Buyer’s guide: How to choose the right business laptops

They may be part and parcel of everyday business, but with hundreds of business-oriented laptops to choose from — everything from sleek ultralight tablets to huge portable workstations — picking the right ones to outfit your company’s workforce can make finding a needle in a haystack seem easy. We’re here to help with a buyer’s guide that breaks the options into categories and provides details, price estimates, and pros and cons of each.

Let’s begin with the basics. Business laptops are not meant for gaming, movies, or idle web surfing — unless that’s your business. First and foremost, these systems are serious tools to help people do their jobs. They focus on reliability and durability, with models available for several years to accommodate long enterprise deployments; many vendors promise to stock replacement parts for five years.

[ Download our editors’ PDF business PCs buyer’s guide today! ]

The price to pay for this dependability is, well, price. The typical business laptop can cost 20% to 30% more than a consumer model with similar specs. On the other hand, those prices are generally the starting point for a negotiation over cost for a bulk order. In fact, the more you buy, the more leverage you have to get a better price or extras such as an extended warranty.

Leasing the systems — sometimes called device-as-a-service (DaaS) or PC-as-a-service (PCaaS) — is an increasingly popular way to turn a large capital cost into a predictable monthly expense, usually at little or no cost premium over its life. Plus, at the end of the lease, you don’t have to worry about hardware disposal.

(For help deciding whether to source business PCs through a reseller, managed service provider, or directly from the vendor, see “How to buy PCs for your enterprise.”)

And with an expected three- to five-year usable lifespan, many mid- and upper-price-range business notebooks go beyond the standard single-year warranty with three years of coverage. This is often worth several hundred dollars compared to systems aimed at home users. (Prices are shown in US dollars throughout this guide.)

This guide concentrates on Windows systems, but in an age of workplace diversity, Apple MacBooks and Google-based Chromebooks are also represented. While they’re not as popular with IT buyers, they have their place in a modern business.

What to look for in a business laptop

Whether it’s a two-pound ultralight or an eight-pound traveling workstation, all laptops are basically desktop computers with built-in screens, keyboards, miniaturized components, and batteries. Without a doubt, the processor and the system’s size and weight get the most attention, but other areas like the screen and battery should also be considered.  

Processor

The brains of the operation, most Windows systems use Intel or AMD processors, although a small number of ARM-based CPUs are being used in ultralight systems. Apple has taken this idea to its logical conclusion with its M1 and M2 MacBooks.

The minimum processor you’ll need to satisfy users varies widely and depends on the tasks at hand. A receptionist or call center worker might need nothing more than an Intel Celeron or Pentium, while a salesperson might need an Intel Core i3 or i5 and a graphics designer an i7 or an M2 Pro.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM) is short-term data storage used for immediate processing tasks such as displaying websites, running Excel calculations, or showing CAD imaging. It comes in many sizes and speeds, and having more generally translates into better performance. 4GB should be the bare minimum for any business computer, even for buyers on a strict budget. 16GB is better for typical office workers — and the more RAM you get, the happier your users will be.

Storage

Every laptop needs a place to stash everything from the day’s emails to huge video files — either a traditional hard drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs remain more expensive but are faster and more rugged, use less power, and are dominating new laptop models. Look for at least a 128GB SSD or a 1TB HDD.

Battery

Meant to power the system between charges, all notebooks use lithium-ion batteries. All other things being equal, a 3,500 miliamp-hour (mAh) capacity powerpack will likely run for longer than one with 3,000mAh. This could pay dividends on a flight from Seattle to Seoul.

HP

Screen and form factor

While a tablet might get by with an 11.5-in. display (measured diagonally), 13.3- to 16-in. screens are the norm for laptops, with some models going up to 17.3 in. Look for a screen with the highest resolution as you can afford, particularly if the intended purpose is graphics oriented. Today, for all but the cheapest systems, full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) should be the minimum.

