Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
April 2, 2026: With this update, we added the Asus NUC 15 Pro+ as our latest Best Overall Business Desktop (replacing the Asus NUC 14 Pro) and the Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny (Snapdragon) as the Best Entry-Level Business Desktop, a new category. Also, we added the HP Z2 Mini G1a as our Best Compact Business Workstation, and the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch) as our latest Best All-in-One Business Desktop, the latter replacing Lenovo’s Gen 5 model. Our remaining picks have been vetted for currency and availability. Since our last update, we have tested and evaluated 10 desktops for inclusion in this and other roundups. We are currently testing five new desktops from makers including Dell, ECS, and Lenovo.
- Compact size
- Potent productivity performance
- Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7
- Memory and storage are easy to access and upgrade
- Three-year warranty
- Fan gets loud under load
- No 3.5mm audio jack
While we have picks for all-out power and all-in-one designs, the Asus NUC 15 Pro+ satisfies the broadest range of workers without breaking the bank. Not only does the laptop carry an affordable starting price, but it’s configurable with more power. Our review unit packs an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H that delivers potent performance, especially for a system of this size, alongside 32GB of memory. This mini rig is a more legitimately capable desktop for general productivity and business use than most small-form-factor desktops, ready to fill the role of a full-size tower. Some use cases may absolutely need a more traditional design, but compact PCs have been doing the job for business users for some time, and this is one of the best out there right now.
Space-strapped business users: This is the best business desktop for anyone seeking computing chops in a tiny chassis. The NUC 15 Pro+ delivers lots of speed in a compact package, the memory and storage are easy to access for upgrades, and it comes with a three-year warranty.
Mac fans who need Windows: Apple’s Mac mini is a slightly better deal overall, but many office users simply need to work on Windows, and this is the leading alternative. Small, all-aluminum, fast, and fully featured, this is a solidly made and business-ready PC.
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
Processor Speed
2.9 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Intel Arc 140T
Operating System
Windows 11
Learn More
Asus NUC 15 Pro+ Review
- Well-built and attractive construction
- Silent operation
- Upgradable storage
- Extra security features
- Basic Snapdragon X chip not fast enough for the price
- Limited on connectivity
Small but capable, this mini PC could be your ideal budget fleet desktop. Lenovo’s ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny carries a sub-$1,000 starting price, security features, silent operation, and upgradable storage. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) isn’t the fastest processor around, but it’s acceptable for office needs, and it pairs well with the compact design. The ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny is an impressively built space-saving desktop for professionals.
SMB IT buyers: Lenovo’s ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny is small and affordable enough for equipping a whole team. It’s well-suited for anyone looking to gear up a small office, call center, or retail establishment with compact yet powerful PCs that can handle basic productivity tasks.
Arm-ready adopters: This mini PC is especially suited to people who don’t need an Intel or AMD processor. One caveat, though: Double-check that your specific apps (and your organization’s) will work with Windows on Arm. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips are leading the charge for Arm on Windows, and app compatibility has come a long way, but it’s crucial to make sure you’ll be able to use the software you need.
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon X (X1-26-100)
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Graphics Card
Qualcomm Adreno
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Tiny (Snapdragon) Review
- Quiet operation under most loads
- Up to 72TB storage (w/ add-in-card)
- Tool-less chassis lays horizontally, too
- ISV-certified
- Tower chassis requires considerable space
- Price scaling gets steeper than midrange competitors
While the Precision 5860, like most workstations, can be configured to the sky, its starting price and scalability make it a fitting mainstream pick. In the workstation market, that still means a hefty price; it started at $2,049 at the time of review, but our upgraded review configuration came in at around $9,100. Still, that’s far below the higher-end workstation picks here, and the Precision delivers a substantial amount of power to boot. Our unit features an Intel Xeon W-2495X processor, 64GB of memory, 2TB of storage, and an Nvidia RTX A6000 GPU—all of which deliver exceptional performance and quiet operation. Want more? The system also has the capacity for up to 72TB of storage, it can be accessed without tools and configured in various ways, and it carries an ISV certification. This flexible, slim, and quiet workstation has a potent performance ceiling.
IT shoppers seeking broad options: This is the ideal business desktop for IT managers to deploy across teams with differing computing needs. The Precision 5860 is broadly configurable, allowing fleet buyers to tailor it to various specifications and price ranges. It’s perfectly possible to give it just a reasonable workstation loadout—that’s why it’s our mainstream pick—but if you need more power, Dell has you covered.
