5 Things to Consider When Buying IT Hardware for Your Business
Avoid costly mistakes when upgrading your company IT. Here are the five most important questions to ask before you buy.
1. Don't Buy Consumer Products for Business
Consumer laptops (e.g., HP Pavilion, Dell Inspiron) are cheaper but lack:
- Windows 11 Pro (required for Intune)
- TPM 2.0 (required for encryption)
- Business warranty with on-site service
- Durability for daily professional use
Rule of thumb: If it is sold at a consumer electronics store, it is probably not right for your business.
2. Think About Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
A laptop at 12,000 SEK that lasts 2 years costs more than one at 19,000 SEK that lasts 4 years. Factor in:
- Purchase price
- Support cost (business warranty vs consumer warranty)
- Productivity loss during downtime
- Configuration time (Autopilot saves hours per device)
3. Standardize Your Fleet
Choose 1-2 laptop models for the entire company. Benefits:
- Easier IT support (one driver set)
- Cheaper at volume
- Faster Autopilot deployment
- Easier to swap devices when issues arise
4. Security Fundamentals From Day One
Every new device should have from the start:
- BitLocker encryption — protects data if the device is stolen
- MFA (multi-factor authentication) — stops 99.9% of account attacks
- Automatic updates via Intune
- Defender for Business — enterprise antivirus included in M365 Business Premium
5. Plan for Tomorrow
Buy devices that can handle:
- Teams meetings with video (requires at least 8 GB RAM, preferably 16 GB)
- Cloud-based work (fast SSD + good Wi-Fi 6/6E)
- Future Windows updates (TPM 2.0 + 64-bit CPU)
- Hybrid work (good camera, microphone, possibly 4G/5G)