Many of today’s Chromebooks and Windows laptops, even those with a standard clamshell design, include a touchscreen. A touchscreen can be a big benefit for a designer sketching products, a marketer highlighting a new campaign, or even a salesperson drawing a crude map. There are also many tablet/laptop hybrids with touchscreens, which we’ve covered in their own section of this guide. It’s worth noting that Apple does not offer touchscreens on any MacBooks but does on its iPad Pro.

Security and manageability components

Security is critical in today’s business. Companies that use Windows PCs should get systems with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and some sort of biometric authentication method, such as a fingerprint reader or a camera capable of Windows Hello for Business facial recognition for secure password-free logins. Many Chromebooks include a TPM and fingerprint readers as well. Macs lack TPM but have their own defensive phalanx, including fingerprint scanners.

Business-oriented laptops should also support serious manageability features, such as the ability to tap into Intel vPro processor extensions so IT departments can remotely diagnose and update a system.

Operating system

For optimal security and manageability, most IT departments opt for laptops running at least Windows 10 or 11 Pro. These systems add protections that the Windows Home editions lack, such as BitLocker drive encryption, and support management and deployment tools such as Mobile Device Management, Azure Active Directory Join, and Windows Update for Business. Organizations that need enterprise-class security and manageability can opt for Windows 10 or 11 Enterprise (available only with a volume licensing agreement).

Apple’s macOS platform has strong security and enterprise manageability features, and today’s unified endpoint management (UEM) systems can manage macOS devices in addition to Windows PCs. Most popular business apps offer versions for macOS, although companies that use legacy Windows-only programs should be prepared to invest in virtual machine (VM) software from Parallels or VMware to allow Mac users to run them.

Most UEM platforms can manage ChromeOS devices as well, or companies can deploy and manage Chromebooks through the Google Admin console. Any web app that runs in the Chrome browser works fine on a Chromebook, and the Google Chrome Web Store’s vetting of apps makes ChromeOS devices less susceptible to picking up rogue software that can infect the enterprise. Today’s Chromebooks can also run both Android and Linux apps — and, using Parallels VM software, they can even run Windows apps.

Accessories

Whether it’s at the office, on the factory floor, or on the road, a laptop on its own is never enough. Plan on spending hundreds to properly equip a system with things like a USB hub (to turn a single port into three or four), an extra power adapter (for home and away work), and a padded bag (to protect it en route).

To those who say that workers can get by with whatever they are given, you might find that with the right tools, workers can be more productive, happier, and better at their job. Just ask yourself if your competition is using anything but the best available technology.

Above all else, a business notebook should fit the user’s needs, not the other way around. There’s no sense in providing an 8-lb. mobile workstation to a traveling salesperson or a budget laptop to a video producer. The six categories that follow cover basic mainstream laptops, budget systems, ultraslims, hybrid tablets, performance-oriented portable workstations, and rugged machines for field work. A table at the end of the story provides a quick side-by-side comparison of key specs and example models.

Each category of laptop has a purpose, a place, and a typical user, but the lines between them are fluid rather than hard and fast boundaries. This opens an opportunity for business buyers to shop at the margins of the categories to snag a bargain or get exactly the right system — or both.

This seemingly limitless variety of systems can be overwhelming, but rest assured, there’s a perfect laptop for every employee, task, and budget; you just need to know how to look. Here’s how to make sense of it all.

Mainstream laptops

Mainstream business notebooks offer an infinite variety of features and add-ons, but the costs add up.

Typically priced from around $500 to $1,000 but sometimes reaching $2,500 or more, mainstream notebooks make up the bulk of laptops used in business. With their middle-of-the road approach that stresses reliability and the ability to handle a variety of tasks, these are what most of the company’s employees will use to collaborate on documents, check sales spreadsheets, join video calls, and perform online research.

Microsoft

Compared to budget systems, mainstream laptops get more power, better screens, and a few creature comforts to help people get their jobs done. On the other hand, they’re less powerful than mobile workstations and heavier than ultraslim devices.

There are dozens of mainstream Windows notebooks, and we classify the MacBook Pro 13″ in this category as well. While their low starting prices place most Chromebooks in the budget category, some include or can be configured with components such as high-end CPUs, backlit keyboards, and fingerprint readers, bringing them squarely into mainstream territory.

