the lookout for product-specific cases for gamers who have a particularly popular product.

As for the exterior, check the bottom of the case . Shock-absorbing feet aren't on all the best PC travel accessories, but they are a welcome addition when available.

Q: How do I pack my computer for travel?

How to pack your computer for travel depends heavily on the distance you are traveling, the components you have, the means of transport, and your personal risk tolerance. If you are expecting heavily bumpy traffic, it could be advisable to remove HDD storage and place it in anti-static casing. You may also wish to re-insert any foam that came with the PC during initial shipping back into the tower, as it is likely to fit perfectly, or try using your own PC-safe material. Put the PC in a PC tower carrying case for travel and try to place it on a spongy surface in your car or other means of transport. All PCs and trips are different, so readjust as necessary.

Q: Can I carry my PC in flight?

According to the United States' Transport Security Administration (TSA) decision about desktop computers in flight , you can bring your PC with you on a plane in your carry on bags or fly it via your checked bags. You should note that you'll need to remove your PC from the carry-on bag to have it run through X-ray screening. For this reason, it is best to use simple packaging — such as a PC tower carrying case — whenever possible. As the TSA warns that the officer on duty has the final say on whether a PC is allowed onto the plane, contacting your local airport with any questions about your specific case is highly recommended.

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• Best Laptop
• Best Upper Mid-Range
• Best Mid-Range
• Best Budget
• Best Compact
• Best Gaming

Notable Mentions

Recent updates, all reviews, the 6 best travel laptops - spring 2024 reviews.

When shopping for a travel laptop, a couple of requirements immediately come to mind: size, weight, and battery life. Finding a thin and light laptop isn't so much a problem when it comes to general productivity and media consumption devices, but finding a relatively portable mobile workstation or gaming laptop can still be challenging. You must also ensure that portability doesn't come at the cost of a flimsier, cheaper-feeling build. Screen brightness is another thing to consider, as you want a display that can overcome glare in bright settings, and you'll want a good keyboard and touchpad, as they're your primary input methods. A good port selection is a must if you don't want to carry around a hub or dock, and webcam quality is important if you're often on video calls. Biometrics isn't necessary but nice to have, especially if you don't like typing out your password or PIN in a public area.

We've bought and tested over 105 laptops. Below are our recommendations for the best laptops for travel you can buy. You can also see our recommendations for the  best laptops , the  best business laptops , and the best laptops for college .

Best Laptop For Travel

The best travel laptop we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023). This 14-inch workstation has nearly everything you could ask for in a premium model: a sturdy all-metal chassis, a compact design, tons of processing power, and a long battery life. It sports a bright 120Hz Mini LED display, a spacious keyboard, and a gigantic, easy-to-use haptic touchpad. The display is suitable for color work, as it has full DCI P3 coverage and superb factory calibration. Its 1080p webcam is excellent, so your colleagues can see and hear you clearly on video calls.

New in this generation of MacBook Pro is the addition of a base M3 model, similar to the discontinued 13-inch model with Touch Bar. This can be a great option if you don't need all the processing power but still want the 'Pro' features, like the display and up-firing speakers. The main downside is that the RAM and storage aren't user-replaceable, and upgrading them increases the total cost considerably.

The  Dell XPS 15 (2023) is our recommendation for Windows users. It's a larger 15.6-inch device but weighs the same as the MacBook Pro 14. It provides a great user experience and can easily handle demanding tasks like programming and video editing. Unlike the MacBook Pro, the RAM and storage drive are user-replaceable, so you can upgrade or add more space later. Unfortunately, there are a couple of tradeoffs, like its display's basic 60Hz refresh rate and its terrible 720p webcam. Port selection is also a slight downgrade compared to the MacBook Pro, as there's no HDMI port. Lastly, Dell has released new XPS models in 14- and 16-inch sizes, so if you're a fan of the 15-inch size, this is a good time to get one because it's often on sale on  Dell's website .

See our review

Best Upper Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

If your workload includes lighter tasks like text processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, and video playback, get the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) instead. It's also a high-end model that provides a premium user experience; however, it doesn't have as much processing power, so you aren't overpaying for performance you don't need. Don't worry; its M2 SoC is fast and can stand toe to toe with current-generation Intel and AMD CPUs. While its IPS panel isn't as impressive as the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) 's 120Hz Mini LED display, it's still pretty and bright enough for outdoor use. The main drawback is the port selection, which comprises two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports with support for a single external display.

As you may have heard, Apple has released a new MacBook Air with its M3 chip. There are only a few changes, including a slightly faster SoC, Wi-Fi 6E, and support for two external displays, though the latter has a caveat, as you can only get two external displays with the laptop's lid closed. We'll have a full review of the new model soon. If you don't need these upgrades, Apple still sells the M2 model as a more budget-friendly option with a starting price of $999 USD. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is also a good option if you want more screen space and don't mind paying more. It's still very portable for a 15-inch model, but it might not fit into smaller messenger or sling bags.

A Windows alternative would be the LG gram 14 (2023) . At 2.1 lbs, this 14-inch ultraportable is even lighter than the MacBook Air 13. It provides a good user experience overall, and while its battery life is shorter, it's still enough to get through a typical workday. It also has a wider port selection that includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, allowing you to connect up to two 4k displays at 60Hz with a single cable. Naturally, there are compromises, like a worse dimmer, lower-resolution FHD+ display, and a less premium-feeling magnesium alloy build.

Best Mid-Range Laptop For Travel

Our best mid-range pick is the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022), a 14-inch 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook. It's a very compact device that's easy to carry around, and its battery lasts over 13 hours of light use. The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings, and since it's a 2-in-1 convertible, you can set it up in tent mode for media consumption or flip the screen all the way around and use it as a tablet. If you want to take handwritten notes, it supports pen input and comes with a stylus that you can dock into its charging slot at the front of the device. Ports include one USB-A, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, and an HDMI port.

Spec-wise, this laptop has various Intel 12th Gen CPUs, from a Core i3 to a P-series Core i7. However, only the Core i5 model with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage is widely available, and even that model is getting hard to find. There's a newer 2023 model, which we haven't tested but expect to be very similar. The upgrades include a faster Intel 13th Gen CPU and a 1440p webcam. You can get the 2023 model on Amazon or at  Best Buy . Lastly, if you're new to Chrome OS, know that the type of applications you can install is limited, so you need to ensure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android apps.

Best Budget Laptop For Travel

For those on a tighter budget, get the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020), a 14-inch Windows ultraportable. Acer's Swift models are typically more expensive, but since this is a 2020 version, you can get it much cheaper. It has a nice FHD display, a decent keyboard, and a wide port selection, including two USB-As, one USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, a full-size HDMI, and a headphone jack. It's available with an Intel 11th Gen Core i5 or i7 CPU and up to 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage.

The Intel 11th Gen CPUs are two generations behind Intel's latest offerings but can still easily handle general productivity tasks like web browsing, text processing, spreadsheets, and video playback. Plus, the battery life is amazing at over 13 hours of light use. Its 720p webcam is its main weakness; the image is underexposed, and the microphone sounds staticky.

Best Compact Laptop For Travel

If you need something compact to browse the web or answer emails on the go, get the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021), a 10.5-inch tablet PC with a built-in kickstand and a detachable keyboard. It's super compact, and its battery lasts a little over seven hours of light use. Its FHD+ display looks very sharp, gets bright enough to combat glare, and supports pen input. You get an excellent 1080p webcam, a second back-facing camera, and a facial recognition IR camera for quick logins. Like all Microsoft 2-in-1 tablets, you must buy the keyboard and stylus separately. The keyboard is worth getting, as it's much more comfortable to type on than an on-screen keyboard, and it protects the screen from scratches.

The Surface Go 3 is available with an Intel Pentium Gold or Core i3 CPU. They perform well enough for this tablet PC's intended use, which is to say simple tasks like web browsing, emails, and video playback, but don't expect to do anything remotely intensive. If your budget allows, it's worth upgrading the memory to 8GB, as you'll get a much smoother experience with fewer slowdowns when multitasking. Port selection is limited; you only get a USB-C, a headphone jack, and a proprietary Surface Connect charging port.

Best Gaming Laptop For Travel

We recommend the Razer Blade 14 (2022) for gaming on the go. This 14-inch model is surprisingly thin and light for a gaming laptop, and aside from its green logo on the lid, it has a fairly understated design, so it doesn't stick out in a professional environment if you use it for work. It's available in three preset configurations: a 1080p 144Hz display with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3070 Ti, or a 1440p 165Hz display with an RTX 3080 Ti. All three configurations deliver a smooth gaming experience in demanding AAA titles.

We don't have many complaints about the keyboard; the keys have a good amount of travel and tactility, but they could be more stable. And, of course, it has per-key RGB backlighting. As for upgradeability, the storage drive is replaceable, but not the memory, as all three configurations come with 16GB of soldered RAM.

A newer model of the Blade 14 is available. Its design remains largely unchanged, as the upgrades are internal. The CPU is now an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, and GPU options include an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and 4070. These new GPUs bring a new feature called Frame Generation, which boosts performance by inserting AI-generated frames. Few games currently support this feature, but as we've seen with DLSS, the adoption rate will likely grow quickly. There's also a new display option: a 240Hz QHD+ panel with a matte finish and VRR support. See  here  for more details about the new Razer Blade 14.

• ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023): The ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) is a great 2-in-1 Windows convertible and a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It feels as well built as the MacBook Air and has a gorgeous, albeit slightly dimmer, OLED display. It also has a wider port selection, including two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s with support for multiple external displays. It's heavier, though, and its battery life is shorter at around eight hours of light use. See our review
• Framework Laptop 13 (2023): The Framework Laptop 13 (2023) is a good alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022) if you want a laptop that's easy to repair or upgrade. You can replace any component in the laptop, even the CPU and motherboard. All the parts are available via Framework, and the company provides manuals to guide you through the replacement process. It also has a modular port system that lets you swap out the ports on the fly. However, its keyboard, touchpad, speakers, and webcam aren't as good. Also, depending on where you live, it might be harder to get one because you can only get it via Framework's website. See our review
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023): The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) is a great ultraportable alternative to the Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022). It has a wider port selection and Thunderbolt 4 support, and its SSD is user-replaceable. However, it's slightly bulkier, and its battery doesn't last as long. It's also more expensive. See our review
• Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023): The Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) is a good alternative to the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) if you prefer Windows. It provides a great user experience, and its battery lasts around 12 hours of light use. It's a pretty thin laptop, but ultimately, it's still a 16-inch device, so it might not fit into some bags. It also weighs considerably more at 4.4 lbs. See our review
• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021): The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) is a good alternative to the Microsoft Surface Go 3 (2021) if you only need a device for media consumption. It has a much nicer OLED display, and its battery lasts longer. It's a 13-inch device, though, so it isn't as portable as the Surface Go 3. See our review

Mar 15, 2024: Removed the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) from the Notable Mentions because it's discontinued. Added the Framework Laptop 13 (2023) as a Notable Mention. Minor text changes to provide information about new models of the Dell XPS 15, Apple MacBook Air 13, and Razer Blade 14.

Jan 23, 2024: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M2, 2023) with the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) because Apple no longer sells the M2 model.

Nov 16, 2023: Minor text changes to provide information about the new M3 MacBook Pro and to add the Dell XPS 15 (2023) as a Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. Added the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) and Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (2023) as Notable Mentions.

Sep 18, 2023: Replaced the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) because the M1 model is no longer available. Small text changes to include the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 (2023) as an alternative to the MacBook Pro 14. Replaced the Lenovo Chromebook C340 15 (2020) with the Acer Swift 3 14 (2020) because the Acer is a better value.

Jul 18, 2023: Verified that the picks are valid and available. Added the ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED (2023) as a Notable Mention.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best travel laptops you can get. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you prefer to make your own decision, here’s the list of all of our laptop reviews. Keep in mind that most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it’s best to see the full review for information about other variants.

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9 Best Travel Laptops for Digital Nomads

What to look for in a travel laptop

Portability, battery life.

Connectivity

Best travel laptops from hp, 1. hp elitebook notebook.

What makes it great for travel

• Weight : Starting at 2.74 lbs (non-touch); starting at 2.96 lbs (touch)
• Dimensions : 12.11 x 8.05 x 0.7 inches
• Battery life : Up to 14 hours and 15 minutes
• Durability : Distinctive, ultra-slim aluminum design
• Connectivity : Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 (2 x 2) and Bluetooth 5 combo, non-vPro; Intel XMM 7360 LTE-Advanced Cat 9; Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G LTE Cat 20
• Instantly block prying eyes from the ability to view your screen with HP Sure View Reflect
• Find your PC with Tile using the mobile application even when it’s turned off
• Know if someone has tried to open your laptop’s cover thanks to HP Tamper Lock intrusion detection technology
• Windows 10 Pro 64
• 11th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor
• Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• 13.3-inch diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, anti-glare, 250 nits, 45% NTSC display
• 8GB memory (RAM) up to 64GB
• 256GB SSD storage up to 2TB
• 720p HD camera

2. HP Elite Dragonfly notebook

• Weight : Starting at 2.18 lbs
• Dimensions : 11.98 x 7.78 x 0.63 inches
• Battery life : Up to 24.5 hours
• Durability : Built with lightweight magnesium; durable, iridescent dragonfly blue finish, diamond cut accents
• Connectivity : Intel Dual Band Wireless-AX201 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2 x 2) WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5 Combo vPro
• HP Sure View Reflect for defense against prying eyes
• Guard against malicious surveillance with HP Sure Shutter, an integrated physical shutter activated by a dedicated key on the keyboard
• Lock your laptop if it’s been physically opened or compromised with HP Tamper Lock
• 11th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with 4 cores
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• 13.3-inch diagonal BrightView LED FHD touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass display
• 16GB RAM up to 32G
• 256GB NVMe SSD up to 2TB
• 720p HD+IR camera with integrated electronic privacy shutter

3. HP Elite x2 convertible notebook

• Weight : Starting at 1.83 lbs (tablet); starting at 2.58 lbs (tablet with keyboard)
• Dimensions : 11.39 x 8.5 x 0.35 inches (tablet); 11.39 x 8.74 x 0.56 inches (tablet with keyboard)
• Battery life : HP Long Life 2-cell, 47 Wh Li-ion polymer; Fast-charging to 50% in 30 minutes
• Durability : Crafted from durable premium CNC aluminum with diamond cut accents; kickstand helps stabilize the PC
• Connectivity : Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo, vPro
• Protect from prying eyes with the physical shutter of HP Privacy Camera
• Rear and front (IR camera enabled for facial recognition)
• Block others from viewing your screen with HP Sure View Gen 3
• Secure your system when you browse the internet or view untrusted documents with HP Sure Click
• Detect attacks or removal attempts and restore applications to their original state with the continuously operating HP Sure Run
• 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor
• 13.0-inch WUXGA+ (1920 x 1280) touchscreen display
• 8GB RAM up to 16GB
• 720p HD IR camera (user-facing), 8MP rear camera (world-facing)

4. HP Spectre x360 convertible laptop

• Weight : Starting at 2.88 lbs
• Dimensions : 12.08 x 7.66 x 0.67 inches
• Battery life : Up to 22 hours
• Durability : Crafted from a single piece of aluminum; 360-degree-rotating hinges that are innovatively engineered, strong, easily adjustable, and protect the display
• Connectivity : Intel WiFi 6 AX 201 (2 x 2) and Bluetooth 5 Combo
• Fingerprint reader
• Integrated FHD IR webcam with unhackable privacy camera kill switch
• Dedicated microphone mute button; optional integrated privacy screen
• Windows 10 Home 64
• 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor up to an Intel Core i7 (both 4 cores)
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics
• 13.3-inch diagonal FHD or optional 4K UWVA BrightView micro-edge AMOLED multitouc h display
• 8GB to 16GB RAM

5. HP Chromebook x360 convertible laptop

• Weight : Starting at 2.98 lbs
• Dimensions : 10.71 x 8.5 x 0.68 inches
• Battery life : Up to 13 hours and 15 minutes
• Durability : Optimized, streamlined, and premium metal design
• Connectivity : Intel Wireless-AC 9560 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2x2) WiFi and Bluetooth 5 Combo (MU-MIMO supported)
• Security : Kensington Nano Security Slot

Additional features

• Intel Celeron dual-core processor
• Intel UHD Graphics 600
• 12-inch diagonal HD+ touch display IPS micro-edge WLED-backlit multitouch-enabled edge-to-edge glass (1366 x 912)
• 32GB eMMC storage

