RV Office setup 2025 edition

[Neal]

I'm 1-2 weeks away from departure to unknown for 1-3 months. During this trip I'm determined to figure out my more streamlined computer setup. I love love love my PC towers but I hate the space it takes in the RV and the power requirements which are not ideal for boondocking, etc. even though I have a solid solar and LiFePO4 setup. I still need to conserve power as the sun doesn't always shine This trip I am taking along my usual PC tower which will be on standby but I'm taking two new options one of which will be returned, possibly both will be returned.

New option 1: The new ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 gaming laptop (ASUS site info) with the RTX 5090. Very expensive monster but it will be my tower replacement and gives me the option of patio work, trading, etc. And of course mobile options at home too.

New option 2: Apple Mac Mini M4 with 4 TB drive and 48 GB RAM. This will run either VMWare Fusion (which is free) or Parallels Desktop Pro (small annual fee). I've always used VMWare Fusion but I think I may give Parallels a try this time around.

The nice thing about the Mac Mini is it can go in the dinette cabinet where the laptop pull out tray is and stay out of site and will be better with heat and noise. The laptop would go in front of me and serve as a second monitor to my new LG 45 inch monitor which I love.

While I hate having too many computers to keep up to date with my developer tools etc. I really want to clean up my RV setup....maybe. What I have works and is no cost. Obviously this is going to be a 3-5K cost to go with someone new that will be a powerful yet more tidy arrangement in the compact space of a RV.

We'll see how it goes. I bought both of the above knowing one or both will be returned.

 

[Trav_lr]

I my experience, after some driveway experimenting, I found my laptop to be the most versatile and easist to store for my needs. If I want a large monitor, I can plug into my 42" TV with an HDMI cable or even my outside TV. I also have an HP wireless bluetooth monochrome laser printer, about the size of a large shoe box, and an Iriscan Pro full duplex portable scanner. Everything stows away in a bedroom drawer. A couple of weeks ago, I needed to send documents by fax but my laptop doesn't have a modem.... so a $20 fax modem delivered to an Amazon drop box, a part that might get used twice a year at most..... Oh well!

 

[Swipular]

I too develop software so spend a good bit of time at the screen. I've found while traveling that a laptop is the easiest way to go. I've gotten so used to it that it's all I use now even when home. When I first switched to a laptop I went with one of those gaming monsters but now use a 15 inch laptop. It's much lighter and smaller to pack and carry.

 

[flyboy013]

I too do software development, CAD design, 3d printing, etc, although mainly for fun. While my MacBook is my primary computer, I also have a Beelink S12 running Proxmox. It’s low power and low heat and can be connected to the TV and a keyboard if needed. It allows me to spin up any needed servers. And with proxmox there are many existing images (databases, proxy servers, graphical tools, etc) I can load if needed.

 

[redbaron]

Neal: I have found that remote computing works really well. The type of work I do varies between development, documenting, graphic design, and database.

I have a cluster of Proxmox servers in my datacenter already, with GPU's and high bandwidth. I use the spice connector and my laptop is just a terminal. I have 2 additional screens on the laptop for expansion of display/multimonitor. The CAD/Graphic work is amazingly fast, and I can do this with starlink bandwidth.

I know you have a datacenter already--might consider trying that.

Like Flyboy, I also carry a small Beelink for adhoc projects locally, but find that the bandwidth intensive stuff and data intensive is best left in the datacenter and accessed remotely.

 

[Neal]

Interesting idea! Thanks.

 

[Neal]

Update: 25 JUNE 2025

I got the ASUS laptop, it is really nice. But it is hard to justify because what I already own will work just fine. I really hate practical thinking. The display is gorgeous, love the track pad, but it's just not necessary.

The Apple Mac Mini M4 Pro is enroute, later arrival than expected so it's holding up my departure. However, I did some tests with my MacBook Pro M1 MAX that I already own, it does just fine and in some research, it actually outperforms the newer M4 Mac Mini especially with GPU. So it's going back without even being opened.

I just saved a ton of money and I didn't even switch to Geico!

 

[DennisT]

It is hard to pare down the hardware

At one time, when starting my Oracle consulting life, I could have run a lot of businesses out of my house with all the towers, VM Ware, software, etc.

Now just my Mac Pro laptop and kept the older trash can style Mac tower for video editing.

Unless they changes them again, the Mac mini can’t be opened to upgrade memory etc if desired. Had a couple older ones that were.

Also read that Apple is going to discontinue support for the intel based hardware in the future - don’t remember how long.

 

[Neal]

It is hard to let go, I really love Windows 11 and developing on it, I also really like macOS. I know I can do it all on a mac, did so years ago via VMWare Fusion, setting up Parallels Desktop Pro this time around. Just have rocking windows towers (2) but hate the clutter in the RV. So we'll see how this upcoming trip goes. I do have a Windows laptop (Dell XPS 1700) which is very nice but never use it but it's always fast and does the job too. A bit of a hoarding issue, no surprise there.