For instance, when Synchrony Financial (formerly GE Capital’s credit card business) moved its 6,000 call-center employees to work at home during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it chose Acer Chromebook Enterprise 715 systems. Because of the platform’s simple, straightforward design, remote management capabilities, and Google’s powerful Admin console, the March 2020 deployment took weeks — not months — including employee training. Citrix thin-client software tied the Chromebooks to Synchrony’s data center, creating a virtual environment for the call-center employees to work in.

Displays are the focal point in this genre. With screen sizes ranging from 12.5 to 16.2 in., these systems offer a minimum of 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, but increasingly they’re shifting to sharper screens. For instance, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers 2256 x 1504 resolution on its 13.5-in. version and 2496 x 1664 resolution on its 15-in. model, while the MacBook Pro 13″ has a 2560 x 1600 Retina display.

Another display option to consider: Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) displays, where each pixel acts like a tiny lightbulb to produce sharp and bright images. By contrast, traditional Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) shine light through a panel that creates the images, dulling the sharpness and brightness considerably.

More display diversity is offered by HP’s Sure View Reflect Privacy display. Available as an option for the vendor’s EliteBook 840 G9, it can obscure the screen image for anyone peeking from the side.

Mainstream Windows laptops are typically powered by up-to-date Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or AMD Ryzen CPUs, while Apple’s home-grown M2 ARM-based system-on-a-chip with eight processing cores and 10 graphics cores powers its MacBook Pro 13″. High-end Chromebooks like the HP Elite Chromebook Enterprise C1030 include a Core i7 processor. While most mainstream laptops make do with integrated graphics, some offer a discrete graphics card, but it can add hundreds of dollars to the price tag.

Apple

Just about all mainstream models have eschewed traditional rotating storage media for smaller, low-power SSDs; look for between 128GB and 1TB of storage space. Most provide between 4GB and 16GB of system memory. And while they’re not nearly as durable as the laptops in our rugged category later in the story, some mainstream models pass some of the stringent MIL-STD-810 standards for withstanding abuse.

Because mainstream laptops make up the bulk of many companies’ devices, security and remote management are paramount. Your checklist for Windows and ChromeOS devices should include an Intel vPro processor, TPM, and biometric identification, although you may have to settle for two out of three to keep costs down.

Mainstream laptops typically include a 1080p webcam for videoconferencing and offer an array of ports and connectivity options, including USB 2.0 and 3.0, USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, and the newer, faster, and more secure 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2. Other luxuries include a backlit keyboard, 5G mobile data network card option, and even high-speed Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Put it all together and mainstreamers offer freedom of choice in a mid-3-lb. package, although some touch 5 lbs. While they generally offer thinner, sleeker, and lighter designs than budget systems, mainstream laptops can seem like a ball and chain for frequent flyers lusting after ultraslim, ultralight devices, covered later in the story.

Mainstream laptops at a glance

• Target audience: Workers who handle a variety of tasks, from working with spreadsheets to using the company’s online apps
• Pros: Reliable; choice of displays; up-to-date security and enterprise manageability
• Cons: Thick and heavy compared to ultraslims; can be expensive
• Price range: $500 to $2,500
• CPU: Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7; AMD Ryzen; Apple M2
• RAM: 4GB to 16GB
• Storage: 128GB to 1TB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 5 to 16.2 in.
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1280 to 3456 x 2234
• Ports and connectivity: USB 2.0/3.0/C; HDMI; Ethernet; 802.11ax Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.2
• Weight: 8 to 5 lb.
• Examples: Acer Chromebook Enterprise 715; Apple MacBook Pro 13″; Asus Zenbook Pro 15 OLED; HP EliteBook 840; HP Pro c645 Chromebook Enterprise; Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10; Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

Buying tip: Look for multiple options, like screen technology that can help business users excel.

[ See hands-on reviews of the Apple MacBook Pro 13″ M2, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, and the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED from Macworld and PCWorld. ]

Budget laptops

When price counts for everything, performance, slimness, and security take a back seat.