Big-brand workstation fans: The Precision 5860 is the leading business desktop for loyalists of big-brand workstations. Our list here includes a variety of options from smaller vendors; however, IT managers may prefer to purchase from larger companies like Dell. We understand the appeal, given all the possible pluses: a spread of configurations, pre- and post-purchase options, and support. Since workstations are specialized, technical, and expensive, it can be much easier to buy them from a company with scale, such as Dell, HP, or Lenovo.
Desktop Class
Workstation
Processor
Intel Xeon w7-2495X
Processor Speed
2.5 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
64 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Type
SSD
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Nvidia RTX A6000
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Dell Precision 5860 Tower Review
- Sky-high performance potential
- Scalable for any task
- Rack-mountable
- ISV certified
- Dual CPUs not always ideal
- Requires 18-amp electrical service
It’s not difficult to pack a desktop workstation full of expensive parts and ship it at a high price for hard-core users. But providing a fair value to more mainstream shoppers takes a finer balancing act. The Lenovo ThinkStation PX demonstrates this perfectly: Its starting price is midrange, but our more expensive review configuration produces significantly more power. Whether you have more moderate dual-processor workstation needs or seek a powerhouse with an Nvidia RTX A5500 graphics card like our test unit, Lenovo allows you to configure your ideal system. Regardless of your model, this sleek and rack-mountable case is a pleasure.
Processing-hungry power users: This is an ideal business desktop for workstation users who demand fast processing. With its wide-ranging scalability, the ThinkStation PX can ratchet the power up or down for most midrange workstation users, though it starts toward the higher end of the spectrum already; our model, with its dual processors, can make fast work of nearly any task. The ThinkStation PX presents a high ceiling on storage, memory, and performance, with a chassis that’s open for future upgrades.
Desktop Class
Workstation
Processor
Dual Intel Xeon Gold 5420+
Processor Speed
2 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
256 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
4 TB
Graphics Card
Nvidia RTX A5500
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkStation PX Review
- Unsurpassed performance, in 96-core test model
- Hallmark quality
- Liquid-cooled Threadripper Pro CPU
- Quiet operation
- Excellent warranty, with overnight service
- Second-mortgage pricing
- No flex bays
Business shoppers may want to go with the usual names in this space—major manufacturers like Dell, HP, or Lenovo—but hear us out: Falcon Northwest has made blazing-fast PCs for years, and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro-based Talon leads the pack. Against expectations for a boutique vendor, it also outperforms comparable towers in price, costing significantly less than its nearest competitor while leading in performance and matching its features. Our review configuration’s 64-core processor, 256GB of memory, and Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada GPU topped the charts in our benchmark testing, sometimes even by a significant margin. The build is also beautiful and well put together, it runs quietly, and it comes with a three-year warranty.
Top-end professional power users: The Talon is a perfect fit for the most demanding professionals. You can’t beat the Talon for speed in crunching through big data sets, 3D-rendering jobs, 4K-video editing, or any similarly demanding task in as little time as possible. The average business user doesn’t need nearly this much power, but ultra-heavy data and content-creation workloads will gladly use all of the cores and RAM on offer here. Interestingly, the Talon’s an even better value when scaled up than many of its competitors are.
Deep-pocketed enthusiasts: This is the top business PC for those with the cash to burn and an appreciation for an immaculately assembled machine. Perhaps you’re a serious hobbyist or a self-employed individual looking for a classy, powerful workstation for your home. Even if you don’t need a configuration as potent as ours for that purpose, the Talon would serve you well. Its understated style, quiet performance, and exceptional build quality are something to be proud of.
Desktop Class
Workstation
Processor
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX
Processor Speed
2.5 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
256 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
16 TB
Graphics Card
Nvidia RTX Pro 6000
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
Falcon Northwest Talon (2025, Threadripper Pro) Review
- Powerful Ryzen AI Max+ processor
- Enough memory for local-model AI development
- Compact and mountable
- Plentiful connectivity for its size
- Fans can get loud under load
- Memory, while generously apportioned, is not upgradable
Plenty of desktop workstations prioritize expandability and upgradability, but others focus on compact and space-saving designs. HP’s Z2 Mini G1a is a high performer with impressive connectivity and a small, mountable design. Even though it can hide under a desk or behind a monitor with an optional VESA mount, our Z2 Mini unit accommodates a blazing-fast AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 395 processor and 128GB of memory that combine for potent professional graphics and AI processing potential. It’s fast, well-equipped, and not outrageously priced.
