How to Choose the Best Work Laptop in 2020

Finding the best work laptop is not easy, as it depends on your organizational needs. Indeed, there are many high-performance laptops with different features and price points that will suit any type of business.

Is your laptop powerful enough for the tasks you need to accomplish for work? Is it light enough to move quickly and easily on a business trip or throughout the day? Is the screen good enough that it won't tire your eyes after a few hours?

We will try to answer all these questions and give you a comparison of the best work laptops on the market in 2020.

What criteria should you consider when choosing the best possible work computer?

Businesses must analyze several characteristics to make the best choice. Among these, the following are essential:

Screen size

As you know, the screen is what displays your work content. There are several screen sizes, calculated in inches on the diagonal (13 inches, 15 inches, 17 inches, etc.). The more inches, the larger the screen and the larger and heavier the computer will be. If you're often on the move or traveling, we recommend choosing a laptop between 13 and 15 inches, as they're easier to carry.

Screen definition / resolution

The larger the screen, the higher the resolution. Resolution specifies the number of pixels the monitor has, i.e., the quality of the image produced. The higher the resolution, the better the image will be and the faster the amount of information displayed will be processed. This resolution ranges from 1024 x 768 to 5120 x 2880 pixels.

Hard drive

Your work laptop's hard drive will impact its storage capacity as well as the speed of your operations. Storage space is essential for storing all your data and accumulating it without worrying about having to wipe your computer.

There are two types of hard drives: SSDs (solid-state drives) and HDDs (hard-disk drives). SSDs are much faster but often offer less disk space, while HDDs are slower but more spacious. For a work laptop, we strongly recommend an SSD with at least 256GB of storage.

You can always opt for computers with less disk space to store some of your files in the cloud. G Suite and Office 365 productivity suites offer cloud storage space that will allow you to increase the amount of files you can store.

Processor type

The type of processor (CPU) affects the speed at which tasks are performed and allows for greater or lesser performance when using heavy software (photo/video editing, for example). To maximize efficiency, especially when using multiple work applications, we recommend at least a Core i5 processor, marketed by Intel.

Random access memory (RAM)

Your computer's RAM (Random Access Memory) is its short-term memory. Too little RAM will affect the number of applications and programs you can run at once. We recommend having at least 4 GB of RAM to work comfortably. Starting at 8 GB, it starts to become really efficient.

Weight

You'll likely often find yourself having to carry your computer around. Whether it's on the way from work to home, from your office to a colleague's, to a meeting, or elsewhere, a work computer needs to be lightweight; otherwise, it can be cumbersome to carry it around or even put in a simple bag. To make the computer as easy to carry as possible, we recommend a weight of less than 2.5 kg or 5.5 lb.

Autonomy

Depending on your laptop, the battery will be more or less efficient and therefore its autonomy more or less long.

We recommend paying attention to the battery life of your computer when purchasing it. The longer it can run without charging, the longer you'll be able to use it for several hours without needing to recharge it. Furthermore, regardless of the device, it will lose battery life over time.

Price

Obviously, price is an important factor when it comes to such an investment. For equivalent quality, some computers cost more or less. It's always worth comparing prices to avoid missing out on good deals and being fooled by better advertising or simply a brand name!

If you're buying in bulk, please note that you may be eligible for a discount by purchasing directly from the manufacturer. Do you have any questions about this? Contact us directly (https://nexxo.tech/contact/).

The Best Work Laptops of 2020: Our Review!

Dell XPS 13: a high-performance PC

The Dell XPS 13 offers excellent overall performance. It has a 13-inch display and is available with an Intel i3, i5, and i7 processor. It has a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It offers excellent battery life, between 10 and 14 hours depending on use, and is very lightweight (only 1.2 kg), making it very easy to carry. In addition, its graphics and resolution are excellent. The only downside is that the sound quality is a bit poor compared to its competitors.

Retail Price: Starting at $1,349.99

Apple MacBook Pro: A must-have for Apple users

The MacBook Pro comes in several sizes, but the 13-inch and 15-inch models offer the best portability and comfort.
With an i5 processor, at least 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, the MacBook Pro boasts excellent battery life and graphics performance.

However, this laptop has two major disadvantages: some Apple connectors require an adapter to be connected to devices from other brands; the price of the MacBook Pro is particularly high compared to its competitors.

Price: Starting at $1,699.99

HP Envy x360: A hybrid PC that lasts a long time

Full HD or 4K display, excellent battery life, memory, and storage. The HP Envy x360
's unique feature is its detachable touchscreen with a 360° rotating hinge for using the laptop as a tablet. Finally, this laptop charges very quickly, which can be a real plus.

Price: Starting at $1,149.99

ACER Swift 1: An outstanding laptop at a low price

The Acer Swift 1 packs all the expected features. It's extremely lightweight, boasts excellent memory and storage, and offers exceptional battery life, surpassing all its competitors. Finally, it comes at a price that defies all comparison. The only downside is the mediocre sound quality.

Price: Starting at $449.99

ASUS Zenbook: a PC that thinks it's a Mac, and does it well

The Asus Zenbook has good technical specifications (14-inch screen, i7 processor, minimum 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage).
Designed by Asus to compete with the MacBook Air, it represents a good standard of laptop with good battery life and decent versatility.

Price: Starting at $1,299.99

Nexxo can help you choose your next work laptops

Choosing a work laptop for your business is no easy task. As you've seen, several factors must be analyzed before taking action. If you need help with your selection process,  contact us now. We'll advise you on choosing work laptops that fit your business needs.

About Nexxo

Nexxo Computer Solutions specializes in providing IT and technology services to Quebec businesses. Its mission is to offer Quebec companies IT services tailored to their needs. Acting as an external IT department, it handles all of a company's IT tasks, allowing it to focus on its business activities. It achieves this by collaborating closely with its clients and putting their interests at the center of its concerns.