Available to Corporate and Government Teams Due to unexpected demand from customers, the expiry date for the Stuck@Home offer has been pushed forward to its original end date of September 30 2022. Purchasers of HP Elite and Pro notebooks, and ZBook mobile workstations ordering through The Laptop Company are eligible to receive one of two keyboard, mouse, power adapter and carry bag bundles at no additional cost.
These are available by redemption for all orders placed between June 1 2022 and September 30 2022. This is an excellent offer for updating your office ergonomics, or for equipping staff for work from home. See the HP Stuck@Home information page for terms and conditions: https://h41201.www4.hp.com/WMCF.Web/nz/en/promotion/6442/Start/ We estimate the street value of the bundle offer to be more than $450 for EliteBook and qualifying ZBook models, so this offer provides good value for money for teams who need to update their workspaces and employee home work zones. Updated: Redemptions must be claimed before October 31 2022.
The Laptop Company supplies and maintains device fleets for critical services including emergency services, DHBs, local and central government agencies, and utility providers. For these teams, as well as the companies that depend on us for their own resilience, we have developed and tested a business continuity plan that works for us in the real world. Given this is New Zealand, we have had the benefit of experience, activating our BCP for events including the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes, as well as the lockdowns of 2020-21. Here's what we have implemented to help mitigate as many of the health and commercial risks as possible, so we can continue to provide consistent services to our customer community while keeping our team as safe as possible.
The following provides some guidance on what we do, and why. Operations:
Source: Maxpixel.net
Supply chain:
Source: Pixabay.com
Covid has disrupted supply chains, and its impact overseas has been felt in New Zealand. We have created additional supply chain redundancy and capacity through:
What can you do?
Source: Pixabay.com
Want to know how we can help, or need to know more?
Click the Contact us button, speak to your account manager or call us:
The big change for the new Surface Laptop 4 is the choice of AMD or Intel for business and government buyers. How do the two options compare, and which should you choose for your users?  Faster cores versus more coresThe biggest difference between AMD and Intel options is the number of processor cores. The new 11th gen Intel Core i5 and i7 have four, while the 4th gen AMD Ryzen 5 has six and the Ryzen 7 has eight. The new AMD options also cost less than their equivalent Intel options. All processor options are available on the 13.5 inch Surface Laptop 4, while the 15 inch version offers the choice of AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel Core i7.  AMD - more coresMore cores mean more calculations can be made at the same time. To gain an appreciable performance boost, you need to be using apps and doing tasks that are designed for multi-core processing. These include media encoding, 3D rendering, complex Excel calculations and image transformations. If you have a team working on video or content creation, then their encoding time will be faster, making the AMD models a good choice. The AMD versions are also a bit less expensive. With The Laptop Company's deployment and migration services, you can migrate users without anyone noticing they're not using an Intel-powered device. It offers a substantial boost over the Surface Laptop 3, and extra battery life over the Intel versions.  Intel - faster coresThe faster cores of the Intel models make them well suited for single core processes, these include scripting, general application responsiveness, software development, testing and any software that's not multicore optimised. Microsoft is recommending the Intel version for data scientists, developers and researchers. This comes at a reasonable price premium. The new Intel option provides an even greater performance boost over the Surface Laptop 3. Battery life is up to 17 hours for the 13.5 inch model, or up to 16.5 for the 15 inch one. By the benchmarks Benchmarks by PC World so far indicate overall performance for the Surface Laptop 4 Ryzen models trailing that of the 11th gen Intel powered Surface Pro 7+ (the same CPU used in the new Surface Laptop 4 Intel option), this helps justify the price premium commanded by the Intel versions: https://www.pcworld.com/article/3614716/the-surface-laptop-4-really-is-twice-as-fast.html The notable exception is HandBrake media encoding and Cinebench 3D rendering, where twice the cores equals twice the performance for the