They may not be sleek, thin, or particularly powerful, but companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions could not do without the basic budget notebook. In fact, this is an area where corporate buyers sometimes cross over and get systems aimed at consumers, because the price can’t be beat. Meant for employees who need neither the power nor the mobility of a mainstream system, these devices carry price tags as low as $150 (but are more typically in the $300 to $600 range) and are seen everywhere from reception desks to call centers.

HP

To offer budget laptops at bargain-basement prices, designers and engineers have cut several corners, and compromise is the name of the game. For instance, budget Windows systems are often armed with a 1TB traditional hard drive or a 64GB to 128GB SSD and just 4GB of RAM. And don’t expect a recent Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. This category is dominated by Intel Pentium, Celeron, and occasionally Core i3 CPUs, as well as AMD Athlon 3000 processors.

While Windows systems have long dominated the budget category, Chromebooks have become a compelling alternative, delivering a lot of computer for a very low price. Budget Chromebooks typically offer a 32GB to 128GB SSD and 4GB of RAM, and some are equipped with ARM-based processors such as the MediaTek 8183.

Budget systems typically are built around 11.6- to 15.6-in. displays, although HP’s Laptop 17z provides a 17.3-inch screen for those who like to stretch out with their data. The native resolution for budget Windows machines is usually 1280 x 800 or 1366 x 768 pixels rather than full HD (1920 x 1080), although some budget Chromebooks offer full HD displays.

Often as big as a legal pad and about an inch thick, these devices typically weigh around 5 lb. and are not meant for lightweight travel. (With a simpler design, Chromebooks tend to be a bit lighter, typically 3 to 4 lb.) Budget models do provide room for basics like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, HDMI, Ethernet, and USB ports but usually skip extras like a touchscreen display and a full HD webcam; you might have to settle for a 720p camera for video calls.

Samsung

Note that few budget models include security and manageability components such as a TPM or vPro processor extensions. And when purchasing Chromebooks, be sure to check when the devices will stop receiving software updates.

When purchasing Windows notebooks, be aware of the operating system: some budget models come with Windows 10 or 11 Home edition, which can lower the price of a system by as much as $50. Although both Home editions include basic security features such as device encryption and secure boot (and Windows 11 Home devices have a TPM 2.0 module), they lack enterprise-grade security, manageability, and deployment support. That said, IT can lock Windows 10 and 11 Home systems down to some extent by running them in S mode, which boosts security and performance by requiring that users install apps that come from the Microsoft Store only.

Whether Windows or ChromeOS-based, any budget system should handle email, document creation, basic web surfing, and online forms with ease. They will likely disappoint when it comes to performing processor-intensive tasks like multimedia-heavy PowerPoint work or video editing. For those tasks, your users would be better served by a mainstream system.

Budget laptops at a glance

• Target audience: Workers who can get by with a bare minimum of performance, system memory, and storage space
• Pros: Low price; adequate performance and battery life for simple tasks; simple design for Chromebooks
• Cons: Windows machines are heavy and thick; older components; many lack latest security
• Price range: $150 to $600
• CPU: Intel Celeron, Pentium, Core i3; AMD A-series, Ryzen 3 series; ARM-based processors
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 1TB HDD or 32GB to 128GB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 5 to 17.3 in.
• Native resolution: 1280 x 720 to 1920 x 1080
• Ports and connectivity: USB 2.0/3.0/C; HDMI; VGA; Ethernet; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0/5.0
• Weight: 9 to 5.5 lb.
• Examples: Acer Aspire 5; Dell Inspiron 15 3000; HP Chromebook 11a; HP Laptop 17z; Samsung Chromebook 4+

Buying tip: Make sure the system will fit into the company’s IT landscape with sufficient power and security.

[ See PCWorld’s hands-on review of the Acer Aspire 5. ]

Ultraslim laptops

Slim is in when business travelers need a powerful notebook that won’t weigh them down.

The slim, sleek laptops in this class squeeze the essential elements of mainstream systems into smaller, more travel-friendly packages — but at a price. Typically measuring around half an inch thick, ultraslims must balance battery life and performance potential.

