Basic or all the bells and whistles? How to choose the right laptop for your business

RAM, clock speeds, SSD vs HDD … trying to understand the specifications when looking for a laptop can feel like deciphering a foreign language. Luckily, you don’t need a computer sciences degree to find an outstanding laptop for you and your team; just keep these considerations in mind, writes consumer tech journalist, Sam Russin.

What’s your use case?

It can be tempting to buy the latest and greatest, but if you aren’t going to use it to its full potential, you are probably spending money that could be used elsewhere. Also, keep in mind that computers degrade over time from a performance perspective, as parts wear down and applications become more resource-intensive.

The bottom line is that it’s often best to buy something that will help you accomplish your regular tasks for the next couple of years and buy a new unit when you need to, rather than purchasing something overpowered.

So, with all of this in mind, what do you need your laptop for?

If, like most SMEs and entrepreneurs, you need an all-rounder that can handle web surfing, video calls, bookkeeping and marketing tasks, the base level Apple MacBook Air M1, Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 or Dell XPS 13 are three awesome choices.

They all have enough processing power, RAM (8GB) and storage (256GB) to get you through all these tasks easily and are well-built. They can usually be found on sale for around the AUD $1,300 mark, which is very reasonable for what you get.

Apple MacBook Air M1

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4

Dell XPS 13

If the budget is a little tighter, you can find laptops from reputable brands with good specs for $800-$1,000 on sale. Just be sure they still have at least 8GB of RAM, an SDD for storage (a.k.a. ‘Solid State Drive’ – which has no moving parts, resulting in much faster performance and longevity compared to a Hard Disk Drive, or HDD) and an Intel Core i5 (or AMD equivalent) processor.

You will give up some performance and creature comforts compared to the Apple, Microsoft, and Dell options, but that’s not a deal breaker.

Want more performance for graphic design or video editing?

The previous Apple, Microsoft and Dell recommendations all hold true, except now you may want to up your RAM to 16GB and your SSD to 512GB if you need extra space for photo and video files. You may also want to upgrade to the M2 MacBook Air or Intel i7 (or AMD equivalent) variants of the Dell and Microsoft.

Depending on the intensity of what you are doing, a dedicated graphics card may also be necessary. A graphics card can handle more resource-intensive workloads (it’s also essential for gaming, if that’s important to you).

Here’s where things get a bit trickier. You can spec up the Apple, Microsoft and Dell options to include better graphics card options, but they all start to get quite pricey – think $2,000-plus. Alternatively, opting for a gaming laptop like the Dell G Series line may be a cheaper way to get the performance you need, but you will give up the lightness and portability of the other options.

This decision comes down to personal preference – are you ok with a bit more heft to save a buck, or are portability and aesthetics more important? There’s no right or wrong answer. Picking one will come down to what deal is available at the time and, more importantly, which apps you intend to use. Most apps will list a minimum recommended specification to run.

A word of caution here: minimum means minimum – it does not mean you will have a great experience, so this is one area where spending a tad extra to have some performance headroom is worth the investment.

Want a laptop that’s ultra-portable and fun?

The Microsoft Surface 8 or iPad Pro are popular options because they combine the functionality of a laptop and tablet in one. Just be aware that you will pay more for this flexibility.

Other things to consider when buying a laptop for business

• Warranty and after-sales care

If you are buying laptops for your team, comparing warranty and after-sales care options is a good idea. For example, what would happen if multiple team members had an issue with their device that prevented them from working for a day? How would that lost time affect profitability? Many computer brands offer business plans with same or next-day on-site servicing options. Sure, you will pay a premium to have this insurance, but when push comes to shove, it could be your saving grace.

• Laptop accessories

If you will be working from a desk for a considerable portion of your week, investing in a good external monitor, keyboard and mouse combo is a must. Also, factor in software costs such as antivirus and productivity apps.

• Backup

Lastly, always have backups, through a cloud storage solution like Dropbox, a local physical backup or (ideally) both.

This is by no means an exhaustive list and you should always consider your personal situation, budget and tech needs before making a purchase decision, but hopefully the above guidance will help you narrow down your options.

This is an independent review. The brands featured did not provide samples or paid sponsorship.

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