The best laptops for your hybrid workforce
As a result of the widespread shift to remote working brought about by the pandemic, many businesses are now embracing a hybrid working model. This means that instead of bringing employees back to the office full-time, organisations are enabling their staff to split their time between their home and the office.
This move, which enables employees to enjoy the benefits of working remotely while also allowing them the option to collaborate in person, means businesses need to ensure their workforce is equipped with devices that keep up with their demanding productivity workflow. This means high-performance laptops are a must, as well as machines that enable fuss-free remote manageability and enterprise-class security tools.
The AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor has enabled a new generation of laptops that have been designed with hybrid workers in mind, complete with unparalleled performance for video conferencing, endless connectivity options, and a huge array of business-grade security features.
We take a look at some of the features that are a must-have for your hybrid workers.
Performance
Remote working, and the shift to hybrid working that has followed, has enabled a new type of working. Time spent on Microsoft Teams, for example, increased by 100% from 2020 to 2021, and employees are now spending more time than ever using cloud-based applications that allows them to better collaborate with their colleagues working from different locations.
Your employees need a business-grade laptop that will keep up with these ever-changing and ever-demanding tasks. An AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-based laptop can do just that; not only does its 6nm “Zen 3+” architecture enable fast performance but it also has been designed with flexible working in mind. For example, the HP EliteBook 865 G9 – which packs an AMD Ryzen™ 7 6800U processor – makes use of the CPU’s intelligent features to accelerate performance while employees are using Microsoft Office applications while running a conference in Microsoft Teams.
What’s more, thanks to the next-gen connectivity options offered by the built-in CPU’s built-in AMD RDNA™ 2 graphics, the EliteBook 865 supports the latest HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 standards, up to four 4K screens, and the latest high-quality codecs, ensuring your staff have the ultimate working from home setup.
Battery life is another must-have for today’s employees who need reliable portability for hybrid work anywhere. The aforementioned HP EliteBook 865 – which also boasts a 14-inch 16:10 aspect ratio display, a sleek and lightweight design, and runs Microsoft’s Windows 11 out of the box – has been rated the best business-grade laptop when it comes to battery life, offering up to 26.15 hours of non-stop productivity from a single charge.*
* All battery life claims are approximate. Battery life tested by HP as of 4.7.22, using the Bapco MobileMark 18 benchmark test on an HP Elitebook 865 G9 laptop configured with a 76WHr battery, Ryzen PRO 6850U processor with Radeon graphics, 256GB HDD, 8GB memory, Win 10 Pro, video resolution of 1920 x 1200 x 60 Hz and the power slider set to “better battery.” Actual battery life will vary based on several factors, including, but not limited to: product configuration and usage, software, operating conditions, wireless functionality, power management settings, screen brightness and other factors. The maximum capacity of the battery will naturally decrease with time and use. AMD has not independently tested or verified the battery life claim. For more information about HP’s published battery life testing and the MobileMark 18 benchmark test, see https://results.bapco.com/fdr/63601890f0f14ab5c99c634be6721d95 . RMP-33
Security
Security is another key consideration when choosing the right hardware for your hybrid workforce.
An AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-powered laptop helps protect your employees against even all kinds of attacks. The CPUs, which are the first x86 processors to integrate the Microsoft Pluton security processor*, are designed to offer chip-to-cloud protection against cyberattacks. The Pluton chip helps to eliminate vectors of attack while helping to protect critical data – such as users’ identifying information and encryption keys – from falling into the hands of hackers.
What’s more, if you opt for a Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-based laptop such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, you’re also gaining a number of additional security tools from the built-in privacy shutter to the fingerprint scanner embedded into the laptop’s business-grade keyboard.
* As of January 2022, only AMD Ryzen™ 6000 Series processors include the Microsoft Pluton security processor, while AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series processors and Intel’s latest 11th and 12th Gen processors do not. RMB-24
Manageability
With employees splitting their time between their home and the office, not to mention coffee shops and various co-working spaces, manageability has become a difficult task for IT admins, forced to contend with a multitude of devices and an endless number of networks.
However, with an AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-based laptop, managing your fleet of devices is simple. The CPU’s come with an integrated AMD Manageability processor, which offers simplified deployment and management that is compatible with your current infrastructure – so no expensive overhauls required.
For example, let’s say you equip your employees with Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-powered Lenovo Z16 laptops. You’ll be able to deploy hardware quickly and easily thanks to the CPU’s support cloud-based tools such as Windows Autopilot, you’ll have flexibility thanks to the processor’s open standards and features, and management at scale with be easier than ever thanks to Ryzen™ 6000 PRO’s support for modern management solutions, such as Windows Endpoint Manager.
What is the best laptop for your workers?
The AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-based laptop, which is sure to offer your hybrid workers all of the tools they need to work quickly and reliably from any location, is already shipping in a number of business-grade laptops.
There’s the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, which not only offers unmatched performance and an all-day battery life, but also boasts a high-resolution 13.3-inch touchscreen display, a Dolby Audio Speaker System for high-quality audio, and up to 2TB PCIe SSD storage.
Lenovo has also upgraded its ThinkPad Z16 with an AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor. This means the stylish laptop is now the ideal machine for employees with demanding workflows, as well as those working in the creative industries that require pin-sharp visuals and slick graphics performance. Alongside its powerful internals, the ThinkPad Z16 packs a massive 16-inch display, an edge-to-edge keyboard, and support for endless accessories thanks to its array of built-in ports.
HP, too, has been quick to upgrade its top-of-the-line EliteBook 845 with an AMD Ryzen 6000 processor. The compact laptop also boasts optional 4G for on-the-go-working.
Whichever AMD Ryzen™ 6000 PRO processor-based laptop you choose for your workers, you can rest assured that the device will protect against hackers, enable your employees to keep up with the most demanding of tasks, and ensures they can be easily managed wherever they’re working.
