Installing a Monitor in a Shop or Garage?

[RocketMan]

But there's still typing, which is what's swinging me to the laptop. If I were a twentysomething, I wouldn't mind the phone keyboard. As it is, if somebody tries to get chatty with me with texts, I end up calling them and telling them to spit it out so I don't have to keep hitting the wrong keys on that *expletive deleted*ing tiny phone keyboard. 

Also, yeah - a refurb regular laptop is probably good enough. If a $300 laptop takes a crap, it's probably still cheaper to buy a new one of those than one refurb  "semi-rugged" laptop.

The Raspberry Pi 400 mentioned in an earlier post runs about $170 on Amazon, and less than that from some other sellers.
And no moving parts like fans and hard drives.

[dogmush]

I'll my machine controlling laptops are Referbs off of Ebay for sub $200, including the one I mentioned for my laser.  I just get whatever was a solid business class Dell 6 or 7 years ago when I need a new computer.  I think I could have better described it as "higher build quality" than tough.  Just not a cheap shitty laptop.

I have a couple of RPi's on the 3D printers, and that is also an option.  A Pi, some linux, keyboard and monitor and you're where you need to be, with a computer that can be pretty sealed up.

[Bogie]

This is what I got for my music system.
 
You can get a small "flatscreen" monitor from your local Goodwill for about $10-15 or hook it up to a 32" TV with an HDMI port... Get a remote keyboard and mouse to minimize the cords.

https://www.amazon.com/HYUNDAI-Mini-PC-Portable-Expandable/dp/B08B73FYYS/ref=asc_df_B08B73FYYS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459710794544&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8171652806146763504&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022871&hvtargid=pla-978531825486&th=1