What you need to know to make the best tech decisions for your small business.
(BPT) - The PCs you choose to power your small business can dramatically impact your company's productivity and competitiveness. However, many small businesses fall for common myths about computers, leading to poor purchasing decisions. Here are four myths about PCs — and realities to help you make smarter technology decisions for your business. Myth 1: Consumer PCs are interchangeable with business PCs Reality: Because they're built for activities like watching videos, checking email and surfing the web, PCs for the consumer market will not always have the computing power or security features sophisticated business applications demand. If a family laptop reluctantly boots up or crashes, it's annoying, but not serious. For a business, however, computers are mission-critical. Employees are more likely to run multiple applications simultaneously, use resource-heavy applications or use software as a service (SaaS). PCs built for consumers often lack the computing power to handle these tasks — resulting in lost productivity. Consumer-level PCs may also lack built-in security features of computers designed for businesses, which could make your business — and sensitive customer data — vulnerable to cyberattacks. Myth 2: RAM is the top factor in computer performance Reality: Adding more random access memory (RAM) usually allows a computer to manage more data. But RAM alone won't improve a computer's performance — unless the PC has sufficient processing power. To make a PC faster and more efficient, you need a powerful central processing unit (CPU) to optimize the RAM. While RAM is the memory, the CPU (or processor) is the computer's "brain," receiving instructions, performing calculations and processing information. To run today's resource-intensive business software efficiently, look for computers with plenty of RAM plus processing power, such as PCs combining an 8th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 processor with Intel Optane memory — delivering up to 2.5 times more responsive handling of everyday tasks and up to 66% faster web performance compared to 5-year-old PCs.[1] Myth 3: You can wait until PCs fail before replacing them Reality: Long before a PC fails, its performance may suffer, costing your business time and money. Waiting for an older PC to start up every day can waste up to 11 hours a year.[2] Crashing, freezing or slow computers can keep your employees from working efficiently, and may appear unprofessional to customers or clients. Sluggish, malfunctioning PCs can reduce employee satisfaction, as workers become frustrated with outdated technology. Don't wait until your business PCs slow to a crawl before upgrading. Be proactive. Look for hardware that exceeds your software vendor's recommended system requirements. This will help ensure your PCs can handle future software upgrades. Then set a regular schedule for upgrading your hardware. Myth 4: You're saving money by repairing old PCs Reality: Repairing or adding RAM to squeeze more life out of older computers may seem economical. But the cost of keeping older PCs running quickly adds up. According to Intel(R)-commissioned research from J.Gold Associates, repairing breakdowns of a five-year-old computer costs an average of $662 per year. The same research found 43% of the small businesses surveyed had PCs that were over five years old — and malfunctioned each year.[3] At that rate, you'd soon be spending more on repairs than on a brand-new, more powerful computer. Besides losing productivity during breakdowns and repairs, older computers are also slower. Using five-year-old PCs can make your employees up to 29% less productive,[4] potentially costing your business up to $17,000 per year, per worker.[5] Older PCs can also put your business at risk of cyberattacks. Per the J.Gold Associates survey, small businesses estimated that 34.47% of their computers over five years old had been hacked.[6] With the average cost of a single data breach worldwide estimated at $35,745 per employee,[7] an older PC rapidly becomes an expensive liability. In the same survey, small businesses reported that just 5.92% of their PCs newer than one year old had experienced cyberattacks.[8] Newer computers frequently offer built-in security features to reduce risk of cyberattacks. If you've updated to Windows 10, upgrading to a PC with the 8th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) processor can help you focus on growing your business instead of worrying about cybersecurity. Blindly accepting myths about PCs can be expensive for your small business. Upgrading to more powerful computers can optimize the performance of your business software, enhance your cybersecurity and boost employee productivity. The next time you're making decisions about computer purchases, be sure you base your actions on reality. Then choose the right PCs to make your business more competitive. Learn more at Intel.com/smallbusiness. [1] Performance results based on testing as of March 2, 2018, and may not reflect all publicly available security updates. See configuration disclosure for details. No product can be absolutely secure. Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark and MobileMark, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including performance of that product when combined with other products. For more information about performance and benchmark results, visit Intel.com/benchmarks. As measured by SYSmark 2014 SE Responsiveness Subscore comparing 8th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 8400 (16GB Intel(R) Optane(TM) memory module) vs. Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3330 (HDD Only). [2] “Just waiting for an older PC to start up every day, an employee can waste up to 11 hours a year” is based on a 2018 web-based survey commissioned by Intel and conducted by J.Gold Associates, LLC., of 3,297 respondents from small business in 16 countries (Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA) to assess challenges and costs associated with deploying older PCs. Assuming one start-up per day and using an average start-up time calculated by taking the midpoint of the time that survey respondents estimated it takes to start up a PC over 5 years old, employees were estimated to spend up to 11 hours a year starting up a 5-year-old PC (4.07 minutes X 5 days per week X 52 weeks per year divided by 60 (to get to hours) X utilization rate of .67 so 4.07 X 5 X 52 / 60 X .67 = 11.8). Full report available at Intel.com/content/www/us/en/business/small-business/sme-pc-study.html. [3] The J.Gold study is based on a 2018 web-based survey, commissioned by Intel and conducted by J.Gold Associates, LLC., of 3,297 respondents from small business in 16 countries (Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA) to assess the challenges and costs associated with deploying older PCs. J.Gold research indicated that the failure of a PC under warranty cost a company $1,070 for each failure, and the cost of failure for a machine out of warranty was $1,525. We can allocate a cost per user per year based on the above calculated costs of failure (assuming an in-warranty failure cost for year one and a non-warranty failure cost for all other years) where: Cost = 43.42% (average failure rate) X $1,525 (cost of failure outside of a warranty) 1 (usage from Q2). Full report available at Intel.com/content/www/us/en/business/small-business/sme-pc-study.html. [4] Ibid. “Using five-year-old PCs can make your employees up to 29% less productive” is based on the productivity impairment respondents estimated was attributed to using a five-year-old PC multiplied by the average amount of time respondents estimated was spent on a PC. [5] Ibid. “Potentially costing your business up to U.S. $17,000 per year per worker” is based on survey respondents’ estimates that for PCs more than five years old, employees would be up to 29% less productive. Based on an average assumed employee’s salary of $60,000, the lost productivity cost will amount to $17,000. [6] Ibid. Allocating the cost of a malware attack or data breach by employee can be calculated by the following formula: $35,745 (Cost per employee) = 34.47% (average percentage that have had a breach) X $103,705 (the average cost of the breach). [7] Ibid. [8] Ibid. “Small businesses had reported that just 5.92% of their computers had experienced cyberattacks” is based on the responses to a question in the J.Gold 2018 web-based survey.
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(BPT) - What drives you in the search for the perfect PC? Is it premium design and the high-end components? Or are you a performance person where nothing but the best specs will do? And what about price? Do you worry that you'll have to sacrifice some of the things you want simply because they are too expensive? There are many things to consider when looking for the perfect PC but price and performance are not mutually exclusive. With today's modern devices, you can have both. So start your search by focusing on the parameters below and you'll find the perfect PC that fits your needs, and your budget, in no time. Modern design This is where your tech really shines, thanks to the latest advancements that separate the newest devices from their predecessors. Crafted from 100 percent aluminum, the Acer Swift 3 packs the power of a 7th Generation Intel Core processor into an ultra-slim .7” frame with full high-definition capabilities and 12 hours of battery life. Meanwhile, the versatile Dell Inspiron 13 5000 Series 2-in-1 can transition from a laptop to a tent to a tablet with ease, and has a full high-definition wide-viewing angle display to play media powered by its Intel Core processor. Finally, the HP Pavilion x360 allows you to work, write and play naturally on the touchscreen. It's a convertible 2-in-1 with an optional active pen, the enhanced experience of FHD IPS display and audio tuned by the experts at Bang & Olufsen. It also allows you to store millions of documents or hundreds of movies with up to 1 terabyte of HDD storage. Powerful and portable The size of your new device plays a huge role in how you use it. If you plan to travel with your device, then you’ll want a more compact model like the slim, lightweight, ultraportable 2-in-1 ASUS Transformer Mini. This powerful tablet features a comfortable, angled keyboard and a handy kickstand delivering 140-degree views no matter where you take it. Plus, channel your inner creator with Windows 10 Creators Update and Active Pen, which creates the