A guide to business computers

The decision to buy business computers should be approached with forethought and planning because it can affect employee productivity and overall profitability of a business. With so many choices available in the market, a guide to buying the best business specific computers can help narrow your search and get you started in the right direction.

Business requirements

Evaluate your business needs
Every business has its own specific reasons for needing a computer. Evaluate your reasons for wanting to purchase a computer. Determine the application/hardware that the computer will use. Check the system requirements needed to run the business software you will use and note the software’s minimum system requirements. Size your computer for productivity
Only consider business computers with at least twice the manufacture's minimum system requirements to ensure the software and applications run smoothly. If your system will run a productivity suite of office applications, such as Microsoft Office Word and Excel, for example, note the software manufacturer’s stated minimum system requirement, including hard disk storage space requirements and RAM and get at least twice the manufacturer’s minimum requirements.

Computer specs

Computer memory
Check the computer's Random Access Memory (RAM), internal, short-term memory, because it helps the computer manipulate data and run system applications. Consider computers with more RAM to get fast working systems. Processor speeds
Buy a computer with high processing speeds, measured in gigahertz (GHz), to ensure applications run quickly and smoothly. Think about the application needs of the person who will use the computer and choose a computer with the right processing speed to meet the needs. Generally, computers run on at least a dual-core (two internal processors), but this can increase to quad-core (Four internal processors) or six-core, depending on the incremental speed desired. Hard drive space
Consider the amount of storage you need for the use to which you will put the computer. Purchase computers with enough hard drive storage space, measured in gigabytes (GB), such as 320 GB or more, if the software applications and data you store on the computers is a lot.

Desktop versus notebooks

Desktop PCs
Buy desktop computers if you have a non-mobile workforce and you want a powerful computing system at a reasonable price. Desktop computers also have expansion slots that let you add a variety of hardware cards you might need in the future. Notebook PCs
Buy notebook PCs (laptops) to increase productivity with a mobile workforce. Notebooks offer flexibility because they are light and portable. Employees can work even on travels with pc notebooks, thus granting business resilience.