Question Case designed to be carry-on luggage for frequent traveler?

[Meltdown19k]

This may sound wild to some of you, but I wanted to talk it out and see if anything pre-made existed or if anyone had any experience with this.

I travel for work. I'm gone M-F and fly home every weekend. That's 2 flights a week. I'm an avid gamer, video editor and renderer. Needless to say, this comes with hardware that you cannot find in a laptop for under $5000. I can't even find a laptop with a 2080TI.

My current laptop works alright but I'd really like to be able to travel with my PC full time. I've seen DIY builds of "briefcase" PCs of varying quality. I'm wondering if anyone has seen a roller luggage mod that could be used as a carry on. I'd never check something like this.

I'd also be interested to hear if anyone has successfully traveled with a desktop PC as a carry on (not checked) and how TSA handled it. I have TSA pre-check, so I'm hoping I'd just be able to flop it open and let them see it. It wouldn't have anything different from a laptop in it.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

how about a high end laptop with an external graphics dock?

 

[Deleted member 14196]

external gpu doc to a high end laptop?

also, what you want if not laptop is a gaming lan party stype pc

i love this one

 

[Meltdown19k]

eGPU is an idea I've considered but there's a significant performance hit when using Thunderbolt instead of PCIe. 10 - 30%, which usually means 30%.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

get a lan party pc then, build one that link i provided above has a bunch of cases that would suit. how are you going to manage all that heat? they are going to be heavy

 

[Deleted member 14196]

check this out, faster than TB3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrmHVL6zgGs

 

[Meltdown19k]

get a lan party pc then, build one that link i provided above has a bunch of cases that would suit. how are you going to manage all that heat? they are going to be heavy

I'd use high-powered air blowers with the lid open, probably. I've heard liquid coolers can get past TSA but it's not worth the risk. The idea I have forming involves using a pelican case and creating a mounting bracket that would fit snugly into it where I would mount the components themselves. Probably use some ducts to pull in air from the lid down. Probably something like this

check this out, faster than TB3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrmHVL6zgGs

The thumbnail looks interesting, but they block youtube at work so I'll need to look at it later.

 

[hang-the-9]

Lowering expectations of what you want your portable system to do will solve the issue. Running things at 80% while getting it to do what you want is better than trying to cludge together a solution for more that causes other issues. https://www.xoticpc.com/xotic-g970.html $1,600 good enough CPU, good enough video card, just need to select a SSD size upgrade when ordering. Airports know what a laptop is and how to deal with them, they do it all day. Someone trying to stick a desktop computer through check-in, not so much. At times they may ask someone to turn on a laptop to check it, what happens when they ask you to turn on your computer? You going to wander around with security to find a monitor and plug to get it turned on?

My thoughts in ideas like this is, good enough that works is good enough and better than something that is not suited for the situation being forced into it.

 

[SamNoHam]

This may sound wild to some of you, but I wanted to talk it out and see if anything pre-made existed or if anyone had any experience with this.

I travel for work. I'm gone M-F and fly home every weekend. That's 2 flights a week. I'm an avid gamer, video editor and renderer. Needless to say, this comes with hardware that you cannot find in a laptop for under $5000. I can't even find a laptop with a 2080TI.

My current laptop works alright but I'd really like to be able to travel with my PC full time. I've seen DIY builds of "briefcase" PCs of varying quality. I'm wondering if anyone has seen a roller luggage mod that could be used as a carry on. I'd never check something like this.

I'd also be interested to hear if anyone has successfully traveled with a desktop PC as a carry on (not checked) and how TSA handled it. I have TSA pre-check, so I'm hoping I'd just be able to flop it open and let them see it. It wouldn't have anything different from a laptop in it.

Have you heard of the skyreach 4 mini? https://nfc-systems.com/skyreach-4-mini

 

[Meltdown19k]

Lowering expectations of what you want your portable system to do will solve the issue. Running things at 80% while getting it to do what you want is better than trying to cludge together a solution for more that causes other issues. https://www.xoticpc.com/xotic-g970.html $1,600 good enough CPU, good enough video card, just need to select a SSD size upgrade when ordering. Airports know what a laptop is and how to deal with them, they do it all day. Someone trying to stick a desktop computer through check-in, not so much. At times they may ask someone to turn on a laptop to check it, what happens when they ask you to turn on your computer? You going to wander around with security to find a monitor and plug to get it turned on?

My thoughts in ideas like this is, good enough that works is good enough and better than something that is not suited for the situation being forced into it.