Lenovo

Windows ultraslims often use midrange AMD Ryzen or Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. ARM-based chips like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx and Apple’s M1 and M2 truly shine in this category because of their low power profiles. While vendor battery life claims need to be taken with several grains of salt, Apple says its M2-powered MacBook Air can run for upward of 18 hours on a charge. Using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx processor, the ThinkPad X13scan go for 28 hours, according to Lenovo.

Because these systems spend lots of time remotely connected to the internet and the company’s server infrastructure, Intel-powered Windows ultraslims take security seriously, with most having Intel vPro and TPM. The ThinkPad X13s takes a different route with TPM and Microsoft’s Pluton security system, which uses Snapdragon’s Secure Computing Unit (SCU) to protect the system’s software from being compromised as well as receive authenticated Windows updates directly from cloud servers. Note, however, that it requires Windows 11 to operate.

The typical design starts with 12.5- to 13.3-in. display that can show FHD (1920 x 1080) or UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution. Some offer OLED screens, and many have a touchscreen option. Low weight goes hand in hand with a slim profile — for instance, the Samsung’s 13.3-in. Galaxy Book2 Pro is 0.5-in. thick and weighs in at 1.9 lb.

Apple

Other components typically include 8GB to 16GB of RAM, integrated Intel or AMD graphics, and an SSD with a capacity ranging from 128GB to 512GB. These systems are aimed at executives, with luxuries like high-end audio, full HD webcams and backlit keyboards.

Most ultraslims rely on 802.11ac Wi-Fi for internet connectivity, and ports are far sparser than those found on mainstream systems. While some include a dedicated HDMI connection for a display or projector, sometimes there’s only a single USB connection to the outside world. This makes packing a USB hub a necessity.

These sleek systems are the ones we lust after, although their high price tags make them appropriate only for the most mobile — or most high-profile — members of an organization.

Ultraslim laptops at a glance

• Target audience: The mobile power-elite, where every ounce and inch counts
• Pros: Slim and light; touchscreen available; up-to-date security
• Cons: Expensive; some are short on battery life; limited ports
• Price range: $1,100 to $2,500
• CPU: Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Apple M1/M2, Snapdragon 8cx
• RAM: 8GB to 16GB
• Storage: 128GB to 512GB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 12.5 to 13.3 in.
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1080 to 3840 x 2160
• Ports and connectivity: USB 3.0, C; HDMI; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.2
• Weight: 1.9 to 2.9 lb.
• Examples: Apple MacBook Air; Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED; HP Elite Dragonfly G3; HP Pro c640 G2 Chromebook Enterprise; Lenovo ThinkPad X13s; Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro

Buying tip: Get a system that’s easy to carry yet has the power and speed to get the job done.

[ See hands-on reviews of the Apple MacBook Air M2, the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Gen 1, and the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro from Macworld, Tech Advisor, and PCWorld. ]

Tablet/laptop hybrids

These 2-in-1 devices let users fold the keyboard out of the way or strip it away entirely for true mobility.

The essence of tablet computing is shedding nonessential elements to produce the most mobile-friendly systems around. The category is dominated by two basic designs for tablets that can double as laptops, each aimed at a different type of business user.

• First, detachable devices are built around true tablets that have snap-on keyboards available when needed for typing, making for the most travel-friendly package. They typically weigh just 1 to 2 lb., with full HD (or better) screens from 10 to 13.3 in.
• Convertible devices are typically a little heavier and thicker (2 to 3 lb.), but their design includes a high-quality keyboard. The devices have a 360-degree hinge that lets the screen bend over backwards to assume a multitude of configurations, including a tablet, an A-frame tent shape, a presentation machine (with the screen pointing away from the user), laid flat on a tabletop, and a traditional clamshell shape that puts the keyboard front and center. With screens up to 16.3 in., they show from full HD (1920 x 1080) to UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution.

