Choosing computers for your business can be difficult, and getting the right technology for your specific needs is key to operating smoothly. There are a variety of things for you to consider when investing in computers. When looking for the right computers, it’s smart to start with broad decisions, and then narrow your choice down from there.
Laptops or Desktops
The first question you want to ask yourself, is if your business is looking for laptops or desktops? Laptops are useful for allowing you or an employee to work from anywhere, but desktops can provide more computing power for a more affordable price. For a business that does not have a permanent office yet, laptops would be your best option. If you have a permanent office and enough resources, the best option would be to buy a combination of the two. So that employees have powerful desktops to use in the office, but can still work while they are out of office. Also, some employees may travel more often than others. So having desktops available to your less mobile employees, and laptops for your traveling employees would be most efficient.
PC or Mac
After you have decided on what kind of computer you want, you must then decide which operating system you want. There are a variety of operating systems, but most businesses start by choosing either Windows or Mac. Most businesses prefer to use Windows as it has much more software written for it, and PC’s that operate with Windows are generally cheaper than their Mac counterpart. However, the use of Apple devices and the Mac operating system has seen an increase in the workplace recently. Many employees prefer Mac PC’s and laptops because they are very similar to their own personal devices. Businesses that focus on design and graphics also claim that the Mac operating system suits their business better than Windows. Also, since there are far less Mac’s in the world there are far less viruses written for their operating system. Therefore, a Mac desktop or laptop has less of a chance of getting any viruses. If you choose to go with a Mac operating system, then you will be using Apple computers, but if you choose Windows you must pick from a large variety of different brands of computers. It’s best to choose the brand that has a computer that fits both your technology requirements and your budget. After you have chosen an operating system, it is usually best to stick with that system throughout your whole operation.
The Central Processing Unit
Now you must choose the right computer specifications for your business. The first part of the PC you should evaluate is the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU is responsible for executing and directing all programs per instruction. The faster your CPU is, the faster your computer will run. A faster computer means your employees will be getting less frustrated and more work done. A good range of CPU processing speed to choose from for your small business is 2.0GHz-4.0GHz. You must also take into consideration that the faster your processor is the more expensive it will be. Next, you should evaluate the computer’s hard drive storage. This is where your computers will be storing all of your businesses data and files. It’s important to have enough memory on your hard drive for all of your data. Hard drives can store anywhere from 128GB to 2TB, and it is recommended that your business’s computers have between 500GB and 1TB of storage. It is also possible to purchase a PC with more than one hard drive. In this case, a primary and secondary hard drive is chosen for your computer. The
Operating system of your computer will be installed on the primary hard drive, and your secondary drive will hold most of your programs. Another important part of your computer is the RAM (Random-Access Memory), which keeps your computer running fast. The more RAM your computer has, the more tasks it can handle at one time. The amount of RAM a computer can have ranges from 2GB-16GB. Generally, 8GB is enough RAM to run your business software. Lastly, you should consider your Graphics Card. For most businesses, an integrated graphics card is sufficient. However, if your business uses graphic intensive programs, it is better go with a more powerful graphics card. The two most popular Graphics Card manufacturers to choose from are Nvidia and AMD.
Hardware
After you have chosen your computer, you will still need to purchase a mouse, keyboard, desk, and monitor for each desktop. The decision of what to buy can save your business in many different ways. One way many business owners do not realize is, the type of hardware you chose to buy can help your business save on workers compensation insurance. Choosing a high quality monitor can help reduce eye strain. Purchasing an ergonomic keyboard can help prevent repetitive motion injuries due to excessive typing. A good mouse and mouse pad will also help with repetitive motion. A new type of office hardware that is gaining in popularity is adjustable standing desks. These desks allow an employee to choose to stand while they work. These help with injuries associated with sitting for too long. Standing while working at your desk also increases an employee’s productivity. Some businesses even use things like treadmill desks to promote good health and productivity.
There are many choices to make when purchasing computers for your small business. This article is just a start to the decision making process you will go through with your small business. Each small business is different, and has different needs. It’s important as a business owner to take the time to research different computer options, and match these options with your business’s computer needs. When it comes to making decisions based on a budget constraint, business owners should decide which of their needs is most important and prioritize those.
Chris Travis is a Marketing Specialist at Workers Compensation Shop.com. Chris was raised in St. Louis, MO. He has extensive training and experience with Underwriting and Workers Compensation Insurance. Chris’ passion is to utilize his knowledge and experience to produce quality content that can benefit the small business community.
