Identifying Your Small-Business PC Hardware Needs
A big challenge for small-business owners is proper computer equipment selection. From tablets to desktops, today’s computer options can be overwhelming. Let us help you pick the perfect hardware for your small business.
No two small businesses are alike. But while a letterpress artist and a preschool proprietor have vastly different needs and goals for the work they do, they both want the right tools for the job.
This article walks you through a few important factors to consider as you invest in the perfect hardware for your company.
The Mobile Company
Highly mobile companies need highly mobile hardware. This means three things: a good smartphone, a good tablet and a super-light notebook, such as an ultrabook.
Smartphones are more than just pocketable communication devices nowadays. Some of the most versatile phones double as full-featured netbooks, letting you edit documents on the fly, view media presentations and even video chat with distant colleagues.
Today’s smartphones come with built-in peripheral functionality that lets you attach screens and keyboards for a lightweight laptop experience.
Tablets and ultraportable notebooks follow the same principles. Apple and Android continue to rule the tablet space, with the iPad boasting the biggest software selection and Android offering a dizzying array of form factors and screen sizes. With the release of Windows 8, however, Microsoft is poised to gain considerable market share.
For ultralight notebooks, look for long battery life and lightweight design first, then think about how you want to present yourself to potential clients. You may also want to invest in a portable wireless “hotspot” from a major cellphone carrier to ensure you always have a ready data stream, even when you’re beyond the reach of Wi-Fi.
The Home Office
To thrive in the small confines of a home office, you need some great hardware.
It’s tempting to use your existing consumer electronics to run the business, but many small-business owners quickly discover they need sturdier machines. Err on the side of fast, multi-core chips and plenty of RAM if you want a home workstation to last through multiple business cycles. For an even bigger productivity boost, look for video cards that can handle two or more monitors to build a true “nerve center” in your home office.
Consider the specific needs of your business as well. A blogger may only require a good video card to watch the latest viral sensation. A graphic designer, on the other hand, will need a brilliant screen and plenty of RAM to run resource-heavy software like Photoshop and Illustrator.
Avoid the temptation to buy more than you need. Unless you’re running those extremely processor-intensive applications, most mid-level machines are plenty fast enough for spreadsheets and email.
The Traditional SMB
Does your company have 10 or more employees? Do you work in a bona fide office with networking and infrastructure? Small to medium businesses, or SMBs, require their own dedicated hardware.
Most small companies can get by with a consumer-level router and a basic network setup, provided some strong encryption is deployed across the network. Stick with mid-level computing stations unless your employees are editing large media files. For more advanced tasks, consider investing in several topflight laptops or a bundle package of high-end PCs.
For file swapping and sharing, consider a cloud storage solution from the likes of Carbonite, Box or Google Drive. Just be sure you’re backing up regularly and avoiding the common pitfalls of small-business resource management.
Investing in the right tools for the job is essential if you want your company to stay competitive. Be thoughtful about your specific mobility, processing power and security requirements to keep your business flexible and adaptable, no matter what may come.