Ryzen 7. If your job is heavy on the media-encoding front, the AMD will be a boon. Both processors provide a performance advantage over the outgoing Surface Laptop 3, and provide a substantial performance improvement over 7th-8th generation processors that were supplied with Intel 620 graphics. What about graphics? Despite AMD's reputation as a GPU leader, the AMD Radeon Microsoft Surface Edition graphics has not benchmarked as fast as the new Intel iRIS Xe found in both Intel options so far. Intel's iRIS Xe graphics have also benchmarked around 50% faster than the previous generation Intel iRIS Plus graphics used in the Laptop 3. Both are more than adequate for most users, and have sufficient power to run the Surface Laptop 4's high resolution PixelSense display and up to two 4K monitors at 60 hz. 3D creators are likely to opt for the more expensive Surface Book for the option of powerful dedicated NVIDIA graphics, higher resolution 3K+ displays and enhanced Pen and Touch support on a reversible tablet screen. Which would I choose for my team? For most users, either look to be a viable choice and provide a performance increase over the now discontinued Surface Laptop 3 as well as the lower cost Surface Laptop Go. Either is suitable for fleetwide deployment in corporate environments and each provides a significant performance boost for users migrating from older 8th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 laptops, particularly for graphically intensive tasks. We recommend talking to your account manager to see what models suit your team best (and which are likely to be delivered sooner). There are still stock constraints across the PC industry, so getting your order and your preferred specification in ahead of time will save time and hassle. If you don't have an account manager at The Laptop Company yet, enquire below or contact us.  Find out more: Poly Studio P5 - easily better than your laptop's webcam With work from home looking to be a mainstay of modern workplaces (and ongoing restrictions on travel), we've been noticing how sickly we look on standard laptop webcams. There is a decent solution for better quality meetings and chat in the Poly Studio P5 external webcam. At 1080p Full HD resolution, the P5 has a better quality image sensor than most laptops, and with its large lens, better optics for a clearer, brighter and higher contrast image. Users of devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro, which has a high quality camera, are less likely to find the P5 useful. For anyone who has a desktop monitor setup, the P5 provides the flexibility to use a monitor-mounted camera in place of their laptop webcam. Compared to a good quality laptop webcam... A corporate-class laptop's web cam from 2020 versus the Poly Studio P5. Note the deeper colour in the harbour (out the window) and the reflected sky on the table, the greater contrast between the yellow and black stripes, the contrast between the two gloves, greater sharpness of the circuit pattern on the table and overall colour saturation and sharpness. The laptop webcam we've compared the P5 to is 720p, which is comparable in resolution to most corporate-class laptops laptops as of 2021. Worthwhile for professional presentersThe difference between the murkiness of the laptop's webcam versus the P5 is clear. If you're looking to improve the professionalism of client and corporate presentations on platforms like Teams and Zoom, the Poly Studio P5 is easy to recommend. It may also be of use for special situations including management presentations and for media engagement. When viewed on large displays and devices, including the Surface Hub 2s, the improvement in image quality is even more apparent. FeaturesThe Poly Studio P5 connects via USB Type A and includes a USB pass-through port for connecting things like USB headsets (without requiring a second port from your laptop or docking station). Users of USB-C-only laptops (like the MacBook range) will need a USB-C to USB-A adapter. It's small enough to be bundled in a laptop bag and requires no external power supply. Look and feel is retro PC-medical with a dappled cream/grey finish. An adjustable monitor mount is included to balance the P5 on your monitor. This can be removed and substituted with a tripod (a tripod mount screw is included). Users of frameless monitors may find the standard mount can partially cover the very top of the monitor image. The camera includes a microphone, however you may find a decent quality laptop can provide equally good, if not better audio quality and noise cancellation through its internal microphones (some experimentation is advised). The camera also features a physical lens cover for privacy. Poly Studio P15 - definitely bigger The Poly