Desktop PCs Still A Key Tool For Businesses
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While the move to mobile computing is widely documented, new International Data Corporation (IDC) research reveals desktop computers still remain the main PC form factor for businesses.Ultraslim notebooks, convertibles and tablets provide an ever-evolving range of mobile options, however desktop PCs are still a priority for businesses, with an IDC survey of 600 executives at SMBs and large enterprises in France, the UK and Germany finding 84 per cent of respondents would consider purchasing desktop PCs for their organisation.

The IDC found that the most important factors in the decision for businesses to buy a desktop PC are higher performance, better durability, longer lifespan and lower prices.

“The survey confirmed that the average lifetime of a desktop is one year longer than that of a laptop, reducing total cost of ownership for the company,” Maciek Gornicki, IDC EMEA personal computing research manager, commented.

“As a result, lower price and better resilience definitely make desktop the best choice for companies that have limited budgets and that require solutions for non-mobile office employees. On the other hand, desktops’ higher security will benefit businesses that operate in industries such as insurance, finance and banking, as well as government agencies.”

Small form factors and mini-PCs are of interest for businesses, with smaller options becoming more popular as companies increasingly look to save desk space and energy, with the IDC finding 43 per cent of respondents would consider a small form factor device and 35 per cent would be willing to purchase a mini-PC.

The deployment of Windows 10 is also a priority for businesses looking to increase productivity, with as many as 40 per cent of respondents stating that they are looking to upgrade in the next 12 months. The IDC notes that, with the move to Windows 7 now largely complete, while most businesses skipped the migration to Windows 8, the need to upgrade becomes increasingly urgent.

“The majority of companies are expected to rollout the new operating system without purchasing new hardware initially, especially as a large proportion of desktops in the commercial PC installed base should fit the requirements of Windows 10,” Gornicki commented.

“Some companies are likely, however, to consider rolling out new hardware at the same time due to the new Intel Skylake platform coming into the market, as it is expected to bring manageability and security benefits, as well as enhance efficiency compared with older platforms.

“Together with Windows 10, this may be enough to trigger a moderate renewal wave at the beginning of 2016.”