Should I use a microcomputer for remote work?

Question

Computers

I work remotely. I am planning to travel. The question arose, is it possible to use a microcomputer instead of a laptop?
I connect to the working machine via rdp, therefore, the characteristics of the machine used for connection are not very important. Travel is supposed to be of this format: I arrived, rented a house, lived for several months, and went on. I prefer to work stationary, at a table and with a normal monitor, so I thought about replacing a laptop with a microcomputer, I think it won’t be difficult to find a monitor, and you can have your own input devices.
How realistic is this option? What microcomputer options are there for such a task?
I understand all the advantages of laptops, you can not bring them)

Answer 1

I'm for intel Nuc (which is in the form of a flash drive) or RPI
But - the laptop will immediately give a full-fledged workplace, while no one interferes with connecting a monitor \ keyboard \ mouse to it
And looking everywhere for a monitor - it can take a long time so and so ...
Take a laptop, at least 1 working device will be if that. From the point of view of logic and safety net, this is the only normal option.

Answer 2

Oh, it’s already been suggested here ... Well, I don’t travel, but the question “where can I put a mini PC” tormented me for a while, and I came to the conclusion that a mini PC can make a good retro console. And of course it has to be portable. And since you really want to change the laptop to a mini, I will share what conclusions I came to. 2. Excessively tight housing leads to heat and requires excessive cooling. And this is noise, additional consumption, mechanical parts and increased cost. In cramped cases, only a CPU with a very low heat pack is possible, which means that see point one, brakes are inevitable.
1. Buying something overly miniaturized in the raspberry Pi format is not worth it. This is an option for a smart home and controlling other bells and whistles, and not for work or even more games. Naturally, all options resembling a flash drive also go there. When you try to work, you will spit from the brakes.
3. Not Android (and arm)! I don’t know how anyone, but I don’t have enough software on the androyd And there are practically no open source options. So all sorts of tablets and TV boxes and similar rubbish - into the forest. In addition, you can still experience beautiful hemorrhoids when trying to display an image on a monitor from a tablet. Not all tablets support this.
4. And not the intel NUC, or even more so its Chinese counterparts. There is no doubt about the quality of the NUC itself. However, nevertheless, this is a proprietary platform and differs from a laptop only in the absence of a monitor ... Nothing really is known how much the upgrade will cost and whether it will be possible at all. And the question is why then it? For the same reason, and not a poppy-mini and other bites. There is also a shortage of software in comparison with x86, like in android.
Total:we come to the conclusion that this will be self-assembly:
Option 1: A mini ITX case - not too small so that typical hardware would fit in there and there were no problems with cooling and not too large because of portability. Volume 2-5 liters. Pros:
- you can assemble x86 on a desktop processor, with a decent amount of RAM and even a decent-sized built-in SSD (although there are no problems with this now and there are plenty of external cases for SSDs, but you won’t look for a built-in one among a pile of rubbish after another move.
- still can be upgraded, but takes up about the same amount of space as a laptop Allows relatively good cooling A wide selection of cases themselves, both from famous brands and the Chinese Completely replaceable stuffing that will not disappear from the market And even a replaceable processor and memory And in the same time - an external power supply unit, like in a laptop (albeit without a battery, but as they say, who bothers to plug it in ...), it can be a useful thing on the road if you need to power some other low-voltage devices from 12 volts
- Ability to stick a fairly powerful processor. I was looking at a Ryzen with an integrated GPU. Not only work on this, but you can also play something that is not very demanding.
- You can set up dual boot - windows + linux for those who need it. A full-fledged network (not all laptops already have it. And in all sorts of raspberry-like options - as a rule, the network is slow)
- A wide range of external ports. Any laptop loses here. (another question is whether this is necessary for your work)
- Durable metal case (full of both steel and aluminum options. There are also plastic ones, but I would take metal both because of strength and because of cooling)
Cons:
- Price As they say, from the category of "I'll postpone it until better times" With prices like today, it's not profitable to change hardware at all.
- You have to assemble it yourself (well, for me this is not a minus, but for you - I don’t know)
- The size and weight will most likely be a little more than the same Intel NUC, but I think that this is not significant.
- the power of the system should not exceed 150-200 watts, otherwise it will overheat, and it is difficult to find a PSU with such power. It is quite possible to keep within if you take a CPU with a TDP of 45-65 Watts
Option 2 Powerful self-assembly in a miniITX case with a volume of up to 12 liters. Pros:
- Everything is the same as option 1 but a little cheaper because the case is larger
- It is already possible to shove some kind of discrete GPU. But here you need to choose in advance and there is a high probability that this element will then be difficult to update, because a three-slot monster 30+ centimeters long will not fit there, and mid-budget options are somehow not visible on horizon Only weak GPUs are made in truncated sizes and they still need to be found.
- you can put a very good cooling if desired. But you also need to think about it at the stage of choosing a
case
- Already relatively standard internal power supplies for 300-500 watts
Cons:
- Weight. If a weight of several kilograms is not critical for you (now only videos weigh a kilogram =)
- The size of 12 liters is like two and a half five-liter bottles. For comparison, laptop cases usually do not exceed 2 liters. Obviously, with air travel, this is most likely to go in luggage ...

