Is there really a difference between a Home office laptop and a Business laptop?

Question

I was told by people in the computer industry that purchasing a business laptop overa Home/Home Office laptop is better in the long run quailty wise and spec wise (that home office computers will break down faster in the future as to a business computer), is this really true?

Answer 1

Not really. Business users (and specifically business IT departments) and home users want and need different things. Businesses are more concerned about the computers being easy to support and using the same drivers, chipsets, etc... Thus manufacturers tend to design a business class notebook (or desktop) with a long lifecycle in mind. So when model x first comes off the assembly line, it has a specific network card, wireless card, video card, etc... They tend to keep making that same model with the same hardware available for long periods (12 - 18 months) of time. Few if any changes are acceptable to the business class user.

Home users want something entirely different. They want the absolute latest, greatest technology and the fastest, gee-whiz hardware. Manufacturers thus make many different changes to specific home use models during the life of the product. They may even have models that are available for only a few months before the next great thing is introduced.

As for reliability and whether either will break down, that is more a function of how well you take care of the equipment. Either model will become crap quickly if you abuse it. Most manufacturers offer accidental damage protection at an additional cost for their warranty. Spill something, drop the unit, etc... and they will replace it.

Answer 2

A Home Office laptop is owned by the Brit Government.

The Home Office being a Civil Service Department!

Or did I misunderstand the question?

Answer 3

I'm actually not sure. I've heard of it that way, but I don't have a business laptop, so I can't say for myself...But I would think so.