Finding the right combination of technology for your home or business can often be a daunting feat, especially for those not well versed with computers in general. What are the best brands, and what computer requirements will you and any potential employee's need to get their job done? Some business owners have a loyalty to a particular brand because of previous experience, but this isn't always the best way to strike a balance between usability, functionality, and cost efficiency. That's why we're here to help you decide what the best workstation's you might need for your home office or business.
Laptop or Desktop
One of the first decisions you'll need to make when finding the right workstation solution is how mobile it needs to be. Are you or your employee's going to need to travel a lot? If your business model entails having to travel to customer's, or work from out of the office, finding a good laptop may be the right decision. However increased mobility may come at a cost to computing power, as the more mobile your device is the less powerful it can be when compared to their desktop counter parts.
If mobility isn't as much a factor, a desktop may be the right solution. Desktop's offer a more powerful solution for a similar or lower price. Desktop workstations are also typically easier to repair or upgrade, which also helps bring down overall costs for maintenance. Sometimes the right decision is a mix though. Some employee's may need a laptop, while others who travel less or don't need to work from outside the office can use a desktop. Finding the right mix of technology is ultimately up to you, so it's important to gauge your employee's needs, and strike the right balance between mobility and power.
PC or Mac
One of the more defining decisions you'll need to make is deciding if you want to run on Apple's OSX with Mac computers, or base your workstation on Windows with a PC. Windows is the more standard of the choices, often coming along side your popular production software like Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. It's also worth considering that the majority of people are used to how Windows works on a PC. This means potentially less time having to train or look for employee's who are comfortable using Mac based computers.
Mac computers do have their benefits however. They are considered to be a more secure ecosystem and often offer the same software choices you would have with a PC. You can even run Windows right on a Mac using Boot Camp or virtualization software like Parallel PC. Although Apple computers do come with a premium price tag if your purchasing your workstations directly from Apple.
Many offices now a days are opting to allow their employee's to choose if they want to use a Mac or PC. Many people have become familiar with iPads, and iPhones and so it is an easier transition for them to work on a Mac, while still enjoying the close collaboration offered with the available office software like Word, Excel, and Outlook.
What Are The Most Important Specs to Look For
Whether you decide to go with Mac or PC, Laptop or Desktop, you will want to consider the following specs to ensure you are getting the most bang for the buck.
Screen Size is an important factor to consider when getting a laptop. A screen that is too small could hamper work efficiency, and could even be a strain on the eyes. This is an important factor to consider when even choosing All-In-One dekstop's that come with an attached screen. Many laptops, and All In One's allow for separate second and even third screens to be connected to increase screen real-estate and help production.
The CPU is often considered the brain of your workstation. The faster,more powerful the CPU is, the more efficiently your computer will be able to perform. The faster your CPU is often decides on how fast your overall computer performs, and how powerful it generally can be considered. Many factors play a role in the CPU's speed, but you'll want to pay attention to the overall Hz (hertz) your CPU boasts. In many cases, an Intel Core i5 or better can be considered enough for a standard office workstation. Though you may want this number to be higher depending on the needs of you or your employee's.
RAM is the next piece of hardware to consider when buying or building a new workstation. RAM is the Random Access Memory that your computer utilizes when your actively working with software on your workstation. If you work with a large amount of software on a day to day bases, then you'll want your computer to have more RAM. Typically we recommend 4 - 8 GB or more for standard workstations today. Microsoft recommends at least 4 GB of RAM alone just to run Windows 10 smoothly.
The Hard Drive is the final major consideration to make when deciding on a new workstation. The Hard Drive is responsible for storing the information your Workstation uses, such as your documents, email, spread sheets, and everything else you need. With the popularity of Solid State Drives, RPM's are becoming less of a factor as Input/Output speeds on SSD's far outperforms their mechanical counter-parts. That's why we recommend your workstation make use of a Solid State drive.
The Bottom Line
It's important to take all of the above factors into consideration to ensure smooth workflow, and an efficient workspace with your technology. Determining computing power versus cost efficiency is often a balancing act for most professionals looking for a new workstation, and striking the perfect balance can be difficult.
Natural Networks is a fully Managed IT Service provider, and we're here to help you find the best workstation for your needs. We have trained experts who can help you determine the best hardware needs with the most cost effective solutions for your business and employee's. If your in need of a new workstation, or curious to see how we can help improve your work-flow we ask that you contact us today!