6. HP ENVY notebook

• Weight : 2.88 lbs
• Dimensions : 12.07 x 7.66 x 0.67 inches
• Battery life : Up to 18 hours
• Durability : Elevated keyboard hinge for easy, ergonomic typing
• Connectivity : Intel WiFi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo (supporting Gigabit file transfer speeds)
• Security : HP Sure View Privacy Screen; camera privacy shutter
• 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor up to Intel Core i7 (4 cores)
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics up to NVIDIA GeForce MX450 (2GB)
• 13.3-inch diagonal FHD, IPS, BrightView, micro-edge, WLED-backlit display
• 256GB SSD storage up to 1TB

7. HP ENVY x360 convertible notebook

• Weight : 2.92 lbs
• Dimensions :12.07 x 7.66 x 0.65 inches
• Durability : Tested, highly durable metal hinges with a long lifespan
• Connectivity : Realtek Wi-Fi 5 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo and Intel WiFi 6 AX 200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo
• HP Sure View Privacy Screen
• Camera privacy shutter
• Microphone mute button
• AMD Ryzen 3 processor with 4 cores up to AMD Ryzen 7 4700U (8 cores)
• AMD Radeon Graphics
• 13.3-inch diagonal FHD multitouch-enabled display IPS, BrightView, WLED-backlit, 1000 nits
• 8GB up to 16GB RAM
• 128GB up to 1TB SSD storage

8. HP ProBook laptop

• Weight : 2.2 lbs
• Dimensions : 12.11 x 8.05 x 0.71 inches
• Battery life : Up to 20 hours
• Durability : Robust all-metal chassis and aerodynamic edges; spill resistant, backlit HP Premium Keyboard with drain and DuraKeys
• facial recognition camera; manage authentication policies with HP Client Security Manager Gen6
• Connectivity : Realtek RTL8822CE 802.11ac (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 and Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5
• HP Sure View Reflect
• Stay protected with HP Sure Start Gen6, the self-healing BIOS that automatically recovers itself from attacks or corruption
• Fortify data security with multiple authentication factors such as optional fingerprint sensor and IR
• AMD Ryzen 3 APU Processor with 4 cores up to AMD Ryzen 7 5800U with 8 cores
• 13.3-inch FHD display
• 8GB up to 32GB RAM
• 128GB up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD

9. HP ZBook mobile workstation

• Dimensions : 12.73 x 8.45 x 0.71 inches
• Battery life : Up to 14 hours
• Durability : Designed for ultimate durability having undergone 19 intense MIL-STD 810H tests
• Connectivity : Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo, non-vPro
• HP Sure Start
• HP Tamper Lock
• Defend against firmware and malware attacks with HP Sure Sense
• 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor up to i7 with 4 cores
• Intel Iris Xe Graphics or NVIDIA T500 graphics
• 14-inch diagonal FHD IPS, anti-glare, HP DreamColor display
• 8GB up to 64GB RAM
• 256 GB up to 2TB SSD storage

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Home » Gear » best travel laptop

10 BEST Travel Laptops (MUST READ! • 2024)

From the sleek and mighty powerhouses to the budget-friendly gems, our list is tailored for diverse itineraries and preferences. Imagine unwinding in a quaint café with a laptop that boasts a battery life longer than your layover, or editing your travel vlog on a device that handles heavy graphics like a breeze.

I put this guide together with one goal in mind – to help you find the best travel laptop for YOUR travel style. With the help of this epic guide, you’ll easily to be able to know which laptop is best for your needs, style, and budget.

Alllrighty then, do you wanna find out what the best computer for travel is? Well, let’s get to it!

Quick answer: The Best Portable Travel Laptops

What type of traveller are you, best overall laptop for travel – macbook air, best laptop for professionals – macbook pro, best midrange travel laptop – dell xps 13″, best value for money laptop – microsoft surface book, best budget travel laptop – lenovo ideapad, best budget 2-1 laptop – microsoft surface pro 7, other great budget laptops for travel, the best overall travel laptop, what specs to consider before buying the best travel laptop, choosing the best travel laptop faqs, how we tested the best travel laptop, faq about the best travel laptop, final thoughts on the best laptops for travel.

• Macbook Air – Best Lightweight Laptop
• 16.2 Inch MacBook Pro – Best Laptop for Professionals
• Dell XPS 13″ – Best Midrange Laptop
• Microsoft Surface Book – Best Value Laptop
• Lenovo Idea Pad – Best Budget Laptop
• Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – Best Travel Tablet
• Jump to –> Travel Laptop Reviews

Macbook Air

• Portability > 2.5 lbs
• Battery Life > 18 hour battery
• Storage Space > 256 – 512GB SSD
• Processing Power > M2 chip
• Operating System > Mac OS Ventura

16.2 Inch Macbook Pro

• Portability > 6.4 lbs
• Battery Life > 22 hour battery
• Storage Space > 512 GB – 1 TB SSD

Dell XPS 13

• Portability > 2.7 lbs
• Battery Life > 7 hour battery
• Storage Space > 128 GB SSD
• Processing Power > Intel Core i5-7200U 3MB cache, up to 3.10 GHz 8G memory 128G SSD
• Operating System > Windows 10

Microsoft Surface Book

• Portability > 3.34 lbs
• Battery Life > 10.5 hour battery
• Processing Power > 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
• Operating System > Windows 10 Pro

Lenovo Ideapad

• Portability > 5 lbs
• Storage Space > 500 GB Hard Drive
• Processing Power > Intel Pentium 4405U (2M Cache, 2.10 GHz), 2 cores, 4 threads

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

• Portability > 1.7 lbs
• Processing Power > 3 GHz Intel Core i5
• Operating System > Windows 10 Home

My laptop has literally changed my life – not only can I earn money online but I can also stream Game of Thrones wherever I go… and I think we can all agree that that’s pretty damn important.

But what about your needs?

You see, “the best travel laptop” is a pretty broad statement since there are many different types of travelers. The question is – which kind of traveler are YOU?

Here are some extremely important things to consider…

1. Do you need to get work done on your laptop?

If you aren’t planning on using your travel laptop for online work, you don’t necessarily need to splash out on a top of the range laptop.

While it might be tempting to spend $2,000 on the new best laptop, the truth is that only digital nomads and other professionals really need that sort of tech. If you don’t have any work deadlines to meet, it might be better to keep it simple.

2. What will you use your laptop for?

Will you be working on the road (writing, editing, etc.), or mainly surfing the web? Do you need the processing power to run multiple editing programs, or is your prime concern staying connected to social media?

Identifying exactly what you need a laptop for will help you decide on which one is best for your travels.

3. Do you have any size requirements?

Are you traveling with minimal room in your backpack? Are you bringing a bag with certain size requirements?

For instance, some expensive daypacks can’t fit 15-inch laptops, or some laptop sleeves can’t fit larger than a 13 inch. If you buy a special backpack for your laptop , then most of your needs should be met. Either way, make sure to keep these in mind.

4. Are you traveling heavy or light?

The more powerful the laptop, the more it weighs. The difference between a 1.5 lb tablet and a 7 lb professional laptop is HUGE.

Remember that a light traveler is a happy traveler, so if you don’t need a heavier laptop, there’s no reason to cause extra strain on your body.

There are different specs you need to considers when choosing the best laptop for you…

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Two quick things….

• If you are a digital nomad, working professional, or aspiring to work online. Do not pick this travel laptop.
• If you hate Macs or iOS. Do not pick this computer.

Everyone else. This is the best travel laptop. 

If you’re an Apple user, this is Apple’s best Mac laptop for the money and this was the first laptop I took traveling which was adequate for working online. The pros (as with any MacBook) are its integration with apple products, ease-of-use, trackpad and keyboard, design, and reliable performance. It’s also the lightest laptop for travel, so that’s a major win.

I’ve used MacBooks for 7 years now (my first one from 2010 is still alive and kicking!), and I’ve never needed repairs (except to replace an old battery). I can’t say the same for any of the PCs I’ve owned, which is why I think Macs are the best user-friendly laptops if you don’t have a computer background.

If you want a MacBook for browsing, streaming, social, and office, the MacBook Air is fast enough, especially with 2024’s updated processor speed and default memory. But if you want a Retina resolution screen, “Kaby Lake” processors, and more power for editing programs, you’ll have to fork out the money for a MacBook Pro instead.

I recommend you go for as much storage as you can afford if you plan on storing music, images or video because you can’t add storage to Apple computers after purchase. If your laptop is used for browsing and light document work (Excel, Word, etc.) the 256GB SSD should be fine.

• Fast and durable!
• Lightweight (super important)
• Can handle your internet needs and then some
• Not as powerful as other options
• Not good for working professionals

Is the MacBook Air for you?

If you are looking for a light laptop that can handle all of your basic internet needs and then a little bit more – the MacBook Air is my highest recommendation. It’s light and sleek design makes it ideal for travelers, and it comes at a reasonable price.

If you are interested in making money online, you need to invest in a great laptop. The MacBook Pro is my highest recommendation. Its starting price plus lack of ports can be a deal breaker for many, but I still think it is the most versatile, user-friendly laptop out there and mine has allowed me to start and run several businesses from all over the world. I love my MacBook Pro and investing in it was the smartest move I made.

Whether you are freelancing, doing graphic design, blogging or editing photo or video – if you are a traveling professional, it’s hard to beat the MacBook Pro. If you’re in the market for the best lightweight laptop that still has a ton of storage space, the 16.2-inch MacBook is the best choice for you. Weighing less than a 2 kg, this is the best lightweight laptop for travel. Overall, the MacBook Pro is one of the fastest computers on the market. It’s the best traveling laptop for digital nomads, but you have to pay for it.

This is a great choice for bloggers, freelance photographers , etc too. It outperforms the other laptops on this list, but if you’re not set on the Mac OS system, the Dell XPS and Microsoft Surface Book have competing specs for a much more affordable cost.

• Powerful – can handle anything
• Great battery life
• Great for Digital Nomads or professionals
• Unnecessary for normal web users

Is the MacBook Pro for you?

If you can afford a notebook above $1800, or have to bite the bullet because of work, these laptops are going to be fantastic options because they have powerful processors, larger storage space, and better quality build.

High-end laptops are the best laptops for travelling photographers, videographers, laptop bloggers, etc., but not necessary for the average traveller.

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The Dell XPS is best mid-range laptop for travel because of its superb battery life, 7th-generation Core performance and excellent Wi-Fi range. I love that it has more ports than on competing laptops, as well as an SD port. It also has a touch-screen higher-resolution option (for a bit more weight and quite a bit more money).

As for its design, the Dell XPS has a comfortable soft-touch, carbon-fibre deck, infinity display, and rose-colour option. Often the trade off for a thin, best ultralight laptop is shorter battery life and too few ports. The XPS 13, however, gives you nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you need while also remaining pretty light and compact for travel.

If you are a PC user, the Dell XPS 13″ is the best travel computer within the $1000 range. Though if you want more memory than 256MB, or an i7 processor, you will have to pay more money. This is a high quality laptop at a great price…

• Incredible value
• Powerful – good for those who  work and travel
• Great alternative if you don’t like Apple products
• Pricey for a PC
• Touch screen option is very expensive

Is the Dell XPS right for you?

For under $1000, you should be able to find a high quality travel laptop for many of the specs that matter most to the average traveler: weight, portability, and reliability. If you are willing to spend a couple hundred more, I would recommend picking up the Dell…

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This is definitely one of the best-value laptops/tablets for travel! You essentially get the portability and ease of use of a tablet with a detachable keyboard. The Microsoft Surface book is lightweight and portable, but you can still run programs like Lightroom and upload your travel photos and videos. The Stylus Pen is a truly innovative and amazing addition as well.

While this isn’t the cheapest laptop in this guide, the Microsoft Surface book is definitely one of the best value laptops on the markets since you are getting a great tablet and computer all-in-one. When it comes to weight, size, features, battery, I think this is the best travel laptop for your money but if you are going pro and embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, I would recommend getting a Macbook instead.

The Microsoft Surface book is a great laptop for photographers and allows you to run Lightroom, Adobe Premier, and other intensive programs.This is the best Windows 10 option for creatives and travellers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel. It has a battery on the detachable screen and actual computer. When both are charged you can get up to 12 hours battery life.

The 6th generation processor is not as speedy as the 7th generation in the MacBook Pro, but it’s a bit more affordable. The Surface Book also has a leg up on graphics performance in comparison to the MacBook Pro.

• Great value
• Laptop AND a tablet
• Overall pick for best value
• Not powerful enough for professionals/Digital Nomads
• Not as durable

Is the Surface right for you?

People who need discrete graphics, want a powerful computer that is also a 2-1, and Microsoft program integration will find this laptop to be one of the best options out there.

To take full advantage of the separate graphics chip and power, you have to invest more than the starting price and pay for an upgrade, but it’s totally worth it.

The Lenovo is one of the best ultra-lightweight laptops in the budget price range. This Windows OS laptop has 9 hours of battery life, a nice design, and is one of the cheapest light laptops for travel. The performance is good enough for web surfing, editing documents, and viewing movies. The keyboard and touchpad’s quality, however, is less than subpar.

Overall, this is a cheap laptop and a solid choice for the minimal traveller, who wants to stream online and run basic programs. This is definitely not adequate for anybody who needs to work online and certainly the Lenovo cannot handle Lightroom or other photo editing programs.

The team felt this was a great option for those with pretty basic needs looking for something lightweight, affordable and that performs well enough given the tasks expected of it. For those working mostly on word processors and looking to store their travel photos, this is a great option. The standard edition comes with a massive hard drive too making it great for storing and doing some basic processing to travel photos on the road.

• Good for basic surfing and Netflix-ing
• Not durable

Is the Lenovo right for you?

If you are trying to get any work done or be productive, the Lenovo is NOT for you. This is a budget computer that can handle some basic browsing and streaming for the few years it lasts. If that is what you need it for, then this is one of the best budget options!

This is one of the top travel laptops out there because of its versatility and price range compared to the competition. However, the biggest drawback is that the Surface Pro Keyboard  must be bought separately (and costs an extra $120)! The Surface Pro can easily function as an ebook reader, travelling tablet, sketchpad, and video player all-in-one, making it the best tablet for travel, hands down. Plus, I can say from experience that it has awesome resolution and a sharp screen, making it great for watching movies on a plane/bus/train.

Its most stand out features are its touch screen and surface pen stylus. The pen has been tested by comic artists and graphic designers for its accuracy and real-feel! (The pen even learns your handwriting!)

The device doesn’t have as much storage space or processing power as its sister product, the Surface Book, so an external drive is crucial! Though you can upgrade to 256MB or 512MB, it will make the surface pro significantly more expensive.

• Best tablet for travel
• Super light
• Spectacular resolution
• Lacks power/storage
• Not ideal to get serious work done

Is the Surface Pro 7 for you?

The Surface Pro 7 is the best tablet for travel, and with the keyboard one of the most versatile laptops on the market and is definitely worth considering.

What are 2-1 Laptops?  They are travel tablets that can be converted into full laptops. Unlike conventional tablets, they’re made to be used offline and can run computer programs. Moreover, unlike with normal tablets, 2-1 laptops allow you to upload data (music, videos, photos, documents).

Just keep in mind, 2-1 laptops rarely have enough storage space for a lot of videos and photos. A 2-1 tablet/laptop isn’t the best laptop for GoPro users or videographers either since they cannot run intensive video editing programs without sacrificing performance and speed.

1. Samsung Chromebook

The Samsung Chromebook Plus offers a decent design, long battery life, touchscreen, and a hybrid hinge that turns it into a tablet, and is the lightest Chromebook on this list.

Unlike other ChromeBooks, this one is using the sister system, that allows you to download Android apps and use them offline, making it a great Chromebook for travel.

As an alternative to expensive and heavy Macbooks, the team felt the Samsung Chromebook Plus was a really viable option for those not wanting to travel with that kind of laptop but wanting similar performance levels.

2. Acer Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook is one of the better budget lightweight laptops on the market. The laptop has ultra portability, a comfortably sized keyboard, and a touchscreen. The downside is it does feel very “cheap” with a plastic like frame. At 1.1 Kg and 11.6 inches, this is one of the best budget laptops for surfing the internet, and a great option if you’re looking for a small, portable laptop to stream movies on or run other basic tasks with.

Note:  I have listed the starting price for the storage space available. Often you can add more storage space for a higher price.

3. Lenovo Yoga 910

An alternative to the Surface Pro and another one of the best tablets for traveling is another hybrid with cool features like a fingerprint sensor. At 1.4kg (3.09lbs), the Yoga 910 is a heavier than most 2-1s, but also has more storage space to start, an all-metal finish, the latest Kaby Lake processors (i7), and 14in HD display.

It’s reasonably well-priced for a hybrid of this quality, but there is a cheaper, more basic version called the Lenovo Yoga 710 if you’re trying to save some cash. The 910, however, is the best no-compromise option for work and pleasure making it one of the best laptops for travel and digital nomad life.

