The rise of Smart Working has impacted purchasing decisions for laptops in small and medium-sized businesses. Laptops have become the number one work tool. Ultra-light, with excellent battery life, comes in many formats, with different screens and many connectivity options.
The rise of Smart Working (agile work allowing workers to benefit from greater autonomy and empowerment) has impacted purchasing decisions for laptops in small and medium-sized businesses. Users now demand easy setup and use, while businesses need efficient remote PC management. So what are the features to consider when choosing a laptop?
The Quality Of The Screen
For many employees, the size should be large enough to replace the desktop screen comfortably. But, at the same time, it must be compact enough to allow frequent travel. Laptops with 13.3 ″ to 14.1 ″ screens are a good compromise. Besides size, the resolution is also essential, as well as visibility of all information. Another critical element is flexibility, so opting for a bright, non-reflective screen will allow you to work from any location, even outdoors.
Performance And Speed
Previously, you had to choose between processing power and battery life. Nowadays, that is no longer the case. While working remotely, the processing power must support the execution of daily tasks and background operations such as connecting to cloud storage, corporate VPN, and other modes of operation—similar remote access.
When thinking about performance, one must also consider the structure of the device: opting for a laptop with a magnesium chassis will undoubtedly offer more excellent durability and flexibility when on the move. In addition, keeping a safe and functional PC is essential, hence the interest of the “Guarantee of reliability”, which in case of failure in the first year after purchase offers repair and reimbursement of the laptop.
The Keyboard
Often a business laptop is only for data entry. Therefore, a built-in keyboard and a good quality pointing device are essential, mainly if the work is carried out in confined spaces. The keys must be well spaced and have good responsiveness.
Also, choosing a spill-resistant keyboard will help deal with some possible issues. Another essential feature is the backlight, which is beneficial both when travelling and working at home in environments where other activities occur.
Connectivity
Working from home often means changing location. From the kitchen table to the bedroom to the sofa, it can be beneficial to pause the PC and wake it up a few moments later with an instant on/off or hibernate, features that can allow you to interrupt and resume work quickly.
Biometric authentication, by fingerprint or facial recognition, is also an option to consider for fast and secure access. Plus, if you’re working at a desk, a docking station with Thunderbolt 3 or USB Type-C connectivity will make it easy to connect and disconnect peripherals.
Multimedia Capabilities
Multimedia capabilities are often overlooked when choosing a business laptop. However, the current pandemic has highlighted how essential it is for good-quality speakers, microphones and webcams to better interact with colleagues and customers. The growing popularity of Smart Working has further accentuated the importance of carefully evaluating the characteristics of a laptop computer to enable employees to perform their best work.
It is essential to choose from a wide range of devices suitable for different business tasks, from ultra-mobile 2-in-1s for mobile workers to powerful workstations for office workers. In addition, it is possible to assign a different template to each one without complicating management tasks. With software images, power options, and docking solutions common to most models, efficient management of all IT assets is made easy.