Picking the right business laptop is not as easy as one could think. You can find hundreds of business-oriented laptops to choose from — everything from sleek ultralight tablets to huge portable workstations. It all depends on your business needs.
What to look for in a business laptop?
Whether it’s a two-pound ultralight or an eight-pound traveling workstation, all laptops are basically desktop computers with built-in screens, keyboards, miniaturized components, and batteries. Without a doubt, the processor and the system’s size and weight get the most attention, but other areas like the screen and battery should also be considered.
Processor
Most Windows systems use Intel or AMD processors, although a small number of ARM-based CPUs are being used in ultralight systems. Apple has taken this idea to its logical conclusion with its M1 and M2 MacBooks.
The minimum processor you’ll need to satisfy users varies widely and depends on the tasks at hand. A receptionist or call center worker might need nothing more than an Intel Celeron or Pentium, while a salesperson might need an Intel Core i3 or i5 and a graphics designer an i7 or an M2 Pro.
RAM
Random Access Memory (RAM) is short-term data storage used for immediate processing tasks such as displaying websites, running Excel calculations, or showing CAD imaging. It comes in many sizes and speeds, and having more generally translates into better performance. 4GB should be the bare minimum for any business computer, even for buyers on a strict budget. 16GB is better for typical office workers — and the more RAM you get, the happier your users will be.
Storage
Every laptop needs a place to stash everything from the day’s emails to huge video files — either a traditional hard drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs remain more expensive but are faster and more rugged, use less power, and are dominating new laptop models. Look for at least a 128GB SSD or a 1TB HDD.
Battery
Meant to power the system between charges, all notebooks use lithium-ion batteries. All other things being equal, a 3,500 miliamp-hour (mAh) capacity powerpack will likely run for longer than one with 3,000mAh. This could pay dividends on a flight from Seattle to Seoul.
Screen and form factor
While a tablet might get by with an 11.5-in. display (measured diagonally), 13.3- to 16-in. screens are the norm for laptops, with some models going up to 17.3 in. Look for a screen with the highest resolution as you can afford, particularly if the intended purpose is graphics oriented. Today, for all but the cheapest systems, full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) should be the minimum.
Many of Chromebooks and Windows laptops include a touchscreen. A touchscreen can be a big benefit for a designer sketching products, a marketer highlighting a new campaign, or even a salesperson drawing a crude map. There are also many tablet/laptop hybrids with touchscreens, which we’ve covered in their own section of this guide. It’s worth noting that Apple does not offer touchscreens on any MacBooks but does on its iPad Pro.
Security and manageability components
Security is critical in today’s business. Companies that use Windows PCs should get systems with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and some sort of biometric authentication method, such as a fingerprint reader or a camera capable of facial recognition for secure password-free logins. Many Chromebooks include a TPM and fingerprint readers as well. Macs lack TPM but have their own defensive phalanx, including fingerprint scanners.
Business-oriented laptops should also support serious manageability features, so IT departments can remotely diagnose and update a system.
Operating system
For optimal security and manageability, most IT departments opt for laptops running at least Windows 10 or 11 Pro. These systems add protections that the Windows Home editions lack, such as BitLocker drive encryption, and support management and deployment tools such as Mobile Device Management, Azure Active Directory Join, and Windows Update for Business. Organizations that need enterprise-class security and manageability can opt for Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise.
Apple’s macOS platform has strong security and enterprise manageability features, and today’s unified endpoint management (UEM) systems can manage macOS devices in addition to Windows PCs. Most popular business apps offer versions for macOS, although companies that use legacy Windows-only programs should be prepared to invest in virtual machine (VM) software from Parallels or VMware to allow Mac users to run them.
Most UEM platforms can manage ChromeOS devices as well, or companies can deploy and manage Chromebooks through the Google Admin console. Any web app that runs in the Chrome browser works fine on a Chromebook, and the Google Chrome Web Store’s vetting of apps makes ChromeOS devices less susceptible to picking up rogue software that can infect the enterprise. Today’s Chromebooks can also run both Android and Linux apps — and, using Parallels VM software, they can even run Windows apps.
Accessories
Whether it’s at the office, on the factory floor, or on the road, a laptop on its own is never enough. Plan on spending hundreds to properly equip a system with things like a USB hub (to turn a single port into three or four), an extra power adapter (for home and away work), and a padded bag (to protect it en route).
To those who say that workers can get by with whatever they are given, you might find that with the right tools, workers can be more productive, happier, and better at their job. Just ask yourself if your competition is using anything but the best available technology.
Above all else, a business notebook should fit the user’s needs, not the other way around. There’s no sense in providing an 8-lb. mobile workstation to a traveling salesperson or a budget laptop to a video producer.
You can read more about business laptops mush-have here.
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