Tie Between MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13 for the best travel laptop

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro is the best laptop for travel for Mac users, who want the fastest, most reliable computer on the market. The MacBook Pro uses Kaby Lake processors (Intel’s seventh generation chips), has a sleek design, retina (2560 x 1600-pixel) display, touch ID, and the best rated audio sound.

The Dell XPS is the best Windows 10-based laptop. It comes with 13.3 HD display, nearly 14 hours of battery power, and all the connection options you while remaining plenty light and compact for travel. This is a great choice if you want to save a bit of cash and avoid Macs…

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Price is probably the most important factor when choosing the best laptop for traveling.

Unless you are working online, you really don’t need to spend $1000+ to get the best travel laptop. There are several cheap travel laptops and mid-range options that make great laptops for travel.

Remember that high-value items, such as a top of the range laptop, are often harder to claim for on insurance. There are some cheap lightweight laptop options on the market too and overall the price of laptops continues to come down… You get what you pay for though so if you need a laptop for work, I recommend not going for the cheapest laptop option.

2. Portability

Portability is especially essential for the on-the-go, minimal traveler, and an important factor to consider when choosing the best laptop for travel.

You want something lightweight so that your backpack doesn’t end up weighing too much (As we say in the hiking world, ounces add pounds and pounds add pain!). If you haven’t yet picked up a backpack for your trip, check out this post for plenty of backpack inspiration. 

Your laptop’s size is also important (usually correlating with weight) to easily pull your computer in/out of your bag at the TSA security line, etc. The smallest travel laptops and tablets have less storage space and processing power, but they are also cheap and highly portable. If you are going to be on the road a lot, I recommend trying to find a lightweight laptop.

If you have a smaller unit, you can also invest in a smaller laptop bag . So portability not only applies to the laptop itself, but what you’re going to use to carry it.

3. Battery Life

It’s always nice to have a reliable battery life, especially if you are taking your laptop up into the mountains. The best laptops on the market have at least 8 hours of battery life, and some can last for an entire day. If you are spending a lot of time off the grid and still need access to your laptop then consider picking up a portable battery capable of charging a laptop.

Quick travel tip: make sure your wi-fi and blue tooth are turned off (when you’re not using them) to save battery!

4. Storage Space

Most of the top travel laptops (with ample battery life and affordability) lack a large amount of storage space, and if you’re going to store a lot of photos and videos from your travels, it’s important to have ample hard drive space!

I’ve found it’s well worth investing in a cloud drive and/or an external hard drive, especially since photos and videos take up a lot of room. This way you don’t have to sacrifice laptop portability for storage space on the actual laptop.

My first backpacking laptop, a MacBook Air, didn’t have too much storage space so I kept a lot of my photos and videos on Dropbox and stored my movies on a nearly bulletproof portable hard drive .

Typical external drives with 1 terabyte cost around $80 USD, and cloud storage (through Google, Dropbox Microsoft, etc.) average around $10 a month. It’s also important to back up your files in case your travel laptop gets stolen (like my friend Ana’s did in Costa Rica)!

5. Processing Power

If you are running editing programs and high-resolution videos, you should also prioritize the processing power.

The CPU is like the “brain” of your computer. At the moment, Intel Core i7 is the highest performer, but also the most expensive. Intel Core i5 should work for most of the best travel computers, and anything older is fine if you’re just surfing the web.

A separate graphics chip allows gamers, 3D designers, and high-res video editors to run their programs without taking up a ton of RAM and slowing the overall performance of the computer.

An integrated graphics chips (one that shares system memory) is just fine if you don’t have these needs.

If you want a separate graphics chip, keep in mind Apple only puts separate graphics chips in their MacBook Pro 15in computers. The 15 inch MacBooks are more expensive, and in my opinion, anything over 13 inches is too large to be considered one of the best laptops to travel with.

6. Do you prefer Mac, Windows, or Chrome OS?

Most laptops run one of these three operating systems: Windows, Chrome OS, or Mac OS X (for MacBooks only).

Windows notebooks offer the largest range of options for the best travel laptop. The newest window computers offer cool features like touch screens, 2-1 convertible tablets, fingerprint readers, and dual graphics chips.

Mac’s newest operating system, MacOS Sierra, comes with all Apple computers. Once you get the hang of Apple’s programs and trackpad/keyboard short cuts, Mac is the best user-friendly laptop (in my opinion) for the average person who knows nothing about computer engineering or coding.

Macs are expensive, but also reliable, which is important when you are travelling around the world and don’t have time/money to take a computer in for repairs.

Chrome-OS is Google OS’ – simple and secure operating system, usually available on small portable laptops. The drawback? It’s mainly limited to surfing the web, checking email, and navigating social networks, not doing stuff offline. Still, ChromeBooks are the best cheap and light laptops for the minimal traveller.

Conclusion? Most travellers are going to need to prioritise versatility , weight , battery life , and price when picking the best travel laptop. Digital nomads and travellers working remotely are going to need powerful laptops for travel to handle multi-tasking and intensive programs.

Q. What is the best laptop for the money?

In my humble opinion, the best value laptop is definitely the Microsoft Surface Book  – from a specs / weight / price ratio, this laptop outperforms all the others.

Q. What is the best cheap laptop?

The Lenovo Idea Pad  is the best cheap laptop on the market at the moment. It is adequate for streaming movies and casual web browsing but that’s about it… Still, for less than $300, it’s a steal.

Q. What is the lightest travel laptop?

The MacBook Air  is the most compact, thinnest and lightest laptop for traveling on the market… If space and weight is your primary concern, this is the laptop to choose.

Q. What is the best laptop for blogging?

The Macbook Pro  is the best laptop for bloggers and photographers – it can handle whatever you throw at it and edit photos without any problems, even on very advanced, space hungry, software.

Q. What is the smallest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air  takes the gold again for the smallest laptop for traveling…

Q. What is the most durable laptop?

The Macbook Pro  is the toughest laptop in this list and if you put it in a case it can take some knocks… Still, be careful with it.

Q. Should I travel with a laptop or a tablet?

A 2-1 will give you a lot more versatility than just traveling with a laptop or a tablet. If you ARE a fan of tablets, I recommend that you consider getting a 2-1 laptop / tablet combo rather than just a tablet. The Microsoft Surface 7 Pro  is definitely the best 2-1 laptop / tablet on the market.

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out what the best work travel laptop is. Having been digital nomads for a number of years, we think we’re in a decent position to give our 2 cents on the matter!

So when it came to assessing the best travel computers, we looked at a few different factors like specific performance for certain jobs and tasks, memory, storage, speed, weight and durability too. Of course, when it comes to the best laptop for travel and work, much of what is needed is individual depending on your needs. But we tried to cover most of the common uses as well as generalised purposes for travelling with a laptop.

Finally, we also take into account how an item is priced. Travel computers vary wildly in price and the most expensive isn’t always the best for your needs and your trip. However, we did scrutinise the more expensive laptops and gave the cheaper ones a bit more leeway.

Still have some questions about the best laptops for travel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What is the overall best travel laptop?

The perfect all-rounder for digital nomads is the Macbook Air . It packs style, efficiency, plenty of battery life and storage space and a solid operating systen in one little rectangle. For even more storage space, we’d suggest upgrading to a Macbook Pro .

What is the most affordable travel laptop?

The Lenovo Ideapad is one of the best budget options for digital nomads. While the value might not be as high as a Macbook, you’ll definitely get some real bang for your buck.

Which is the lightest travel laptop?

The Macbook Air is one of the best lightweight travel laptops on the market, with only 2.5lbs!

Should I get an insurance for my laptop during my travels?

Hell yes! If you’re relying on your laptop, having your electronics insured is one of first steps to travelling without any worries.

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There you have it!

Our epic reviews of the most versatile laptops, the most cost-efficient laptops, the best laptop for blogging and digital nomads and, of course, the best budget laptop on the market.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the listed choices. I personally tend to lean towards MacBooks because of their reliability and my own personal experiences.

However, some of the newest Microsoft, Lenovo, and Dell laptops have unique, useful features like touch screen, and 2-1 convertibility that give them a leg up as the best traveling laptops.

If you just want the best cheap travel laptop to surf the web and stream online, one of the budget laptops or Chromebooks would be perfect for you.

You will need to upgrade from the ChromeBooks and budget options to one of the travelling tablet 2-1’s or more expensive laptop options if you want to store data but you can get around this by buying a portable hard drive. Personally, I’m a big fan of Macbook Pros but what does the data say? When we compare all the factors, what is the best laptop for traveling?

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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30 Comments

Great article and certainly needed. However, I wouldn’t use a Lenovo product, even if you gave it to me for free. They have lots of problems!

Nicely comprised info for travelers. Like you, I once brought a laptop while traveling, only for it to not turn on due to the none air conditioned climate. It worked fine once I got back to the air conditioned USA. Do you have a laptop suggestion for those traveling to poor areas where cool flowing air is not an option? I’ve heard someone say there are ASUS laptops that can take the heat, but I have yet to find an article that states this.

This is a tough question because I feel like most laptops would be susceptible to this problem. You should buy a laptop with a high-quality frame or invest in an industrial-grade laptop.

Hey, thanks for your effort. I love working outside and i am trying to become more independent. After going through your choices real quick, the microsoft surface pro seems to be the most fit for me. Although i would love to be able to use a powerbank or something to charge it. Any suggestions in that regard?

The most important information thats missing for me is, the ability to work outside. Are all of them equal in that regard? Will i be able to work in the sun? Because my current notebook will not let me do that.

Hey Flo! I’m working off a Surface Pro 4 and I love mostly love it…. Mine has a factory error that dates back to 2016, but new ones should be fine. I’m able to work in the sun… if I need to. But working in the sun is both miserable and can cause eye damage. You’re not meant to be focusing on tiny text on a screen while inundated with blazing sunlight!

The best Windows 10 option for creatives and travelers needing versatility, speed, and power. While technically a powerful laptop, this is also one of the best tablets for travel. I will go for it.

I think this is great and you have totally nailed it by making that statement. Right on.

Thanks for the review. I am going to making some tour videos and for that, I will buy a laptop for video editing. I hope MacBook Pro will do that job greatly.

very informative blog, to bring a laptop while traveling actually I am making a plan to go an India for some time before that I definitely will check your mention points like battery life, processing power etc.

I’ve had my MacBook Air for a couple years now and it’s starting to show signs of needing replacement. Kinda nervous about this and what Apple is currently offering. Hopefully, it will hold out for a bit longer to see what else Apple might have in store.

You should really add the “Surface Laptop” to the list, it’s a great little laptop that allows you to choose how much storage you want along with three different processor options

I am looking for a new laptop and your list is helpful. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing this. A lot of people recommended me to buy the MacBook pro definitely expensive but worth every penny especially for us freelancer who like to travel and do work not just outside our home. Anyways, thank you for sharing this list. I love that you also share how informative and being detailed about the pros and cons.

Glad you found our laptop reviews helpful Esther! I’m a Macbook Pro man myself! 🙂

Please stop using the term “Digital Nomad.” It’s cringeworthy… Also, being a “DM” isn’t the only reason to have a high-powered laptop.

If you have heaps of money to spend on a high end laptop purely for leisure then good for you dude but for most people that kind of investment is only worth making if you’re going to be working online, with your laptop, as you travel.

that was wonderful details on the travel laptpops for all the techno freaks. Good post with all the essential details.

The performance of the SurfaceBook 2 is everything you could want form a laptop and thanks to the dual battery the battery life on offer here is impressive from a performance-focused device.

While choosing the laptop for traveling it is most important to consider which specs will optimize the digital experience. Which type of laptop is best for traveling and also how you plan to use your laptop while traveling

I’m definitely a windows user! The surface book 2 is just awesome, I’m gonna buy it soon.

Chromebooks are pretty much the perfect laptop for travelling. I mean not only are they cheap and super light and portable, but you can’t do much on them – which hopefully means you’ll STAY THE HECK OFF OF THEM and actually enjoy your vacation 😉

Comprehensive and detailed. I love that you have included comparison and required specs of the different travel laptops. I’d go for portability, memory, and battery life. Thanks for providing the best choices!

Hii Will Hatton,

I would like to say big thank you for your post. I really love to read it , this is such a very appreciable & informative post for each travelers. Keep posting

Yeah portability is what makes laptops great 🙂

I’ve been looking for a laptop to use for my business when I am away from home. So glad I found your blog. It has great info and I think I’ve narrowed it down to 2 different ones. Price is going to effect my choice, but that’s how it goes.

Hi, I’m going to India this winter but I’m also a student so I do have to be checking my laptop to see if my assignments and homework. I’m a little worried about wifi coverage. When you go to 3rd world countries how do you get reliable wifi? What provider/coverage plan do you use?

You’ll be fine – WiFi can be found in most places these days, which is kind of a shame. I don’t have reliable WiFi when I travel, I just get on with it.

Yes, but what no travel writer thinks to mention is which of these computers, all or none or in between, can connect to Channels 12 (in Canada and the rest of the world) 13 (in Europe and the rest of the World) and 14 in Japan. I’ve bought devices in the past, for world traveling, only to discover that the devices had been needlessly throttled for US customers at the firmware level. In other words, they could only connect on Channels 1-11.

Hi Will, Great detailed post. For me, a travel laptop has to be extra portable and have long-lasting battery. Chromebooks tend to meet those requirements and I always keep one for when I am on the road.

I’m truly impressed with your business finesse while traveling in some really interesting places. Nicely done!

I used to be a MacBook fan, but this last one as well as my latest iPhone has made me look elsewhere. The Dell XPS and the Lenovo Yoga products definitely seems to get great reviews and rock solid performance. I think I’ll be checking them out next. And, of course, your travel on $10 a day…didn’t think that was possible anymore! Thanks for some great reads

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Walmart Gaming Computer Sale Spring 2024: Save Over $900 on a New Setup

These editor-tested picks are seeing ultra-low prices.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

It’s tough out there. But Walmart quietly dropped prices on some of our top picks, making the purchase a bit more budget-friendly . Right now, we’re seeing editor-tested laptops and PCs listed for up to over $900 off. There’s no telling how long these deals will last, so if you’ve been waiting for the right time to strike, this is it.

Before you shop, though, take into consideration a few factors: Look at your favorite and most-played games to determine what Hz refresh rate, core processor, and battery life you need to maximize your game time. You should also consider your budget—there are computers on this list ranging from under $750 to upwards of $3,000 .

Here, we’re breaking down what you need to know about the on-sale models at Walmart. The biggest discount we’re seeing is on the Razer Blade 18 , which gamers know comes with a hefty price tag but is currently 21 percent off. You can save anywhere from $80 to $386 on other models, thanks to these deals.

Best Gaming Laptop Sales at Walmart

Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop

While it’s a splurge, the Blade 18 from Razer has a lot to offer: The 4080 graphics card from Nvidia and i9 processor from Intel mean the computer is built to handle games with intense performance metrics.

The laptop also has a powerful cooling system to prevent overheating during long sessions. It was a Reddit-approved pick for its powerful internal system and performance.

Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop

The reasonable price and surprisingly strong 1080p display make this laptop a steal, especially if your budget is under $1,000 . It features an RTX 3050 graphics card that's great for handling mid-level settings on popular games.

It’s not the sleekest option on the market, but the price balances this out. This is one of the most affordable gaming computer deals we're seeing from Walmart right now.

Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Beginner Gaming PC

With serious power in the form of a high-end Intel Core i9 processor, NVIIA RTX 4080 GPU, and generous 32GB of RAM, this computer can handle even the most demanding games.

It's one of the pricier options on sale right now, but if you can splurge for an all-time stellar setup, you should. The premium beginner gaming PC is future-proofed and even offers AI-powered enhancements for smoother gameplay.

ASUS ROG Small Form Factor Desktop Beginner Gaming PC

Our best overall gaming PC , this pick has an impressive 32GB of RAM, an Intel i7 core processor, and NVIDIA GTX 4070 graphics. It'll run the latest games at high settings, and you won't have a problem switching between tasks.

The ROG mini-tower also has a sweet design, with RGB lighting that can be customized to different colors, depending on your preference. It’s a good pick for small spaces, like a bedroom or dorm.

ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop

The key feature of this gaming laptop is the 17.3-inch screen—it’s a larger-sized gaming rig that you can still take on the go. The screen has minimal bezels and a 144 Hz refresh rate for smooth graphics.

You’ll want to keep a charger nearby since the large screen impacts battery life. Our only con is its last-gen CPU and GPU, which limits its capacity for graphically intensive games.

Dell G15 Gaming Laptop

One of the best laptops we tested , the Dell G15 packs a ton of performance. It’s a bit bulkier than its rivals, but a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU make it an incredible GPU-CPU pairing.