Space-strapped power users: Demanding office professionals will love the Z2 Mini’s performance, connectivity, and independent software vendor (ISV) certifications. It carries these advantages like a larger desktop, making it an excellent choice for 2D and light 3D design and CGI rendering, as well as video editing, dataset analysis, and scientific and engineering apps.
Media editors and software developers: With its versatile processor and capacity for 128GB of memory and 8TB of storage, this PC is ready for media and AI workloads. Much of its 128GB of memory is addressable by the GPU for graphics work or manipulating AI models, making it well-suited to AI development and 3D-rendering tasks.
Processor
AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ Pro 395
Processor Speed
3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
128 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Type
SSD
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
AMD Radeon 8060S
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Learn More
HP Z2 Mini G1a Review
- Excellent productivity performance
- Sharp, bright, and flexible IPS display
- Three M.2 SSD slots for storage expansion
- Premium build, with lots of ports
- Extensive configuration options
- Review configuration is light on storage
- No option for a touch screen
- Some ports are inconveniently placed
- Audio is just OK
If you would consider an all-in-one computer for work and don’t need a traditional tower, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch) has a lot to like. A reasonable starting price, configuration options tailored to different needs and budgets, and a versatile design make it useful for a broad range of tasks—plus, it delivers faster performance than many AIOs. What’s more, this ThinkCentre packs in some other tantalizing features: a sharp webcam, included basic peripherals, and three storage slots for expansion. With a range of features applicable to a broad professional audience, it’s easy to recommend this AIO to the average modern professional.
Mainstream business users: This AIO is best for productive entrepreneurs or office workers looking for a do-it-all business PC. Fleet managers can supply employees with a system that’s a treat for working on multiple spreadsheets, handling emails, and participating in conference calls.
Those with heavy workloads: Lenovo made this all-in-one ThinkCentre to handle moderately intense work projects with the capacity for scaling up to meet higher demands. As our review configuration proved, the M90a Pro can handle hefty work, with the build quality and other advantages elevating the experience.
Desktop Class
All-in-one
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 265
Processor Speed
2.4 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
All-in-One Screen Size
27 inches
All-in-One Screen Native Resolution
2560 by 1440
All-in-One Screen Type
Non-Touch Screen
Graphics Card
Intel Arc Graphics
Operating System
Windows 11
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch) Review
- Excellent high-end performance for work and play in a small chassis
- More memory in base model for the same low price
- New space-saving design
- Storage capacity in base model is still scanty
- Fans can be noisy under load
- Internal memory and storage are not upgradable post-purchase
The base-model Mac mini is a top value for business productivity in a macOS-friendly environment, and a souped-up M4 Pro model is a top alternative if you need blistering power from a pint-sized machine. Despite its classic, compact design, Apple’s latest processor generation delivers scorching desktop performance, ample ports, and support for advanced monitors. It’s a mega deal and a powerful Mac experience in either configuration.
Mac-loving offices and freelancers: This is the top business desktop to buy for offices and independent contractors who already enjoy using Apple products and services. Mac-loving professionals and IT buyers seeking more power can replicate our enhanced review configuration for a highly effective package. However, not all pros will need as much power as that, which is where the much cheaper configuration comes in. Even Apple’s entry-level configuration can deliver quick performance in a petite package for effective productivity and creative app performance in any kind of office.
Desktop Class
Small Form Factor (SFF)
Processor
Apple M4 Pro (14-core)
RAM (as Tested)
48 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Graphics Card
Apple M4 Pro (20-core)
Operating System
Apple macOS Sequoia
Learn More
Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro) Review
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The Best Desktop Computers for Business in 2026
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Buying Guide: The Best Desktop Computers for Business in 2026
Assessing CPUs: Intel Core, Xeon, or AMD Ryzen?
