Tag: business procurement

  • Purchased a new laptop? Five steps on how to set it up to maximize your productivity.

    Purchased a new laptop? Five steps on how to set it up to maximize your productivity.

    If you’ve purchased a new laptop recently (or if you’re in the market) you may be wondering what to do with the fresh new start you now have on your hands.

    However, there is the matter of your old laptop before you do anything with your new one, before you send it to e-waste or hand it off to the next person you want to make sure any files you’ll need now or in the future have been taken off of it and stored either directly onto your new device, into cloud storage, or even onto a portable hard drive. Once all of the files have been backed up and you can then safely wipe it to ensure no personal data remains (or have your IT team handle this if you’re unsure).

    Now that the matter of your old laptop has been settled, we can move on to our five tips for maximizing your new laptops potential and setting it up as a new productive workspace:

    1. Perform Any Necessary Updates: Nothing is worse than getting settled in and ready to use a new device only to be prompted that you need to update RIGHT NOW. That’s why we suggest getting this out of the way and performing any necessary updates right out of the box, it may seem a little counterintuitive that a brand-new device would need updates right away but generally they’re packed up by manufacturers with just what you need to get it turned on – all the configuring comes later.
    2. Uninstall What You DON’T Want: This is also a good time to uninstall any pre-configured programs that you don’t want, like an anti-virus program that’s different than the one your company uses or programs that are really more of an advertisement for the manufacturer. Again, reach out to your IT team for assistance if you’re unsure what’s okay and not okay to remove.
    3. Set Up Backups for This New Device: If you’re using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace your office probably has backups that would cover your new device, so you’ll want to set these up so any files you bring over or create on your new laptop are backed up as well.
    4. Install Your Productivity Software: Microsoft 365, Adobe, your preferred browser, applications for your VoIP provider, anything you need to do your job day to day can safely be installed at this point in the process.
    5. Finishing Touches: Lastly, you can setup your laptop in appearance, setting up dark mode where applicable, changing your background, setting your preferred font size. All the finishing touches that will make working from this new device feel streamlined and familiar (but with the added boost of having a newer, more capable device).

    On the back end, your IT team should be setting up the tools needed to keep your new device safe such as end point protection, virus scans, malware detection and more. They may want to perform these updates right after any necessary updates to the operating system have been completed or they may want to as soon as your device will be connected to your office network. It’s a good idea to work with your IT team on setting up your new device in a way that’s both productive AND secure.

    If you don’t currently have an IT team or the one you work with does not provide new device support, reach out to Valley Techlogic today. In addition to customized procurement advice and support, setting up new client devices is an included service in all of our support plans. Setup a consultation with us today to learn more.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • In the market for a new laptop? Take these 5 factors into consideration

    In the market for a new laptop? Take these 5 factors into consideration

    With Windows 10 approaching end of life in 2025, it’s putting a lot of people in the market for a new Windows 11 capable device.

    A work laptop’s size, type of screen, keyboard, and trackpad are just a few of the personal variables that go into choosing one. But certain factors are more important than others when it comes to choosing the right specifications for your professional laptop. The type of work you do and how you approach it will determine which kind of laptop is best for you; there are lightweight models that are good for simple tasks and robust, graphics-intensive versions that are great for graphic design or multitasking.

    These are the top five factors that we think are most crucial when using your laptop for work:

    Battery Life: Battery life might not be a major concern for people who use their laptops mostly at desks. However, battery life becomes a critical factor to take into account if mobility is necessary for your profession. It’s crucial to remember that better specs are frequently associated with lower battery life. It can be more sensible to go with a lighter, less powerful laptop if your tasks are simple but yet need mobility.

    RAM/Memory: For work laptops, we advise having at least 16 GB of RAM (or the option to upgrade). Reducing memory could cause problems with performance because Windows uses a lot of memory, especially for heavy users. For very low usage, 8 GB could be plenty, while 16 or 32 GB is better for heavier workloads.

    Storage: Choosing a larger storage capacity is advised because Windows takes some of the available storage during installation. 500 GB might be plenty for light users, but most users should strive for at least 1 TB.

    Video Card: A high-quality video card is essential for graphic-intensive tasks like graphic design and video editing, not only for gaming. A good video card is crucial when choosing a professional laptop if these are duties you perform as part of your workflow. Gamers’ laptops are frequently equipped with excellent video cards and screens making them a good choice even for non-gaming purposes.

    CPU: When purchasing a laptop, the CPU’s quality is quite important. Greater capability for managing numerous browser tabs or running programs simultaneously is correlated with a more powerful CPU. If you find yourself multi-tasking for work, you will need to look for a powerful CPU.

    For organizations purchasing laptops for multiple users, customization can be challenging. Valley Techlogic offers expert recommendations tailored to meet your workforce’s needs while considering budget constraints. Through our procurement services, we have partnerships with major vendors like Dell, Lenovo, and HP, providing a wider range of choices than typically available in physical stores.

    Valley Techlogic also offers installation services to assist with setting up new equipment and ensuring it’s ready for your employees.

    Discover more about our procurement services by scheduling a consultation here and you can learn more about our procurement services here.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, an IT service provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.