Unfortunately, lowering my expectations is the opposite of what I'm trying to do here. I've spent the last year on the road with a "good enough" laptop with an i7-7700HQ, 32GB RAM and a 1070 MaxQ. Runs games well enough but rendering and editing video suffer.

"Good enough" works when I'm taking a long weekend or a vacation, but when I spend 5/7th of my life on the road I need to figure out a way to go beyond that.

This is specifically so that I can set it up in my hotel during the week. It is not at all for use in the airport. My goal is literally to have a normal desktop PC that can handle the rigors of frequent travel.

 

[Meltdown19k]

Have you heard of the skyreach 4 mini? https://nfc-systems.com/skyreach-4-mini

No I had not! That's actually a very interesting product. Looks sleek and simple. I wonder if it'll fit a 2080 TI though... Research to do!

 

[SamNoHam]

No I had not! That's actually a very interesting product. Looks sleek and simple. I wonder if it'll fit a 2080 TI though... Research to do!

I think you can only get a 2070 ti in. It fits in a laptop bag tho.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

you can't have your cake and eat it too as mentioned above. get realistic with your expectations. use what's good enough to get the job done. that mini is just about as good as it gets for you if it supports a 2070 even

 

[Meltdown19k]

I think you can only get a 2070 ti in. It fits in a laptop bag tho.

Yeah, a quick google and browsing through some forums showed me that the 2080TI wouldn't fit, but a 2080ti mini would once / if they're released. It's definitely something to consider, still.

you can't have your cake and eat it too as mentioned above. get realistic with your expectations. use what's good enough to get the job done. that mini is just about as good as it gets for you if it supports a 2070 even

I don't think there's anything unrealistic about my expectations. I asked if anyone knew of a pre-made case. A DIY case can be done and not be kludgey at all. The only part that is actually an issue is whether or not TSA would allow it through security.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

don't count on it.

 

[SamNoHam]

In the silverstone milo you can fit a rtx 2080 ti. https://www.newegg.com/black-silver...one&cm_re=silver_stone-_-11-163-287-_-Product

 

[SamNoHam]

In the silverstone milo you can fit a rtx 2080 ti. https://www.newegg.com/black-silverstone-milo-series-mini-itx/p/N82E16811163287?Description=silver stone&cm_re=silver_stone--11-163-287--Product

Same with the node 202. https://www.newegg.com/black-fractal-design-node-202-mini-itx/p/N82E16811352058

 

[Meltdown19k]

don't count on it.

Worst "case" scenario I have a PC case with some character.

In the silverstone milo you can fit a rtx 2080 ti. https://www.newegg.com/black-silverstone-milo-series-mini-itx/p/N82E16811163287?Description=silver stone&cm_re=silver_stone--11-163-287--Product

Interesting. I'm liking the idea of a computer that I can just put in my carry-on rather than a computer that is my carry on.

 

[SamNoHam]

Worst "case" scenario I have a PC case with some character.



Interesting. I'm liking the idea of a computer that I can just put in my carry-on rather than a computer that is my carry on.

The guy who does the s4 might also make a custom mod for the case to fit a 2080 ti if talked to him.

 

[SamNoHam]

The guy who does the s4 might also make a custom mod for the case to fit a 2080 ti if talked to him.

Here is the contact page: https://nfc-systems.com/contact

 

[jsmithepa]

Airlines have specific size for carry-ons, and they may decide to enforce/not-enforce the rule inconsistently, just be aware.

9 x 14 x 22" including any handles/wheels.

 

[lynx1021]

I used to fly back in the late 70's and as tech I hand carried my oscilloscope (solid state but Tube screen ) onboard and a bag with jumpers and meters and security would freak out then. Today they would probably put me in detention if I tried that today.

 

[SgtScream]

Get a case that's easy to take apart because TSA security will think it's a bomb. I'd just go with a high end 1080p gaming laptop that way there is no question.

 

[EndEffeKt_24]

I would check out some itx cases like the sm550 or 560 from www.sliger.com
Maybe Lian Li Tu150 might be intersting too.

 

[jsmithepa]

Today they would probably put me in detention if I tried that today.

My experience is the opposite. These days airlines security routinely see road warriors with laptops and cameras and all the accessories they have with them and no need to freak out. These days they are worried about u carrying major quantities of LI-ON, based on potential fire hazard. Officially you cannot bag-check LI-ON, they must be carried-on, so it can be dealt on the spot and not smoldering in the cargo hold, and limited by watt-hour.