The number of small businesses is exploding. Many people are operating a small business as a side hustle for some extra income or making the switch from full-time employment to take control of their financial future.
Whatever kind of business you are running you will need a good laptop to help you keep things going. Here are five top tips to help you get the right laptop for your business.
Portability Is Key
As a small business owner, you are going to have to be mobile. You need a laptop that is highly portable so you can take your office with you wherever you go. Connectivity is important too, and not just Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or 5G.
The laptop should have plenty of USB ports and an HDMI or display port for connecting to a bigger screen. Bluetooth can be a useful method for connecting a wireless mouse instead of tying up a USB port.
Durability Comes Next
If you are on the move, you need a laptop that is a little more rugged. Setting up quickly at a client’s office or the table at a coffee shop, or even on the hood of your car, means your laptop needs to withstand some punishment.
A good business laptop will have a reinforced chassis and case, and maybe some extra protection at the corners. These types of laptops are a little bigger and a little heavier, but worth the investment.
Processing Powers Business
The faster your laptop is the more work you can get done in a day. You should always choose a laptop with a high-performing central processing unit, and also a strong integrated graphics setup. You may need to use your laptop for presentation purposes, such as showing investors financial forecasts.
Intel’s onboard graphics have the edge over their competition at the moment — click here to read more about them. With the combination of a strong processor and high-quality onboard graphics, your laptop will be prepared for anything you throw at it.
Get Built-In Security
The hard drive of a small business laptop can be filled with lots of sensitive data, some yours and some belonging to your customers. You have a duty to yourself and your business to protect this information.
Look for a modern laptop that uses in-built security features like fingerprint scanning or facial recognition. Tracking features can be a handy addition too. If you misplace your laptop, you may be able to use an app on your smartphone to locate it.
Battery Life Is the Life of Your Business
Working on the move and reacting to business demands can put a lot of pressure on a laptop battery. Most business tasks are not power-hungry themselves, but if your business is successful, you will be performing a lot of them.
When you run out of battery your business can be brought to a standstill so you need a big battery that you can rely on. Always do some research online and find out what the true battery life and charging time of a laptop are before making your purchase.
Tick these five boxes and you can’t go wrong. Budget is important for your business, so stay within yours. Make sure you look for any tax incentive or relief for buying an important piece of equipment for your business.
