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Flying with a desktop

79wjd
By 79wjd
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Looking for first hand experience from anyone who's had to bring a desktop with them on the plane. 

 

I'm going to be going back to college in a few months, and I'm going to be bringing my gaming desktop with me....My plan was to bring it as carry on in its entirety, but with the graphics card removed. Its a Cooler Master N200, so its pretty small...my plan is to put it in a box (I guess) and just carry it through... 

 

Any advice/personal experience...will I have any issues with TSA... 

 

Should I just take it apart and rebuild it there (with a new case)? I'd rather avoid this option as I'm going to be brining it back for the summer, so that would mean I'd have to take apart and rebuild it at least 6 more times, which I'd rather not do. 

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I think it should be ok, but remember to take out the GPU

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If it meets the requirments of a carry-on then your good. You will have to check with the airline you are flying with to see what the requirmnts are. If you cant have it as a carry-on, then you would have to check it in and have it stored under the plane( which personally I would not do) if that was the case i would just UPS/FedEx it to were you was headed.

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If it meets the requirments of a carry-on then your good. You will have to check with the airline you are flying with to see what the requirmnts are. If you cant have it as a carry-on, then you would have to check it in and have it stored under the plane( which personally I would not do) if that was the case i would just UPS/FedEx it to were you was headed.

Well, I wouldn't really feel comfortable shipping the components, and its just cheaper to buy a case to leave there than it would be to ship a case back and forth. 

 

I think it should be ok, but remember to take out the GPU

Of course. That would just freak me out to carry it around with the gpu in it....Hell, thats the reason I'm still using a stock cooler--because I don't want to have to take the cooler (and therefore cpu) off every time I travel with it. 

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Well, I wouldn't really feel comfortable shipping the components, and its just cheaper to buy a case to leave there than it would be to ship a case back and forth. 

 

 

Of course. That would just freak me out to carry it around with the gpu in it....Hell, thats the reason I'm still using a stock cooler--because I don't want to have to take the cooler (and therefore cpu) off every time I travel with it. 

Very true, if you can find away to potect each component then it all should fit in a carry on, but you are only allowed one carry on bag, a certain size.

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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Use tonnes of bubblewrap if you HAVE to have it under the plane.


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Very true, if you can find away to potect each component then it all should fit in a carry on, but you are only allowed one carry on bag, a certain size.

I'm allowed a carry on of size: 9x14x22 and the N200 is 9x15x17.5. 

 

So aside from being an inch to tall its well within allowed size (and I doubt that inch will matter). The bigger issue is whether or not it'll be an issue because of what it is. Also, whether or not a cardboard box is the best way to carry it. 

 

Use tonnes of bubblewrap if you HAVE to have it under the plane.

Well, if I get to the airport and they tell me I have to check it, I'll go find a corner, take it apart, and then pack up all the components in my carry on, and pretty much just give up on the case as it will more than likely get screwed. 

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Use tonnes of bubblewrap if you HAVE to have it under the plane.

Airlines are brutal with peoples stuff if it goes under the plane.

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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So aside from being an inch to tall its well within allowed size (and I doubt that inch will matter). The bigger issue is whether or not it'll be an issue because of what it is. Also, whether or not a cardboard box is the best way to carry it. 

 

 

 

Nah, i had a freind move in with me for a while, and he broaght a PS3, and his desktop on the plane. I think you will be fine when it comes to airline security with the PC :)

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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*Riptide Customs* " We sleeve PSU cables "

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i took it with me more than once.. it was just fine. just make sure every thing is tight. noting loose. 

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Nah, i had a freind move in with me for a while, and he broaght a PS3, and his desktop on the plane. I think you will be fine when it comes to airline security with the PC :)

i took it with me more than once.. it was just fine. just make sure every thing is tight. noting loose. 

How'd he/you carry it? Did you put it in a box, duffel bag, carryon suitcase, or just carry the case bare. 

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Mine's survived 4 5-hour flights within about two years. Unpack the hard drives (recommended) and the GPU (not necessary), and drop it off at oversized/fragile items when you check-in. The box might suffer some damage, but the PC should be fine. 

 

I've only removed hard drives before checking in my PC. 

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How'd he/you carry it? Did you put it in a box, duffel bag, carryon suitcase, or just carry the case bare. 

He had a mid tower, some raidmax case, he just put it on as a carry-on bag and put it bewteen his legs the whole ride. He put it in a bag that was a little bigger the a book bag.

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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How'd he/you carry it? Did you put it in a box, duffel bag, carryon suitcase, or just carry the case bare. 

