When you first started your small business, you might have found that your old personal computer or laptop was enough to handle your needs at the time. However, as your business has grown over time, you might have noticed that your device has been struggling to keep up with the amount of work that you need to do on it. Eventually, business owners will usually find themselves needing to get a more powerful machine that can handle more professional and work processes. When it comes to choosing a computer for your business, here are some main factors to consider.
Laptop or Desktop?
The first thing to think about is whether you want to get a laptop computer or a desktop PC. Most business owners prefer laptops since they are more portable, meaning that you don’t have to be in the office all the time to use them like you would with a desktop. If you run your business from home but are not always at home when you are working, then it’s worth looking for a laptop that meets your needs. Something that is lightweight yet powerful enough to do everything you need it to do is ideal.
CPU
The central processing unit is one of, if not the most important components to consider when looking for a computer or laptop for sale. The CPU executes programs and directs them. The faster the processor, the faster your computer or laptop will run. You can expect more powerful processors to be more expensive, but the good news is that most small business owners don’t need a computer with a top-of-the-line processor. You should aim for something that is between 2.0Ghz-4.0Ghz.
RAM
RAM or random access memory is another important factor to consider if you need to keep your computer running at a high speed all day long. The higher the RAM, the more tasks your laptop or computer will be able to perform at once. In general, you can usually find RAM ranging from as little as 2GB to as high as 16GB in the majority of computers. 8GB is typically sufficient for business owners who need an affordable yet quick computer.
Operating System
Another thing to think about when buying your business computer is which operating system you want to use. Windows is a popular choice for business computers as it is compatible with pretty much every software program available today. For a business computer, you may want to consider Windows 10 Pro which has several advantages over other Windows versions for business users including carious features with specific business uses, access to Bitlocker and an option for creating domain networks. That being said, however, you might want to consider using macOS if you are already an Apple user and use devices like an iPhone or iPad to run your business right now, since you can easily sync all your devices together.
After a while, most business owners will need to upgrade their computer to a more powerful device. Keep these factors in mind to help you choose the best one for your needs.