Choosing the Perfect Work Laptop: 6 Factors to Consider

Whether you are working from home, starting your own business, or have been given the option to bring your own laptop into the office rather than using one provided by your employer, getting the right work laptop is crucial. Or maybe you are hiring your first employee for your business and need to provide them with a laptop that they can use for work purposes. Either way, there are a lot of different options out there, multiple brands to choose from, a never-ending list of different laptop features and specs and more to think about before you choose the right work laptop for you. Getting the right laptop for work can make all the difference to your professional life whether you are running your own company or working in a 9-5 office position. Some of the main features to consider before you make the right choice for you include:

Operating System

There are three major operating systems that you will be able to consider when it comes to choosing the perfect work laptop for you. These are:

1. Chrome OS:

Google’s Chrome OS is the newest operating system on the market. Primarily designed for students as they are affordable in comparison with others, simple and easy to use, Chromebooks have hit it off in the professional world too and are now a top choice among business owners and professionals looking for a quality, simple laptop that won’t break the bank. If you’re looking for an affordable laptop that has high security, is ideal for the basics like emails, writing blog posts and updating spread sheets, and offers great cloud storage options, then a Chromebook might be an ideal choice for you.

2. Windows

Most laptops available today including these Work Lenovo Ideapads run on the popular Windows operating system, so this is likely to be the OS that will give you more potential options to choose from. The latest version of Windows is packed with new features and designed with remote working in mind making it an ideal choice if you’re a remote worker or running your own business from home. There are multitasking features, a virtual assistant app and more to help you be more productive and get the most from your work laptop.

3. Mac OS

If you’re a fan of Apple products and don’t mind spending a bit more for your work laptop, then Mac OS could be the operating system for you. Exclusive to Apple’s Mac products, this operating system comes with a sleek and simple interface, advanced function keys, and the ability to run high octane programs.

Connectivity

Another factor to consider when choosing a work laptop is the connectivity. If you are mainly going to be using your laptop in the office or at home, then a laptop that connects to Wi-Fi might be good enough for your needs. On the other hand, if working remotely for you often looks like traveling to different places or getting work done outdoors, then you may want to look out for a work laptop that has built-in mobile broadband or the option to add a SIM card so you can use cell phone signals to get access to the internet wherever you are.

Processor Speed

The processor is the ‘brain’ of the laptop, and it is responsible for both speed and performance. The processor that you go for when looking for a new work laptop will largely depend on the type of tasks that you will be using your machine for. If your job mainly involves basic tasks such as checking and replying to emails, writing blog posts, updating spreadsheets and keeping in touch with your colleagues via Zoom or Slack, then you probably don’t need to go for a laptop with a hugely powerful processor. On the other hand, if you are a developer, web designer, graphic artist or video editor, then the processor speed is going to be one of the most important things to invest in when getting your new device.

Memory

The memory or RAM is another spec to think about as how much is available is going to have a direct impact on the performance of your laptop overall. For most professionals, somewhere between 4GB and 8GB should work well for the majority of tasks. On the other hand, if your job involves using a lot of programs that are high resource, then you might want to invest in a laptop that is equipped with a larger amount of RAM, such as 16GB. The more RAM you have, the more you’ll be able to do on your laptop at the same time without compromising on speed and performance.

Display Size and Resolution

The size and resolution of the display is another factor to keep in mind when you choose the right work laptop for you. A higher number of screen pixels will offer a sharper look on the screen and allow more content to fit. Averagely priced laptops will usually offer a 1080p display these days, but if you want more, you can look into newer 4K monitors, or even the latest 5k or 8K resolution. However, 1080p is generally more than good enough for the majority of professionals, so you probably don’t need to consider anything higher unless you’re doing highly visual work.

Battery Life

Last but not least, the battery life is another thing to think about before you choose the right work laptop for you. This might not be such a huge concern if you are planning to spend most of your working day in the office where electrical outlets are readily available, or at home where you can simply plug in and continue working should your laptop require charging. However, if you’re often going to be working in places where there might not always be access to an electrical outlet to charge, you should go for a laptop with a high battery endurance of at least seven to eight hours.

Whether you’re running your own business or are responsible for providing your own device for work, there are lots of factors to consider before you choose the perfect work laptop for you.