The holidays are upon us and one question we often get about electronics is what we recommend in terms of a tablet, laptop or all-in-one (AIO) unit. The answer, of course, is the unhelpful “it depends”. We unfortunately answer a question with a question and ask, “what do you need this unit to do?”. That answer can help lead us in the right direction.
For example, if you need the computer to work seamlessly with your office domain and office programs, we may steer you away from an iPad. In general, they do not integrate as nicely into a corporate network and use network resources. Many out there are rabid Apple fans and want to have their Apple devices so there are ways to make them work in an office environment as long as you are prepared for the expense of making that happen. For web browsing and email, iPads are great.
Microsoft touts their Surface tablet as the tablet that can replace your laptop. As a Surface owner, I can tell you there is a lot to like about Microsoft’s foray into the hardware space. Most Surfaces (think Pro) will run a full version of Windows, meaning you can install all the apps you can load on your laptop on your tablet. If you don’t mind a smaller keyboard, it seems to be a functional unit that can act as a tablet as well as a laptop. One note to be aware of: they break more frequently than you might expect. So much so that Consumer Reports pulled their recommendation of the Surface tablets. They have a high failure rate as I can personally attest to with my personal unit. I love it when it is not doubling as a brick.
For regular laptops we often are asked about the latest Black Friday deals at Best Buy. These may be a great choice for home use. Keep in mind that the box stores are selling you consumer grade electronics with consumer grade operating systems. This matters for a business shopper. Home Edition operating systems will not join a corporate domain which give access to company resources. You will need to Pro or Enterprise versions for that. In addition, the quality of the components in a business grade laptop are considerable better than what you get in a consumer grade laptop. The business grade laptops have been proven to last longer and have fewer problems. We do not recommend consumer grade laptops for business.
Finally, all-in-one (AIO) units have their place in business. These units have the computer and monitor together which is a great space saver for situations where space is a concern. Retail comes to mind. Keep in mind with AIO units will not have the expandability that regular desktops have and often a shorter shelf-life as they are not upgradable. Check here for concerns with AIO units.
Enjoy the holiday season and please feel free to reach out to us with questions. We are here to help. Give the experts at Colden Company a call at (888) 600-4560 or email us, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.