When shopping for a business laptop, there are traditional clamshells for heavy typing work to a 2-in-1 style computer with a touchscreen for flexibility to higher-end laptops with a bevy of security features. No matter what your styles and needs are, here are our top picks of the best business laptops. Along with standard USB and HDMI inputs, this laptop supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 4.2 or above connectivity for quick data transfer and reliable connections. For privacy, the built-in webcam has a physical shutter that blocks the lens when you don’t want to be seen. There’s also an infrared sensor to alert you when someone may be looking over your shoulder. Plus, a fingerprint reader is built-in. The business laptop is also splash-resistant and put through tests against 12 military-grade requirements to ensure long-lasting durability. The battery gives you up to 10.5 hours of life on a single charge, and you’ll get 80% of your battery with just an hour of charging. This 2-in-1 also has customizable memory options with 4GB to 16GB of RAM and an SSD with from 128GB to 1TB. Better yet, there’s facial recognition technology for signing in with Windows Hello for more secure log-ins. For memory, you can choose between 4 or 8GB of RAM, and you’ll also get a 64GB eMMC to store important documents. With both USB-C and USB-A ports, you can connect peripherals or external memory storage devices. The Flip weighs just 3 pounds and has a 14-inch screen, making it compact for travel. Get up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, while the 360-degree hinge lets you turn the laptop into a touchscreen tablet for handwriting notes. This business laptop weighs just 4 pounds and measures 17 millimeters thin for portability. The dual speakers support Waves MaxxAudio technology for 3D sound and an immersive listening experience when working with music or audio mixing. The laptop is made of CNC machined aluminum and a carbon fiber palm rest for durability. Get up to 13 hours of battery life on a single charge.
What to Look for in a Business Laptop
Battery Life
You don’t want your business laptop to die when you’re in the middle of a project or working on the go. Ideally, you want to be able to get through at least a work shift without having to plug in, and if it can charge quickly, even better.
Tech Specs
Processor type, RAM, and disk storage are all important components of a well-built business laptop, so carefully consider your needs when shopping around. Think about the types of activities you’ll be doing, if you store a lot of large files, and if you’ll be using multiple, memory-hogging programs at once. Other specs to inquire about are the number of ports and slots the laptop has. For highly sensitive work, you might also consider security features like fingerprint readers.
Display
Whether you’re a graphic designer or someone who shows a lot of multimedia slideshows or video content to clients, screen resolution and color will matter more to you than, say, someone working in spreadsheets or doing coding. Related to this, you should also decide if you would benefit from a touchscreen, which gives your laptop more of a tablet feel.
Portability
Size, weight, and durability matter when you’re lugging around a laptop for work. In this case, you literally want to “weigh” your options carefully as you might regret choosing one that’s bulky. However, if you’re mainly using it from your home office, you might want to go for a bigger size or thicker outer material.
How much RAM do I need for a business laptop?
RAM is really what impacts the speed of your laptop’s performance, so it’s not something you want to skimp on. That said, how much you need really does depend on what types of things you’ll be doing. You can likely get by with 8GB of RAM for normal activities, but if you use multiple programs and regularly have lots of open tabs, you’ll want to go for a bit more power, such as 16GB. Though there are options that offer just 2GB or 4GB, you may get frustrated at the lack of speed those laptops offer.
Are gaming laptops good for business use?
Gaming laptops are actually very powerful and sleek machines since they are designed to handle complex graphics and interactive gaming. The downside, however, is that they are usually a bit on the bulky side, and the battery life is not as long-lasting as a regular business laptop. So while you can certainly accomplish your work tasks on a gaming computer, they aren’t ideal for portability.
What’s the difference between a laptop and a tablet?
Because there are some hybrid tablets/laptops on the market, the lines between the two devices have blurred a bit. But there are a few key distinctions between the two. The main difference is that tablets are usually smaller in size than a laptop. And although some tablets have keyboards that can attach, they are designed to be used as touchscreens, while laptops always have a connected keyboard. Something else that distinguishes between the two is that laptops are much better at handling all types of specialized business software, while tablets are usually more for online activities or graphic illustration. As far as price, there are laptops and tablets at various price points. And if you can’t choose between the two, then a 2-in-1 model might be the perfect pick.