Studio P15 is the bigger brother with speakers included for video conferencing without a headset. With a 4K camera, the P15 provides even greater clarity for professional presenters where audiences will be viewing on the big screen. It also provides zoom and crop functionality to focus on the presenter. This doesn't work as smoothly as some we've seen. The P15 doesn't tend to follow people who walk and talk, and can hunt a bit when there are groups of people within a meeting room. Zooming in reduces the image resolution, which is apparent if the presenter is far from the camera. We tried the P15 with our Surface Hub 2s, which also has a 4K camera. Both have excellent image quality and clarity, and a similar 90 degree field of view to capture a typical meeting room well. The P15 comes in handy with its zoom function when a single participant is in front of the Hub, or if you want to point a camera back at the Hub and the presenter without a full Teams Rooms setup, as long as you have a sufficiently long USB cable. While the P5 is an easy solution for improving the quality of Teams chats and presentations, the size of the P15 makes it more likely to be more useful for permanent installation for trainers, media presentations and small, shared meeting spaces. The P5 is likely a better solution for the rest of us. FeaturesThe Poly Studio P15 connects via USB Type C (unlike the P5) and includes two USB Type A pass-through ports for connecting accessories (without using more ports on your laptop or docking station). Unlike the P5 it's designed to stay put with an external power supply and a design that's around 400mm long. A larger adjustable monitor mount is included to balance the P15 on your monitor. Like the P5. this can be removed and substituted with a tripod (a tripod mount screw is included). Users of frameless monitors may find the standard mount can partially cover the top of the monitor image, and the P15 is not designed to be placed on a laptop screen. On a moveable device like our Surface Hub 2s, we would recommend a robust tripod style mount. The P15 includes a microphone, and the speaker is sufficient for home office use with decent noise cancellation. As per the P5, the camera features a physical lens cover for privacy. The P15 uses the same retro PC-hospital style cream plastic with a mesh speaker cover. Easy to recycle packaging a bonusBoth the Studio P5 and P15 use attractive uncoated carboard boxes with egg-crate style protective padding inside, instead of foam or polystyrene. With distinctive Poly branding on the outside, both prove that good packaging can be recyclable and protective without non-recyclable foams. For anyone looking to eliminate polystyrene from their waste streams and opt for 100% recyclable packaging, the Poly cameras tick the box. All of the packaging components are marked for easier separation and recycling.
What's the difference? |
Surface Laptop 3Clam shell laptop Opens 135 degrees Touch screen with Surface Pen support 13.5 or 15 inch display 3:2 aspect ratio 2256 x 1504 or 2496 x 1664 resolution Gloss IPS wide-viewing-angle-display |
Surface Book 3Clam shell laptop with detachable tablet screen Opens 135 degrees, screen can be reversed Touch screen with Surface Pen support 13.5 or 15 inch display 3:2 aspect ratio 3000 x 2000 or 3240 x 2160 resolution Gloss IPS wide-viewing-angle display |
With a screen that opens up to 135 degrees (not 180 degrees flat or 360 degrees like some competitors), the Surface Laptop is not designed to be used as a tablet, despite supporting the Surface Pen.
By contrast the Surface Book has a detachable display that can be used as a standalone tablet, or reversed and attached to the keyboard. Either way, the Surface Book is preferable for Pen users. The Surface Book also features a higher resolution display - Pen users typically work closer to the screen than laptop users.
By contrast the Surface Book has a detachable display that can be used as a standalone tablet, or reversed and attached to the keyboard. Either way, the Surface Book is preferable for Pen users. The Surface Book also features a higher resolution display - Pen users typically work closer to the screen than laptop users.
Graphics performance
Surface Laptop 3Intel® Iris® Plus graphics AMD Ryzen available in retail models only |
Surface Book 3Surface Book 3 13.5 inch with Intel® Core™ i5: Intel® Iris® Plus Surface Book 3 13.5 inch with Intel® Core™ i7: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB Surface Book 3 15 inch: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB, or NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 6GB |
The Surface Laptop 3 and entry-level Surface Book 3 have Intel Iris Plus graphics, which is better than most competing business laptops.