The 15.6-inch 1080p display and 360 Hz refresh rate round out the computer for handling high frame rate games. Very few laptop screens offer this kind of performance, so it’s a smart buy—on sale or not.

How much does a gaming computer cost?

While you can find gaming laptops and PCs for less than $500, there’s a wide range in price points and some can go for over $3,000. Before you decide on your budget, consider how invested you are in gaming, as well as which games you play most often. This will help you determine if the features that come with the bigger price tags are worth it for you.

Is now a good time to buy a gaming computer?

Typically, we don’t see major deals on gaming computers outside of big sale moments, like Prime Day or Black Friday. This sale is a great opportunity to snag a new setup for a little bit less. A new laptop or PC makes for a great gift for the gamer in your life—maybe Dad needs one for Father’s Day ? If you do buy one now, this sale will help you get a great computer at a great price.

Ellen McAlpine is a commerce editor and writer at Hearst Magazines, covering tech, fitness, lifestyle, and beyond. In her time as a writer, she’s covered everything from top tech items like running watches and ring lights to phone cases and beauty tools. 

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100-Year-Old Woman Mistakenly Identified as Unaccompanied Minor on Flights Due to Glitch with Birth Year, 1923

"I’m going through my second childhood," jokes the centenarian in an Instagram video

Gayle Kirschenbaum

At 100 years old, Mildred Kirschenbaum still enjoys traveling — but since reaching her milestone birthday last August, she’s had an unusual experience flying.

The centenarian, who once owned a travel agency in New York and is still a registered agent,  says she now shows up as an “unescorted minor” due to a glitch in the airlines’ computer systems.

“The code is two digits for the month, two digits for the day, and two digits for the year. I was born in 1923. So I put in 23,” Mildred explains in a video posted on the Instagram account of her daughter, Gayle.

“Soon as I check in, I’m an unescorted minor,” she continues. “The supervisor has to come. And they have to see me right through security. No one seems to know how to correct it.”

Mildred, who’s previously gone viral on social media for sharing advice on life and longevity, adds with her trademark humor, “I’m going through my second childhood.”

While the birth year error requires extra time to sort out at the airport before boarding, she tries not to stress too much over it.

“I allow myself a half hour at the counter,” she tells PEOPLE. “I'm not going to get myself worked up with it.”

The Florida resident shared the video ahead of a May trip to New York, where Gayle lives. But she’s taken multiple flights since turning 100, including traveling to London in September for a transatlantic cruise. And a quick jaunt to New York for an appearance on Sherri, hosted by Sherri Shepherd , just last week.

While the mother-daughter duo often fly Delta, they say the problem isn’t limited to one airline — nor was it caused by a booking mistake on Mildred's part.

“I was busy blaming her, saying, ‘Let me see what you did. You probably put it in incorrectly,’” Gayle tells PEOPLE. 

However, Gayle then called a travel agency her mom is connected to and was told, “That's how it is. It's two digits in the system." 

She adds that it now happens “every time" Mildred flies, no matter how they book the flight.

Delta confirmed to PEOPLE that because of how several legacy, industry-wide back-end booking and ticketing systems are built, the fields for customers' birth years only have the capacity for two digits instead of four.

"While it’s clear this customer is young at heart, she’ll simply have to check in with a friendly Delta agent at the airport to get her boarding pass," a representative for the airline told PEOPLE in a statement. "We appreciate her understanding and we’d love to hear her points on longevity and why she likes to travel as Delta marks our own 100th birthday next year.”

Gayle says she thinks the video she posted of her mom "has woken up the industry,” noting, “I'm hearing from people in the aviation IT area saying, ‘We're working on this.’”

Gayle has also heard from other relatives of centenarians who’ve had similar experiences.

“This happened to my mom too,” one commenter, who said her own mother was born in 1913, wrote on Gayle’s Instagram post.

Gayle says her social media followers also appreciated her mom’s playful take on the frustrating situation.

“They all love her attitude,” she says. “She makes light of everything.”

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Gayle describes Mildred — with whom she recently collaborated on a book, Mildred's Mindset: Wisdom from a Woman Centenarian — as “incredibly resilient and fearless” and “absolutely not her age.”

“Travel is in our blood, I have to tell you,” says Gayle, a photographer, writer and filmmaker, who made the 2015 documentary Look at Us Now, Mother! “We have had great adventures all over the world.”

“When you don't have this fear, you get to enjoy a lot of things in life and have a lot of adventures,” she adds.

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How computer vision is transforming cybersecurity.

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Integrating computer vision technology is a big step forward in cybersecurity defense strategies. With its ability to automate threat detection and enhance surveillance systems, computer vision is fundamentally reshaping how organizations protect their digital assets. Exploring the transformative impact of computer vision on cybersecurity, Vitali Zahharov , a seasoned visual designer known for his innovative user interface designs for major companies, shares his insights.

Analyzing Visual Data for Enhanced Security

At the heart of computer vision's transformative power lies its capacity to analyze vast volumes of visual data in real time. By harnessing the prowess of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, computer vision-powered systems can discern subtle patterns and anomalies that elude human observation. This capability empowers organizations to proactively detect and thwart cyber threats, safeguarding critical information and infrastructure from malicious actors.

Advancements in Surveillance and Threat Detection

Surveillance and threat detection represent one of the most promising domains where computer vision is making significant strides in cybersecurity. Traditional security measures often rely on manual monitoring and analysis, which are labor-intensive and prone to errors. In contrast, computer vision technology automates this process, enabling continuous monitoring of digital environments and prompt identification of suspicious behavior. Whether It is monitoring ATM environments for skimming devices or detecting anomalous activity in retail settings, computer vision enables organizations to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Revolutionizing Secure Access Systems

Computer vision is revolutionizing secure access systems through cutting-edge facial recognition technologies and enhancing biometric security by advancing iris, fingerprint, and gait recognition systems. By leveraging advanced algorithms, organizations can implement robust authentication mechanisms that verify identities with unparalleled accuracy, offering a multi-layered security approach that combines various biometric factors. This not only enhances security but also streamlines operations, facilitating seamless access management across diverse environments.

Enhancing Forensic Analysis

Computer vision can significantly improve forensic analysis by automating the examination of visual and video data after a security incident. This technology can swiftly analyze footage to detect unusual activities or unauthorized access, helping cybersecurity teams trace the sequence of events leading to and following a breach. By providing a faster way to gather and analyze evidence, computer vision aids in the quicker resolution of security incidents and helps reinforce future protections against similar threats.

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Apple’s iphone ai plans confirmed with new software release, packers complete safety overhaul with georgia’s javon bullard, automated vulnerability detection.

Computer vision's capability extends to the automated detection of vulnerabilities in security systems, particularly through the analysis of visual data from infrastructure inspections. For instance, computer vision can be used to inspect the hardware for signs of tampering or scan environments for unauthorized devices that could pose security risks. This proactive detection can prevent potential breaches by addressing vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

Real-Time Threat Response and Mitigation

Computer vision enables real-time threat response and mitigation by identifying and analyzing threats as they occur. For example, if a security camera with computer vision capabilities detects an unauthorized individual attempting to enter a restricted area, the system can immediately alert security personnel and initiate lockdown protocols to mitigate the threat. This instantaneous response minimizes the window of opportunity for the intruder and significantly enhances security efficiency.

Improving Compliance

Computer vision helps organizations comply with industry regulations and standards by ensuring that security measures are adhered to at all times. For instance, in environments where security protocols dictate that certain areas must be monitored continuously, computer vision systems can ensure 24/7 auto surveillance and also automatically report any deviations from the rules. This helps organizations avoid fines and penalties associated with non-compliance.

Challenges and Limitations of Computer Vision in Cybersecurity

Computer vision, while transformative in the field of cybersecurity, is not without its challenges and limitations. One of the primary concerns is privacy. As computer vision technologies become more pervasive, especially in surveillance and identity verification, they raise significant privacy issues. The extensive collection and analysis of visual data can lead to potential misuse, such as unauthorized surveillance and data breaches, which could compromise personal privacy.

Additionally, the integration of computer vision systems in cybersecurity faces technical challenges, including the need for substantial computational resources. The real-time processing of vast amounts of visual data requires significant processing power and sophisticated algorithms, which can be cost-prohibitive for some organizations.

Best Practices

Implementing computer vision technologies within cybersecurity frameworks requires careful planning and adherence to best practices.

• First and foremost, it is crucial to ensure that the deployment of these technologies complies with all relevant laws and regulations, particularly those related to privacy and data protection. Organizations must implement stringent data governance policies to manage the collection, storage, and processing of visual data responsibly.
• Training is another critical area. Security teams must be equipped not only with the technical skills to manage and operate computer vision systems but also with the knowledge to interpret the results accurately. This involves ongoing training and possibly simulation exercises to prepare for various cybersecurity scenarios.
• Lastly, it is essential to maintain an ethical approach to the deployment of computer vision. This includes transparency about the use of surveillance technologies and ensuring that these systems do not perpetuate bias or discrimination. Regular audits and reviews of computer vision systems can help identify and mitigate any biases inherent in the algorithms.

Future Trends and Predictions in Computer Vision for Cybersecurity

Looking ahead, the field of computer vision in cybersecurity is poised for rapid growth and evolution. One of the most anticipated trends is the advancement of deep learning technologies, which are expected to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of threat detection systems. As these technologies mature, they will become better at handling the subtleties and complexities of security-related visual data, reducing the occurrence of false positives and negatives.

Another trend is the integration of computer vision with other technologies, such as the Internet of Things and blockchain. For example, IoT devices equipped with cameras can benefit from computer vision to identify and respond to security threats in real time. Meanwhile, blockchain could offer a secure way to store and manage the data collected through computer vision, enhancing data integrity and traceability.

The rise of edge computing is also expected to significantly impact the deployment of computer vision in cybersecurity. By processing data on local devices rather than relying on centralized servers, edge computing can reduce latency and speed up response times, making it ideal for real-time threat detection scenarios.

Expert Insights: Vitali Zahharov on User Interface and Security

Vitali Zahharov's profound expertise in visual design adds a unique dimension to the intersection of computer vision and cybersecurity. His collaboration with industry leaders like Clarifai, a trailblazer in AI-powered software solutions, underscores the pivotal role of intuitive user interfaces in maximizing the efficacy of computer vision technology, which helped the company raise $60 million. As Zahharov aptly emphasizes, while computer vision provides the technological foundation, human operators ultimately drive decision-making. Hence, user-friendly interfaces are indispensable for enabling security teams to harness the full potential of computer vision for threat detection and response.

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Trains Moscow to Elektrostal: Times, Prices and Tickets

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Moscow to Elektrostal by train

The journey from Moscow to Elektrostal by train is 32.44 mi and takes 2 hr 7 min. There are 71 connections per day, with the first departure at 12:15 AM and the last at 11:46 PM. It is possible to travel from Moscow to Elektrostal by train for as little as or as much as . The best price for this journey is .

Get from Moscow to Elektrostal with Virail

Virail's search tool will provide you with the options you need when you want to go from Moscow to Elektrostal. All you need to do is enter the dates of your planned journey, and let us take care of everything else. Our engine does the hard work, searching through thousands of routes offered by our trusted travel partners to show you options for traveling by train, bus, plane, or carpool. You can filter the results to suit your needs. There are a number of filtering options, including price, one-way or round trip, departure or arrival time, duration of journey, or number of connections. Soon you'll find the best choice for your journey. When you're ready, Virail will transfer you to the provider's website to complete the booking. No matter where you're going, get there with Virail.

How can I find the cheapest train tickets to get from Moscow to Elektrostal?

Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. You can find train tickets for prices as low as , but it may require some flexibility with your travel plans. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets. Unfortunately, no price was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find price results. Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets.

How long does it take to get from Moscow to Elektrostal by train?

The journey between Moscow and Elektrostal by train is approximately 32.44 mi. It will take you more or less 2 hr 7 min to complete this journey. This average figure does not take into account any delays that might arise on your route in exceptional circumstances. If you are planning to make a connection or operating on a tight schedule, give yourself plenty of time. The distance between Moscow and Elektrostal is around 32.44 mi. Depending on the exact route and provider you travel with, your journey time can vary. On average, this journey will take approximately 2 hr 7 min. However, the fastest routes between Moscow and Elektrostal take 1 hr 3 min. If a fast journey is a priority for you when traveling, look out for express services that may get you there faster. Some flexibility may be necessary when booking. Often, these services only leave at particular times of day - or even on certain days of the week. You may also find a faster journey by taking an indirect route and connecting in another station along the way.

How many journeys from Moscow to Elektrostal are there every day?

On average, there are 71 daily departures from Moscow to Elektrostal. However, there may be more or less on different days. Providers' timetables can change on certain days of the week or public holidays, and many also vary at particular times of year. Some providers change their schedules during the summer season, for example. At very busy times, there may be up to departures each day. The providers that travel along this route include , and each operates according to their own specific schedules. As a traveler, you may prefer a direct journey, or you may not mind making changes and connections. If you have heavy suitcases, a direct journey could be best; otherwise, you might be able to save money and enjoy more flexibility by making a change along the way. Every day, there are an average of 18 departures from Moscow which travel directly to Elektrostal. There are 53 journeys with one change or more. Unfortunately, no connection was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find connections.

Book in advance and save

If you're looking for the best deal for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal, booking train tickets in advance is a great way to save money, but keep in mind that advance tickets are usually not available until 3 months before your travel date.

Stay flexible with your travel time and explore off-peak journeys

Planning your trips around off-peak travel times not only means that you'll be able to avoid the crowds, but can also end up saving you money. Being flexible with your schedule and considering alternative routes or times will significantly impact the amount of money you spend on getting from Moscow to Elektrostal.

Always check special offers

Checking on the latest deals can help save a lot of money, making it worth taking the time to browse and compare prices. So make sure you get the best deal on your ticket and take advantage of special fares for children, youth and seniors as well as discounts for groups.

Unlock the potential of slower trains or connecting trains

If you're planning a trip with some flexible time, why not opt for the scenic route? Taking slower trains or connecting trains that make more stops may save you money on your ticket – definitely worth considering if it fits in your schedule.

Best time to book cheap train tickets from Moscow to Elektrostal

The cheapest Moscow - Elektrostal train tickets can be found for as low as $35.01 if you’re lucky, or $54.00 on average. The most expensive ticket can cost as much as $77.49.

Find the best day to travel to Elektrostal by train

When travelling to Elektrostal by train, if you want to avoid crowds you can check how frequently our customers are travelling in the next 30-days using the graph below. On average, the peak hours to travel are between 6:30am and 9am in the morning, or between 4pm and 7pm in the evening. Please keep this in mind when travelling to your point of departure as you may need some extra time to arrive, particularly in big cities!

Moscow to Elektrostal CO2 Emissions by Train

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• Electrostal History and Art Museum

You can spend time exploring the galleries in Electrostal History and Art Museum in Elektrostal. Take in the museums while you're in the area.

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• Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
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• Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino
• History of Russian Scarfs and Shawls Museum
• Balashikha Arena
• Balashikha Museum of History and Local Lore
• Bykovo Manor
• Pekhorka Park
• Ramenskii History and Art Museum
• Malenky Puppet Theater
• Drama Theatre BOOM
• Likino Dulevo Museum of Local Lore
• Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center
• Pavlovsky Posad Museum of Art and History
• Saturn Stadium
• Fairy Tale Children's Model Puppet Theater
• Fifth House Gallery
• Church of Vladimir
• Malakhovka Museum of History and Culture
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NEW CHRISTMAS TOUR 2024 - Bournemouth - Norfolk Royale Hotel - BROCHURE ADDITION . 2024 EUROPEAN HOLIDAYS - Early release - ITALY - Lake Garda / Alassio Click here to download our 2024 Brochure All Our Holidays Include In The Price: Free Door to Door Taxi ( Subject to Area ) ~ Luxury Coach Travel ~ Reserved Coach Seats . Personally Selected ...

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KM Travel of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Request a brochure by: Calling: 01226 245564 email: [email protected] . download: click here to download the 2024 Tour Brochure.

KM Travel is in Chesterfield, KM Travel may offer holiday tours, sightseeing tours, and general city tours in Chesterfield. If you have used KM Travel before be sure to leave your own comment or rating on the city tour or holiday tour that you went on so other poeple wishing to use this company can read fair and honest reviews before the book ...

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KM Travel of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Tel: (01226) 245564 [email protected] . Home. Booking Guide Request Brochure Customer Information Contact Us. ... Our 2024 British Coach Holiday Brochure is now available to download and available shortly from our Market Street office in paper form.

5. £339. Nil. Please note prices are based on two persons sharing a twin/double room. Single room supplements may apply, please call check single availability/price. Price Includes: * Luxury Coach Travel * Local Departure Points. * En-suite bedrooms * Excursions. * Half Board Accommodation.

