Traveling doesn’t have to be stressful when you plan ahead especially when it comes to what tech items you may need on your next trip. Taking a real vacation means leaving work at home and turning off your work phone. If you can do that, then I applaud you! However, for so many of you digital nomads that’s not possible. Frankly, the list below isn’t just for digital nomads, many of these travel tech accessories do and will come in handy on your next trip.
I can’t lie I have a love / hate relationship with technology. It seems there’s a new gadget for everything these days but the great thing is that are many gadgets that simplify your life. For example; I never take my work laptop with me (too bulky) instead I take my Samsung Tab A and from that small device I can run my business anywhere in the world. I’m only gone for a maximum of 12 days so it makes sense for me to lighten my load.
I try to be as minimalist as possible when I travel so I take the smallest and lightest tech gadgets that get the job done without getting in the way. This is where things can get tricky, especially with carry-on. The gadgets below I think are worth a good hard look and be added to your packing list. At the end of the day, technology is there to help so take advantage of it.
When packing for a trip you may get stuck on what to bring, if you’re looking to make travel life simpler, this 7 Best Travel Tech Accessories guide will make that a reality. With that in mind, here are some of the best travel tech gadgets around, including laptops / tablets, headphones, luggage trackers, power banks and adapters.
The best part is that all of the accessories below are available on Amazon. All are readily available with just a few clicks just in time for your next trip.
Best Travel Tech Accessories & Gadgets:
1) Samsung Tab A 10.1:
Chances are you already have a tablet, if you don’t feel comfortable bringing your laptop overseas then by all means bring your tablet. My personal favorite is the one I currently have, the Samsung Tab A 10.1. It’s the best since I have all my streaming apps and I do my office work from here as well.
Samsung Tab A 10.1 | Features | Price |
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Brand: SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A 10.1 RAM: 2 GB Memory Storage: 32 GB Resolution: 1920x1200 Pixels Full HD corner to corner | Check For Price |
Laptop: Bringing your laptop is entirely up to you and your needs. When I was a W2 employee, I left work at home. My back office took care of everything. Now that I’m self-employed I take my work laptop whenever I travel within the US. When I travel abroad I take my Samsung Tablet so I’m always connected.
Tablet Accessories: Here are the two accessories I have with my tablet so it feels like a functioning laptop and still compact!
ProCase Universal Tablet Case | Features | Price |
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Compatible with 9-10.1" Android Tablet Large front pocket for cards or cash Protects device from scratches Has stylus holder Comes in 4 colors | Check For Price |
Bluetooth Keyboard | Features | Price |
---|---|---|
Perfect for Galaxy Tab A 10.1 Comes with free stand holder Backlight Keyboard; 7 colors Can type in night or low light Rechargable keyboard | Check For Price |
2) Noise Cancelling Headphones:
Sony WH1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Bluetooth Over the Ear Headset – Black (2018 Version) You may think you won’t need this but when traveling on a budget you may find yourself staying in a hostel. As you know you’ll be sharing that room with 4 to 6 people and their snoring! These are really good for red-eye flights (they’re pretty good at blocking out the sound of the cabin and crying babies). No need to sacrifice your sleep with this often-overlooked item.
Sony Noise Canceling Headphones | Features | Price |
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Industry-leading noise canceling tech Up to 30-hour battery life Superior call quality Great for canceling airplane cabin noise Fast charging | Check For Price |
3) Travel Adapter:
This is so important! Traveling outside the US you’ll need an adapter. Fortunately, these are easy to find and inexpensive, here are a couple of my favorites:
Travel Adapter | Features | Price |
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US to Europe adapter Compatible in most Euro countries 1 outlet with 2 USB charging ports *Only compatible for 100V to 250V wide voltage devices* | Check For Price | |
World adapter covers more 150 Countries Works in US, UK and Australia Charge 3 devices at once Built-in fuse protection Made of fireproof material | Check For Price |
4) Best Tech Pouch:
Organizing your tech is key and simple. Just take all those gadgets and cords and put them in a bag for easy organization. I find keeping them in one place makes it so much easier to find them later.
Electronics Organizer | Features | Price |
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Perfect design for travelers 2 Compartments with several pockets Stow away, cords, power bank, adapter Nice and compact! Available in multiple colors | Check For Price |
5) Portable Power Bank:
You more than likely have a power bank so take it with you. If not here’s one that is a solid addition for your next trip. Some reasons why you do need a portable power bank are:
- You never know when you need the extra juice for your phone so you never miss that perfect shot. If you’re like me and have to
- If you have to do some work during travel, then YOU NEED this!
- If you’re traveling alone and need navigation a good power bank and prove to be a lifesaver.
- Streaming your shows on the plane or during a long layover.
- You have the flexibility to charge multiple devices at once.
Portable Power Bank | Features | Price |
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Fast Charging 40000mAh Power Bank Smart LED digital display Built-in Type-C port - 2 USB ports 360 (LM) LED Flashlight | Check For Price |
6) Luggage Tags:
Don’t sleep on these, these tags will come in handy when you’re traveling with a checked bag. In 2022, there was a record number of canceled flights and lost luggage, I think these will become an essential part of your international packing routine. Basically, these air tags will allow you to track your mishandled luggage even when the airline can’t. There are two on the market depending on what phone you have. Apple really stepped up its game with the Apple Air Tag, what makes Apple AirTags such an effective tracker is that AirTags use Apple’s ‘Find My’ network. Apple boasts they have nearly 1 billion Apple devices using the ‘Find My’ network and those devices are pinging the network and each other in the background. As soon as that AirTag falls within Bluetooth range of any one of those devices that device then pings the ‘Find My’ network. Then it reports the location to you and you can find your lost luggage.
The Tile Pro doesn’t use a network to locate lost luggage it uses a built-in app (Life360) and uses ‘Notify When Found’. The big takeaway here is that the network Tile uses is MUCH smaller than Apple’s.
Tile Pro is the Bluetooth tracker for Android users and Apple Air Tag is the BEST for all Apple devices (iPhone and iPads)
Luggage Tags | Features | Price |
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Best for Apple devices (iPhone and iPads) Uses Bluetooth to connect to 'Find My' with 1 billion devices to find your luggage Simple 1 tap set up Track your luggage when the airline can't | Check For Price | |
Best for Android users Uses built-in app Life 360 Track your luggage when the airline can't Use Bluetooth to 'Find Nearby" Use Tile App to find faraway | Check For Price |
7) HDMI Cable:
This is a simple way to keep yourself entertained when you’re traveling abroad. If you’re traveling for some time (weeks) and want access to your streaming services, the hostel or hotel will have a TV in your room. All you need to do is connect your laptop to the TV with the HDMI cable and watch your show.
HDMI Cable | Features | Price |
---|---|---|
Compatible with TV, laptop projector (port is male to male cable) 4k High Definition HDMI 2.0 cable speed up to 18Gbps of bandwidth | Check For Price |
Tips to Consider Before Buying Travel Tech Accessories:
Let’s face it, you’re on vacation so ask yourself do you really need to work? Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to. If you work in an office do your due diligence and ask who will be covering for you in your absence. If you’re self-employed then you can just get away with the hotel wi-fi and a simple tablet…I do.
Summary:
Lastly, don’t overdo the tech part! Getting too tech gadgets may hurt your pocketbook besides chances are you already have some of the above items anyway. Pack only what you need and pack light.