// Procurement
The three laptops we specify for most NZ businesses, the spec floor that stops a machine being replaced in two years, why "business" models cost more and are cheaper, and what a business account actually gets you.
The short version
We are asked “which laptop?” every week, so here is the actual answer — the machines Be Market supplies most often, the spec we will not go below, and the reasons. No affiliate links; these are what we put on customers’ desks.
| Component | Minimum we specify | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Current-generation Intel Core Ultra / Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 PRO | Windows 11, Teams and a browser with 20 tabs; the PRO/vPro variants add management and security features |
| Memory | 16 GB | 8 GB is a two-year machine in 2026; 32 GB for design and data roles |
| Storage | 512 GB NVMe SSD | 256 GB fills; a slow drive is the most common “my laptop is slow” |
| Security | TPM 2.0, fingerprint or IR camera, BitLocker on | Windows 11 requirement; passwordless sign-in; encryption for the Privacy Act |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro | Home cannot be managed or BitLocker-managed centrally |
| Screen | 14″ at 1920×1200 or better, matte, 300 nits+ | The thing people stare at for eight hours; 16:10 is worth it |
| Warranty | 3 years, next-business-day on-site | The warranty comes to the desk; the machine does not go to a shop |
Best keyboard in the business, hinges that survive years of being opened in a van, long battery, and a global warranty. The T14 is the default; the X1 Carbon when weight matters and the budget allows.
Comfortable, serviceable, well supported in New Zealand with next-day on-site warranty. The ProBook is the step-down when the budget is tight and the machine stays on a desk.
ThinkPad P series, HP ZBook, Dell Precision: a proper graphics card, 32 GB or more, colour-accurate screen. Only for the roles that need it; everyone else is happier with the lighter machine.
Where a business runs on Mac — design, media, some professional practices — a MacBook Air is a fine business laptop and a MacBook Pro the workstation. We manage both. Mixed fleets are fine; unmanaged fleets are not.
The price is the smallest part. A Be Market business account means net pricing and 30-day terms on approval, a named person who knows your fleet, and — the part that saves the most — every device configured to your security baseline, enrolled in management and entered in the asset register before it ships. The staff member opens the lid, signs in, and works. The alternative is an afternoon of setup per laptop, or worse, a laptop set up by whoever had time.
If you are replacing part of a fleet this year — and on a four-year cycle a quarter of it is due — send us the list and we will spec, price and configure it. DigitalShield customers get the replacement schedule in their February review; the budget template has the line for it.
Business models u2014 Lenovo ThinkPad, HP EliteBook and ProBook, Dell Latitude u2014 have longer warranties with next-business-day on-site options, firmware and driver support for years, better keyboards and hinges, TPM and management features, and parts availability. They cost more at purchase and less over three years.
A well-specified business laptop in 2026 is roughly $1,800u2013$2,800 plus GST. Below that you are usually buying a consumer machine with a shorter life; above it you are paying for a workstation or a premium design most staff do not need.
Buying is simpler and cheaper for most 10u201350-person businesses on a four-year cycle. Device-as-a-service or leasing suits fast-growing teams, a need to preserve cash, or a policy of refreshing every three years. Compare the total three-year cost, not the monthly number.
Net pricing, 30-day terms on approval, a named account manager, devices configured to your security baseline before delivery, enrolment into your management platform, and an asset register entry from day one. The laptop arrives ready, not boxed.
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