Page List. (Click on the page required to be linked with that page in the brochure) Page 1 - Front cover. Page 2 - Introduction. Page 3 - Contact information. Customer information. Page 4 - How to make a booking. Holiday index January to June. Page 5 - Holiday index June to December.

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Thankyou received our brochure in the post , I see you have new for 2024 Kynren weekend , we went last year and its the most amazing show I've seen well worth going recommended to everybody. 22w. Robert Lindley. Can I have a brochure please 9 monsal crescent Barnsley S71 3PY. 15w.

KM Travel of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Tel: (01226) 245564 [email protected] . Home. Booking Guide Request Brochure Customer Information Contact Us. Skip to content. Request a brochure by: Calling: 01226 245564 . email: [email protected] download: ... Please note prices are based on two persons sharing a twin/double room ...

Central Air Force Museum The Central Air Force Museum, housed at Monino Airfield, 40 km east of Moscow, Russia, is one of the world's largest aviation museums, and the largest for Russian aircraft. 173 aircraft and 127 aircraft engines are on display, and the museum also features collections of weapons, instruments, uniforms (including captured U2 pilot Gary Powers' uniform), other Cold War ...

The journey from Moscow to Elektrostal by train is 32.44 mi and takes 2 hr 7 min. There are 71 connections per day, with the first departure at 12:15 AM and the last at 11:46 PM. It is possible to travel from Moscow to Elektrostal by train for as little as or as much as . The best price for this journey is . Journey Duration.

KM Travel of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Tel: (01226) 245564 [email protected] . ... we guarantee excellent customer service and affordable prices. ... Winter/Spring 2024. Blackpool 2024 Potters Resorts 2024. Our booking office is located at: 52, ...

2022 Brochure . Page List ... All Our Holidays Include In The Price: Free Door to Door Taxi ( Subject to Area ) ~ Luxury Coach Travel ~ Reserved Coach Seats . Personally Selected Hotels ~ En-suite Bedrooms ~ Free Varied Excursions . Telephone: 01246 -556617 ...

Prices at Na Ulitse Yalagina 13B Apartments are subject to change according to dates, hotel policy, and other factors. To view prices, please search for the dates you wish to stay at the hotel. What are the check-in and check-out times at Na Ulitse Yalagina 13B Apartments? The check-in time is after 14:00 and the check-out time is before 12:00.

Cities near Elektrostal. Places of interest. Pavlovskiy Posad Noginsk. Travel guide resource for your visit to Elektrostal. Discover the best of Elektrostal so you can plan your trip right.

Voyager 1 had a problem. Here's how NASA fixed it from 15 billion miles away.

Working from more than 15 billion miles away, NASA engineers have solved a computer problem aboard Voyager 1 , allowing the probe to send readable data five months after a chip error made its transmissions impossible to decipher.

Voyager 1, along with its sister craft, Voyager 2, are  robotic probes  that were launched in 1977. Voyager 1 reached interstellar space in 2012. It's now 15.1 billion miles away, the farthest from Earth a human-made object has ever traveled.

Learn more: Closer look at Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 .

Voyager 2 entered interstellar space − the space between the stars, starting at abou t 11 billion miles from our sun − in 2018. It's now 12.7 billion miles away.

Voyager 1's computer glitch garbled the science and engineering data the craft sends to Earth, which rendered it unreadable. That started on Nov. 14, 2023.

How did engineers fix Voyager's problem?

Engineers from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory discovered a single computer chip inside the spacecraft’s Flight Data Subsystem – which collects science and engineering information and transmits it to Earth – had malfunctioned.

Can't see our graphics? Click here .

The chip stored part of the Flight Data Subsystem's memory and software code. Engineers could still receive data from Voyager 1, but it was scrambled.

The chip could not be repaired. Instead, engineers moved software code from the chip into a different part of the subsystem's memory system.

The code was too large to to be stored in a single location in the spacecraft. Engineers divided the code into sections and stored them in different places within the subsystem. The code sections were adjusted to make sure they worked as a whole.

Engineers tested the fix by moving a code that transmits data about the spacecraft. They were rewarded with a transmission from Voyager that contained readable data about the craft's status.

All that took time. Voyager is moving about 38,000 mph. Because it's so far away, it takes 22.5 hours for a radio signal to reach Voyager. It takes another 22.5 hours for the spacecraft’s reply to reach antenna networks on Earth.

What happens next?

Engineers will reposition and synchronize the other parts of the code. That should allow Voyager 1 to start sending readable data on what it finds as it moves farther away from Earth.

SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology; Reuters

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HP PCs - Connecting a monitor, projector, or TV (Windows)

This document provides information to help you connect monitors, projectors, or TVs to your HP computer.

Types of video connectors for computer display devices

Know the video connectors on your computer and display devices to avoid problems and get the best possible picture quality.

Types of display adapters

If the video connector on your computer does not match the video connector on your display device, you can use an adapter.

Connect the video and power cables

After identifying the video connectors on your computer and display device, make sure that you have a compatible video cable and an optional adapter, and then connect the computer to the monitor or projector or TV.

Depending on the model, an HP monitor might be capable of supporting VGA, USB Type-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort inputs. The video mode is determined by the video cable used. The monitor automatically determines which inputs have valid video signals. You can select the inputs through the OSD menu. The monitor ships with select cables. Not all cables shown in this section are included with the monitor.

Connect a video cable.

Except for USB Type-C input, an HP monitor automatically determines which inputs have valid video signals. You must manually select USB Type-C input. To select any input, including USB Type-C, open the OSD menu and select Input .

Connect one end of a VGA cable to the VGA port on the display device and the other end to the VGA port on the source device.

Connect one end of a DisplayPort cable to the DisplayPort connector on the display device and the other end to the DisplayPort connector on the source device.

Connect one end of a Mini DisplayPort cable to the Mini DisplayPort connector on the display device and the other end to the DisplayPort connector on the source device.

If you are using an HP monitor, depending on your DisplayPort cable connection, either the DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort input video connection is disabled between the monitor and connected computer after the computer exits Sleep or loses the input signal. When the system wakes from the Sleep state, the monitor automatically scans to an active input video signal.

If your last video input connection was to DisplayPort, the monitor automatically scans and switches to USB Type-C video, DisplayPort, or HDMI video input source, but not to Mini DisplayPort. If your last video connection was to Mini DisplayPort, the monitor automatically scans and switches to USB Type-C video, Mini DisplayPort, or HDMI, but not to DisplayPort.

You must reconnect to the correct DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1) or Mini DisplayPort (DisplayPort 2) input using the OSD menu. To reconnect, press the OSD button on the monitor, select Menu , select Input , and then select a DisplayPort setting.

Connect one end of an HDMI cable to the HDMI port on the display device and the other end to the HDMI port on the source device.

Connect one end of a USB Type-C cable to the USB Type-C port on the display device and the other end to the USB Type-C port on the source device.

If you are using an HP monitor, use only the USB Type-C cable provided with the monitor. The monitor’s USB Type-C port provides network, data, video, and power delivery (up to 65 W).

The computer must be able to support DisplayPort Alt Mode (video, charging, and USB 3.1) over the USB Type-C connector. The computer must also be compatible with USB Type-C-Thunderbolt™-enabled ports.

Connect any peripherals to the display device.

Connect the display device and computer to AC power.

Turn on the computer and the display device.

If you are not using an HP monitor, select the correct video source on the monitor, projector, or TV. For example, if you are using an HDMI port, set the source to HDMI.

Additional information

For more information about connecting to display devices, see the following.

For information about a specific HP monitor, see the User Guide and Quick Setup Poster for your monitor. Go to HP Customer Support and use the on-screen instructions to find your product. Then, select Manuals .

For information about connecting one computer to multiple monitors, see HP PCs - Using two or more monitors with one computer (Windows) .

For information about a computer to a wireless display device, see HP PCs – Connecting to a wireless monitor .

For information about connecting a monitor to an HP docking station, see HP Notebook PCs - Tips for using an HP docking station or hub .

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TikTok on the Clock, Tesla’s Flop Era and How NASA Fixed a ’70s-Era Space Computer

“a clock is ticking on one of america’s most famous apps.”.

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

Um, what’s going on with you? Um, well, Tommy Vietor from “Pod Save America” used AI to write a new theme song for our show.

He used this tool called udio.com.

Udio, yes. Yes, it’s like “audio” but without the “A.”

It’s like “audio” without “A.”

They took the “A” put it into “AI.”

That’s — (LAUGHING) Sure, why not. And, uh, Tommy kind of messed around. And you know, we just had the music episode of the show, and so I think “Hard Fork” music is on a lot of listeners’ minds.

And Tommy took the initiative to write a new “Hard Fork” theme song that was then performed by an artificial intelligence.

“Write” is generous. He typed some words into a box.

We don’t know exactly everything about Tommy’s creative process, but suffice to say that I was very impressed with the result.

Well, let’s play it.

OK, let’s play it.

Got me a book. Got me a knife. Find my iPhone. Find me a wife.

It really picks up toward the end here.

Hard fork, hard fork

Need to find some place to stick my hard fork, hard fork

It’s really good! Isn’t it good?

Yeah. It’s giving, like, ‘90s sitcom.

I was — ‘90s sitcom is good. I would also say, sort of, like Wildflowers-era Tom Petty is what it made me think of.

Yeah, so if we ever get tired of the current “Hard Fork” theme song, we have a great backup.

Wow, thank you, Tommy.

Thank you, Tommy.

You will be hearing from our lawyers.

I’m Kevin Roose, a tech columnist at “The New York Times.”

I’m Casey Newton from “Platformer.”

And this is “Hard Fork.”

This week, TikTok on the rocks and the party do stop? We’ll tell you what happens now that ByteDance may be forced to sell it. Then, how Tesla entered its flop era, and finally, NASA engineer Todd Barber joins to explain how they fixed a 47-year-old computer that was 15 billion miles away.

Casey, big week in the tech news.

That’s right. Kevin, there’s a clock that’s ticking on one of America’s most popular apps.

Yes. So this week, the so-called TikTok ban, the bill that would force TikTok to be sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or else be banned from app stores in the United States, sailed through both Houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Biden. This is a pretty stunning development. I know you and I had both been sort of speculating about whether this would happen. Then a few weeks ago, we did a show where we were like, maybe this TikTok ban is not going to happen. Now, it’s happening.

That’s right. I think what happened was, Congress listened to our episode, and they said, you know, we really got to get something done, or those two knuckleheads are going to give us grief for it.

That’s true.

Yeah. And let us say, not only is this interesting on its own terms, Kevin. Since the broader backlash against social media began at the end of 2016, Congress has not passed one bill attempting to regulate tech in any way.

Yes, this is a huge moment not just for TikTok and people who use the app and depend on the app, but also for the American tech industry and, I would say, for America in general. It is very surprising that this thing passed, especially as quickly as it did. As we know, Congress is not known for taking quick or decisive action when it comes to regulating technology companies.

Or really any action at all.

Exactly. Exactly. And it also just raises a whole bunch of questions. But I think, first, we should just talk about how we got here. Like, what the heck happened? Because for a while, it looked like this effort to force a sale of TikTok was dead in the water. It had stalled out in the Senate.

And then all of a sudden, it has sailed through in a way that’s sort of interesting. So let’s talk about the backstory here. So my colleagues at “The New York Times,” Sapna Maheshwari, David McCabe, and Cecilia Kang, had a great story this week about how this bill became a law.

Basically, about a year ago, this small group of lawmakers came up with this plan to force a sale of TikTok. And they didn’t want this to get a bunch of attention. They didn’t want lobbyists at TikTok to start agitating against it. So they kept this very quiet.

In November, this group brought in officials from the Justice Department, according to this story, basically asking them, like, how can we craft this bill in a way that’s going to stand up to the inevitable legal challenges that TikTok and ByteDance are going to use to try to stop this? The bill, as we talked about a few weeks ago, passed through the House, and then it got stalled in the Senate.

And there was a lot of questioning about whether it was going to just die there. But last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson decided that he could basically package this bill with another set of bills that were popular with Republicans, including a critical foreign aid bill for countries including Israel and Ukraine.

So this new bill passes the House on Saturday. Then on Tuesday night, the Senate passed the bill — overwhelming majorities in both houses. And on Wednesday morning, President Biden signed it. So for now, it does appear that it’s all over for TikTok, at least in its current form, unless they do have a successful way of challenging this in court.

Well, look. “Bloomberg” reported this week that the company has already told its employees it considers this bill a violation of the First Amendment. It does plan to fight it in courts. And it does have a strong chance, I think, in prevailing in court, for reasons that we can’t talk about.

But look, no matter what happens with the legal case, there is no denying that this is just a huge blow to the company, right? Think about what it does for their ability to retain their top talent, about their ability to recruit top talent — just the sort of day-to-day drumbeat in the background of, how many more months is this app going to exist? Is it going to get sold off?

That is just going to be a massive distraction for everyone working there. So while there’s still a lot we don’t know about what is going to happen, I think we do know that this is really a tough moment for TikTok.

Yeah. The obvious solution here would be for ByteDance to sell TikTok. There are any number of buyers that might emerge to take this off their hands. But ByteDance does not want to sell TikTok. It has made that very clear.

So putting aside for a second the question of, will ByteDance sell TikTok, does it want to sell TikTok, why doesn’t it want to sell TikTok, there is an actual legal question here. Because now, the next step is that this bill will almost certainly be challenged in court, and ByteDance and TikTok will do everything in their power to avoid having to divest.

So you’ve talked to some people this week who have feelings about the legality of this law and whether it’s going to stand up to challenges in court. So walk me through the basic arguments on both sides of the legal challenge here.

So I talked to a guy named Alan Rozenshtein, who is a law professor at the University of Minnesota. And he was using very rough ballpark numbers. He said that maybe if you were to pull, like, 10 First Amendment professors, six or seven one of them would probably say this thing is unconstitutional and will get struck down, and maybe three or four would say it’s not going to get struck down.

But he also said that First Amendment cases tend to be very unpredictable in general. And we also, of course, now have a court that just respects precedents, I would say, a lot less than other Supreme courts in recent history.

So let’s lay out, just in a nutshell, like, the two arguments here. Because on the TikTok side, you have people saying this is a breach of the First Amendment. Just in a couple sentences, summarize that argument as the experts that you talked to are summarizing it.

Sure. So for it to breach the First Amendment, what TikTok would need to show is that the government acted because it did not like the content on TikTok. And it will have a lot of evidence on that front. It will be able to point to many members of Congress talking about the spread of Chinese propaganda on the app. They will talk about the alleged suppression of pro-Israeli voices.

And they will be able to make, I think, a pretty effective case that Congress hated the content on TikTok, and that is a primary reason that it acted. You know, Kevin, one thing I learned when I reported the column that I wrote this week was that there’s been some interesting Supreme Court case law about the question of Chinese propaganda in the past.

Sometimes you just have to remind yourself, China is allowed to spread propaganda in the United States. There is a newspaper here, called “The People’s Daily,” that is supported by the Chinese government, that spreads Chinese propaganda, and it is freely available. Like, it is completely allowed under the First Amendment.

So the first thing that the government will have to show is that TikTok is wrong about this and that whatever just happened had nothing to do with the content on the app. And I do think it’s possible for the government to prove that. But that is the difficult first step.

And what is the government’s case here? How are they likely to make the argument in court that this is not a breach of the First Amendment and that they are allowed to force a sale of TikTok?

They’re going to make two arguments. One is not that great, and one is probably going to lead to more success. The one that is not great is that this is a data security thing, right? That ByteDance has been maybe playing fast and loose with Americans’ data, that a Chinese company cannot be trusted with Americans’ data in this way.

It could be used for surveillance purposes something like that. And for that reason, Congress had to take action. It has nothing to do with whatever was on the For You Page. It is just about data.

The problem is that the solution is so severe, right? To come in and say, we are going to take these, honestly, somewhat vague data privacy concerns and say that that outweighs the speech of 170 million Americans who are using this app, I think the Supreme Court is just not likely to find very persuasive.

So that leaves the likely more successful argument, which is national security, right? Everyone, I think, is fairly worried about some sort of escalating conflict with China. And so the argument there is, this is simply too powerful a force.

This major information network is owned by a foreign adversary, and that poses extreme risk to the national security of the United States. That’s what the government is going to say. And so then I said to the scholars, well, how persuasive is that?

And what I was told was, look, the government can’t actually just come in and say, you have to ban this speech because of national security. Because if that worked, the government would just do that all the time. Right? My understanding of how this bill is likely to be evaluated, assuming it makes it to the Supreme Court, and assuming that the Supreme Court first buys the argument that this is not about content, is that TikTok will be subjected to what is called intermediate scrutiny. Right?

