Minimalistic Lifestyle Tips for Laptop Owners

Jun 01, 2023

Minimalism as a lifestyle is rising in popularity. Many people are opting for less ― of everything. The benefits of this approach can be multifaceted: you can save money, decrease stress, and also reduce your environmental footprint.

Because a laptop fulfills multiple needs for most users, it is often considered an essential item. Here are some tips for aspiring minimalists who need a laptop.

One of the most common pieces of advice from minimalistic lifestyle experts is to buy quality over quantity. This helps save money in the long term and decreases the overall number of items we have at home. The same holds true when purchasing a laptop.

Buying a better laptop once every few years is going to cost less over the long term than swapping for a new one every other year or so. Some of the things that play into laptop price are parts, materials used, and the quality of the finish. When shopping, pay attention to what the chassis is made of, and do some research into the quality of frequently used parts such as the keyboard, touchpad, and screen hinge.

A good, convenient way to ensure you’re getting a tough laptop with quality parts is to look for one thoroughly tested for durability. Most new ASUS laptops go through 26 different tests to ensure top-notch toughness.

To future-proof your laptop, make sure you buy the top spec you can afford. The apps you use now and the new apps coming online will very likely require a little more power as they are updated. So when you’re deciding between two configurations, opt for the more powerful one — even if it’s more than you need right now.

It’s not uncommon to swap a laptop because of its aesthetics. By buying an elegant machine with a minimalistic design and universal yet interesting color, such as an ASUS Zenbook, you can make sure it suits any scenario you might need it for. Good design stands the test of time, regardless of the current fashion trend. Class is always in!

Buying a laptop that can do it all without accessories is a good way to keep things simple. For instance, a high-quality OLED display and software like GlideX that allows you to extend your laptop screen space to mobile devices can help you get rid of an external monitor. Plus, a full-size laptop keyboard and accurate touchpad can allow you to use the laptop comfortably without an external keyboard and mouse.

If you use a laptop to work creatively, you can replace many peripherals by buying a creator laptop that features a rotary input device like the ASUS Dial or DialPad. An added bonus is a touchpad or touchscreen that supports stylus input, removing a need for tools such as a pen, tablet or control station.

Finally, if you do need to connect peripherals or other devices, choosing a laptop with a full I/O port selection ensures you won’t need a docking station or other dongle to connect things.

Having Type-C® or Thunderbolt™ 4 ports with power delivery is also a big bonus — you can just use one cable and adapter to charge your laptop and handheld devices (if they come with a USB Type-C port).

When you do need to connect accessories, try to go wireless. Cables running across your desk create a mess and they need to be stored somewhere when unused.

Plenty of wireless accessories are available now, and you no longer have to be concerned with unreliable connections or latency. You can choose wireless, headphones, computer mice, keyboards, and other options. Wireless charging options for your phone or accessories are also becoming the standard — sometimes they’re even built-in into desk lamps or even the desk itself.

To take full advantage of smooth wireless connections, ensure your laptop has the latest connectivity technologies like WiFi 6E and Bluetooth® 5.

Whatever you can digitize, do it. Switching from physical formats to electronic ones is a great way to declutter.

Fully switching to digital and keeping PDF versions of documents, using electronic signatures, and taking notes online helps you get rid of all of that paper that needs to be stored … and it also means you no longer need a printer.

Some laptop options are particularly well-equipped to help you go digital with any workflow. A convertible with a 360° hinge like the ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED, a 2-in-1 laptop with a detachable keyboard that doubles down as a tablet like the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED.

TVs have been an integral part of living rooms for many decades, but if you want to simplify things, it might be time to get rid of your TV. This is possible now, thanks to the fact that most content is available via apps ― and with the amazing, color-accurate visuals that OLED screens provide, you may not miss your TV at all!

If you still occasionally want to watch in large format, all you need is a white wall and a compact home projector like the ASUS H1 LED, or the portable and wireless ZenBeam Latte L1. Both provide excellent imagery while not taking up anywhere near the space that a TV does.

Transforming your house into a minimalistic space often involves figuring out efficient storage options. A desk with built-in shelves and drawers is a great to set up a minimalistic workspace. Click on this link to read an article about how to create the perfect, tidy creator workstation.

Many people seem to forget that you can put more on your walls than just decorations — they're also great but unused storage spaces.

Wall shelves are a great way to organize your things neatly without standing furniture. This will also visually free up the space in your house.

For the desk area, you may also consider installing a peg board that can help you organize all your laptop accessories and cables neatly and access them easily. Add some pot holders to the mix and put up a plant or two to make the space greener and friendlier.

Environmental protection and minimalism go hand-in-hand. Many times, these two concepts comprise the same lifestyle. Your laptop can be a green statement as well.

Sustainability is one of the core values at ASUS. Many of our laptops are made with recycled materials and meet the highest standards of energy efficiency. You can learn more about our sustainability commitments here. Our laptop recycling programs also help you be green and reduce clutter by getting rid of old devices.

Leading a minimalistic lifestyle is about more than just aesthetics. Focusing on keeping the items essential to leading a less cluttered, more productive life, allows you to focus on the things that matter. Less distraction can lead to better productivity!

The concept of minimalism walks hand in hand with the Zen philosophy, which was the inspiration for the ASUS Zenbook family of laptops. These laptops are designed to help you be more productive, and their aesthetic smoothly integrates into any minimalistic lifestyle. Make sure to take a look!