Desktop vs Laptop: A Useful Guide for Procurement Managers

Choosing between a desktop and a laptop is not about which device is “better” in the abstract.

It’s all about finding the right fit for your team’s work style, the space they’ve got to work with, and the level of performance you actually need. For procurement teams, your choice will also be impacted by fleet standards, support needs and the overall cost from day one right through to the end of the device’s life.

So use the guide below to weigh up the pros and cons and set clear standards for your team, without any of the usual uncertainty.

Desktop PCs are the way to go if you need the raw power to get the job done – and that extends to the ability to upgrade your hardware at a later date. Generally, you can customise hardware to your heart’s content, which makes them the go-to choice for users who need high-performance solutions and are willing to use the space to get the most out of their machine. Gamers, video editors and graphic designers, for example, tend to go with desktops because they offer that level of performance and upgradability.

But laptops have got a lot going for them too – and that’s their portability and convenience. They let you work from anywhere, at any time, with no fuss at all. For most people, day-to-day tasks are where laptops really come into their own because of how easy they are to use and move around.

A compromise is the All-in-one desktop PC, has the benefits of a laptop (WiFi standard, smaller footprint), but the greater power & bigger screen real estate.

Ultimately though, your choice is going to come down to your budget, the space you’ve got at your desk or in your office, and whether you need a system that’s easy to upgrade or maintain as time goes on.

By taking all this into account, procurement managers should be able to make informed decisions that are exactly right for their team and find that perfect balance between performance, cost and flexibility.

Quick answer

Both desktops and laptops can be the right choice. For fixed roles in offices or back of house, a small form factor desktop with dual monitors delivers strong performance per dollar, easier upgrades and fewer battery related issues.

For mobile or hybrid roles, a laptop with a USB-C dock behaves like a desktop at the desk and travels well for meetings, training and events. High end creative and technical users may still need workstation class desktops or laptops with dGPU depending on the workload. High end laptops are also suitable for demanding creative and technical tasks.

How to choose: a simple decision matrix

Pick the device type based on where the work happens, how often the user moves and how much performance is needed.

*dGPU stands for dedicated Graphics Processing Unit

For enterprise rollouts we standardised on 14-inch business laptops with 65 W USB-C docks and dual 24-inch FHD IPS monitors. The single dock standard and a clean image cut support calls by about 25 percent. – Neil Levin

Deep comparison: what actually matters to procurement

Performance, thermals and ergonomics

Modern laptops are fast, but they still trade sustained performance for portability. The choice of processors in both desktops and laptops significantly impacts overall performance, with desktops often offering more powerful options.

Small form factor desktops handle heat better, which helps with consistent performance across long workloads and a quieter desk environment. For everyday office roles, either device is fine. For heavier tasks like data work, video editing or CAD, the desktop still offers the best performance per dollar and better upgrade options.

Desktops are easier to customise, allowing users to upgrade the motherboard, add more RAM or drives, and install faster SSD storage for improved performance. In contrast, laptop components are often harder to replace or upgrade, limiting their long-term flexibility. Upgrading a laptop is more difficult than upgrading a desktop PC due to their compact size and specialized components.

On ergonomics, fixed peripherals win. Dual monitors, a full keyboard and a good mouse reduce friction for most roles. Laptops match this once you add a dock and keep the lid closed with the external screens doing the heavy lifting.

Desktops still win for CAD and video. A small form factor desktop with a mid-range dGPU held sustained clocks better than high end laptops for a Revit team. – Neil Levin

Portability, space requirements, hybrid work and docking

Laptops allow hot desking, working from home and travel to client sites. To keep support simple, standardise on USB-C or Thunderbolt docks across floors and offices, and specify dual 24-to-27-inch monitors with VESA mounts where possible.

Give the desk ethernet to the dock, not the laptop, so the user only handles a single cable. Using a dock or all-in-one setup can also help reduce desk clutter and keep the workspace organised. Laptops come in various sizes to suit different mobility needs.

We wire power and gigabit ethernet to the dock, then run two monitor leads and a headset receiver from the dock. One USB-C cable into the laptop means users do not juggle adapters, and it removes most “which port” tickets. – Neil Levin

Manageability at scale

Reliable fleet management often matters more than raw specs.

Standardise imaging and enrolment, asset tagging and swap procedures before rollout. For Windows fleets, define Autopilot and Intune profiles and a golden image. For Apple fleets, use Apple Business Manager with your MDM. Ensure encryption, secure boot and compliance checks are part of delivery and returns.