Strict scrutiny says, you’re probably going to lose this case, government, in a speech issue. Intermediate scrutiny says, you might win, you might lose.

Right, you’ve got to balance it.

You got to balance it. But here’s the important thing. If you want to win a First Amendment case under intermediate scrutiny, you have to show your work. You have to make your case.

You can’t just stamp your feet and say, national security. You have to show me a national-security problem. And as best as I can understand, the national-security issues that are being raised here are mostly theoretical. They are about something that might happen in the future.

And so the question then becomes, How are the nine justices on the Supreme Court going to weigh the potential future conflict between the United States and China against the ongoing, active, everyday speech of 170 million Americans? And that just gets really hard to predict.

What I’m hearing you say — and let me repeat this back to you to make sure I have it — is that the scholars you talked to, the law professors, the various jurisprudential experts here, are saying, basically, the government can prevail here in court by demonstrating a legitimate national-security reason that has nothing to do with content to ban TikTok or to at least to force a sale, but that they will have to do what in law is called “bringing the receipts.”

(LAUGHING) Yes.

They will have to show some proof that there is actually a national-security threat here, and people are somewhat skeptical that that bar will be cleared.

That’s right. And again, the national-security threat cannot just be the spread of Chinese propaganda. I really want to underline that point. Because before we started writing this, I think I just sort of assumed that Congress might be able to take a position on that. But there is a pretty good case law that says that, no. In fact, in the ‘60s there was this case, Lamont versus Postmaster General.

Oh, I know this case.

You know this case?

Lamont was a good friend of mine.

(LAUGHING) Well, for the benefit of anyone who didn’t hear it, there was basically this thing where if you wanted to receive Communist propaganda in the mail, Congress said, OK, you can receive it, but we’re going to make the post office send you a little card, and you have to check a box that says, yes, I want to receive the evil Communist propaganda. Of course, the reason that Congress did this was to get people to stop receiving the Communist propaganda. The Supreme Court strikes it down. They say, no, even just asking people to a box is — goes too far in the direction of chilling speech, that this is a cherished American value, that the way that we fight speech here is with transparency and sunlight and counterspeech.

So again, that happened in 1965. There’s no telling what the current folks on the Supreme Court would do today. But if precedent is to play any role here, it would suggest that “Chinese propaganda is on TikTok” is not actually a national-security threat.

Wait, but I’m confused about this point. And this — we’re not a legal podcast. We should say that. Neither of us are lawyers.

I feel like we’re sort of slowly becoming one. Am I doing OK?

You’re doing great. Yeah.

But, like, we have had laws on the books in this country since the 1930s that limit foreign ownership of US broadcast companies. The rules have been somewhat relaxed, but you still need permission from the federal government in order to buy a stake in a media company that has a presence in the United States. That has been a law on the books for almost 100 years. And so I think, for a lot of people that I’m talking to, they’re like, well, why would we not extend that same framework to new media companies like TikTok?

I think this is a good argument. Like, this is probably the argument that I am most sympathetic to. But when I ask the scholars, essentially, has some foreign media company ever come in and challenged these foreign ownership rules on First Amendment grounds, the scholars that I spoke to weren’t aware of one.

So that was sort of interesting to me. I think, again, though, Kevin, a less draconian response here might be, Congress could say, we’re actually going to extend these foreign ownership rules to internet apps in some way. And you set up some sort of transparency system. It applies to every company at once, as opposed to this more targeted ban of an app that got too popular with the wrong people at the wrong time.

All right. So that’s the legal stuff. I think we should talk about what happens now and who the winners and losers of this are. So let’s talk about that a little bit. First of all, what is the Chinese response to this bill going to be? Because there’s going to be a response.

Yeah. And I mean, they have basically said in no uncertain terms that they do not intend to let ByteDance sell the app. Even if they were able to reach some sort of deal, it seems unlikely that the recommendation algorithms or other core components of TikTok would not be sold to the buyer. You have to remember that TikTok is just the sort of international counterpart to a Chinese app called Douyin, and ByteDance is just going to keep operating that as normal. They’re not going to give away the store to someone else.

Now, that said, there is a lot of money on the table here. And if the United States ban is upheld, I can imagine a lot of other countries following suit. India has already banned TikTok, and things have basically been fine there.

So you know, ByteDance has a lot to lose here. But from what we know today, the suggestion from the Chinese government is that, no, they’re not going to let them sell this thing.

Well, not only are they going to fight this forced sale, but another story that happened involving China and US social media companies is that China has ordered Apple to remove a bunch of American-owned apps from the App Store in China. So last week, it forced Apple to take WhatsApp and Instagram Threads out of the App Store, as well as Signal and Telegram.

Now, we don’t know if this is sort of in direct response to what’s going on with TikTok in this bill. But it does seem like just one more piece of evidence that the kind of Chinese internet and the American internet — these things that have always had kind of a fragile coexistence — are now starting to separate even more.

Yeah, it’s very true. And historically, America has been perhaps the top booster of a free and open internet, the sort of free exchange of views across borders. But that idea has just gotten pretty unpopular over the past decade or so, particularly with the concerns around social media.

And so the internet has been fragmenting into zones for a while. And one of the reasons why this story is such a big deal is, this is essentially that more splintered, fragmented version of the internet.

“The splinternet,” they’re calling it.

They literally do call it that.

OK. [LAUGHS]

No, and I think this is going to be one of the first major moves toward this more fragmented internet. We talked on this show a couple of weeks ago about what we thought about the TikTok ban. And I think we were both sort of tentatively in favor of it.

And one of the pieces of pushback I got from some people that I know who work in tech policy was like, it’s impossible to just stop at TikTok, right? There is no universe in which this stays confined to TikTok. This is going to result in more apps being banned by more countries for, sort of, vague national-security reasons.

The end game of all of this is kind of this balkanized internet, and nobody seems to want that. But I would say to that, we are already headed there. Like, this train has left the station. I think the era of the global internet platform is basically over.

I mean, I think that is basically sad, you know. I think it’s good when people from different countries can freely communicate with each other. You know, I think the First Amendment is good.

And my fear here is that if this ban is upheld, once we’ve set the precedent that there is essentially an exemption from the First Amendment for foreigners, that that same Supreme Court, if they decide that they feel that way, is going to start finding other things that they don’t like about free speech and other people who they don’t think should be able to maybe speak as freely.

Yeah. So let’s talk about how we think this reshapes the social media landscape in the US. One thing that we’ve talked about before is, this is obviously, short-term, very good for Meta and for Google, which owns YouTube. Because these are the primary destinations for short-form video that are not TikTok.

I have to imagine that if this does proceed and if TikTok is gone from the US App Store, people aren’t just going to stop creating the short-form videos that go on TikTok. They’re just going to put them in other places. Maybe they will spend more time on these other apps. The number that has been sort of kicking around in my head this week is 97 minutes. Do you know what that is?

That’s about how much longer I can stand to be in this room with you, so talk fast.

[CHUCKLES]:: So 97 minutes is the length of time that the average US TikTok user spends on the app per day, according to Apptopia data from late last year. And 97 minutes is the amount of time that is now up for grabs if TikTok is banned. That is time — as much as I would like to think that the youth of America, if they don’t have TikTok, will go back to reading books and solving math problems and —

Volunteering down at the senior center?

Yes — what they are actually going to do in practice, I predict, is just spend that time on another app. Those 97 minutes are now up for grabs, and I think there’s not only going to be a big attempt by YouTube and Instagram and other apps to seize that time, but I think we’re going to see a wave of new homegrown startups that say, well, that’s 97 minutes that could belong to us if we make something compelling enough.

I think that’s right.

Wait, Casey, can I ask you a question about this? A few weeks ago, when we were talking about the potential for a forced sale of TikTok, I think you and I were both sort of in agreement that this was probably on balance. There were some tradeoffs, but this was probably a good idea. Banning TikTok or forcing it to sell was probably in US national interests. Are you still there, or has your has your view shifted?

I must admit, I’ve gone a bit wobbly on this. I think that as I have talked to more First Amendment scholars, I am increasingly concerned about this, and I’m not convinced that it is the best way for Congress to solve this problem. I don’t want to be the person that says, well, because this bill isn’t perfect, we should just do nothing forever, because that is what our Congress does. And I think it is generally bad. But the more that I sit with this, I just do worry about the ramifications of empowering Congress to start getting rid of social media apps, because I really do worry that TikTok will not be the last of them.

I think I’m still staying where I was a few weeks ago. I think there are obviously tradeoffs. I’ve been hearing from listeners, you know, critics, people who say, you’re wrong. I got some very good pushback from some lawyers, who said basically, like, the same things you’re saying, which is that we don’t want to create this sort of domino effect where, all of a sudden, we’re living in this world where the internet is sort of country by country and you lose this dream of the global town square.

But I do just find myself coming back to this thing about, well, we don’t let foreign investors take over broadcast networks without government approval. Why would we let a Chinese company build and profit from and run the largest social media app among young people in the United States? And furthermore, like, this is a company that has, again and again, misled the American public about the extent of its ties with China.

It has not been honest and forthright about how closely ByteDance controls that company. And we have just seen over and over again, even from former employees of TikTok, just saying, they are lying to us. They are telling you that they are an American outfit, that they are not controlled by Beijing, and then we just find out that actually, the ties run much deeper than anyone thought.

I don’t know. I still feel like you’re kicking up a cloud of dust around what is essentially just, like, fairly standard tech platform behavior, which is bad. But in general, we don’t totally ban these enormous platforms just because their executives get slippery when you start asking them tough questions in Congress.

Yeah, I will say, to give a point to the skeptics, that the process here has been wild and not something that I think is a good thing. I do not think that these kind of bills should be jammed into foreign aid packages and passed, essentially, in the dead of night without much deliberation happening out in the open. I do not like how secretive this whole thing has been.

So I would say that I dislike the process by which this was arrived at. But I actually think, on balance, it is going to be a sort of neutral-to-good thing. And honestly, if TikTok is acquired by an American company and the app continues to exist, and the small businesses that rely on TikTok continue to be able to sell their stuff, I think that is the best possible outcome here. But I don’t think that is the most likely outcome.

Let me say one more thing on process, which is this. We have something that is designed to regulate foreign investment in the United States — CFIUS, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. And for about five years now, they have supposedly been going back and forth with ByteDance about whatever they wanted.

That process has been conducted entirely in secret. CFIUS has never said one thing about what it asked ByteDance to do. It has never said that ByteDance refused to do it.

And I really wish we lived in a world where CFIUS was just empowered to get whatever it wanted, and then could talk about that. But instead, we had this bill that was rammed through. So I just think that’s unfortunate.

All right. Well, in summary, the ByteDance lobbyists got to Casey. He’s flipflopped on TikTok, whereas I remain a staunch defender of America’s national interests.

Wow. Well, congratulations, Kevin.

There you have it.

Congratulations for being closed-minded.

USA! USA! USA! When we come back, Tesla is in full self-driving mode.

Well, Casey, we talk a lot on this show about Elon Musk, usually in the context of various disasters unfolding at X, his social media company. But as it turns out, he runs more than one company. And one of Elon Musk’s other companies, Tesla, is having a rough time.

Yeah, you know, I, for my own part, am mostly focused on the social media piece of this. But Kevin, I would say, over the past couple of weeks, it has been impossible to ignore the drumbeat of stories about bad news at Tesla.

Yeah. And we should say, like, we’re not an automotive podcast, but I think this is an important story that we should talk about for two reasons. One of them is that Tesla is just, I think, an important technology company. They are worth more than Ford, GM, all the other major American car companies combined. And they actually have sort of accelerated our transition to renewable energy, into electric vehicles.

Absolutely.

I think the other reason is that Tesla is also Elon Musk’s cash cow. It is how he makes the vast majority of the money that he uses to fund all of his other projects, such as acquiring Twitter, now X. So for all those reasons, I think it’s really important to track what’s going on at Tesla.

It has also been a wild couple of years for that company. In 2021, Tesla became just the sixth company in the history of the United States to be worth more than $1 trillion. But now, two and a half years later, its value has fallen by more than half. This year, the stock has been down almost 40 percent. And this week, it reported quarterly earnings that were pretty terrible.

Yeah. But other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

[LAUGHS]: So today, to talk about this, we are joined by Andy Hawkins. Andy is the transportation editor at “The Verge.”

Andy was an old colleague of mine at “The Verge.” He’s been covering this company for a long time. So he has a really great perspective to bring to this story.

So let’s bring him in.

Andy Hawins, welcome to “Hard Fork.”

So you recently wrote a great piece called “Tesla’s in its Flop Era.”

What led you to that conclusion? Just run down the sort of flop evidence chain here.

Well, I am a connoisseur of flop eras. No —

Casey’s been in his flop era since the mid -‘90s.

Yeah, but I’m due for come-back any day now, any day now.

Tesla’s in its flop era because its sales are down, its profits are down, its shiny new electric truck is being recalled. It’s being investigated for numerous malfeasance around its claims around self-driving, and it’s being sued by people whose family members have died in their cars. There’s just a compounding series of missteps and problems that the company is facing at this exact moment, which is why that led me to make that conclusion.

And how many of the problems that Tesla is struggling with right now are kind of like, for lack of a better word, normal car company problems, and how many are sort of Tesla-specific? Like, I know that it’s been sort of a rough year for lots of automakers, especially ones in the electric vehicle market. So is this just sort of a broader symptom, or are there things about Tesla specifically that are causing it to struggle?

Yeah, I would say it’s probably about 50/50, right? I think 50 percent could be attributable to macroeconomic issues or problems that the entire industry is going through, and 50 percent are very Tesla-specific problems. So the macro problems is, as you alluded to, less people are interested in buying electric cars right now, right?

The early adopters have all bought their Teslas. And so now, you’re left sort of struggling on how to address the rest of the consumer base, which are people who want cheaper cars. They want cars that are easier to charge, that require less charging.

Maybe you’re a little bit more anxious about making a switch to an electric car. Maybe politics are factoring into it, right? They’re hearing a lot of politicians, Republican politicians, railing against electric cars, so they feel like it’s not the best choice for them because of those reasons.

And then, on the other side, you’ve got Tesla’s own problems of its own making, which are, Tesla only has, really, four vehicles, right? And if you include the Cybertruck, I guess, five. And that’s kind of — they’ve been showing their age recently.

So you’ve got all those issues. And then, you’ve got, like, the Elon Musk of it all, which is that he’s a very polarizing figure who says lots of controversial things. And that turns off a lot of people as well. So I think you can kind of lump that into the problems that are of Tesla’s own making.

And on the Elon Musk thing specifically, Andy, do you think it is at a point now where the maybe declining public perception of Elon Musk is actually showing up in Tesla’s financials?

I — so it’s hard to make an exact connection there, but there have been, I think, a number of surveys that have been showing that his polarizing status has had reputational harm. And I think it’s been proven that the purchase of Twitter, his conspiracy mongering, his railing against woke politics — all of these things are certainly having a reputational effect on Tesla.

And that’s also because Tesla is synonymous with Elon Musk. Elon Musk is synonymous with Tesla in a way that all other car companies have really managed to avoid. Their CEOs — I don’t think you can name them if you were really challenged to, whereas with Tesla, it is an Elon Musk company through and through, and I think that that’s presented a bit of a challenge for their car sales.

There was a lot of hope among Tesla fans that the Cybertruck, this much-heralded, very divisive pickup truck, essentially, that looks like a thing from either “Mad Max” or “Blade Runner” or maybe just the cyborgian future, was going to turn this slide around, that it was going to be such a commercial hit. Tesla fans were going to line up to buy this thing. What happened to the Cybertruck?

Yeah, so it got recalled. Not a huge shock there, because as we’ve — I think we’ve seen since they actually started rolling out the truck last year, everyone who has one has been posting videos about it online, on YouTube, on Instagram, elsewhere. And while they’ll say that they really love their trucks and they think it’s so cool, you can see that there have been little flaws here and there. And eventually, it all kind of added up, and they had to recall every single Cybertruck that has been sold so far, because of this issue with the accelerator pedal getting stuck.

Is that bad?

That’s — I’ve heard that’s bad. I don’t know. I have not actually driven a cruise missile before.

But I’ve been told that you don’t want to really be behind the wheel of one.

So I heard about this Cybertruck recall. A lot of people were making fun of it and sort of talking about how funny it was that this amazing new Cybertruck has a problem with the accelerator pedal that might turn it into a deadly weapon. But I also think that we learned as a result of this recall how many Cybertrucks have actually been sold. So Andy, how many Cybertrucks have actually been sold?

You see, this is why I love recalls so much, because it does tell you these things. It gives you this sort of secret knowledge that you’re not supposed to know. And yeah, that’s exactly right. It told us that there are at least 3,800 cybertrucks in existence.