Multicore processors, particularly in the Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 lines, and the newer Core Ultra 5 and 7, are the norm in business PCs. (A Celeron or Pentium CPU is a sign of an aged, low-end model to avoid; look to higher-spec Core chips instead of these.) Intel’s latest, AI-ready Core Ultra line of desktop chips (the Core Ultra 200S family, known as “Arrow Lake”) has trickled into some business machines. These chips are designated Core Ultra 5 2xx, Core Ultra 7 2xx, and Core Ultra 9 2xx. Some compact and all-in-one desktops use Core Ultra laptop chip lines, too, given similar space constraints. We’ve seen a few with the even newer Core Ultra Series 3 mobile chips (dubbed “Panther Lake”) inside.
Consider buying a more powerful processor if you’re concerned about keeping your system for a lengthy, useful life. Faster CPUs are a must for today’s fast-moving, multitasking PC users, but the very highest-end ones matter only for specific classes of power users. (Core i7, Core i9, or Intel’s workstation-oriented Xeon CPUs are prime options for users like graphic artists, hard-core number crunchers, engineering pros, and other gearheads who stress over the speed of their PCs.)
Much less common among business machines, but also viable options, are desktops based on AMD’s Ryzen, Ryzen Pro, and Ryzen Threadripper CPUs. Threadripper Pro chips, which are pared-down versions of AMD’s Epyc server CPUs, are used in some of our top workstation picks. One unique chip we have seen in this category is the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 395, which is used in some compact PCs like the HP Z2 Mini G1a. (See our guide to today’s desktop processors.)
(Credit: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
As a rule of thumb, for basic office use, Core i5, Core Ultra 5, and Ryzen 5 CPUs will usually suffice, with the “7” levels best for power users. As for memory, 16GB is the baseline for work desktops today. In general, the more memory you can get, the better, especially for people who work in graphic design and web development. They will need at least 16GB.
More memory lets you do two things: open up more programs and windows at a time, and perform multimedia processes (like editing photos) faster. Anything less than 16GB is suitable only for roles with light compute demands (say, data entry or reception) or other uses, such as a single-task information kiosk. Read our guide to determine how much RAM your PC needs for various forms of work.
What to Look for in Business-Desktop Storage: Solid-State Drives Now Rule
You’ll always see exceptions, but business PCs often require less storage than consumer PCs, since you’re less likely to use them to sync your iPhone or to house your personal video and photo collections. Unless you’re a professional content creator, many of the day-to-day files you or your users access will tend to be housed on common servers, and business folks may well spend much of their time in cloud services for key operations.
Even so, since storage is so inexpensive these days, you might be tempted to think that a primary drive with around 500GB of space strikes a decent balance between economy and space. (Unlike in consumer PCs, hard drives as boot drives are still an option in a few business desktop configurations.) Frankly, 128GB of available storage could be enough for just about all the PowerPoint, Word, and Excel documents you use daily, especially if your office uses a network to house (and thus back up) files. And that leads us to why you should opt for a solid-state boot drive instead, in almost all cases.
(Credit: Charles Jefferies)
Solid-state drives (SSDs) deliver less capacity per dollar compared with traditional hard drives. But an SSD-only system will boot and launch programs much faster than a hard drive, almost as quickly as your phone does. A 256GB SSD should be sufficient for office workers’ needs today and in the near future, even if it costs a little more than a machine with a traditional hard drive. SSDs are also, by and large, the default option now. Anything with a hard drive is almost certainly a used or refurbished older model, and best avoided.
Larger SSDs, 512GB or 1TB in capacity, are speedy options for power users, but these upgrades will boost your per-unit purchase price. That said, a small-capacity SSD is far preferable to a large, slower hard drive whose capacity your office users will never fill. In any case, you may not have a choice but to go with an SSD in almost any new business-desktop models you scout.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Optical disc drives are less critical for consumer PCs these days, but a DVD burner still may be a useful addition to a small-business PC. You may need it to burn copies of projects for your clients, or to read the occasional recordable CD or DVD sent by a supplier or customer, or ones that contain important records or files from years back.
If you need to read disc-based archives, look for a model with this upgrade option. (Most PCs don’t come with these drives anymore.) It will probably be a checkbox item, not a standard-issue component. The alternative is an external USB CD/DVD drive, either of which is readily available for less than $30.
Business Desktop Graphics: The Basics Will Usually Suffice
Most business PCs come with an integrated graphics processor (IGP)—that is, they rely on the video capabilities built into the central processor. Most of the time, integrated graphics will suffice, since you won’t be playing games on your work desktop. You can spot an IGP solution in an Intel-based system by the names HD or UHD Graphics, Iris Plus Graphics, Iris Xe Graphics, or Arc Graphics.
