Best Laptop with Sim connectivity?

[Dogbash]

Hi all, I am way out of touch with laptops as always use desktop however I need a laptop really for when I travel now.

I want an easy way to connect as I'd been using an old laptop and hot-spotting to my phone but that never seemed to work properly and was always problematic. What I could really do with is a laptop that connects to my mobile network either with a physical sim or an esim. I've looked online and can't seem to find any laptops that actually list this feature.

Is this the easiest way to get connected if there is no wifi? And if so, any suggestions for laptops with this feature? Budget up to £1k.

Any help appreciated?

[the-norseman]

I've hot spotted loads of Laptops off my phones (iPhone and Android) without issues.

Just get a new machine (Windows or MacOS) and tether it.

[wyson]

If you use an iPhone and Mac, that tethering is seamless once set up. Literally just selecting a dropdown menu option. The Mac triggers everything.

I would bet good money Samsung have copied this, if you happen to have a Samsung phone and laptop.

Lots of Windows ‘business’ laptops have sim functionality however.

Edited by wyson on Wednesday 18th September 10:51

[sgrimshaw]

wyson said:

Lots of Windows ‘business’ laptops have sim functionality however.

Really?

Like the OP I've never managed to find one, got any examples?

[wyson]

sgrimshaw said:

Really?

Like the OP I've never managed to find one, got any examples?

Can you google LTE enabled laptop? You might find a few.

[GuyW]

Dell & Lenovo have always made varying lines with LTE as an option. I suspect HP as well.

A 30 second search on Dell, the following have LTE as an option.

Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme Tablet
Latitude 7640 Laptop
Latitude 9330 2-in-1

[smack]

sgrimshaw said:

wyson said:

Lots of Windows ‘business’ laptops have sim functionality however.

Really?

Like the OP I've never managed to find one, got any examples?

Lenovo allow you to add them to the spec, for example this Thinkpad X13 build:
https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/configurator/cto/inde...

To add a 4G module is £70, for 5G it is £250.

They use a M.2 slot on the motherboard on the laptop, and here is a 4G LTE one in that Thinkpad spec:
https://www.quectel.com/product/lte-a-em061k-gl/

[TownIdiot]

I've got a lenovo laptop and it works perfectly with samsung and google phones, and does my desktop windows machine if our home network is ever playing up.

It just appears as an available network to join.


My wife has a windows laptop and desktop and has similar results from her apple phone.

It does use more battery on your phone so if it's something you will use alot it might be worth paying extra for a sim enable laptop, plus the data contract/fees.

[the-norseman]

wyson said:

I would bet good money Samsung have copied this

Edited by wyson on Wednesday 18th September 10:51

Usually the opposite way round, Android release something, then Apple release it 4 years later and its "the next best thing"

[wyson]

the-norseman said:

Usually the opposite way round, Android release something, then Apple release it 4 years later and its "the next best thing"

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

wyson said:

the-norseman said:

Usually the opposite way round, Android release something, then Apple release it 4 years later and its "the next best thing"

You wait until they invent the flip phone in five years time.

[loudlashadjuster]

We use Lenovo Carbon X1 which have SIM slots. They're great laptops all round.

[Mr Pointy]

Rather than spend money on a laptop why not try a portable WiFi router & stick a data SIM in it? Some of them are 5G now but those are bit expensive.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=portable+wifi+router+...

[sgrimshaw]

GuyW said:

Dell & Lenovo have always made varying lines with LTE as an option. I suspect HP as well.

A 30 second search on Dell, the following have LTE as an option.

Latitude 7230 Rugged Extreme Tablet
Latitude 7640 Laptop
Latitude 9330 2-in-1

Wouldn't touch Dell or HP with someone else's

But Lenovo is worth a look, thanks.