Is that a lot?

It seems like it’s — I don’t know. I was actually kind of surprised by it. It was a little bit more than I thought, given everything that the company said about how difficult this production process was going to be and how long it was going to take to ramp up production of the Cybertruck. I was actually surprised.

Now, that said, we don’t know if there’s actually 3,800 Cybertrucks that have been delivered to people. There could be a certain percentage of those that are just waiting on the lot at Tesla HQ for their customers to come pick them up. It’s not clear that that’s actually a reflection of how many actually are on the road today.

I feel like I’ve seen about 3,800 social media posts about different ways that their Cybertruck broke. So that feels right. The number feels right.

No, it felt low to me, because I feel like I’ve seen 3,800 Cybertrucks. Like, we live in the Bay Area. I see them every — do you see them?

I have seen, I believe, two Cybertrucks. But it is still the sort of thing where if someone sees a Cybertruck, like, in everyday life, they will take a picture of it, and they will show it to you the next time they see you.

Andy, I want to talk about the autonomous driving of it all. Because this is something that Elon Musk has been talking about for years. I remember watching Tesla announcements back in, I don’t know, 2016, 2017, where he was saying, in a couple of years, Teslas are going to be fully self-driving. You’re going to be able to press a button and basically have it take you from New York to Los Angeles without you having to ever put your hands on the wheel.

Obviously, that has not happened, at least on the time frame that he predicted. But he is now saying that they’re moving closer to being able to fully self-drive these Teslas. They just slashed the prices on Tesla’s full self-driving feature, which is not actually fully self-driving.

But Elon Musk is still talking a lot about autonomy and the sort of near future of what Teslas will be able to do with people inside them. So just bring us up to speed on the state of Tesla’s autonomous driving push.

Yeah. So I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that he’s betting the entire company on this proposition that you will be able to have your own self-driving Tesla at some point in the future. You’ve noted that he — they have released these driver assist systems. First, there was autopilot, and now, there’s full self-driving, or FSD.

And these are level-two driver assist systems. You have to remain fully engaged in the driving task. You have to stay focused on the road. You can’t check your phone or watch a movie. It’s not full self-driving, despite how it’s being marketed.

But that said, his claim is that, you know, all our cars are out there, they’re operating on these systems, and we’re gathering all this data. And we’re going to use it to eventually flip a switch at some point, and everyone’s Tesla will suddenly be awarded this magical ability to drive itself from door to door without any interventions. Sounds great.

The only problem is, a few years ago, Tesla kind of narrowed down its hardware stack. So in the past, Tesla used to use a number of different sensors — cameras primarily, but also radar and ultrasonic sensors — in which to gather all this data and allow its cars to view the world. But then, a few years ago, he decided that was too complex. It was too expensive.

So now, they’re on a completely camera-only system, vision-only. And his argument has been, look, we’re out there. Human beings — we’re driving. We use our eyes. That’s our primary way that we see the world, and that’s the main function in which we use to drive vehicles.

So the robot needs to be able to do the same. The only problem is that there’s no fallback. There’s no — if something fails, there’s not another layer there, a safety net in which to prevent a massive failure.

If you look at other companies like Waymo, Cruise, which is going through its problems — but all these other autonomous vehicle companies that offer level 4 autonomy use a number of different sensors. Cameras, yes, but also radars, lidars, ultrasonic. And the argument there is that they need to have these sort of backup systems in case something fails, and Tesla does not have that, which leads to a lot of skepticism about these claims.

Andy, tell us about the Tesla robotaxi. This is an idea that Elon has been floating for years.

How do we defend our families against it?

What is the robotaxi, and what promises or claims is he making about it?

Well, the first thing you should know is that it apparently has a new name, according to Musk in this earnings call. He referred to it as the cybercab, which just doesn’t really roll off the tongue the same way that robotaxi does, but they’re both kind of dumb names. So choose — choose your fighter, I guess.

But yeah, so he’s been promising this thing called the Tesla network, all the way back since, I think, like, 2017, where he said, OK, so we’re going to have fully autonomous vehicles. You know, that means that your car — instead of losing value as soon as you buy it, it will actually appreciate and gain value, because you’ll be able to earn passive income. You’ll go to sleep, and you’ll send your car out to go start picking people up and doing taxi trips and earning yourself passive income in the process.

I’m always asking my car in the morning, What did you do for me while I was asleep? Did you earn me any passive income?

I just love the idea of, like, you go to drive to work, and you just open up your car, and there’s just, like, McDonald’s in there from whoever was in it while they were coming home drunk from the club. Sounds like a fun way to own a vehicle.

Well, so yeah, I mean, it’s like it has all the hallmarks of a really great online scam, right? Like, passive income — like, that’s just such a great thing to sell people, because they love — everyone loves the idea of earning money without having to do anything. The only problem is that, as I explained, the cars themselves do not have this capability, cannot drive without humans in the driver’s seat.

And so it remains unclear how this is actually going to look in reality. We got a little bit of a peek during the earnings this week. They had some screenshots of what the ride-hailing app is going to look like for the cybercab. But yeah, it’s very clear that he thinks that this is going to be something that is really going to define, sort of, Tesla’s next stage.

Like, its next wave of growth is going to be defined by this robotaxi application. But I feel like it’s going to be really hamstrung by some of these technical challenges.

Well, you know, so what I’m hearing is that this company has a lot of really difficult practical challenges in the here and now, related to demand for EVs, problems with the vehicles that it is selling. And as he has so often done in the past, Elon Musk comes along and has a brand new story to sell. And he says that in the near future, everything is going to be different, and I’m going to wave a magic wand, and cyber paradise will materialize.

And as somebody who has written about Elon, mostly in the context of X, my observation has just been that most of this stuff either doesn’t happen, or to the extent that it does happen, it under-delivers, right? So my curiosity, Andy, is how likely you think it is that the real Tesla, that is not just Elon Musk on an earnings call, can actually deliver all these things that he’s promising?

Yeah. I mean, I think your assessment of it is right. You know, he’s bullshitted his way through most of his professional career. And it’s worked out for him. Like, that’s the incentive structure that he’s come to know and love, right?

He’s bullshitted his way through a lot of Tesla stuff, and he’s been rewarded for it by becoming one of the richest men in the world. So why change now? Why change tactics if it’s worked so well for him in the past?

But like I said, I think what the company is now confronting is sort of very basic car company stuff that they have not been able to really figure out. And he can’t really bullshit his way out of cooling demand and regulatory issues and just, sort of, like, the nature of the market and what it is. So I think it’s — he’s going to run into some of these — more of these problems in the future, and he will continue to try to bullshit his way through it. I just don’t think it’s going to be as successful as it was in the past.

Andy, I want to return to something that you said earlier in the conversation, which is that part of what’s going on at Tesla is actually broader than just Tesla, that demand for electric vehicles has been shrinking, at least in the United States. That is sad to me. Like, as someone who wants there to be more options for people to get off of fossil fuels, to rely on more renewable energy, to drive electric cars, like, can you help me understand why that’s happening?

Because it seems like for a number of years, we were on a really good trajectory with the adoption of electric vehicles by American consumers. So what happened?

Yeah. The problem is kind of multifolded. You’ve got the fact that the auto industry, when they saw Tesla’s success, and they decided, hey, we want a piece of that, they decided — started making their own electric vehicles, they prioritized expensive vehicles and big, heavy trucks and SUVs. And that’s going to work for, obviously, a lot of people in the world, because we — especially in America, we love big trucks and SUVs.

The only problem is that they were a lot more expensive than what I think a lot of people were used to with their gas trucks and SUVs. So having to pay a premium over what they were used to paying — that was a little bit too far for most people to stomach. And then you had problems with the charging infrastructure.

It just wasn’t up to snuff, right? People have this expectation of being able to drive to a gas station and fill up in five minutes, and then they’re out of there. With charging an electric vehicle, it’s a much different ownership experience.

You have to first locate a charger. It needs to be a working charger, which is a struggle, since so many of them have mechanical problems and software problems. And then once you get there, you might have to wait a long time, because somebody else might be plugged in.

And then, on top of that, once you actually get plugged in, it’s going to take 30, 40 minutes for you to go from 10 percent of your battery charge to 80 percent. I think a lot of the momentum that we saw with EVs, especially last year, has now transferred to hybrids, and hybrids are now — sales are growing by double-digit numbers, which is not to say that the future still will be all electric. I still firmly believe that the future will be electric. We’ve sort of passed that point already. But I think it’s just going to be a lot slower-going and a lot more complex than maybe we previously thought.

Well, what are the Tesla optimists saying is happening right now?

Well, once you get rid of all of the “Musk is the second coming,” “he’s the Messiah,” kind of chatter that you typically hear from some of the fanboys, I do think that the company’s focus on electric vehicles and exclusively electric vehicles does give them an advantage over legacy automakers. They were the first to realize that cars can be computers, that cars can be updatable through software updates, and that can fix a lot of the problems that you might have with vehicle ownership.

And they obviously laid the groundwork for charging much earlier than other companies have been. And now, you’re starting to see the rest of the industry adopt Tesla’s charging standard, because their chargers, super chargers — they just tend to work a lot better than a lot of the other third-party chargers that are out there. So that was a really smart move by the company. And I also think that if anyone’s going to make a truly mass-market, Toyota Camry-level electric vehicle, Tesla stands the best chance of being the company to do it. Because they have the expertise. They have the infrastructure in place. They have the engineering know-how.

And I think that — and that was one of the things, I think, that a lot of investors were hoping to hear from the company. There was some mixed messages about whether or not Tesla was going to make a more affordable model 2, like, $25,000 electric car. There was some reporting that suggested that plan was on hold, in favor of going all in on this robotaxi.

But then, last night during this earnings call, Musk recommitted the company to making more affordable models. We just don’t know if it’s going to be a standalone model, like a model 2, or maybe just even a cheaper model 3. But that said, the company, I do think, has the best chances of being the one to bring the cost down and make a truly mass-market electric vehicle.

So you know, Andy, you sort of mentioned at the beginning that this company has a history of challenges and doubters and haters. But through hook and by crook, they’ve always come out ahead in the end. When you consider everything that we’ve been talking about today, do you feel like, well, maybe we’re just sort of in another one of those moments, some sort of temporary dip as they find their way to the next thing? Or do you have a sense that maybe something really is different this time and this could be the beginning of a more significant decline?

It feels different this time, right? First of all, you’ve had a big round of layoffs. The company laid off around 10 percent of its global workforce, which amounts to about 14,000 people. That’s a lot of people to lose.

And it could be even higher than that. I think I saw a report in “Bloomberg” that Elon actually wanted to cut 20 percent of the company. And not just the workforce, but at the top levels of the company, they’ve lost a lot of the big names that used to be sort of, like, aside from Elon, the ones that you most associated with the company’s success. And just —

Yeah, I heard Nikola Tesla died, for example. That was a huge loss.

[LAUGHS]: So it does seem that this is a different company than it used to be, right? Yeah, Elon may still be at the top, and it may obviously be very much tied to his personal worldview. But at the same time, with fewer of those former executives, and also the employees, it just feels like, you know, that we’re entering into a new era with Tesla.

And whether or not they’re going to overcome all the challenges that they have, as they did in the past with COVID and shutdowns, and then before that with model 3 and production hell and the company almost going out of business — I don’t think the company is at risk of going out of business. But I think the fact that with the turnover that they’ve experienced, and then going so all in on this robotaxi concept that has such a high risk of failure, really puts things into perspective, I think, for a lot of, I think, people who have maybe a little bit more of a nuanced view of this company and its possible future.

Yeah. I mean, like, not for nothing, but the taxi business was not known for being a great, high-margin business for the people who ran it. So I would be really curious what the plan is there to turn that into a real cash cow. Any ideas, Kevin?

No, I don’t.

Do you have any?

Well, I think — actually, I would like to see —

Actually, Cash Cab.

Here’s the model.

Oh, you guys.

You get into a cybercab, and 1 out of 100 times, it lights up, and you get to play a quiz show, and there’s a million-dollar prize.

That’s a fun idea, but I’ve got a better one. I would love to see Elon marry two of his twin passions, and so that in the future, there will be a fleet of AI-powered Tesla cybercabs that just deliver ketamine right to your front door.

And I think if they could figure that out, they’d have a real business.

Sky’s the limit.

Sign me up.

All right. Andy, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you, Andy.

Oh, it’s a pleasure. Thanks, guys.

When we come back, we’re going to outer space, baby.

I’m staying right here.

Well, Casey, you know on this podcast, we love stories about heroic nerds.

We absolutely do.

So a couple of weeks ago, we had the story of the engineer at Microsoft who may have saved us from a huge, devastating cyber attack. This week, we have a story that I think warms my heart even more.

Yeah, because it’s about something that you almost never hear about, which is an aging piece of technology continuing to work.

Exactly. And doing so in space. So this week, researchers at NASA had a big celebratory moment when they learned that they had successfully fixed an old, glitchy computer system on Voyager, one of the longest-operating spacecrafts in history. This is a spacecraft that is 47 years old, which is about your age, right?

It is much older than I am, Kevin. It went into space in a completely different decade from the one that I was born in. But it has been doing amazing work ever since 1977, when it was shot up there.

Yeah, so you could think of this as the most audacious tech support attempt in history. Because these engineers at NASA were faced with a severe problem. There was a glitch on board Voyager 1. They were getting back this data that they had expected, but it was different.

It was gibberish, Kevin!

It was gibberish.

Yeah. But there was a small, dedicated team that got together to figure out, how do you fix a 47-year-old computer —

— from 15 billion miles away.

It is truly a wild story. And I think it’s a good chance for us to talk about a piece of the tech world that we don’t talk about that much, which is rockets and space, and the fact that we send all this stuff up into space, all these computers, and then things happen to them. Things go wrong. Things break. Things glitch.

And when that happens, you have two options. You can either let it go and just become sort of a piece of defunct space debris. Or you can try to fix it. And this team of engineers at NASA tried to fix it.

Because, as it turns out, this data that it is collecting from Voyager 1 is pretty important. It is further from Earth than any other piece of manmade equipment.

And not only that, Kevin. But on board of each of these spacecraft, there is a golden record that contain on them — greetings from Earth, popular music, and if all goes according to plan, when finally an alien civilization hears these messages, they will decide not to destroy us all.

And wouldn’t that be amazing?

And it’d be funny if the golden record was just a bunch of B-sides from Cher.

Wait, that would be amazing. What are you talking about?

No, that’d be great.

But I don’t think that would further our cause with the aliens.

I’m just hoping there was a lot of Fleetwood Mac on there.

I bet there was.

Because if there’s one thing that we can all agree on in this divided nation, it’s Fleetwood Mac.

And in this divided galaxy.

Aliens would like it, too. So to talk about what’s happening with Voyager 1, this massive tech support project, and how NASA went about tackling this glitch, we invited on Todd Barber.

He is an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in California. And he was actually there in the room on Saturday when the team found out that they had successfully fixed this space computer.

So let’s make some space for Todd Barber.

Todd Barber, welcome to “Hard Fork.”

Thank you. I’m delighted to be here today.

So you and your team have been dealing with, I believe, the most hardcore tech support issue that I’ve ever heard about. So take us back to the time that you all started figuring out that there was a technical problem that needed to be fixed here. What did that look like?

Yeah, so taking me back to a very dark day there, but that’s OK.

That’s why we do these things. So it’s mid-November of 2023. We track Voyager 1 about one third of the time, so basically, every day.

So we leave our last track. Everything’s fine. No problems. The data looks great. And then we come up on our next track, and it’s just complete gibberish.

Voyager 1 is just sending repeated patterns of 1 and 0. So no science data, but also no engineering or health data about the state of the spacecraft. So that was a dark day on the project.

Then let me ask you a very basic practical question. This thing is 15 billion miles away from Earth. How do you communicate with it?

Well, very slowly, even though the signal moves at the speed of light, 186,000 miles every second. Because of that 15-billion-mile distance, if you divide those two out, it’s about a 22-and-1/2-hour, one-way light time. So if there’s a problem, it’s almost a day for us to learn about it on Earth, and then another day to send up a fix. And that’d be for an instantaneous fix.

So it’s a lagged conversation. But as long as we’re communicating, that’s OK. And of course, that was the problem back in November, as Voyager 1 just was like a petulant little child who’s not communicating.

Yeah. But, like, what kind of signals are they? Like, presumably, you’re not using the AT&T 4G network.

(CHUCKLING) No. These are generally S-band signals. It’s in the microwave radio frequency spectrum and don’t have a whole lot of competition from other spacecraft in that wavelength band. And it’s great. It goes a long distance, and it’s kind of tolerant to weather issues on Earth, to some extent.