Surface Book 3 graphics options ramp up markedly with up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics in the 13.5 inch model and GeForce GTX 1660 graphics or Quadro RTX 3000 graphics in the Surface Book 3 15 inch. The NVIDIA graphics are used when the Book 3 is attached to the keyboard base.
Anyone using modelling software, gaming, VR and even using certain Adobe CS suite features will need NVIDIA graphics for these applications to be usable. The NVIDIA graphics on the 15 model model benchmark around 40% faster than the NVIDIA graphics on the 13 inch model.
The top-end Surface Book 3 15 with NVIDIA Quadro RTX graphics is more powerful again. It's certified for a growing range of professional CAD, simulation, compositing, animation and visualisation software suites.
This makes the top end Surface Book 3 15 inch an excellent choice for engineers, motion picture makers, modellers and creatives that want to use a high quality Pen based screen in a 3D environment.
Surface Book 3 graphics options ramp up markedly with up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics in the 13.5 inch model and GeForce GTX 1660 graphics or Quadro RTX 3000 graphics in the Surface Book 3 15 inch. The NVIDIA graphics are used when the Book 3 is attached to the keyboard base.
Anyone using modelling software, gaming, VR and even using certain Adobe CS suite features will need NVIDIA graphics for these applications to be usable. The NVIDIA graphics on the 15 model model benchmark around 40% faster than the NVIDIA graphics on the 13 inch model.
The top-end Surface Book 3 15 with NVIDIA Quadro RTX graphics is more powerful again. It's certified for a growing range of professional CAD, simulation, compositing, animation and visualisation software suites.
This makes the top end Surface Book 3 15 inch an excellent choice for engineers, motion picture makers, modellers and creatives that want to use a high quality Pen based screen in a 3D environment.
The NVIDIA graphics (plus additional ports and battery life in the keyboard base) are not available when the tablet display is detached, however the Book supports removing and reversing the display in Studio mode.
Surface Book 3 usage modes and graphics availability
| NVIDIA graphics available when used in laptop mode. |  NVIDIA graphics available when used in studio mode with screen flipped. | Intel Iris Plus graphics available when used in detached screen mode. |
Other factors
While performance and features favour the Book over the Laptop, many users don't need the extra functionality. Here's a run down of remaining factors:
Surface Laptop 310th gen Intel Core i5 or i7 Lighter - 13.5 inch from 1.265kg 15 inch from 1.542kg Less battery life - 13.5 inch up to 11.5 hours 15 inch up to 11.5 hours Fewer ports 1x USB 3, 1x USB-C, 1x Surface Connect, Audio More colours (depending on screen size) - Platinum, Cobalt, Gold, Black Significantly lower cost - 13.5 inch RRP from $2,049 15 inch RRP from $2,399 |
Surface Book 310th gen Intel Core i5 or i7 Heavier - 13.5 inch from 1.534kg 15 inch from 1.905kg More battery life (with keyboard attached) - 13.5 inch up to 15.5 hours 15 inch up to 17.5 hours More ports (with keyboard attached) - 2x USB 3, 1x USB-C, 2x Surface Connect, Audio, SD Fewer colours - Platinum Significantly higher cost - 13.5 inch RRP from $3,099 15 inch RRP from $4,299 |
What about the Surface Pro
Users who want a tablet device with equivalent performance to the Surface Laptop should opt for the Surface Pro. While the Surface Laptop is primarily a traditional laptop with touch and pen support added, the Surface Pro is primarily a touch and Pen tablet with keyboard added. This makes the Surface Pro a good choice for non-power users who want a lighter and less-expensive device than the Surface Book.
Prices, specs and latest models at The Laptop Company:
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Competition for monitors and webcams has been fierce for equipping staff for work from home. Whether it’s for immediate needs or for your ongoing Business Continuity Plans for natural disasters and unexpected events, here’s some advice for equipping staff for home:
Find out what each staff member needs
The perfect home office setup resembles your office workstation, but some do not have that luxury. If working from hotel rooms, studio apartments, or crowded households, there may be no room for things like desktop monitors. Some staff may have far superior office setups at home than anything you can offer. You can save money and reduce wastage by sourcing only what your team needs.