Acer

Many of today’s hybrids are built around Intel’s Evo platform for mobile machines. In addition to a low-power 12^th-generation Intel Core processor, at least 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, an Evo laptop must have the latest Wi-Fi 6E hardware and optional 4G mobile data (or better). It needs to weigh under 3.3 pounds and have USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 connections.

Be aware that hybrids often have minimal ports. In a few cases there’s only a single USB-C connection, which can force users to decide between charging the system or connecting it to a projector. A hub is a must-have accessory here.

Tablets’ touchscreens make them excellent systems for everything from checking email to outlining new product ideas. They may not always have the most powerful processors (typically midrange Core i3, i5, i7), but tablets provide enough performance to get through typical work tasks. (The iPad Pro is an outlier here, with Apple’s powerful M2 processor inside.)

With a stylus available for the touchscreen, they are good for sketching a diagram, marking up a document, or just doodling. On the other hand, these pens are easy to lose, so choose a tablet that holds onto the stylus. Some detachable tablets use magnetism, while some convertibles have a place to securely stash the stylus and charge it at the same time. When the pen is needed, press its edge and it pops out of the system’s side, ready for work.  

Be careful when shopping for tablets; many are geared toward consumers and come with Windows 10 Home. That said, several do come with Windows 10 Pro and include business-friendly features such as TPM and a fingerprint reader or webcam that supports Windows Hello. Some newer Windows 11 hybrids like the Acer TravelMate Spin P4 include AMD Ryzen PRO processors with integrated Microsoft Pluton security technology. Alternatives to Windows tablets include Chromebooks, Apple’s iPad Pro, and Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+, but they might require different apps to blend in with a business environment.

HP

Many hybrids are highly configurable, with an array of processors to choose from, SSD storage ranging from 128GB to 1TB, RAM ranging from 4GB to 16GB, and prices that rise accordingly. When factoring costs, keep in mind that with convertible devices have built-in keyboards, which often cost extra with 2-in-1 tablets. With either type of device, a stylus may or may not be included in the base price. For instance, while the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 starts at $1,000, you need to add $280 for the keyboard cover and $130 for the Surface Slim Pen 2. That adds up to an acquisition cost of over $1,400.

Finally, don’t expect anything more than a one-year warranty on these systems. In other words, for those who travel, three years of extended coverage is a good investment.

Tablet/laptop hybrids at a glance

• Target audience: Those who travel light and are more oriented towards viewing content than creating it.
• Pros: Small and light; touchscreen; choice of add-on keyboard or convertible design; stylus
• Cons: Can be expensive; limited ports; accessories can be extra
• Price range: $650 to $2,900
• CPU: Intel Core i3, Core i5, Core i7; AMD Ryzen PRO; Apple M2
• RAM: 4GB to 16GB
• Storage: 128GB to 1TB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 10.2 to 16.3 in.
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1080 to 3840 x 2160
• Ports and connectivity: USB 3.0/C or Apple Lightning (iPad Pro); USB 3.0/C; HDMI; microSD; 802.11ax Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.2
• Weight: 1 to 2 lb. (detachable); 2.2 to 2.9 lb. (convertible)
• Examples: Acer TravelMate Spin P4; Apple iPad Pro; Asus Chromebook Flip CM3; HP Elite Chromebook Enterprise C1030; Microsoft Surface Pro 9; Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+

Buying tip: Try to get a tablet with a pressure-sensitive stylus that can help when sketching maps for clients or drawing a new product design.

[ See hands-on reviews of the Apple iPad Pro M2 and the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 from Tech Advisor and PCWorld. ]

Mobile workstations

Power, performance, and price go hand in hand with this genre of notebook.

Whether it’s an engineer working in a construction trailer or an animator creating the next anime cartoon hit, when a worker needs the utmost in portable power, only a mobile workstation will satisfy. With the fastest processor, loads of RAM, and a take-no-prisoners graphics engine, these are the power elite of the notebook world.

