How to choose business laptops (and why not the cheapest)

Buying laptops for the company seems simple until you look at the catalogue and see a hundred models and prices ranging from 400 to 2,000 euros. Choosing the cheapest usually turns out expensive. We give you the criteria to get it right so the device lasts, performs and does not give you grief.

Why the cheapest laptop turns out expensive

A bargain consumer laptop looks like a steal, but it is designed to be used for a while at home, not eight hours a day for four years. It usually comes with slower components, poorer build and a minimal warranty. The extra cost arrives as slowness that drains productivity, breakdowns and early replacements. On work machines, cheap gets paid for.

What to really look at

• Professional range. Business series (like HP EliteBook and ProBook) are built for intensive use: better build, more reliability and warranties designed for business.
• SSD, not a mechanical drive. It is what you notice most day to day. An SSD turns a slow machine into a nimble one.
• Enough RAM. 16 GB is a reasonable minimum today to work with several applications without choking.
• Built-in security. A security chip for encryption, a fingerprint reader or a camera shutter, things that come as standard in the professional range.
• Warranty and support. Business warranty and available spare parts. A day without a laptop is a day without work.

Standardising, the trick that saves time

Always buying the same couple of models has advantages that do not show on the invoice: maintenance is simpler, spare parts are common, the setup is replicated and your technical team knows the machine. A uniform fleet causes far fewer problems than ten different models bought at random.

And after you buy it

The laptop is half the job. The other half is setting it up right: encryption on, correct account, backups configured, antivirus and the device registered in your management system. We advise you on the purchase and hand it over ready to work, within our infrastructure and support service. We are an HP partner, so we help you choose the model that really fits, not the one that needs selling.

Frequently asked questions

What laptop is best for a company?

A professional-range one (like the HP EliteBook or ProBook series), with an SSD, at least 16 GB of RAM, built-in security and a business warranty. It is made for intensive use and lasts longer than a cheap consumer one.

Is it worth paying more for a business laptop?

Yes. The cheap consumer one usually turns out expensive in slowness, breakdowns and early replacements. On machines used daily for years, the professional range pays off.

How much RAM does a work laptop need?

Today 16 GB is a reasonable minimum to work with several applications at once without slowing down. For more demanding uses, more.