Authored by Dave Mallisk in Computer Hardware
Published on 08-29-2009

The ‘coolest’ business laptops generally require more ‘cold cash’ than other laptops. You can spend more than $5,000.00 for a business laptop that is the ‘coolest, latest, greatest, newest, best,’ and otherwise adorned with marketing superlatives. However, if you actually need the coolest business laptop, you might be making a very wise investment. For example, if your job requires you to work in two offices, and in each you need an extremely powerful computer, a superlative business laptop might cost less than two comparable desktops.

Features of the Coolest Business Laptops

A business laptop can have many features that differentiate it from a any other laptop. These generally include:

• 64-bit operating system, such as Vista Premium or XP Professional x64.
• 802.11n Wi-Fi access.
• Full-size keyboard. For serious work, such as in business, you probably find typing on full-size keyboard more comfortable than on one that is cramped.
• Graphics card. An integrated graphics ‘card’ (built into your laptop’s motherboard) is adequate for most business applications. However, if your business includes intensely-processed video work (such as editing video files or creating 3D simulations), you need a discrete graphics card (separate module).
• High capacity battery. For business purposes, your laptop battery should last eight hours before it needs recharging.
• High-speed components:
  • 7200-rpm hard drive.
  • Between 2 and 4 GB of system memory.
  • Dual- or quad-core processor, running at 1.8 GHz or faster.
• Rugged hardware. Because you probably use and carry a business laptop more than any other, its case and electronic components should well tolerate occasional, accidental bumps and jolts.
• Vigorous security:
  • Encryption software. According to your company’s requirements, you probably need to encrypt communications, data, internal hard drive, and external media storage.
  • Fingerprint reader. This keeps you from logging into your laptop it until it recognizes your fingerprint.
  • Tracking software. If someone steals your laptop, tracking software can protect your data. It can also help you retrieve your business laptop.

Business-Laptop Categories

Generally, we can organize business laptops into two broad categories, office type and travel type.

Office-Type Business Laptops – An office-type business laptop is powerful enough to replace a business desktop computer. However, because an office-type business laptop is larger and heavier than a travel-type business laptop, it is best for use within an office building, carried only among a few offices and meeting rooms. An office-type business laptop typically has a 17-inch screen, and weighs between 8 and 10 pounds. To help assure quality, you should probably not pay less than $2,000.00 for your office-type business laptop.

Travel-Type Business Laptops – A travel-type business laptop computer is less powerful than an office business laptop. However, because a travel-type business laptop is smaller and lighter than an office-type business laptop, it is much easier to carry during business trips. A travel-type business computer typically has a 14-inch screen, and weighs between 4 and 5 pounds. To help assure quality, you should probably not pay less than $1,000.00 for your travel-type business laptop.

Shopping for Your Coolest Business Laptop

To buy a truly cool business laptop, shop for as many Features of the Coolest Business Laptops (listed above) as possible. Of course, you might need other specific laptop features in your particular business. Focus on the features you need for your business laptop. You can shop for your laptop either at your local merchant or online. Some websites let you search for business laptops according to your requirements. For example, you can:

1. Open NotebookReview.com.
2. In the LAPTOP SEARCH tool, at the right, set Laptop Type to “Business Notebooks.”
3. Set Screen Size to either “17 in – 17.9 in.” for office-type laptops or “14 in – 14.9 in.” for travel-type laptops.
4. Set the Price range to either “2000″ to “5000″ for office-type laptops or “1000″ to “2000″ for travel-type laptops.
5. Click on the FIND button to display the office- or travel-type business laptops that match your selected parameters.