Dell

The key here is that mobile workstations typically get the best of everything, starting with a high-end Intel Core i5, i7, i9, or Xeon. The Core i9 1290H processor popular in this class has 14 computing cores versus two or four for most notebooks. These systems have a discrete graphics accelerator with between 2GB and 64GB of dedicated video memory. On the Apple side, the MacBook Pro 16″ is built around an M1 Pro or M1 Max system-on-a-chip with a 10-core CPU, a 16- to 32-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine.

Displays range from 14 to 17 in. and show between FHD (1920 x 1080) and UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution. While touchscreens remain rare here, some workstations have calibrated displays so the on-screen color matches what prints.

To do their job, these mobile monsters need certification with a variety of software packages. Even if you don’t plan to use them all, it’s a good idea to insist on accreditation for everything from AutoCAD and SolidWorks (design) to Paradigm VoxelGeo (energy exploration) and Autodesk Stingray (virtual reality) — it means the system is more robust and is able to handle all kinds of different high-intensity software.

Because these are fat programs, load up on RAM (32GB to 64GB) and storage space. While a 2TB SSD should be plenty for most, the HP ZBook Power G9 Mobile Workstation and the MacBook Pro 16″ can go up to 8TB.

On non-Apple mobile workstations, Windows 10 or 11 Pro comes standard, and they don’t skimp on security. Most have TPM, vPro processors, and some biometric authentication method, like a fingerprint scanner or a Windows Hello-capable camera.

MSI

With large screens and all that power packed inside, mobile workstations are typically so big and heavy that they are akin to desktop systems, sometimes weighing 7 lb. or more. Most workers will use them to bring illustrations, videos, or CAD designs to meetings down the hall or to bring work home for the weekend.

The payoff of a big system is room for a mix of USB 3 and USB-C ports as well as HDMI, Ethernet, and, frequently, high-speed Thunderbolt. Mobile workstations also come equipped with 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity. These connections can be expanded with a docking station like the HP Thunderbolt Dock 280W G4, which adds a Thunderbolt 4 port and two Ethernet ports (for 1Gbps and 2.5Gbps speeds), as well as the ability to drive four 4K displays at the office.

All this adds up to power-hungry devices with huge fans. Figure the battery life will be disappointing at best, so plan on not straying far from an AC outlet. Many include a 280-watt power supply (versus a 65-watt one for a mainstream system).

While some workstations can cost less than $2,000, a fully tricked out model might go as high as $8,000. Most include a year of warranty coverage; our advice is to spring for the extended warranty, particularly if the laptop is going to travel.

Obviously not for everyone in the enterprise, these highly capable devices are for employees who have to churn through computational problems, work on CAD images of the company’s next-gen widgets, create videos, or perform other processor-intensive tasks while remaining (somewhat) mobile.

Mobile workstations at a glance

• Target audience: Engineers, designers, animation artists, and other workers who need to create detailed video work or churn through processor-intensive tasks
• Pros: Peak performance; top graphics hardware; lots of RAM; certified software
• Cons: Very expensive; big and heavy; short battery life
• Price: $2,000 to $8,000
• CPU: Intel Core i5, i7, Core i9, Xeon; Apple M1 Pro, M1 Max
• RAM: 16GB to 64GB
• Storage: 256GB to 8TB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 14 to 17 in.
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1080 to 3840 x 2400
• Ports and connectivity: USB 3.0/C; Thunderbolt; HDMI; VGA; Ethernet; SD card slot; 802.11ax Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.0
• Weight: 4 to 8 lb.
• Examples: Apple MacBook Pro 16″; Dell Precision 5570 Workstation; HP ZBook Power G9 Mobile Workstation; Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Mobile Workstation; MSI WE76

Buying tip: Look for a system with a dock that provides extra connections and can power multiple displays.

Rugged laptops

Built to military specs, this class of notebook can stand up to punishment but can be expensive.

Although notebook durability has improved over the years, most laptops could be damaged or destroyed in a blink if dropped, shaken, or spilled on. Not so with rugged systems, which have been designed and built to shrug off all sorts of punishment.

Getac

Among the most expensive systems around, they sell for as much as $6,000, but are worth it for employees who work in dangerous (at least for the computer) locations where reliability counts for everything. In addition to serving in the military, rugged laptops show up in police cars, in fire trucks, and alongside the toolboxes of construction and utility workers.

