My desk is an antique beauty I got at a local store in the tiny North Georgia town in which I reside. Atop my desk sits a four year old (at least) Dell laptop, a bill organizer, and a beautiful figurine of two birds. Also in my “office” is a washer and dryer, my elliptical machine (that I really should use more often) and a large organizer for my family’s shoes, athletic equipment and other odds and ins.
My Office is Anywhere and Everywhere
Because I think it’s relevant to where we work i.e. our office, I wanted to give you a bit of information about my life. I am the wife of a hard-working project manager who oversees an abundance of projects for a local architect’s office. They work mainly on commercial projects, think schools, fire stations, etc. I have two high school children, aged 16 and 14. My oldest has a car and drives himself and his sister to school and back each day, which is immensely helpful. No more sitting in pick up lines for hours when I could be working!
My husband works away from home and the kids are gone for the good part of most days. That means I often move my laptop and work all over the house. Sometimes, I sit at the kitchen table or the recliner in the living room. Other times, I sit at my desk and use my official “office,” and still other times, once the kids are home from school primarily and the house is a little too loud for productivity, I escape to the serenity of my bedroom. Forgive me for going on, I just wanted to give you a picture of what my day looked like and why sometimes I tend to work at different locations in my house, not always in one singular space devoted to work. This brings us to the meat of this article, what type of equipment is best for freelance writing?
Desktop or Laptops: Which is Better for Freelance Writing?
My husband has a really cool setup at work; he has two computer screens, and a wireless keyboard that he hooks into his portable laptop. I think that’s an advantageous arrangement and would like to copy it, as it is a combination of the things I love about desktops, i.e. the large screens, in conjunction with the portability and convenience of working anywhere that a laptop provides. I don’t know if I would use two screens enough to make them worth the investment, though. After all, I move around the house a lot. Therefore, I feel I should primarily keep my equipment to a laptop.
As of yet, I have not made the jump from PC laptops into the high end world of the Mac. I would like to, but alas, my kid’s are too expensive and I have yet to make the investment in my own career. I do wonder though, are they worth the money? The Mac not the kids. Come on, I know the kids are. Perhaps, some of you who have taken the plunge could tell me. In the meantime, though, let’s explore some of the best rated laptops for freelancers, writers, travelers and nomads…really anyone who doesn’t have a set “office.”
Best Laptops For Freelancers, Authors and Journalists
Lenovo ThinkPad E470
TechRadar rated this computer as the best laptop for authors, journalist and writers. Some things I noticed while looking through the description was an anti-glare, 14-inch display. This means my tired, strained eyes aren’t struggling as much to see my screen. I don’t like the lack of a high capacity battery option. My laptops are always having battery issues, so this is a thing with me. The price isn’t terrible but isn’t phenomenal either as there are options ranging from $631.00 to $923.54.
Asus Zenbook UX310UA
This dandy was ranked as the second best laptops for our profession by TechRader and the cost was around $869.99. It has an average battery life, which isn’t great. However, it does have a fast wake-up, which is key because as you know, our time is money! This laptop also features a light, ultra-slim design that makes it super easy to carry around, all while still having a decent sized keyboard.
The description by TechRader actually mentions that this is one laptop that you won’t have to upgrade for years. This spoke to me as a person who seems to only get two years at the most out of my laptops, without having to stay anchored to a power cord or worry about mid-article crashes. Right now, I have two laptops to choose from at home, one of which must always be plugged in (anchored to a power chord) or one that will arbitrarily crash while I am in the middle of an article, which is beyond frustrating.
MacBook Pro (15-inch)
You know how when you first got your driver’s license and you drove whatever car you could, happily. Then, you finally were able to work up to a nicer car, you know one with air, working windows and matching paint. Well, the MacBook for me is that car, a real life example of finally arriving. Perhaps, I should instead compare it to driving a brand new Lexus, Mercedes or even brand new Tahoe today, it is the dream. For those of you who are currently reading this on your Mac, you likely think I am delusional. I most certainly am, no question, but it is what it is, my goals are small, what can I say?
Now, on to the spec on what makes this laptop great for writers, authors and journalists. The description by TechRader says it like this, “If you’ve got the cash, the 2018 MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops for writers that we’ve ever used.” They rate incredible power and improved keyboard as attributes. They failed to list the price, but I did a quick search and Amazon and the 15.4” for $2,549.
If you want to read the whole ranking of laptops by TechRader and see all the technical specs, you can here. In the meantime, I will just keep holding my breath for my coveted Mac, and me and my always corded Dell will keep moving all over the house, working hard at and away from my “office.” What about you? What does your office look like, and are you happy with your equipment and the set up?
Brandie P’s career as a freelance writer spans several years and encompasses an abundance of niche specialties. Before beginning her writing career, she was an office manager and worked in the medical field. Her experience in these two fields have come in handy when writing topics pertaining to these fields.