The home office owner: Dual Display setups
Dynabook Portege X30 L with Dual Philips docking monitors and Microsoft keyboard and mouse
For staff with a work-issued laptop or tablet and dedicated home office, a dual-display setup with adjustable stands is preferable. A docking station may be the only way to connect dual-displays to their laptop, and it can also connect their peripherals with a single cable to reduce clutter. The user can leave their laptop open as a third display or close it. If closed, the user may need a webcam for meetings and calls, plus a headset with microphone.
The full house: Single monitor setup
Surface Laptop 3 with Lenovo docking monitor
For staff without their own home office, a single monitor setup may suit. Choose a large, higher resolution monitor to allow the user to put multiple documents on screen at the same time. A high-lift stand allows the monitor to sit above the laptop screen for a vertical dual-display setup. These users are less likely to require a docking station or webcam, but a good quality headset with microphone is needed for meetings and calls in noisy homes.
The single urbanite: Portable monitor setup
HP EliteBook 840 14 inch laptop with HP S14 portable 14 inch display
For staff who need a second screen but no desk, consider a 14-inch portable display to work side-by-side with the user’s laptop screen, even on a sofa. Both Lenovo and HP provide models that connect via USB-C. For these users, the laptop webcam is ready for meetings and calls.
Beware the martyr
Employees who ‘do not need anything’ may want to do their employer a favour. If in doubt, check what their role requires. If they are working in a compromised environment or missing the tools they need for their job, this will affect productivity and morale.
Check compatibility with your supplier
When matching laptops or tablets with docking stations and monitors, there will be incompatibilities. The laptop and dock need to be able to connect and output to the preferred monitors at their native resolutions without issues. When we source these, we check the laptop models your staff are using.
Even in new docks and laptops, there are limits on maximum monitor resolution based on display connectors, number of monitors connected, and whether the user is also using their laptop display.
Even in new docks and laptops, there are limits on maximum monitor resolution based on display connectors, number of monitors connected, and whether the user is also using their laptop display.
Reduce complexity for self-setup at home
Devices that require less assembly, fewer plugs and less software will be the easiest for staff to set up at home. We’ve been able to reduce workloads for IT teams and help desks while increasing user satisfaction by delivering equipment direct to employees’ homes, providing self-setup guides and using our software management services team to deploy drivers to the users’ devices remotely.
Get help and advice on Work From Home Solutions
Speak to your account manager or Contact Us for more information and pricing.
We’re seeing teams seeking the right docking stations to suit their users’ computers and monitors. Incompatibilities can range from wake-from-sleep issues, to incorrect monitor resolutions and in some cases, complete incompatibility.
Thunderbolt 3 docks
For laptops or tablets with a USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 port. Greatest support for high resolution displays (QHD, 2K and 4K) without lag or distortion and can typically charge the laptop while connecting peripherals and monitors via a single USB-C Thunderbolt 3 cable.
USB-C docks
Near-universal support for modern laptops and tablets with USB-C to connect peripherals and monitors while typically charging the laptop via a single USB-C cable.
USB-A or USB- 3.0 docks
Near-universal support for older laptops and tablets equipped with rectangular USB ports to connect peripherals and monitors. Support for high resolution monitors and video is reduced relative to Thunderbolt 3. Not able to charge laptop when connected.
Port replicators
Less common due to improvements in dock technology, port replicators that laptops are ‘clicked’ into and vendor-exclusive side-docks have their own custom specifications. We can test to ensure compatibility with your preferred monitor setups and inputs.
USB Hubs
For staff using laptops or tablets with few USB ports who need to connect multiple peripherals, including a mouse, keyboard, printers and scanner but no monitor. In general, hubs do not charge the laptop. If connecting devices that require USB power to run, including portable printers without their own power adapter, a hub with its own power supply is recommended.
What about Docking Monitors?