I had a bag that was almost the same fit as the case so i used it and carried it on hand. the second time i put it in the box with all the original packaging and put it on the fragile belt.(cost me extra)

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He had a mid tower, some raidmax case, he just put it on as a carry-on bag and put it bewteen his legs the whole ride. He put it in a bag that was a little bigger the a book bag.

How'd he manage to fit a mid tower in something a little bigger than a backpack O.o 

 

I had a bag that was almost the same fit as the case so i used it and carried it on hand. the second time i put it in the box with all the original packaging and put it on the fragile belt.(cost me extra)

:/ I don't really trust the airlines enough to check it. 

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How'd he manage to fit a mid tower in something a little bigger than a backpack O.o 

 

 

Fit it ass down ( back of the case in the bag first and did not zip it up. I luaghed at him so hard when I seen him getting of the plane, but hey the PC made it in one peace without a single scratch on it.

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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How'd he manage to fit a mid tower in something a little bigger than a backpack O.o 

 

:/ I don't really trust the airlines enough to check it. 

you can sue the hell out of them if they break it even after you put it in the fragile belt. but make sure there are some fragile labels in RED in it 

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Fit it ass down ( back of the case in the bag first and did not zip it up. I luaghed at him so hard when I seen him getting of the plane, but hey the PC made it in one peace without a single scratch on it.

lol. whats the point of the backpack then....I feel like It would be better to just put it in a box thats just bigger than the case (no foam or anything)

 

you can sue the hell out of them if they break it even after you put it in the fragile belt. but make sure there are some fragile labels in RED in it 

How much did it cost? And can you? Everytime I've dealt with airlines they refuse to take any responsibility for damage to baggage or anything inside of it--is something "fragile" under a different category?

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lol. whats the point of the backpack then....I feel like It would be better to just put it in a box thats just bigger than the case (no foam or anything)

 

 

Becuase airports are strict and the bag has to be a certain size, a box would require it to go under the plane.

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For the past two years I've been packing this

post-7134-0-13733400-1402640424.jpg

into this. power supply is separate. 

post-7134-0-69492000-1402640431.jpg

 

Take this as a carry on on the plane and you can fly as long as you want. 

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Take this as a carry on on the plane and you can fly as long as you want. 

Yeah, thats probably what I'm going to do....Just buy another case to leave there and bring the components back and forth as thats more fool proof and safer.

 

I guess, I then just have to decide whether or not to get the exact same case or something else (presumably cheaper, since it will probably be hard and/or not worthwhile to ship back when I finish college in 3 years. 

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For the past two years I've been packing this

-snip-

into this. power supply is separate. 

-snip-

 

Take this as a carry on on the plane and you can fly as long as you want. 

That is very impresive brack down.

My Sig Rig: "X79 (3970X) -Midas"http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wsjGt6"  "Midas" Build Log - https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/59768-build-log-in-progress-code-name-midas/


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Take the hdd and gpu and cpu cooler out.

And use the original box and you should be fine.





 
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Looking for first hand experience from anyone who's had to bring a desktop with them on the plane. 

 

I'm going to be going back to college in a few months, and I'm going to be bringing my gaming desktop with me....My plan was to bring it as carry on in its entirety, but with the graphics card removed. Its a Cooler Master N200, so its pretty small...my plan is to put it in a box (I guess) and just carry it through... 

 

Any advice/personal experience...will I have any issues with TSA... 

 

Should I just take it apart and rebuild it there (with a new case)? I'd rather avoid this option as I'm going to be brining it back for the summer, so that would mean I'd have to take apart and rebuild it at least 6 more times, which I'd rather not do. 

 

 

I think it should be ok, but remember to take out the GPU

and any other PCI card also, remove any water cooling loops.

A water-cooled mid-tier gaming PC.

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Looking for first hand experience from anyone who's had to bring a desktop with them on the plane. 

 

I'm going to be going back to college in a few months, and I'm going to be bringing my gaming desktop with me....My plan was to bring it as carry on in its entirety, but with the graphics card removed. Its a Cooler Master N200, so its pretty small...my plan is to put it in a box (I guess) and just carry it through... 

 

Any advice/personal experience...will I have any issues with TSA... 

 

Should I just take it apart and rebuild it there (with a new case)? I'd rather avoid this option as I'm going to be brining it back for the summer, so that would mean I'd have to take apart and rebuild it at least 6 more times, which I'd rather not do. 

you might need to explain to them why it looks like a "bomb", youknow TSA and wires 

 
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