A study found that 16% of companies around the world are fully remote. The same study showed that 4.7 million people work remotely at least half of the time in the United States alone.
If your small business is transitioning to remote work, having a laptop is going to prove to be beneficial. Laptops are a more practical option compared to desktops because you can take work with you on the go after office hours.
When shopping for the best laptop for small business owners, there are things you need to know. Keep reading our buying guide to learn how to choose.
Set a Budget and Stick to It
The best laptop for small business owners is one that doesn’t put them in the red so creating a technology budget is an essential first step. Consider the overall amount you can spend and how many laptops you need to purchase.
Those who don’t set a budget before shopping for laptops often fall victim to overspending.
Keep in mind that your business might not need a top-of-the-line laptop. A part of creating the budget should be listing out laptop features that you need. Wasting time looking at high-cost options that don’t suit your goals is never a good thing.
In contrast, you should not underspend when it comes to laptops. In the long run, going the cheap route might actually end up costing you more.
Budgeting your technology is easier when you figure out what your departments need. You don’t have to get the same laptop for each employee.
Even if you are buying laptops for the whole staff, it is recommended to keep purchasing decisions in your own hands or the hands of other high-level employees.
When you open the conversation to the entire staff, you’ll quickly realize you can’t meet everyone’s preferences.
Stick to one equipment manufacturer even if you opt to purchase different models for different employees. For example, you might decide on Lenovo laptops but need different variations to benefit creative employees versus administrative employees.
Choose an Operating System
Laptops for business owners and their staff can cost at least $1,300 each unless you opt for Chrome and Windows over Apple OS X. You should know the difference between these top three operating systems to make an informative decision.
Apple OS X
Laptops that run Apple’s OS X operating system come at a large price. If you are only looking for a laptop for yourself, this premium machine might be an option depending on your budget.
Creative professionals tend to gravitate towards Apple laptops to run certain programs on a quality screen. However, Apple laptops aren’t the go-to anymore as many other operating systems are catching up with the technology.
Look into the software that your business uses and make sure it can run on the laptop of your choosing. There are some software products that can only run on a Mac.
This is becoming less common but if you are unsure, ask the IT experts within your business.
Windows
For many work operations, Windows is the standard. For a lot of reasons, you can’t really go wrong when choosing this operating system. Plus, you’ll have more laptops to choose from when compared to other systems.
Windows recently came out with a newer version that includes features to boost business productivity. Microsoft has its own virtual assistant that can handle and streamline a lot of administrative tasks as well.
This is a great laptop for a small business owner who wants to provide their staff with technology. It’s likely that most or all of your staff has used a Windows computer before.
Chrome OS
Chrome OS by Google is the newest of operating systems so your employees might not know what to expect when you hand them a laptop with this operating system.
Chromebooks were designed for students but are now becoming more business-focused laptops. You don’t have to worry about updating with this computer but you can’t download programs on a Chromebook either.
Instead, users of the Chromebook will solely rely on the cloud. You can use cloud-based programs like PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Creative Cloud on a laptop with this operating system.
Consider Laptop Design
If you are looking for the best laptop for business and personal use, you’ll want to take laptop design into consideration. One of the more trendy options is hybrid laptops that double as a tablet.
A 2-in-1 laptop is great for traveling employees and those who often need to switch from typing to stylus and touchscreen use. These laptops are more expensive than a traditional laptop with the same amount of specs.
What many business owners tend to forget to check when buying a new laptop is how comfortable the keyboard is. Instead of focusing too much on the high-resolution screens and other shiny features, spend time testing out laptop keyboards.
A small laptop with a mini keyboard is going to be more difficult to work on for hours at a time. If necessary, you can purchase an external keyboard to help with the issue of a small keyboard.
Compare CPUs
If you are unfamiliar with tech talk, you might not realize how important specs are. One of the first things you should look at when comparing laptops is the central processing unit (CPU).
The quality of the laptop will depend on the CPU. For business use, you’ll never want to opt for a low-end CPU. These laptops are only suited for web browsing and light typing.
If you are in the market for a new laptop that will act as a secondary to your primary laptop, a midrange CPU might work just fine. You’ll often find these in lightweight and hybrid laptops.
You can use these machines for taking notes, sending emails, but not regularly running robust programs.
In most cases, businesses can get away with reliable CPUs without needing high-end CPUs. The most reliable laptops can run business programs, send emails, create documents, store photos, stream media, etc.
Think About Long-Term Storage and Short-Term Memory
Work laptops are likely going to have important business data stored on them. To purchase a laptop that will suit you in the long run, you’ll need to check for long-term storage and short-term memory.
Some laptops will have a hard disk drive (HDD) and a solid-state drive (SSD) for long-term storage. Other laptops will use one or the other as their long-term storage option.
SSDs are newer and more popular because they work faster than HDDs. Rugged laptops tend to have SSDs because they are more durable and compact.
For short-term memory, you’ll be looking at random-access memory (RAM). Business users should aim for an 8GB laptop at least. Small business owners might not make use out of 16GB laptops but consider your specific needs before ruling them out.
Business owners who plan on purchasing a Windows or Apple laptop should be fine with a minimum combined storage (HDD and SDD) of 256GB. If you opt for a Chromebook, you’ll have less hard drive space because you’ll be using the cloud.
Compare Battery Life
For on-the-go business owners who won’t always have access to power when working on their laptop, battery life is a huge factor in the buying process.
Manufacturers might use different metrics to describe their battery life. Take each number and compare them, but think of them more like an estimate than a cold hard fact.
Budget Laptops for Businesses
If your budget is too tight to spend over $1,000 or even $500, you can purchase a budget laptop. The best laptop for small businesses under $500 could be any of the following options:
- Lenovo Ideapad
- Asus C302CA-DHM4 Chromebook Flip Laptop
- Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop
- Acer Aspire E 15 Laptop
- HP 2019 14 Inch Laptop
- Microsoft Surface Go
- Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 Laptop
You don’t have to get the latest laptop version to benefit your business’s bottom line. There are also used and refurbished laptop options that work just as well as new laptops. If your budget is that tight, don’t be afraid to consider all options.
Popular Business Laptops Over $1,000
If you can afford to splurge on small business laptops, there are three popular options over $1,000. The Lenovo ThinkPad, ASUS ExpertBook, and Apple MacBook Pro are among the favorites for business owners.
Lenovo ThinkPad
The Lenovo ThinkPad has ranked high among the most popular business laptops continuously. This laptop is equipped with long battery life and enough memory to suit the business professional who is on the go and needs a device for office use.
ASUS ExpertBook
The ASUS ExpertBook was designed with traveling business professionals in mind. It has one of the lowest weights among all laptops without sacrificing quality.
If you don’t need a travel laptop, you can opt for competitor laptops that come with the same high-end features but more bulkiness.
Apple MacBook Pro
Many business owners are die-hard Apple users because of the screen resolution and operating system that you can’t find anywhere else. If you own other Apple devices, having a MacBook can keep all of your devices connected.
The MacBook Pro comes in two different sizes, 16 inches, and 13 inches. The smaller one is cheaper but has less storage and battery life.
Shopping for the Best Laptop for Small Business Owners
Shopping for a laptop for business use is an investment you don’t want to mess up. With so many options out there, it is easy to get distracted by high-quality design instead of focusing on function.
If you want to purchase the best laptop for small business owners, you have to consider your needs. Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, you can compare the options out there and find a laptop in your budget.
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