Owning a business is a beautiful dance while juggling lop-sided chainsaws and bowling pins engulfed in flames. It’s a spectacle for sure, but keeping your head (literally and figuratively) requires a special art. And artists are only as good as their paintbrushes.
Every good business owner needs a good computer. It’s the tool that’ll keep track of your accounting, schedule, and system of operations. Businesses, tiny or grandiose, need a proper computer.
For those firms that are striving for growth, this is how you choose your small business computer.
How Mobile Are You?
First thing’s first: are you always on the move or chained to a desk?
There are two types of business computers. There’s the laptop, and there is this desktop computer. Both have achieve similar functionality, but one offers mobility.
Laptops are for the business owners that travel a lot or operate from different locations. It’s very useful for entrepreneurs that freelance or go from city to city.
Desktops are bulky, but they’re powerhouses. It’s not feasible to tote these daily; they’re heavy and require an external monitor.
Desktops trade off mobility for their sheer power. Components in desktops are vastly superior to those in laptops, and thus, they require a big case.
Get a desktop if you need the power: accounting firms, video editors, CAD designers. Opt for a laptop if you can work from anywhere: writers, web developers, photographers.
Choosing the Parts
This part might be intimidating, but the parts inside of a computer aren’t complex. At least, not their purpose.
The main components:
- CPU
- Memory
- Storage
- GPU
The CPU is an acronym for the central processing unit. There are two predominant processor manufacturers – Intel and AMD. Intel being the most prominent.
Processors should be rated 2.0GHz to 4.5GHz. The higher, the more powerful. Depending on your tasks, it’s recommended to get anything above a dual-core CPU (the Intel i5 or i7 or the AMD Ryzen 5 or 7).
Next is memory. It’s not used to store data, but temporarily cache program data. Memory (or RAM) keeps background processes running.
We’d recommend 8GB of RAM or more.
Storage is what stores data. This is where files and programs are downloaded and installed. There are two types: SSD and HHD.
An SSD is superior, but more expensive. Get a drive at least 1TB in capacity.
A GPU is a graphics processing unit. It’s mainly used for gaming, so unless you’re developing games, an integrated GPU is fine.
Which OS for Your Small Business Computer?
There are three operating systems that are typically used. There’s Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
Windows is used vastly in business and personal use. MacOS, Apple’s proprietary UNIX distro, is great for creative firms. Linux OS is a tool used by software developers.
You should install an operating system based on those guidelines. Or purchase an Apple product.
Windows is far and beyond the most popular computer OS. To get the best range of compatibility, Windows is suggested.
But be careful. The wide pool of computers operating on Windows is enticing for malicious attacks. Hackers develop harmful software mainly for Windows because of this.
Boot Up Your Success
Small businesses need computers to function and streamline their growth. It’s tough juggling everything with an analog system. Upgrade it with a small business computer.
Get a computer based on your mobility. The computer should also have an OS that suits your firm’s business. Pick the computer with the most powerful parts.
Check out the others posts on business cybernetics.
