Should I get a work laptop
Why You Shouldn't Cheap Out on Business LaptopsJoshua Stowers Business News Daily Staff Updated Nov 09, 2021 Not sure what to look for in a business laptop? Find out what features to look for and why you might not want to buy the cheapest option.
When your small business is in the market to buy new computers for your employees, chances are good that you're considering laptops. Company laptops make it easy for your team to work remotely whether from home, the airport, a client's office or a hotel. While some businesses may look only at cost when choosing a laptop, it's important to consider other factors that contribute to the quality and durability of the product, since it will receive heavy daily use. Show
Why price isn't the only thing to consider when buying a business laptopFocusing on long-term usage rather than cheap pricing can help you choose the right business laptop to improve your work productivity and ensure it's hassle-free. While the costs for laptops range from $300 to $3,000, opting for high-end laptops in the $1,200 to $2,500 range can save you stress and frequent repair costs in the future. Although everyone loves a bargain and it's easy to be drawn in by low prices and sales discounts, you should focus on finding a laptop with the specs that will allow you and your employees to perform your daily work tasks most efficiently. Cheaper laptops typically have cheaper components, which can result in low-quality work performance due to issues like slow processing. An underperforming machine can impede your employees' ability to do their work. To work more efficiently from home, most businesses will need machines with more functionality, longer battery life, larger solid-state drives (SSDs) and faster processors. Here are a few things to consider.
To avoid these issues, consider a laptop's price-performance ratio, which can help you decide if the price tag matches the performance and durability. The price-performance ratio measures a product's ability to deliver performance relative to its price. It's best to review the specifications of each laptop you're considering to ensure you'd receive peak performance for the extra money spent. What is a good laptop for business?Business laptops, compared to those built for consumers, are typically designed for portability and sustaining longer periods of use. Before you buy a laptop, you should understand how your device will be used. Tiffany Bloomer, president of Aventis Systems, says there are three different levels of laptop usage to consider. 1. Basic usageThis level comprises the most cost-effective options for those who just use their laptop for basic functions such as sending emails, streaming videos, browsing the web and using SaaS applications. Chromebooks and other devices that support Google's Chrome OS, like Android tablets, are fit for basic usage. Here are two good options to consider:
2. Above-average usageThis level covers the basic usage functions and adds the ability for intensive application usage, such as video- and photo-editing software and increased multitasking that requires more processing power.Laptops suited for above-average usage include the MacBook, the MacBook Air and the Lenovo IdeaPad. Here are two good options to consider:
3. Superior usageWith superior usage, multiple labor-intensive applications are usually running simultaneously with the highest processing power. These users are often in industries like computer gaming, design and engineering. Financial professionals also commonly have this level of usage for computing large data sets. In some instances, you may need to go beyond a laptop at this usage level. Here are some powerful laptops to consider:
[Read related article: Laptop Buying Guide for Small Business] What should I look for when choosing a business laptop?Since many of the best models look similar, use the same operating system and provide some of the same features, buying a new business laptop may seem daunting. To choose the best business laptop for your employees, the first step is to review the specifications each offers. Sarah Petrova, senior hardware engineer at Intel and Techtestreport.com, listed these specifications that you should consider when choosing a business laptop:
How much do business laptops generally cost?The cost of business laptops ranges from $500 to $3,000 depending on the model, processing power, quality of the screen display, battery life and how much built-in RAM is included. Business laptops tend to be more expensive than consumer models. However, for this extra price, you'll receive a higher-quality product with additional components that can last for years. These components can include stronger batteries, a better graphics processing unit (GPU) or additional USB ports. "You can get solid business laptops that you could use for at least three to four years for $1,200," Petrova told Business News Daily. "However, when you need more performance, high-end GPU and processing power models can cost anywhere from $2,300 to $3,000. These models will be good for the next four to five years." What is considered good memory for business laptops?Since most businesses only require essential office-work functions such as web browsing, emailing and drafting documents, 8GB of RAM is enough for most users. If you often run multiple programs and execute numerous tasks at once, then you might need 16GB or more. To ensure your data transfers as quickly as possible, your business laptop should have SSD storage instead of the traditional HDD. SSD storage is usually quieter thanks to the lack of a magnetic disk and can handle more writing cycles than a normal HDD. Most of the time, 256GB to 512GB of SSD memory is enough. What is a good processor speed for business laptops?AMD and Intel have become the go-to processor brands for many business laptop buyers. They usually offer high processor speeds at affordable prices. While these processors are generally safe options, gauging processor speed depends on the number of cores, according to Anh Trinh, managing editor of GeekWithLaptop. "A quad-core [processor] with 1.8GHz is better than a dual-core with 2.2GHz," Trinh said. "For a business laptop, you're going to need more than 1.6GHz to compete with modern-day software." Laptops usually operate more slowly than desktop CPUs because they are designed for energy conservation. Most laptops have two cores, though some high-performance laptops have four cores. For higher processor speeds, you'll want at least a quad-core system. Image Credit: undrey / Getty Images Joshua Stowers Business News Daily Staff Joshua Stowers is a business.com and Business News Daily writer who knows firsthand the ups and downs of running a small business. An entrepreneur himself, Joshua founded the fashion and art publication Elusive Magazine. He writes about the strategic operations entrepreneurs need to launch and grow their small businesses. Joshua writes about choosing the choosing and building business legal structures, implementing human-resources services, and recruiting and managing talent. |