Evaluating Your Computer Equipment by Renting First

As any small business owner knows, buying the wrong office machines can be a costly mistake. Computer rentals can help you test and evaluate laptops, desktops and servers to ensure you are getting the machine that best suits your daily operations.

Below are just some of the problems that a computer rental can help you avoid.

Frequent travelers or commuters need portable technology they can count on. They need to know that their laptop will not only perform well, but also that it is conducive to travel. Attaining the right balance between portability and performance is tricky. Since the fastest machines can also be heavier, it is probably a good idea to try one out for a while, either on a couple of business trips or on the daily commute. Renting a computer for a month gives you a chance to “road test” it and make sure it is not too cumbersome.

PC notebook rentals also allow you to gauge the screen quality of your laptop in a variety of situations. How well can you see the screen in a darkened airplane? How does it perform next to the glare of a commuter train window? How visible is the screen when it is running on battery power?

Speaking of batteries, a common complaint about notebooks is battery life. No matter what the specs say, until you’ve put your battery to the test, you won’t know how long it will last for you.

Desktops and plasma rentals come in a wide range of prices with a wide selection of options. If you need desktops for your business, how can you decide whether the $800 model is actually better for your purposes than the $500 model? You can write out your basic needs on paper, but until you use a machine in a real-world situation, you really can’t determine with any accuracy whether or not it will work for you. Renting computer equipment allows you to run tests on different machines to see which ones respond best to your business needs.

When renting computers, be sure to add a monitor too. Like computers, monitors vary greatly in quality and response time. Is it really worth it for you to buy a 24” monitor, or can your needs be met by a 20”? Renting will help you see if a monitor’s specs match your needs.

And what about peripherals? Cordless mice are now the preferred choice of many employees, but some are better than others. Do you choose optical or laser? Is the difference in performance really worth the $40 - $60 difference in price? Renting a selection of mice will answer that question for you.

If you are like most small businesses, there is little room to maneuver in your budget. Spending more than you really need to on computer equipment is not an option. Spending some of your budget on computer rentals to evaluate the business machines you are considering is one of the best ways to make sure you are getting good value for your money.