Essential Features Your Business Laptop Needs in 2024

Edmund_McGowan · April 10

Selecting a business laptop that meets your needs is an important step towards business productivity. There is a huge range of business laptops on the market today, with a multitude of features designed to meet every requirement. What is a business laptop? You may think of slim, lightweight notebooks intended to be carried effortlessly by workers on their daily commute, or even rugged laptops tested to survive in harsh work environments with features such as Military Standard tested impact-resistant chassis.

With such a vast choice of makes and models available, it’s important to consider the tasks that you intend to tackle with your business laptop before you decide on any purchases. There isn’t a simple answer to the best laptop for business, but there are definitely desirable features in some business laptops that will boost productivity and provide long-term value for users, regardless of their industry. In this article we will discuss several essential features that prospective buyers should look for in a business laptop in order to boost their business productivity. Read on to discover more!

1. Long lasting battery

It may sound obvious, but the importance of choosing a business laptop with a long lasting battery cannot be overstated. Whether a laptop is predominantly used for work, gaming or just plain old general use, mobility is arguably a major factor when choosing between a desktop or a laptop. The battery gives your laptop the gift of mobility, freeing you from the shackles of working next to a power outlet.

Plugging our laptop or smartphone in to charge when we’re at home or at our office desks is second nature to many of us, but productivity on the go requires a battery that can run for an eight hour (plus) workday without charging.

Finding a power outlet is the last thing you want to worry about when meeting clients or presenting to colleagues. A business laptop with a reliable, long lasting battery will ensure that you exude professionalism and preparedness whatever the situation. What’s more, if you travel during your workday, or like to get work done on the go, a long lasting battery ensures a smooth, continuous workflow, wherever you are.

2. A good screen

Screens, of all shapes and sizes are omnipresent in our lives. Think for a minute how many different screens you have interacted with today. Regardless of the industry you work in, you’ll likely spend the majority of your workday in front of your laptop, looking at the screen. In light of this, a high quality screen is an essential feature that you should look for when choosing a business laptop.

Live to work, or work to live, you’ll want to take care of your eyes. Viewing comfort should motivate you to choose a good screen: eye strain and fatigue can impact both your health and productivity. Modern screens feature anti-glare displays while not compromising on color accuracy, letting you get on with the job without giving eye strain a second thought. A screen with adjustable, or adaptive brightness levels, and blue light reduction are also must-have features when selecting a business laptop. Screen size is also an important factor to consider, especially if you regularly collaborate and need colleagues or clients to see your screen. A business laptop with a high resolution screen with ample screen real estate and good color accuracy will contribute to user satisfaction.

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3. Secure hardware and software

With the convenience and connectivity that computers bring to our businesses, schools and homes, they also represent a risk to the security of our data. A data breach can have catastrophic consequences for any company, big or small. Thankfully, secured-core PCs can help to protect your data from security threats. No need to worry about buying and updating multiple antivirus programs, Windows secured-core PCs feature on-by-default security. This protects against unauthorized access to your device, while enabling secure booting and protecting from firmware vulnerabilities.

Secured-core PCs feature face and fingerprint log in security: a combination of biometric sensors and hardware-based credential storage safeguard you against phishing and similar attacks. Malware beware, for policies enabled with Hypervisor Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) only permit signed and approved executables to run. With an all-in-one security solution, such as secured-core, your laptop health is in safe hands, leaving you to get on with your work.

4. Ports aplenty

As we mentioned above, mobility and connectivity are both key features of modern business laptops. During the course of your work day or week, you’ll likely need to connect your business laptop to a range of devices, from projectors and printers to external monitors and external drives. While there is a trend today towards a simplification of ports, with an emphasis on USB-C, there is no guarantee that the peripherals or devices you may need to connect to your business laptop will be USB-C compatible.

In light of this, ensure that your business laptop has a diverse range of ports, including USB, HDMI, VGA, and Ethernet. Being prepared for various connectivity scenarios will help with seamless connectivity, unburdened by dongles, adapters or other peripherals.

5. SSD with sufficient space

Storage should not be overlooked when selecting a business laptop. Investing in a laptop with an SSD (solid state drive) storage with plenty of space will ensure speed, efficiency, and overall system responsiveness. Go for a minimum of 256GB storage space, serious business users should aim for a minimum of 512GB. For a business user, this means a faster computer, which in turn translates to improved productivity. While laptops and desktops traditionally relied on HDDs (hard disk drives) for data storage, this technology is swiftly becoming obsolete.

SSDs are markedly faster than HDDs and lack moving parts, making them durable and less liable to mechanical failure. What’s more, the power needed to run SSDs is less than HDDs, meaning that laptop batteries can run for longer, resulting in increased productivity for business users. SSDs are a fast, efficient storage solution that can meet the requirements of today’s 24/7 on-the-go business environment, and also will help to future-proof your business laptop.

6. AI readiness

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dramatically transformed the working world, making its integration into business operations more critical than ever. AI technologies offer significant advantages for business users, including task automation and data analysis, among others. To future-proof your business in an AI-driven world, it’s essential to consider not just the hardware but also the broader ecosystem that supports AI capabilities. This includes adopting AI-powered software solutions that enhance operational efficiency, focusing on scalable cloud services, and ensuring that your systems are flexible enough to adapt to new AI advancements. As AI continues to grow in importance across all business facets, ensuring your infrastructure is AI-compatible without over-relying on hardware upgrades is key. This approach allows for seamless integration of AI functionalities, ensuring your business remains agile and competitive in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

The takeaway

We hope that you have enjoyed this article discussing the essential features your business laptop needs in 2024. Before committing to a purchase, clarify the day-to-day tasks that you require your business laptop to handle, as well as the ideal size and weight. Often a compromise has to be made between power and portability, but the power of many slim, lightweight business laptops in 2024 may surprise you! Check out Acer’s TravelMate series, these laptops are built to adapt to and excel in today’s swiftly changing business environment.

Ensure productivity wherever you are with a long-lasting battery and a good quality screen. Secure your data with a secured-core PC, and never compromise on connectivity by having a variety of ports. Finally, make sure that your business laptop is a long-term, future-ready investment with SSD storage and AI ready hardware.