Laptop to fit in safety box

[Tarpon]

Dear All!

I need to buy a laptop to do some writing back in Farangland and in Thailand as well. How big laptop would fit in a standard hotel safety box in Thailand?

Thanks in advance. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Tarpon

[petehoax]

a 15" will fit into most, but not absolutely all safes. but if you book a modern semi-upscale hotel, it should certainly fit. 

fwiw: i think the chance of someone stealing your laptop out of the hotel room is very very small. i just leave it outside when i leave the room 99% of the time. 

[eXplosief]

35 minutes ago, petehoax said:

a 15" will fit into most, but not absolutely all safes. but if you book a modern semi-upscale hotel, it should certainly fit. 

fwiw: i think the chance of someone stealing your laptop out of the hotel room is very very small. i just leave it outside when i leave the room 99% of the time. 

Or take a cable with Kensington lock. Many laptops will have an attachment point for that.

[forcebwithu]

I use a PacSafe Backpack (link) to keep my laptop and valuables secured. To keep the backpack from wandering off I use a cable looped through one of its secure attachment points and lock the other end to a hard point in the room.

[Garzan]

I had issues with my older Dell 15" 2-in-1 fitting. It isn't the thinnest on the market, or the lightest weight to lug around. I'd been looking at the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 but I wanted USB-C, which the 6 does not have. When the Surface Pro 7 came out, I bought one, along with the attachable keyboard/cover, and a pen. At 12", the Surface Pro has a workable screen size for me, and it fits in pretty much any room safe. It's also far, far, far easier on my shoulder to lug around in a computer bag. 🙂 

When I want to watch a movie or something I use a USB-C to HDMI cable to plug it into the room TV and control the Surface via a wireless mouse from the couch or bed. 

[steveschumi]

Or ask the reception if they can safeguard it. Maybe the hotel self has a bigger safe of some sort.

[seaman]

I usually use a 17'' laptop as the screen is comfortable outside office (using a 34'' wide)

But its heavy and never fit in a hotel safe

I think the next trip I will just take a tablette, for emails, some internet ...

Its possible to configure the VPN on it, but the screen is very small and its difficult to point the mouse with the finger

 

[keepitfun]

It likely won’t get stolen anyway.  Some safes won’t even fit a 12 inch.   Send the hotel a simple clear email asking the size of their safe and they will respond.   
 

otherwise you are left with some do some Dont, some lock, some have no batteries, blah blah blah….ask.

[h.harris]

Maybe I am being too careless. But been travel frequently for over 30 yrs and back then, a laptop seems to be much more valuable than now. Always leave the laptop outside, most of the time visible on the desk, and never have it stolen. The only thing being locked in the safe are the passport, credit cards and cash. Actually I am more worried about my toothbrush being tinkering with than my laptop being stolen 

[h.harris]

18 hours ago, steveschumi said:

Or ask the reception if they can safeguard it. Maybe the hotel self has a bigger safe of some sort.

Ask the reception to safeguard your laptop ??? Dude, I am hoping you are joking here.

[shonkyimp]

If you're really worried about having it stolen, buy a Pacsafe Travelsafe 12L. A hotel room safe is not safe but it's unlikely anyone will steal it whether it's in a safe or left out. 

[Cropped Shaggy]

14 hours ago, shonkyimp said:

If you're really worried about having it stolen, buy a Pacsafe Travelsafe 12L.

 

I've been using one of these for a few years now. Seems pretty well put together but I can't say for certain as no one appears to have attempted to break into it (yet). I did read some reviews with photos of, apparent, attempted break-ins and it looks to hold up well against someone armed with just a knife or screwdriver, for instance. The steel wire to secure it could easily be severed with some bolt cutters but other than that it does seem to be enough to stop typical opportunistic theives.

Edit: I did change the supplied TSA combination lock for a more robust lock, with a key, however, which I would then just throw in the room safe.
 

Edited September 12, 2021 by Cropped Shaggy

[LASportsNut]

On 10/09/2021 at 20:00, petehoax said:

fwiw: i think the chance of someone stealing your laptop out of the hotel room is very very small. i just leave it outside when i leave the room 99% of the time. 

Yes, I agree. 

I think in the past some may have had their laptops stolen, but if you are staying at a decent place with 1/2 decent security it is unlikely.

Plus I do not bring girls back to my room who are too drunk or under the influence of other.

I leave mine out as well (laptop, lol).

 

[shonkyimp]

For extra security, buy one of these and throw it in your Pacsafe. Super fucking loud and sensitive as fuck. If anyone touches the bag it'll go of like a meth addict looking for a hit. Its armed with a remote and only a $20 on Ebay.

[Pole]

Check with your hotel.  When a safe hasn't been large enough I've never had a problem.

For weight and size I ended up settling with a Surface Pro.  Depending on your use case would an iPad work?

 

[Bonkabit]

Or maybe a Chromebook.

Check reviews on the web; they show sizes.

Chromebook works anywhere with Wifi.

Costs less than laptop with disc drive.

[Tarpon]

1 hour ago, Bonkabit said:

Or maybe a Chromebook.

Check reviews on the web; they show sizes.

Chromebook works anywhere with Wifi.

Costs less than laptop with disc drive.

This is what I did. I ended up with a Lenovo Chromebook sized 13.3 a few weeks ago. 

Thanks everyone for your input. 

[Atlas]

On 11/09/2021 at 15:08, seaman said:

I usually use a 17'' laptop as the screen is comfortable outside office (using a 34'' wide)

But its heavy and never fit in a hotel safe

I think the next trip I will just take a tablette, for emails, some internet ...

Its possible to configure the VPN on it, but the screen is very small and its difficult to point the mouse with the finger

 

FWIW mate I have a 10" tablet and bought a bluetooth keyboad and mouse set. The tablet goes into the slot and it acts just like a laptop. You can also configure it for multiple devices, for instance I am currently using it on my laptop. Works great with my phone also. 

[seaman]

Yes right Atlas, it is very usefull to have an external keyboard or mouse

But with the VPN I can connect to our account / management software

And on a 10'' you need big glasses to see the results as there are many columns and rows

The best is a compromise between laptop and tablet, more expansiv ... in my case it is

Its like a laptop with keyboard and bigger touch screen. HP does it for example with the "ELITE" series

[Garzan]

5 minutes ago, seaman said:

And on a 10'' you need big glasses to see the results as there are many columns and rows

My solution for that on my Surface Pro tablet is a USB-C to HDMI cable in my computer bag. In the room I use the cable to mirror the tablet screen to the room television screen. 

I'm not sure how it would work for spreadsheets but it works just dandy for media content.