Computers are an essential part of just about any business, but with all of the options on the markets these days, it can be difficult to work out exactly what you need. This quick guide will help you work out which piece of hardware will work best for you.
Tablet
Sales and popularity of tablets have skyrocketed in recent years, as more and more useful apps become available, and the price comes down. Sales may be slowing, but that’s only because so many people own them now. Tablets are the most mobile piece of equipment you can choose; they’ve got a good battery life, are small and light enough to be carried anywhere. This is why they’re being used in places like hospitals. They’re also great for passing round in meetings, and are good at presenting information. The main drawback of tablets is that they aren’t much of a workstation; you can’t easily write documents on them.
Best for: If you work in a mobile environment, where you need to be able to do things on the go and show information to people quickly and easily, then tablets are the way to go.
Chromebook
The Chromebook is an interesting offering from Google, that looks just like a laptop, but which does not run a normal operating system. The result is that you can boot up and get on the web very quickly indeed; ideal for fast-paced environments when all you need to do is access emails or use your company’s intranet service. The downside is that the Chromebook cannot run many full-featured programmes such as Microsoft’s Office suite. Read this post if you’re stuck betweena Chromebook and tablet.
Best for: Chromebooks are good for those who hot-desk a lot, and who need to be able to access online software and emails quickly.
Laptop
Of the three choices, laptops are the largest, heaviest and most expensive, but they are also the most powerful. If you need image editing software, multifunctional office software and a comfortable workstation, then a traditional laptop is the best choice. You can buy refurbished laptops from places like www.scctrade.co.uk to bring down the cost, and it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re not paying for a more powerful model than you need.
**Best for: **If your business truly needs all that a desktop can offer, but in a smaller and more mobile form, then laptops are the only choice.