Because a real bad — we can get rained out like a baseball game if we have a really bad day. But otherwise, that lifeline is this radio signal back and forth. So there’s a carrier signal, and then the subcarrier. We decommutate on the ground, just like your TV does with the old rabbit ears. You get a signal decommutated and —

I mean, my TV, when I had rabbit ears, couldn’t get a signal from about 300 yards away. So these must be a heck of a radio signal they’re using up there.

Well, I guess, on brand for Voyager, I’m still rocking rabbit ears at home, too. And it works great, nice high-def signal, so. [CHUCKLES]

So Todd, the data that comes off this spacecraft, Voyager 1 — what is the data? What are we using this for? Why do we need this data to make its way back to Earth?

Sure. Well, there’s the combo. Now, I’m an engineer on the project. I’m the propulsion guy — rocket scientist, if you will. And so I’m looking at the health and safety of the propulsion system, how much propellant’s left. I’m like space plumber.

But the real reason, of course, we do the mission is for science. And we’re in an area of space no spacecraft has been before. Apologies to kind of a “Star Trek” reference there, to boldly go.

But that’s the excitement. We’ve crossed what’s called the heliopause. The sun blows a bubble around itself, and we crossed that boundary on Voyager 1 in 2012 and on Voyager 2 in 2018. So we’re the only two working spacecraft outside that bubble in interstellar space.

So the key there is, since we’re a brand new environment, all we had before was, what do the models tell us this space between the stars is like? And it turns out most of them were wrong, and the scientists love being wrong, because then they can go back and refine their models and try to figure out, well, what’s really going on out there?

So to actually have in-situ measurements from not one but two spacecraft outside that bubble — that’s the excitement and thrill of Voyager science. And it’s hard science to explain to the general public. The cameras are off. It’s a lack of pretty pictures. But the science is absolutely fundamental.

So back in November, your team starts seeing this incomprehensible data coming back from Voyager 1. It’s a very dark day. You said this is not a fun thing to learn. Now, I want to ask you the question that I get asked every time I call tech support, which is, Did you try turning it off and then back on again?

That’s a great question. Absolutely, that’s the first thing we tried. And it unfortunately didn’t work.

So if it wasn’t just about turning it off and back on again, tell us how you actually identified the source of the problem and what it was.

So through this whole five-month process, we could tell Voyager was alive — Voyager 1 was alive — and pointed at the Earth. Because we were still getting this carrier signal. But that’s really just like a flat tone that I’m there. There was nothing that we could decommutate off the carrier signal to get any telemetry.

But we did see, as we started trying to change some of the telemetry modes, that some things did change in the subtleties of the carrier signal. So that told us we were commandable. We could get commands to the spacecraft that was interpreting them.

So one of the next things we tried was, there was a very old program.

And all this would do — it’s a very simple little piece of code that would just send two pieces of telemetry. But we couldn’t test that.

There was no test bed. It hadn’t been used in decades. But we found a way to upload that, and that worked. So that was a start to diagnosing this problem.

Yeah. So let me just summarize back to you what I’ve heard so far. So you’re trying to communicate with the Voyager. You’re sending it signals. You’re trying to modify the data that you’re receiving from it to test if it’s working. Do I have that right so far?

Yeah. And this is just to get a tiny piece of code running to give us just a bare minimum, like two checks of a couple of telemetry channels. That’s about it.

OK, so what happens next?

Yeah, so we actually had to go in, and that’s scary, because it’s write-protected hardware, so we have to take off the write protection and and poke a value in there. And that’s really kind of frightening. You don’t want to make a mistake there. You could easily kill the spacecraft. So I remember all of us kind of looking over these hex words, going line by line till our eyes were kind of crying. But just making sure every little bit was right, so we wouldn’t make the problem worse. So somehow, all of this — we get a memory readout.

And that’s when we got this first clue. It looked like one chip, which is about 256 bits, had all of its bits flipped. So that’s like a chip failure. So it’s amazing, even with no telemetry and from 15 billion miles away and nearly one-day-old data, we said, aha, we think it’s this chip.

And is the problem with the chip, as best you understand it, is it age-related? I mean, this is a very old computer. It’s 47 years old.

Yeah, that’s correct.

And to put that into context, that’s older than Kevin is.

Yeah, that’s true.

That’s right.

That’s true. So things start failing in your 30s, I am learning. And by the time you’re 47, some of your bits might have flipped. So is that what happened to this chip?

That’s one theory and definitely a possibility. The other is that maybe in the — you know, interstellar space is a little more unforgiving in its radiation environment. So we might have had some kind of radiation damage to that chip in this environment.

I just find it amazing that anything computer-related can last for 47 years.

I’m on my fourth pair of AirPods.

I mean, I cannot keep a piece of technology alive for six months, and you all did it for 47 years. So congratulations.

Thank you. Well —

— keeping it alive to that point.

Extremely well built. And I’ll say, I have a Commodore 64. 42 years old, it still works. I put in the 5-1/4-inch floppy and play a video game. Oh, the graphics on it are so, so beautiful. But this is from ‘82, so maybe they just really built things really well back in the ‘70s.

That’s a true case of “they don’t build them like they used to.”

Absolutely. So —

So OK, you’ve got this chip. It’s one chip. It’s 256 bits. Its bits have been flipped. It doesn’t work anymore. How do you fix that? What is the solution that you all come up with?

OK. So an intermediate step before we even did that — we said, we want a real, like, calculated MRO. So —

What’s an MRO?

Todd, you have to remember, we’re idiots.

Oh, bad boy. I use TLAs all the time — sorry, Three-Letter Acronyms. I can’t do that.

Wait, there’s a three-letter acronym for three-letter acronyms?

No, that’s mine, I think. But — [LAUGHS]:

But anyway, thank you. MRO is a Memory Read-Out. So we ended up getting —

We’re HDAs over here. We’re Huge Dumb-Asses, Todd. Just keep that in mind.

I’ll say it. My bits are flipped right now.

Now, that’s a useful acronym. Thank you. So then the idea is that everything that went through that chip, all the code, and again, lack of documentation and no test bed — they had to relocate all of that to free parts of memory.

And when you have 69k worth of memory, there’s not a lot of free stuff there. In fact, that one chip was 3 percent of our memory. So we couldn’t relocate the whole thing in any one spot.

We actually had to break it up into a few pieces. That’s scary. And then, any dependency of the flight software code that went through that chip that called other modes and things to other parts of memory — we had to trace all those paths to make sure that none of them would call back to that bad chip. So that took months and a lot of hard work by the team.

And just to reinforce how insane all this is — this is not — when you’re talking about relocating things, this is all happening billions of miles away, all through these radio signals that take almost a day to arrive.

That is correct. So we were commanding on about a weekly cadence, and we knew the moment of truth was then about the 18th of April, which was a Thursday. That happened to be our uplink pass that week.

So we sent this set of commands, all these hardware pokes, many, many of them, to specific addresses to relocate all that code. And because of that two-day round-trip light time, basically, we all met about 6 AM on Saturday morning, April 20. And we were in the room to see if it would work. We brought our displays up and waited for the magic hour to come.

And how nervous were you? Like, that’s got to be a very nerve-wracking moment, where you’re waiting to hear whether this audacious repair has actually succeeded.

I’m waiting anxiously. I want to see my propulsion data, because I haven’t seen my ancient spacecraft in five months. You know, what other problems — how has it aged in those five months? So I’m just really hoping they did everything right from the point of view of getting back to work and seeing the health and safety of the propulsion system.

So take us inside the room at the moment of truth. What does it look like? What’s going on?

It’s just all smiles, some high fives. And we didn’t miss them like usual. I think there’s been some high-five training here amongst the engineers and scientists — and a few tears and just massive relief and celebration. I personally had my computer up and just started seeing my first propulsion bits of telemetry come in the first view into the health of the propulsion system in five months.

So that was magic. And of course, it was just right to work then for the engineers. Because what are we seeing? Is that right? How have things changed in the last five months? But still, a moment to celebrate, for sure.

So, OK, is everything fixed now? Is there more to be done, or is this sort of the big repair?

This was — for the engineers, this was a golden moment. But of course, science is still patiently waiting. We’re not an engineering mission. We are an absolutely a science mission.

So the next step is to figure out — there’s three other of these telemetry modes that the geniuses and the Tiger team have to figure out how to relocate that code that goes through the failed chip. The good news is, the three combined is less total code than we had to do just to get the engineering data. The bad news is, we might have to do more of that splicing, a little piece here and there, and check all the dependencies.

So we’re planning that work now, and hopefully, within, let’s say, a month or two, we’re fully — and now, I’d say we have more confidence that that’s going to work, because of our success in getting the engineering data back. So once we get this, then we can get all the science instruments back speaking to us, and pick up where we left off with that five-month gap in the data.

But every day, as our project manager says, Voyager 2 sets a new longevity record for a spacecraft since it launched before Voyager 1. And Voyager 1 sets a new distance record for a spacecraft. So it’ll be great to pick that up.

When they launch those, how long did they think that they would still be out there doing science?

Yeah, it’s a great question. So we launched in 1977, taking advantage of this incredibly rare cosmic alignment of the four gas giant outer planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. That only comes every 176 years.

So we were very lucky to have the technology. NASA wasn’t even 20 years old yet when we sent Voyager 1 and 2 on their way. And at the time, no spacecraft had really lasted more than a year and two in space.

So it was already a stretch goal to get Voyager 1 and 2 to the five-year mark, which is what it would need to get out to Jupiter and Saturn and play all the data back. So not only did we do that, we preserved the option for Voyager 2 to go on to Uranus and Neptune.

And by then, we’re 12 years into the mission — a huge stretch goal just to get there. That all worked fine. And then, since both spacecraft were still working, had some propellant, we realized that they might just — if we were really, really lucky, they might just cross the heliopause.

And at the time, the heliopause — this is this edge of the bubble. And at the time, we thought that bubble was a lot smaller than it turned out to be. So as we’re going out, you know, where’s the bubble? When are we going to cross?

And the project nearly got canceled a time or two. But finally, we had some hints that we were getting close to the edge of the bubble in around 2004. And sure enough, we crossed it in 2012, Voyager 1, 2018, Voyager 2. But I don’t think anybody at the time, no matter how well it was built and using the best parts and just really making a mission for the ages — I don’t think anyone could have dreamed we’d be here in 2024, talking about — with two relatively healthy spacecraft.

Yeah. And how much life do you think they might still have in them?

Yeah, that’s the big $64,000 question. So we don’t know what will end either mission. There’s some hard constraints that we know are out there. There’s — the power source is a RTG, Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. We lose about 4 watts a year.

And we’ve already had to turn off some science instruments over the last 20 years. Cameras, for example — there’s nothing to see, so might as well turn those off, turn their heaters off. We ended up running out of, basically, things to turn off, except for the last heaters on the working science instruments.

And so we said, well, got nothing to lose. Before you turn a science instrument off, let’s turn heaters off. And so we started doing that. And so far, we’re 5 for 5. We’ve put the instruments in an absolute deep freeze, and the temperatures they never saw during ground testing or in flight, and have no right to still be working, and yet, all the instruments are still working.

They’re pretty cold. We had to recalibrate some things, but they’re still working fine. And then, we were finally out of power, and we realized we were going to have to start turning off science instruments one by one.

Well, then someone said, well, maybe we can let the power margin go negative and go to what’s called an unregulated DC bus voltage. And that was not thought possible or was to be avoided. Well, guess what? We tried that on Voyager 2. It worked.

So now, that bought us another two or three years. Now, it’s a 47-year-old — two 47-year-old spacecraft. Something else could easily break tomorrow. Every day is a gift.

Todd, is there any fanfare planned for the day, inevitably, when Voyager 1 is officially retired? Are you going to throw it a retirement party? Does it get a gold watch? What’s the plan?

Well, I’m glad you brought up gold watch. That’s a very apt description, because our goal right now — with both spacecraft, to release one of them is to somehow make the 50th anniversary since launch. So a gold watch for the golden record on our golden anniversary — that would be unbelievable.

That is August and September of 2027. So maybe six months ago, I would say that’s looking pretty dicey. But there’s renewed vigor, now that we’ve seen Voyager 1, that it seemed to age fairly well over the last five months.

And Voyager 2 is generally in better shape in most areas. So I think there’s definitely a chance to get to that 50th anniversary. And that will be a heck of a party.

You mentioned that there is a gold record on one or both of the spacecraft. Is that right?

That’s correct. It’s identical record on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. And this is greetings, language, pictures, music from planet Earth, greatest hits as of 1977, and most beautiful eclectic set of music that you’ll hear from planet Earth, just from all over. It’s really a beautiful cosmic bottle in the ocean, if you will.

I just — I love this story. It is such a feel-good story about these engineers who set out to build a thing, and they just — they did it right. They did something right, and it’s lasted all these years, and it’s giving us, still, valuable data, long after anyone involved with the original project thought it would. I just think it’s a very cool story.

Yeah, and we’ve had lots of miraculous recovery efforts over the years. But I have to say, to me, this one might just be the top of the heap.

Well, Todd, thanks so much for your time. Really appreciate it.

Thank you, Todd.

And congratulations.

Thank you very much. Go Voyager.

“Hard Fork” is produced by Whitney Jones and Rachel Cohn. We’re edited by Jen Poyant. We’re fact-checked by Caitlin Love.

Today’s show was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Original music by Marion Lozano, Rowan Niemisto, and Dan Powell. Our audience editor is Nell Gallogly. Video production by Ryan Manning and Dylan Bergersen.

And if you haven’t already, check out our YouTube channel at youtube.com/hardfork. Special thanks to Paula Szuchman, Pui-Wing Tam, Kate LoPresti, and Jeffrey Miranda. As always, you can email us at [email protected].

• April 26, 2024   •   1:11:54 TikTok on the Clock, Tesla’s Flop Era and How NASA Fixed a ’70s-Era Space Computer
• April 19, 2024   •   1:02:32 The Music Episode
• April 12, 2024   •   1:06:55 A.I.’s Data Wall, a Surprise Privacy Bill, and What Happened to the TikTok Ban?
• April 5, 2024   •   1:03:52 Is A.I. Already Taking Jobs? +A Filmmaker Tries Sora + The XZ Backdoor Caper
• March 29, 2024   •   1:09:58 A.I.’s Messy Moment + Listeners Respond to Jonathan Haidt + Shrimp Jesus
• March 22, 2024   •   1:30:44 Justice Dept. Sues Apple, Smartphones and Children with Jonathan Haidt and Reddit’s I.P.O.
• March 15, 2024   •   1:16:03 A Looming TikTok Ban, a Royal Photoshop Mystery and Your Snitching Car
• March 8, 2024   •   1:10:52 Musk vs. OpenAI, Europe’s Tech Crackdown and a Month With the Vision Pro
• March 1, 2024   •   1:29:18 Gemini’s Culture War, Kara Swisher Burns Us and SCOTUS Takes Up Content Moderation
• February 23, 2024   •   56:37 Google DeepMind C.E.O. Demis Hassabis on the Path From Chatbots to A.G.I.
• February 16, 2024   •   1:17:04 The State of A.I., and Will Perplexity Beat Google or Destroy the Web?
• February 9, 2024   •   1:08:27 Bluesky’s Big Bet, and Are Deals Dead in Silicon Valley?

Listen to and follow ‘Hard Fork’ Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

Hosted by Kevin Roose and Casey Newton

Produced by Davis Land ,  Rachel Cohn and Whitney Jones

Edited by Jen Poyant

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Original music by Dan Powell ,  Marion Lozano and Rowan Niemisto

On Wednesday, President Biden signed a bill into law that would force the sale of TikTok or ban the app outright. We explain how this came together, when just a few weeks ago it seemed unlikely to happen, and what legal challenges the law will face next. Then we check on Tesla’s very bad year and what’s next for the company after this week’s awful quarterly earnings report. Finally, to boldly support tech where tech has never been supported before: Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab try to fix a chip malfunction from 15 billion miles away.

Andrew Hawkins , Transportation Editor at The Verge

Todd Barber, Propulsion Engineer at Jet Propulsion Lab

Additional Reading:

‘Thunder Run’: Behind Lawmakers’ Secretive Push to Pass the TikTok Bill

Tesla’s in its flop era

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth

“Hard Fork” is hosted by Kevin Roose and Casey Newton and produced by Whitney Jones and Rachel Cohn . The show is edited by Jen Poyant . Engineering by Alyssa Moxley and original music by Dan Powell , Marion Lozano and Rowan Niemisto Fact-checking by Caitlin Love .

Special thanks to Paula Szuchman , Pui-Wing Tam , Nell Gallogly , Kate LoPresti and Jeffrey Miranda .

Kevin Roose is a Times technology columnist and a host of the podcast " Hard Fork ." More about Kevin Roose

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