There are several types of Docking Monitor on the market too. These can have the benefit of further reducing cable clutter through using a single cable to connect your laptop to accessories, power, monitors and network (depending on model).
Want to get advice on choosing the right dock?
Talk to your account manager or Contact Us for more information and pricing.
For staff equipped with a laptop or tablet, replicating the workplace desk setups allow them to complete tasks with the greatest efficiency. This is useful when looking to provide safe workplaces for remote workers.
Dual monitor setups
Typical workplace setups use a dual monitor configuration for maximum productivity. For laptop and tablet users, the user might also use their device’s screen at the same time. We typically recommend the following minimum specification for monitors in a Dual Display setup:
Matching models
Mismatched monitors exhibit different colour and contrast, display content at different sizes and be difficult to position side-by-side at the same angle and height. This can create eye and neck strain and increases the complexity of connecting multiple monitors to one laptop.
IPS or VA display technology
Older TN monitors have poorer viewing angles which distort colour and contrast when viewed off-centre. This is noticeable when used in a dual-display setup with monitors placed at opposing angles. IPS and VA monitors address this, which reduces eyestrain.
Adjustable height and angle
The top of the monitor should match the user’s eye-level to reduce neck strain. Monitors with fixed stands are typically lower than this. The user should be able to tilt the display to account for glare and optimise the viewing angle of the screen.
Resolution and size
For dual display monitors, we typically supply two Full HD 1920x1080 resolution monitors. This is supported by most modern laptops and docking stations while matching the internal display of a modern business laptop to reduce potential scaling issues in Windows 10. The optimum size for this display in a dual screen setup is 24 inches.
Higher resolutions up to QHD 2560x1440 for larger monitors can be supported by new laptops but may require testing. Docking stations should be checked for compatibility with monitors above Full HD resolution.
4K monitors will require performance laptops and docking stations. Monitors larger than 32 inches may cause neck or back strain in a dual-display setup.
Higher resolutions up to QHD 2560x1440 for larger monitors can be supported by new laptops but may require testing. Docking stations should be checked for compatibility with monitors above Full HD resolution.
4K monitors will require performance laptops and docking stations. Monitors larger than 32 inches may cause neck or back strain in a dual-display setup.
Three monitor setups
Check with your supplier for a combination of laptop, dock and monitors for three monitor setups. We recommend a resolution of Full HD for these setups at 24 inches. Higher resolutions and monitor counts may require a laptop with a dedicated dedicated graphics controller.
Single monitor setups
We recommend a 27 inch or larger monitor depending on space available. To display more than one document or app on screen at the same time, consider a 2K / QHD (2560x1440) or higher resolution.
For 4K, check that the laptop can support 4K 60Hz or greater for smoother motion on screen.
For 4K, check that the laptop can support 4K 60Hz or greater for smoother motion on screen.
Get advice about compatibility and availability for your team.
Speak to your Account Manager or Contact Us for advice, pricing and availability.
Selected monitors provide docking capability. Peripherals including keyboard, mouse and sometimes LAN are connected to the monitor. All are connected to the user’s laptop or tablet with a single cable.
USB-C Docking monitors
Can typically charge the user’s laptop and connect the monitor and peripherals via a single USB-C cable. If needed for a dual monitor setup, we check the monitor supports daisy-chaining so both monitors can be connected via the same USB-C cable.
Thunderbolt 3 Docking monitors
These monitors generally provide similar capability to the USB-C monitors with the benefit of greater bandwidth to eliminate lag or distortion for users working with video and high resolution (2K, QHD and 4K) monitors.
USB-A or USB 3.0 Docking monitors
For older laptops without USB-C ports. Allows you to connect the monitor and peripherals using a single USB 3.0 cable. Unlike USB-C docks, a separate charging cable needs to be used to power your laptop. If a second monitor is used, it will typically need to be plugged directly into the laptop.
Get help choosing the right models.
Speak to your Account Manager or Contact Us for information, pricing and availability.