Answer 3

Intel NUC

Answer 4

I connected the RPI 4 with 8 GB to the monitor, it works. Remnina including, I use.
Consider the following things. As a rule, small computers do not hold more than 60 hertz. They have a strict fork of hertz and permits.
Also in small computers there is nothing from ups.

Answer 5

For such a task, it is better to take a ready-made HDMI whistle as a ready-made device.

Answer 6

This is a normal working option, if the disadvantages of remote work do not scare you (lags and dependence on the availability of the Internet) . You
do not need to buy a separate computer, a tablet or even a smartphone is enough. USB hub for connecting a mouse and keyboard or bluetooth (so as not to occupy the power connector). To connect a smartphone that does not have an hdmi connector, use a miracast adapter or also called wifi hdmi (about 1-2t.r.), I strongly recommend testing it in a store with your device, I have one that rotated the screen 90 degrees for a specific tablet ( I didn’t win it then), most likely the tablet was buggy, since everything worked fine with smartphones

Answer 7

there are on Ali, here are the first ones that came across:
only a system unit cube without a monitor https: //aliexpress.ru/item/1005002642282828.html
?s ... PS : microcomputers are not an option - problems with software and hardware, performance is not comparable to a normal computer, cheap options will not pull and expensive ones are comparable in cost

Answer 8

I don't think it's hard to find a monitor.

At this point, your plan failed. You will not find a monitor standing alone on the table anywhere.

Answer 9

Samsung Dex and its hub. But it seems to me that you are in vain writing off the issue of the monitor, IMHO it will cross out all possible compactness.

Answer 10

A thin client is a normal working option if you have a stable Internet connection.

Answer 11

mac mini is the best option!
you can even find for 15 if you are not very picky about performance

Answer 12

Interesting to read stuff like this.
Working through RDP is completely inconvenient, and given the not yet the most powerful hardware, this will turn into a living hell (I speak as a person who has tried similar experiments).
Using a Mac Mini is possible and makes sense, but you need to constantly look for a monitor, which is so-so.
The ideal solution would be to take a poppy on m1, only a beech. It costs, as for me, adequate money and will beat them off with a vengeance, for example, even in the minimum configuration. It practically does not take up space, it also weighs nothing at all, autonomy is at the level (more than one laptop on Windows will not give out this). In short, as for me, the best choice than to build such bikes)

Answer 13

You can also consider the moto g100 (edge ​​s) phone. It seems like one of the chips is the creation of a workplace.

Answer 14

Well, you compared the price of a "full-fledged laptop" for 100k (i.e. powerful) and a microcomputer ...
In addition, the microcomputer will need a keyboard with a mouse - that's additional weight and space.
Lack of a battery can adversely affect work in places with unstable electricity
The laptop can be taken for 30-40 on i3 - the performance is enough through the roof and connected via HDMI even to a TV, even to a monitor. You can also connect an external keyboard
According to my experience - I have Intel CompuStick on Atom 8350 and Win10 - its performance is enough to watch video and work via RDP. Connected to TV. BUT! I prefer to go on business trips with a 10-year-old laptop (14" weight 1.1 kg) and an HDMI cable. Much more comfortable.
And if you need only RDP, then you can do without anything at all. Modern smart TVs allow you to install an RDP client. Tested on Samsung (Tizen) and Telefunken (Android)
And if you still want a computer - as an option, a nettop like HP 260

Answer 15

It's strange that no one suggested the RPi400 - it works great, the keyboard is comfortable and does not require cooling.