When you’re buying a new computer, you could buy a normal consumer-level home computer, but nothing is stopping you from buying a business computer either.
The difference between a business computer & a home computer is that business computers usually come with more powerful components & professional software. They also include hardware more applicable for business users, such as fingerprint readers or docking stations. Otherwise, they’re very similar.
An additional feature of business computers specifically applies to laptops. Normally, business laptops are built more rugged so they can survive lots of mobility.
What makes a typical home computer a home computer?
One of the first things you may notice when powering up a home computer is that the operating system is Windows Home. Some people feel like the Home version is a lesser version than the Professional version, and while it does have fewer features, it’s less of a problem than you think. That’s because the main core operating system is the same.
The only portions that have been removed are directly related to the business environment. Rest assured, the items removed have been carefully chosen so that the Home user experience isn’t affected. If you want to compare yourself, you can see a comparison table on the Microsoft site here.
When you’re buying a home computer, you will have all combinations of memory and processor available to you. However, there may be subtle differences in the parts available compared to what’s installed in business computers. Subtle differences like bus speeds and the class of device.
These differences make almost no difference to the home user experience, but they can bring the machine’s price down.
People can purchase home computers with fingerprint scanners or some business hardware features, but it’s less common. Typically, home computers are set up to cater more to the home user experience. This usually means having the right ports and removable media readers for the current popular tech. In addition, Graphics cards are provided to support everything from the general web experience to HD video.
The general construction of home computers is typically lighter than a business computer. This is because often, home computers don’t get moved around as much as business computers. The usage of a home computer is also less than a business computer.
Often business computers run for 8 hours a day and then perform updates and scans in the evenings, whereas home computers don’t. As a consequence, the construction of a business computer is noticeably more sturdy.
In general, a home computer is built a little bit lighter, with a little bit less performance. This is because the construction targets the use cases of entertainment and light-duty utility use. This is not to say that you can’t use a home computer for long periods of time, but the total number of hours on the machine is assumed to be less.
What makes a typical business computer a business computer?
Business computers come with Windows Professional and for a good reason. In the business environment, Windows computers use what’s called a domain. Logging into a domain means all computers are registered with a central server that controls certain settings, sets rules, and shares resources like printers and network drives.
In the office workplace, this has become an integral part of the workplace. Windows Professional has all of the bundled components necessary for a computer to participate in a domain, whereas a computer with Windows Home does not.
When buying a home computer, all of the combinations of memory and processor are available, but vendors will offer some of the higher class devices. Usually, that’s to support the handling and processing of large files.
Large files can be a common occurrence in the business environment, and the machine needs to work with them. At this level, having that extra speed and capability can reduce the amount of time the computer needs to finish its work.
Onboard hardware for business computers is geared towards business needs. Exotic ports for connecting business-specific peripherals, security features, and docking stations are common offerings. You may think that the only graphics hardware necessary includes very rudimentary equipment, but you would be wrong.
Working with large 3D CAD files in the engineering space takes huge amounts of graphical processing capability, so don’t be surprised if you see large graphics cards in product listings. Because of the expected uptime, you may also notice more attention paid to cooling in the case’s design and proper air circulation.
The general construction of a business computer is typically a bit more sturdy. You can feel it when you handle the machine. The designers want to ensure that the computer can withstand the abuse and wear the machine may be exposed to in the business environment.
Laptops in specific are designed to withstand a larger amount of mobility over their home user counterparts. Since these machines are intended for work, the designers tailor the design towards a more robust product.
When would you want to buy a business computer for home use?
When I buy a desktop computer, I usually stick with the home version. I just don’t need a business computer at home. Even for some of my home business needs, a home desktop is plenty of computing power. Normally I just buy something with a mid-level processor, about 16GB of RAM, and don’t care about the onboard graphics card.
I don’t care about the graphics card because I always add cards to run more than one monitor at a time. If I were only going to have one monitor, I would want an onboard graphics card capable of HD video.
For laptops, this is where I do have a preference for a business computer. That’s because I like to be able to take my laptop with me almost every day. So my mobility needs are high. Also, some powerful but light options are only available in the business models that appeal to me.
The rugged construction suits my needs and gives me confidence that my laptop will work when I need it. In addition to this, my favorite brand offers some creature comfort features that I really enjoy using—things like lit keyboards for low-light situations and alternate pointing devices.