A company laptop is a tool that has to last several years, work with a docking station and monitors, and stay manageable even when you have dozens of staff. The cheapest offer in a shop is often a consumer model that ends up costing more. Here are the main things to look for.
Business line or consumer line
The big manufacturers have separate business lines, such as Dell Latitude and Dell Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad, and HP EliteBook and ProBook. They differ from consumer models in several important ways:
- Durability: a sturdier chassis and hinges, often durability testing and a spill-resistant keyboard.
- Warranty: next-business-day on-site service is available, so a technician comes to your office to repair it. The warranty can usually be extended to cover the whole service life.
- Docking: a USB-C or Thunderbolt dock that provides power, monitors, network and accessories over one cable.
- Security: a TPM 2.0 chip, fingerprint reader or IR camera for Windows Hello, often a webcam shutter and BIOS passwords.
- Manageability: stable model ranges that stay on sale longer, tools to manage driver and BIOS updates, and support for remote management.
- Spare parts are available for years, and the battery and SSD are often replaceable.
Recommended hardware
| Office work (e-mail, Office, browser, Teams) | Heavier use (large spreadsheets, CAD, photo, development) | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | A recent mid-range or upper mid-range mobile processor | A more powerful processor, a dedicated graphics card if needed |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB is the practical minimum | 32 GB or more |
| Storage | NVMe SSD, at least 512 GB | 1 TB or more |
| Screen | 14", Full HD or higher, matte finish | 14–16", higher resolution and better colour accuracy |
8 GB of memory quickly runs short these days, because the browser, Teams and Outlook together use a lot of it. On many thin models the memory is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be added later, so choose enough from the start.
Windows 11 Pro or Home
A company computer should run Windows 11 Pro. Home lacks several features that matter for business use:
- BitLocker drive encryption, with the recovery key stored in Microsoft Entra ID. If the laptop is stolen, the data stays protected.
- Joining Microsoft Entra ID (Entra join) and remote management through Intune, as well as joining a classic domain.
- Group Policy and control over updates.
You can upgrade from Home to Pro later, but that means extra cost and work. It is simpler to order the laptop with Pro from the start.
Lifecycle and accessories
Plan for a company laptop to be in service for 4–5 years, and choose a warranty of the same length. That way repairs are covered throughout, and replacements can be spread out rather than all at once. Keep a list of devices with purchase date and warranty end date.
Accessories that make daily work much more comfortable:
- a docking station and one or two monitors at the desk;
- a separate keyboard and mouse, and a laptop stand for the right height;
- a good headset for calls;
- a bag or sleeve to protect the laptop on the move.
It is good practice to standardise on one or two models. That simplifies setup and the management of docks, chargers and spare parts.
When to call a professional
If you are buying several laptops at once or want them to be managed through Microsoft 365 and Intune from day one, it is worth agreeing the configuration in advance. You will find business laptops, monitors and docking stations in our catalogue. ITABIKS can also help you choose and set them up, phone +372 53 888 229.