Ultimate Must-Have Guide for Business Travelers

Dec. 10 2022

After a lengthy hiatus, business travel has reentered our lives and rebounded to levels not far off pre-pandemic highs. As professionals dust off their travel gear, they also deal with a classic question: How can I pack enough to create comfortable, productive work conditions without overburdening my luggage load?

The right gear can create a more streamlined travel experience while increasing your productivity on the road. Here’s a look at some top priorities for business travel.

The supplies deemed “essential” will vary from one traveler to the next. In general, a thorough business trip checklist should include these essential, discussed in more detail throughout this article:

Perhaps the most important of travel-ready accessories, your laptop serves as the command center for your professional life on the road. You need something powerful yet portable, with the modern upgrades to create an office experience from anywhere.

Meet the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED. Carrying an up to 12th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 Processor and an Intel® Iris® Xe graphics card in a slim and sleek design, the Zenbook 14 OLED packs a computing punch without weighing down your carry-on. The thin frame does not come at compromised durability: The all-aluminum chassis meets military standards and has been drop-tested and examined in harsh conditions.

To simplify the choice, look for an Intel® Evo™ badge. These modern laptops are designed specifically with the needs of modern versatile professionals in mind. Learn more in this guide to Intel Evo ASUS laptops.

Away from the home or office, one of the most difficult adjustments for many business travelers is multitasking. To reach highest productivity, most professionals prefer a second screen.

The ASUS ZenScreen MB166B Portable USB Monitor extends your screen with 15.6 inches of fully HD space, allowing you to work in portrait or landscape mode. The user-friendly design comes with an embedded tripod socket that allows users to easily raise the screen up to eye level.

Of course, others rely on an existing tablet to act as their second device—a great choice for folks who want to read or stream entertainment in their off time. ASUS laptop users can also use the tablet to extend their working space as well. Apps such as GlideX can equip you to set up your device as a secondary screen with cross-device screen-sharing, helping you create a bigger and better workspace anywhere.

High-functioning wireless noise-canceling headphones that travel as well as they perform are key. While options are wide and varied, in general, look for a pair with a low-latency wireless connection and strong battery life.

The ROG Cetra True Wireless offers both at an affordable price, coming in a sleek, wireless charging case. Meanwhile, the Clique H10 is a music lover’s dream, with powerful dynamics and stunning audio clarity.

ASUS laptops come equipped with AI noise-cancellation, but those whose laptops don’t have this technology embedded should consider adding a noise-cancelling microphone to their technological mix.

At a reasonable price and in a small package, the AI Noise-Canceling Mic Adapter enhances your headset microphone performance by preventing interference and delivering clear voice audio. It enables stronger communication for calls in noisy areas like train stations or airports, a feature you’ll be glad you sprung for during critical calls.

On-the-go workers often overlook the productivity-boosting power of bringing along a quality mouse. For something that takes up minimal size, a great mouse can add a lot to the mix.

If you’ve been looking to add a mouse to your work travel lineup, it may be tempting to throw your at-home edition in the bag. But a lighter, more minimalistic version for the road may be worth the investment.

These days, some companies have created certain mouses specifically for travel. The ASUS Marshmallow Mouse MD100, for instance, comes with an easy-to-carry concealed strap for portability.

Chargers to power your portable devices are among the most crucial and yet oft-forgotten travel accessories. Between bulky chargers for laptops, tablets, phones and other tools, your bag can get overrun and tangled in a hurry. Things get even more complicated during international travel, where you’ll need different plugs for different countries and regions of the world.

Luckily, there are ways to simplify. A universal adapter in a small size—such as the ASUS Ultra Mini Universal Adapter—can help you streamline your charging supplies by providing a full slate of switch-in, switch-out plugs, ensuring you’re prepared for the specific electrical demands of any country.

Even as electrical infrastructure in public places improves to feed our evermore digital lives, it’s not always possible or convenient to find an open outlet. For substantial, fast-charge power without plugging in, consider investing in a portable power bank.

Once prohibitively bulky, power banks are more portable than ever and allow a powerful charge in a pinch. ASUS’ ZenPower Pro PD, the lightest and smallest notebook power bank on the market, comes with two ports—a USB Type-A and a fast-charging USB Type-C port—to allow multiple charges simultaneously.

Streamlining your packing and minimizing your electronics’ cords and bulk means nothing if you don’t have the right luggage.

To keep everything organized and close to hand, look for luggage with plenty of separated pockets, as you’ll demand lots of storage areas and contained spaces for accessories.

Conveniences such as cord management systems and a hidden pocket for valuables can make your carry bag that much more functional, while anti-shock protection and rain cover will guard your long list of digital valuables.

Keep an eye out for quality material. If it looks good, that’s a bonus. Business travelers exploring their backpack options should consider the storage-heavy and 360-degree-protection-enhanced ASUS Triton Backpack, a bag that achieves both strong construction and sleek design while nailing the little details—all the way down to a pocket to store your business cards.

The right mix of business travel gear is the mix that best fits your specific needs. Every professional will have different job requirements and therefore a different set of priorities when it comes to the tools they need to do their job well.

That said, you shouldn’t have to cede productivity to head out on the road. With a thoughtful approach to assembling your business travel gear, you’ll not only become more productive when you travel—you’ll also get more enjoyment out of the journey.