Buying a work computer is mostly an exercise in ignoring the specifications being
advertised at you. Here’s what actually changes how the machine feels day to day.

Memory matters more than processor, for most people

Unless you’re editing video or running heavy design software, the processor in almost any
current machine is fine. What determines whether the computer feels fast is having enough
memory to keep everything you’ve got open in it at once. For ordinary business work — a
browser with a lot of tabs, email, a couple of applications — 16GB is the sensible floor
now, and it’s usually the cheapest upgrade with the biggest effect.

Check whether it can be upgraded before you buy

Many thin laptops have memory soldered to the board, which means the amount you buy is
the amount you have for the life of the machine. If it can’t be upgraded, buy more than you
think you need. If it can, you have the option of starting modest.

Storage: get an SSD, and get enough of it

Every machine worth buying now has solid-state storage, so this is less of a decision than
it used to be. The size still catches people out — 256GB fills quickly once Windows,
Microsoft 365 and a few years of files are on it, and a nearly-full drive slows down.

The parts you touch every day

Keyboard, screen and weight are worth more attention than they get, because they’re what
you actually experience. A brighter, higher-resolution screen makes a longer difference to
your working day than a marginally faster processor. If you can, type on the thing before
you buy it.

Business models are usually worth the premium

The consumer and business versions of the same laptop often differ in ways that matter:
better warranty terms, on-site service, sturdier construction, and no preinstalled software
you’ll spend an hour removing. If the machine is how you earn a living, the warranty alone
usually justifies it.

What not to spend on

Extended warranties beyond the manufacturer’s business cover, “optimisation” software, and
the top processor tier, unless you have a specific reason. That money is better spent on
memory, a second screen, or a decent chair.

Once it’s set up

A new machine is also the natural moment to sort out the things that have been sitting on
the list — getting files somewhere sensible, checking your backup actually restores, and
tidying up the website that’s been out of date for two years. On that last one,
the team at Sites Crafted builds and maintains small business sites and is a reasonable place to start.

For setting the machine up properly, moving everything across without losing anything, or
sorting out the network it has to work on, that’s us — Geeks IT Canberra, on 02 6188 9898.