Business laptop vs. standard laptop - are they really the same computer?

Many people who are faced with the choice of a laptop do not consider devices from the business segment. However, choosing a low-priced computer often means opting for a device of considerably lower quality. What are the differences between computers from the business and economy segments?

Is a business laptop more durable than an ordinary computer?

One of the most common doubts of customers who come into contact with used computers (lease returns) for the first time is whether the used devices have a short service life. This is usually the result of their previous experience of buying used equipment from auction platforms. New devices bought from large retail chains often rarely outlast the warranty period. This is a major deterrent to buying a computer that has already been used by someone. Computers from the business segment, which have been used for business purposes, form the main stock of the offer of stores with electronic devices in the form of leasing returns. Professionally refurbished devices can be successfully used for many years. In this way, they are an alternative to new computers from large retail chains, whose service life often leaves much to be desired. Below we have described the advantages of business computers that we offer in our store. If you want to know what the price differences are between computers with similar parameters, the following text is ideal reading for you!

Housing of a business laptop

The first and most tangible feature that characterizes a business laptop is its casing. The computers are made of metal alloys that provide adequate rigidity and robustness. When we hold it in our hands, we have the feeling that we are holding a truly solid computer that will survive many a journey in our pockets. The rigid construction has an influence on the elements attached to it. The individual components are not exposed to high stresses, so that the solder beads on the motherboard do not come loose or a circuit board track is not interrupted. Such situations can occur with cheaper computers if the device is carried with one hand and held by a corner. Leading manufacturers of business computers carry out a series of stress tests so that they can be successfully used on construction sites, in workshops and even in space stations. The popular Lenovo Thinkpad range proudly boasts that its models are used by NASA on board the International Space Station. As you can easily see, waiting for Lenovo service technicians to arrive would have a negative impact on the crew's work.

Surely you are not planning a space flight with your notebook in the near future. However, you can often travel with it on earth. In doing so, the computer may take a knock or fall down.

A laptop in the business segment offers much better protection against such unforeseen events.

Manufacturing quality of a commercial laptop

Plastic is undoubtedly the word that comes up most often when we talk about the manufacture of mass-produced computers. The screws that hold the entire casing together are screwed into sleeves with a plastic thread. During use, such elements often come loose from the case.

A fairly common problem is that the hinge of the display cover comes off the computer case because of the thread in the plastic case. All elements that are based on solid metal parts in the construction of business devices are replaced by plastic parts.

Design of the motherboard and its possibilities

The motherboard is one of the most important advantages that computers in the business segment have compared to products from the supermarket. Its flexibility makes it possible to juggle any number of usable components, so that business segment models use outstanding versions of processors that are launched on the market in the respective production years. The computers are characterized by the possibility of any expansion of RAM memory or hard drives by mounting several SSD hard drives using various interfaces. All business devices allow the installation of a SIM card and after installing an appropriate WWAN modem, you can connect to the Internet wirelessly.

If required, we have the option of connecting a docking station, which extends the productivity of all hardware and provides additional interfaces for video such as DisplayPort, VGA and HDMI or for data exchange, namely USB 2.0, USB 3.2, USB C and Thunderbolt. The motherboards contain top-quality electronic assemblies that allow them to work without "throttling" individual components.

The motherboard itself is equipped with many additional solutions that protect the USB ports from a short circuit, for example. In the event of such an incident, a fuse is damaged, but not the chipset, which is of considerable importance for any repair costs.

Removing the graphics processor thanks to MXM

One of the more interesting solutions for some devices is the ability to remove the graphics processor and upgrade thanks to the MXM slot. In the case of commercially available computers, the choice of components is usually heavily dependent on the price. With cheaper models, it is difficult to expect good quality SSD hard disks and graphics cards. The option of adding a WWAN card or an additional SSD hard disk to the motherboard is almost non-existent. Connecting a docking station is currently only possible on the few models that have a Thunderbolt interface. The aforementioned low strength of the case is unfortunately also disadvantageous for the motherboard itself. If the circuit board inside the housing bends while the device is being carried, microcracks can occur and, in extreme cases, the solder beads of the BGA circuits, processor, graphics card or chipset can detach from the motherboard. The absence of many fuses, for example the USB ports mentioned above, leads to serious and costly repairs, which are often uneconomical in the event of damage.

BIOS for business laptops. Manufacturer support, availability of spare parts

Business computers are characterized by exceptionally long manufacturer support, which is sometimes granted for more than six years. The BIOS software is very comprehensive. It allows numerous settings to be changed for security, configuration and information purposes. In the case of commercially available devices, manufacturer support is very limited and is usually offered for no longer than one and a half years. The BIOS is practically limited to basic functions. A significant proportion of devices in the business segment have the option of using an installed second hard disk as part of a RAID system, which improves the security of stored data. If one hard disk is damaged, a copy of the data stored on it is stored on the second hard disk. Another interesting solution is the possibility of replacing elements of the housing to configure a fingerprint sensor or NFC (near field communication). Such a solution is practically unheard of in classic laptops.