21/08/2017
The next most obvious factor is the price tag: Business-oriented laptops can cost twice as much as consumer models. Both types of machines are based on similar components, and both types run the same basic operating system and software. Do the big PC manufacturers just think businesses have deeper pockets than consumers?
There might be an element of truth to that, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. The PC market is incredibly competitive and profit margins are razor thin. The primary reason why business PCs cost more than consumer models is because businesses—large and small—want computers that are built to last and easy to maintain.
Business laptops also come with longer warranties, stockpiled units and replacement parts, robust tech support, extra security features, and remote-management capabilities. The cost of those attributes is reflected in the price tag of the product. Once you understand those differentiators, you can decide if they’re worth the added expense.
Durability and life cycle
Business laptops are expected to remain in service much longer than consumer notebooks, and they’re expected to withstand at least a little rough handling. As such, they’re usually fabricated from stronger material—aluminum or magnesium, for instance—and they feature more rugged construction. Consumer laptops—especially budget models—are often built using copious amounts of plastic.
ROBERT CARDIN
Aluminum and magnesium are some of the most popular materials used to build business-oriented laptops, such as the Dell Latitude 6430u shown here.
Most businesses standardize on one or a few laptop models, and they keep them in service for at least three years. This stability reduces the tech-support burden on the company's IT department. When a manufacturer introduces a new business laptop, they often commit to keeping the exact same machine available for 18 months to 5 years, so its corporate customers can add to their fleets down the road.
Business buyers also expect to be able to acquire replacement parts over the laptop’s entire service life. So the manufacturer must maintain an inventory of parts that they might never sell. Some of the cost of those parts is reflected in the price of the notebook.
Consumer laptops tend to have much shorter shelf lives. A given model might be available for a year or even less before being replaced by a shiny new model. Toshiba manufactured a limited number of its luxurious Kirabook, for example, and switched to Intel's fourth-generation Core processor when it produced the next batch.
Businesses generally don't buy consumer notebooks like the Kirabook because those machines have limited shelf lives. IT departments prefer machines that won't change for several years.
Consumers are also more apt to replace a failing laptop than have it repaired. Sometimes this is the most sensible strategy. Sometimes it’s the onlystrategy, as manufacturers often don’t maintain large inventories of replacement parts for their consumer product lines. Other times, it just serves as a good excuse to buy a new model with all the latest bells and whistles. Businesses can't afford to flip on a whim, as each switch incurs costs beyond acquiring the new machine: There’s testing, training, software licenses, and more.
Maintenance and repair
Business laptops are generally easier to maintain and fix. You won't find Torx screws or Apple's ridiculous new Pentalobe fasteners on a business machine (unless it’s a MacBook Pro, that is).
A common Phillips screwdriver should be all you need. And with a machine like HP’s ZBook 15 mobile workstation, you won’t even need that. Slide open two friction locks and you can remove its bottom panel to access its memory, storage, Wi-Fi adapter, battery, and more.
User-serviceable components aren’t unheard of in consumer notebooks, but they are becoming increasingly uncommon