feeling of writing with a pen on paper. Whether you plan to carry your PC into that next business meeting or out with friends, appearance matters, and nothing tops sleek and stylish. The Samsung Galaxy Book 10 is a 2-in-1 with a gorgeous display and a brushed metal finish that’s sure to get noticed. And with the included Samsung S Pen, 10 hours of battery life and the ability to sync up with your Samsung phone, its functionality can't be topped. Safe and secure The more time you invest in your PC, the more important it is to protect it. The Lenovo Yoga 510 (Flex 4) keeps your content uniquely yours with a simple, secure log-in fingerprint reader and Windows Hello. It’s the perfect gatekeeper for a device with plenty of storage for all your most cherished keepsakes. Personalized for you Each of the devices mentioned above is available at an affordable price allowing you to find the perfect PC to meet your needs and your budget. Once you narrow in on the features and functionalities that are a must have for you to help you tackle your personal and professional to-do's, you'll find that there is a PC out there to fit your needs. So don't delay. Start your search for your next device today, and put the power of state-of-the-art technology on your table, your lap or in the palm of your hand. Stop by your nearest Microsoft Store, microsoftstore.com, or your local retailer to find the one that's right for you. (BPT) - With the rise of mobile devices, you might wonder what the future holds for desktop computers. While the total number of mobile users surpassed desktop users around 2014, the number of people still using desktops might surprise you. The desktop is alive and well, and a new crop of task-specific desktops are rewriting the look and utility of the original personal computing device. Personal computing workhorses People still find desktops useful for a number of reasons. They provide a level of computing power, flexibility and durability that many portable devices are only beginning to achieve. From a usability perspective, a desktop allows people greater display versatility and visibility. It may be difficult to see the spreadsheet numbers you're crunching on the smaller screens of tablets or laptops. A smartphone screen just isn't large or robust enough to give you a visually rich gaming experience. Online shopping on a desktop makes it easy to enlarge catalog images, work out of multiple tabs and comparison shop. In addition, you can speak to Cortana, the personal digital assistant, on your Windows 10 desktop and rely on her for notifications. In fact, one study found that nearly 75 percent of U.S. adults own a desktop or laptop computer. Multiple studies point to the idea that people choose desktops for more complex digital activities, and tend to spend longer on web pages when they use their desktops versus mobile devices. New look, new tasks While desktops continue to play an important role in people's digital lives, desktop designers aren't resting on their laurels. Instead, they're producing new Windows 10 desktops designed to facilitate specific tasks - and look cool while doing it. Three key areas of focus are gaming, productivity and consumer use. Gaming desktops emphasize high-resolution, realistic and immersive graphics, as well as virtual reality capabilities. For example, the Dell Alienware Area-51 is virtual reality (VR)-ready, making it ideal for gamers. Its support for super-high resolution 4k displays and multi-tasking power also make it a preferred platform for developers and programmers. Running Windows 10 and up to 10-core Intel Core i7 Extreme processor options, the PC's unique tricorn outer casing is also designed for versatility and utility. The desktop can easily be turned onto any one of its three corners for ease of access to ports when attaching and removing cables. PC manufacturers are challenging conventional desktop designs and coming up with breakthrough devices. New designs take into account that personal tastes and preferences can influence PC selection as much as the type of tasks people will perform on their desktops. For example, the new futuristic Samsung ArtPC Pulse marries leading-edge styling with powerful computing capability. Running Windows 10 and equipped with a 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, the PC delivers exceptional graphics, smooth visuals, easily expandable storage, and 360-degree Omnidirectional Sound. Finally, if you're looking for the perfect device for your home office or family use, new desktops like the HP Elite Slice offer big power in compact casings. Small and sleek, this Windows 10 PC is powered through a USB connection to a monitor, minimizing the need for cables on top of your desk. Specialized casings and attachments allow the PC to act as a speaker phone, multi-media player or wireless device charger. While laptops and other PC form factors can be a good choice, the desktop certainly has a special seat at the table. New designs, expanded capabilities and outstanding versatility make today's desktop computer as powerful, useful and preferred as ever. To learn more about today's desktop computers and for a list of deals and where to buy, visit your local Microsoft Store or microsoftstore.com. |
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