Why splash out on a business-class laptop?

Black Friday is coming, and so are the January sales (yeah, we know...) so it might be tempting to go out and grab a bargain laptop for your business. Why not? It could save you money! But this is the time to stop and think about the key differences between consumer and business-class laptops and whether you are making a saving or saving up for a lot of frustration...

Here's our rundown of the top reasons to opt for a pricier business-class laptop.

Windows 10 Pro

All business-class laptops ship with Windows 10 Pro pre-installed. And that's the version of Windows that you are going to want to run. To the untrained eye, Windows 10 Home and Pro editions are pretty much the same, but there are key differences you will want to be aware of.

Windows 10 Pro allows you to use Bitlocker drive encryption. Having the ability to encrypt your hard drive protects your valuable company and customer data in the event of your laptop being lost of stolen. And that is vital for any business.

Windows 10 Pro also allows your laptop to join your corporate network through "Domain Join". This means your credentials can validate against Active Directory and allow access to company data on your on-premis or cloud server.

There are a few other key differences in terms of enterprise offerings and controls (such as using Group Policy to restrict what users can do on the machine) which make Windows 10 Pro a must for businesses.

Build quality

Business-class laptops are designed for the rigours of "the road". Most users list portability as a key reason for buying a laptop over a desktop and all that travel, taking it in and out of bags, being in unknown environments, can take their toll. Business-class laptops use higher quality plastics and metals for the casing, hinges, keyboards, trackpads etc. and this will mean you'll get a lot longer life-span from your laptop when it's in constant use every day.

Easier to upgrade (and repair)

Business-class laptops are designed to be upgraded when you need a little extra oomph from your device. RAM slots and hard drives are simple to access and so replacements or upgrades are quick and easy. Take it from us, you don't want to have to dismantle your entire laptop to add a little extra memory or swap out a failing hard drive!

Sleeker designs

OK, there are some pretty smart looking consumer laptops on the market but, generally speaking, business-class machines are sleeker and more understated in their styling. This makes them ideal for that corporate environment and you won't dread taking your laptop out of it's shoulder bag at that key new client meeting.

Extended warranty

OK, we know this is deadly dull, but most business-class laptops will ship with a 3 year warranty as opposed to the standard 12 months on a consumer machine.

Of course you will want to check the warranty details before you purchase, but having three year's protection against component failure and other issues can be a real bonus when weighing up the cost differences between consumer and business devices.

If you want some more advice on the best laptop options for your business then why not give us a call?

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