Most workers who require a PC with a discrete or dedicated graphics processor or card need it for specialized tasks, such as GPU acceleration in a content-creation app or 3D-graphics visualization for architectural drawings, or for displaying on more than two or three monitors. In the business category, you’ll mostly see these in our more powerful workstation picks, usually in the form of Nvidia’s professional GPUs. Ultra-small or ultra-slim desktop PCs will likely have only integrated graphics and no expansion-card slots. These systems are best suited to general productivity tasks (i.e., most business work).
Check out our guide to the best graphics cards for much more on assessing discrete graphics.
Business Desktop Expansion: Slots and Bays
Most mini-towers and some small-form-factor (SFF) budget desktops offer some degree of expandability. If you’re looking at a small tower, you’ll find space for at least one or two extra internal hard or solid-state drives, a PCI Express (PCIe) x16 graphics-card slot, maybe a few PCIe x1 expansion slots, and perhaps space for a 5.25-inch optical drive or other “big bay” device (seldom needed nowadays). You may also find extra DIMM slots, which will let you upgrade your memory later. Very small business desktops (like the NUC families from Asus and others) may use smaller memory modules known as SO-DIMMs, the kind of compact memory used by laptops.
Nowadays, almost all new desktop PCs have motherboard slots for M.2 drives, which are small, gum-stick-size SSDs that let you mount a drive flush onto the board. (See our guide to the best M.2 SSDs.) Nowadays, a PC’s boot drive often resides in an M.2 slot in a prebuilt business PC, and some systems may have an extra M.2 slot or two, depending on the motherboard size. (M.2 slots may also accept or be occupied by M.2-format Wi-Fi cards.)
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Eventual upgrades in a business PC are likely to be modest, however, by tendency and necessity. Why the latter? The 125-to-350-watt power supplies typical in these PCs won’t be able to power more than a low-end graphics card. Memory or storage upgrades will have only a trivial effect on power consumption, so this is not a concern if you’re adding those kinds of hardware.
All-in-One Business Desktops: Space Savers
Do your users not need multiple internal storage drives or dedicated graphics cards? Consider deploying all-in-ones instead of traditional tower PCs. All-in-one desktops have the benefit of a built-in screen without the theft and travel-breakage risks that business laptops face every day. While many come with high-performance processors (such as Intel’s Core i5/Core Ultra 5 or Core i7/Core Ultra 7) for demanding users, you’ll find models available with energy-saving processors for everyone else. Some all-in-ones use Intel’s power-thrifty mobile processors (usually, with a “U” suffix) built for laptop PCs. These, too, are being replaced by Intel Core Ultra chips.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
If you choose an all-in-one PC with DisplayPort or HDMI inputs, the screen will still be usable even after the internal CPU and storage become obsolete. Touch screens are useful for certain applications (kiosks, point of sale, and information retrieval come to mind), and the all-in-one form factor lends itself to touch-screen computing. Touch-screen input is not as essential (nor remotely as common) on desktop PCs as it is on tablets and laptops. But if you’re launching touch-optimized apps on Windows, you’ll probably want an all-in-one desktop PC with a touch-enabled screen. Not all are.
Mini PCs and Sticks: Bringing It Super Small
Most mini PCs use the same basic components as budget laptops: low-power processors, non-upgradable integrated graphics, 8GB of RAM, smaller-capacity SSDs or flash storage, and Windows or Linux—assuming they have an operating system at all.
They’re built to surf the web, run productivity apps, and perform other light computing duties. Unlike larger systems, some mini PCs have little or no internal expansion capacity. This means they’re best suited for applications where they can sit unattended in a locked cabinet or mounted behind a screen, serving as point-of-sale terminals in a retail environment, for digital signage, or in kiosk use.
What constitutes “mini” is relative, though; some compact models, not much bigger than a CD case, can have upgradable memory (usually via laptop-style SO-DIMM modules) and one or more M.2 slots or 2.5-inch bays for SSDs.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
In their smallest, cheapest forms, we wouldn’t recommend running a business on a mini PC unless you just need an email terminal and plan to buy a whole new system in a year or two. The extra speed and upgradability of a larger desktop PC will pay off if you ever have to recalculate a spreadsheet in the 10 minutes before the client arrives or quickly retouch a photo or document layout.