The key to this category is passing the Army’s rigorous MIL-STD-810-H spec for battlefield ruggedness. The drops, vibrations, temperature extremes, and dousing with water systems endure to meet this standard are more than enough to turn the typical laptop into a pile of broken glass, plastic, and silicon. Add in an IP66 rating for greater resistance to water and dust intrusion, and these systems can seem almost immortal.

Typically, ruggeds like Panasonic ToughBook 40 are housed in magnesium-aluminum alloy cases that act as armor plating to protect the delicate components inside. The ports and keyboard are sealed to stave off damage.

Increasingly, manufacturers are replacing the rigid metal case with lighter, flexible plastic skins. Getac’s B360, for example, has a rigid metallic frame that’s covered with a composite shell.

If you don’t need a computer that’s ready for battle, semi-rugged systems like the Durabook S14I or the Dell Latitude 5430 Rugged meet the 810-H standards but have a lower IP53 intrusion rating. They should be fine for most outdoor users but might not survive being dunked under water or exposed to a dusty factory floor.

Rugged laptops can weigh up to 8 lb., while semi-rugged systems are more likely to come in at 4 to 5 lb. Carrying one of these behemoths is eased by the inclusion of a handle and/or shoulder strap. Still, lugging one around for a day can be a good substitute for a daily workout at the gym.

The displays range from 11.6 to 15 in., and all but a few offer full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Some add optional touchscreens as well as displays that work outdoors in bright sunlight. 

Durabook

Windows 10 or 11 Pro is standard on rugged laptops, as are enterprise-friendly features such as TPM and support for Intel vPro extensions. RAM and storage range from 4GB to 16GB for the former and 128GB to 1TB of solid-state storage for the latter. Most pair Core i5 and i7 processors with integrated graphics. 

Some rugged models don’t get refreshed often. While the Dell Latitude 5430 Rugged, Getac B360, and Durabook S14I all use reasonably up to date 11^th-generation Intel processors, the Durabook S15AB uses older 8^th-generation Intel hardware.

With a mix of old and new ports, rugged systems have the expected USB 2.0, 3.0, and increasingly USB-C. Look for HDMI, Ethernet, and often an RS-232 serial port, long extinct on mainstream systems. Some have swappable modules that include a DVD drive, a second battery, more storage, and ExpressCard 54 and PCMCIA card slots, as well as a module for RJ-45 networking and a second RS-232 serial port.

Because these devices are often used in the field, wireless connectivity abounds, with 802.11ax Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, and optional mobile broadband. Some, like the ToughBook 40, have docking stations available from vendors like Gamber-Johnson for attaching the system to a police car, fire truck, or loading dock forklift.

Those that don’t come with a three-year warranty offer it as an option. Of all the laptop categories, this is the one where corporate buyers have the least room for bargaining with the vendor, because both parties know that paying for ruggedness and durability can be cheaper than repeatedly buying and breaking new systems.

Rugged laptops at a glance

• Target audience: Military, utility, factory, or public safety employees, or anyone who works outdoors.
• Pros: Stand up to punishment; reliable; well-designed; modular component design
• Cons: Older components; thick and heavy; very expensive
• Price range: $1,000 to $6,000
• CPU: Intel Core i5, Core i7
• RAM: 4GB to 16GB
• Storage: 128GB to 512GB SSD
• Screen size (diagonal): 6 to 15 in.
• Native resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Ports and connectivity: USB 2.0/3.0/C; VGA; HDMI; Ethernet; RS-232; SD card slot; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 5.0
• Weight: 4 to 8 lb.
• Rugged examples: Durabook S15AB; Getac B360; Panasonic Toughbook 40
• Semi-rugged examples: Dell Latitude 5430 Rugged; Durabook S14I

Buying tip: If these systems will be used in vehicles, get an in-car dock for charging and connecting with powerful antennas.

Business laptops compared: Key specs and more

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This article was originally published in August 2014 and most recently updated in December 2022.

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