Travel Computer Question

[jerseyjay]

I need advice on getting a laptop (there was a thread on this, but since it was from three years ago, I thought it would make more sense to start a new one).

I am happy with my MacBook Air. However, over the next six months I have quite a bit of travel, including international travel, including to some countries that are thought of as somewhat repressive. I am looking for a laptop that I can use on the run, including at academic conferences, to check email, log into the CMS, use Skype and Zoom, and do basic word processing, spreadsheet, and presentations. (I could use MS Office for all of this, but I usually use OfficeLibre.) I would probably want to be able to watch youtube and Netflix. I want a computer that is relatively inexpensive (in case it gets lost or stolen while travelling); this will be a backup computer, where I won't store all my personal and professional information.

The last time I did significant international travel, before Covid, I had a low-end HP laptop (~$200) that I bought on discount on Black Friday on which I installed Linux; this worked fine, but I stopped using it about a year ago when it seemed to always have memory issues when I was using it to give classes on Zoom.  I would like a computer somewhere in the $150-$300 range that will be fine for the rather simple tasks I have. Since this is a travel computer, I would prefer something somewhat light.

I have thought about a Chromebook (which are often the least expensive option), but I am not sure whether it will be possible to use it for word processing without being connected to the internet. Would I be able to locally install LibreOffice and use it? 

[Hibush]

For travel, it is valuable to be able to use local functions without internet access. So a Chromebook and some of the pad-with-keyboard options are limited.