The most portable type of computer that still technically counts as a desktop is the “stick PC.” It’s exactly what it sounds like: a computer in a tiny, skinny form factor that’s easy to carry with you anywhere, a bit like an overgrown flash drive. These work by leveraging the HDMI input ports built into almost every modern monitor and TV set, turning that screen into your display. Just plug the stick PC into one of those ports, connect the power cable, add a keyboard and mouse, and you’re ready to go.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Stick PCs are extremely limited in terms of output ports (the stick only has so much space, after all), and you won’t get a lot of storage (usually only about 32GB to 64GB). But if you’re a frequent business traveler, especially one who makes a lot of presentations, a stick PC can be a handy supplement to your laptop. Alternatively, you can use it around the office to power a large-screen display in a common area, such as the break room or reception area, with content that you simply can’t serve from a smart TV. (See a guide to all of our favorite mini PCs.)
Which IT-Friendly Features to Look For?
The more corporate-oriented a PC is, the more likely it is to have security features (such as Kensington or Noble lock cable security ports, TPM, and vPro), easy-to-access, IT-friendly components, and tools for remote desktop management. However, you’ll need these features only if you’re a rapidly growing business with an IT team or already have more than a dozen employees.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Once a business expands beyond a dozen workers with PCs, it will likely need a dedicated IT staffer or subcontractor and PCs with corporate IT manageability features to make deployment and troubleshooting easier. If you run a startup or small partnership with just a few staff members, buying a budget business PC is fine—just be prepared for longer waits on tech support phone lines when things go wrong. With a small-business desktop, you usually have access to dedicated sales and technical-support personnel who can help you tailor your purchase and support to your business needs.
Pre-Installed Software: Beware the Bloatware
Often, one reason a PC is inexpensive is that, as with broadcast TV and “free” cell phones, another entity subsidizes the price. Bloatware consists of all those trial software applications that are designed to tempt you into buying programs that didn’t come with your PC. (It’s worth noting that Macs don’t have this issue.) It can be challenging to completely remove bloatware from your system, and leaving it in place can even compromise performance. Although many desktops come with some bloatware, manufacturers tend to put more of it into lower-end consumer models.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Fortunately, business PCs usually have minimal bloatware. On Windows desktops, a trial version of Microsoft 365 or Office is almost always included; however, in a small-business context, this can be beneficial. You can upgrade to a fully functional version of the suite, including Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, simply by clicking a link and entering a credit card number.
You usually get an antivirus suite, as well, but be wary of trial packages that stop updating after 30 to 90 days. You don’t want to get a virus on the PC you depend on to make a living. Again, this is one case where you might consider upgrading to the full version of the software over the internet (assuming your company is small and doesn’t have an anti-malware strategy, of course).
Assessing Warranties and Future-Proofing
Most experts recommend avoiding extended warranties for consumer electronics, but for a business PC, an extended warranty can mean the difference between getting work done and people going home early. Most business PCs come with a one-, three-, or five-year warranty. With the best warranties, you inform the PC manufacturer of the issue, and they’ll either ship you a replacement part or dispatch a repair technician on time (typically within 24 to 36 hours during the workweek).
(Credit: Charles Jefferies)
If you need a faster response, you can purchase warranties from some manufacturers that offer eight- or two-hour response times, or even on-site, on-call help. Other options include “keep-your-drive” plans so your data never leaves your premises, accidental damage protection, data recovery, and even end-of-life data destruction services. These all come at an added cost, but, as with any insurance, whether they’re worth it depends on the nature of your business and what you need to protect.
These days, it may be tempting to grab the cheapest system you can find and call it your business PC, but don’t. Keep in mind that what you buy must last at least as long as it takes to amortize the capital investment (usually three to five years, though the exact length depends on your company’s accounting practices). Paying a little extra for more power or capabilities now will save you headaches down the road. A longer warranty, specialized tech support, and/or the elimination of bloatware are among the additional benefits you may receive.
Ready to Buy the Right Desktop for Your Business?
We regularly update our picks in this roundup to include the latest systems we’ve tested and reviewed. But because we review a large number of desktops every year, not every top-rated product makes the cut. Our top picks of the moment are presented here. If your employees need portability, also check out our top picks for business laptops. And do you need to add peripherals to your workspace? We’ve also rounded up the best business monitors we’ve tested, along with our favorite keyboards and printers.