Key checklist items for procurement:

• Imaging and enrolment documented, including Autopilot or ABM
• Asset tagging and barcode capture recorded against serial numbers
• Encryption enabled, BitLocker or FileVault, with recovery key handling
• TPM and secure boot confirmed for Windows
• Dock and monitor standard listed by model and firmware
• Swap stock ratio and mean time to replace agreed in writing
• Return logistics and DOA testing process captured

Reliability, downtime and support

A good standard reduces surprises, but incidents still happen. Desktops in back offices are easy to swap and often keep the same monitors, keyboard and network. Travelling laptops fail in more awkward places, so plan on-site spares and clear escalation paths during events and training.

What to agree up front:

• Swap stock percentage by device type and location
• On-site spares for events and training rooms
• Process to switch a user into a loan device
• MTTR targets by site and by state
• Warranty and accidental damage cover where relevant

Cost to run and total ownership costs

When it comes to ownership and energy costs, it really does make a difference. Desktops often come out on top in terms of bang for your buck; they give you better performance for the price and you can usually upgrade them to keep them running smoothly for a lot longer. All that, compared to laptops, which generally can’t match desktops on the price-per-performance front.

But laptops do have some advantages. They’re more portable, and you can still hook them up to a proper desktop setup when you need to get some real work done. Plus, despite their design constraints, laptops do manage to pack a bit more punch per dollar than you might expect.

One way that laptops often save you money is by using less power than desktops. So, over time, that can add up to some serious savings on your running costs. If your budget is tight, then affordability might end up being the deciding factor when it comes to choosing between a desktop and a laptop.

Both types of devices can handle the usual suspects, word processing and the like but ultimately it will come down to what you can afford. And let’s not forget that laptops tend to be a fair bit pricier than desktop PCs with similar specs.

For short-term projects or events, renting is usually a much better bet than buying. It saves you a big upfront cost and means that devices don’t just sit idle after the event.

If you want a quick and dirty look at the energy costs, just compare a typical business laptop to a small-form factor desktop over the course of a year. Take your local energy rate and your expected daily use, multiply that by the number of working days to give you a straightforward picture of your main running expense.

Worked example template

• Laptop average draw under office use: X watts
• SFF desktop average draw under office use: Y watts
• Hours per day under load: H
• Working days per year: D
• Energy cost per kWh in your state: $K
• Annual cost laptop: (X × H × D ÷ 1000) × K
• Annual cost SFF desktop: (Y × H × D ÷ 1000) × K

Rule of thumb on energy use in office conditions: business laptops land around 80 to 100 kWh per year, while small form factor desktops sit roughly 150 to 200 kWh. Duty cycle and monitor count shift the numbers, but the gap is consistent. – Neil Levin

Durability and repair

Desktops generally offer better durability and easier repairs than laptops. Larger chassis and enterprise-grade parts handle heat and wear better. Core components such as the CPU, GPU, RAM and storage are also more easily accessible, so parts can be swapped or upgraded quickly, keeping mean time to repair and costs down. Desktop PCs have a modular design that makes them easier to repair.

Laptops are compact and tightly integrated, which can make repairs slower and more expensive, especially for screens, hinges and batteries. Although there are exceptions, rugged and gaming-class models use reinforced cases and improved cooling, but they still have fewer user-serviceable parts. Laptops are less durable than desktop PCs due to their smaller size and delicate components.

Bottom line: if durability and ease of repair are priorities for fixed desks, a small form factor desktop with standardised peripherals is often the smarter choice. For mobile teams, standardise on docked laptops, add protective cases and accidental damage cover, and hold a small spare pool to keep downtime low.

Connectivity and networking

Desktops offer the widest native connectivity. Full-size chassis allow more USB ports, dedicated RJ45 Ethernet, multiple DisplayPort or HDMI outputs and room for PCIe expansion cards. This makes multi-monitor, external storage and specialised peripherals straightforward with fewer adapters. Desktops can accommodate multiple large monitors for better ergonomics during long hours of use.

This makes multi-monitor, external storage and specialised peripherals straightforward with fewer adapters. Laptops trade some ports for mobility, but modern USB-C and Thunderbolt bring fast data, charging and external display support. With a good dock, a laptop can match most desk setups.

Practical standards to reduce friction:

• Desktops: specify native dual display outputs, front and rear USB, and gigabit or faster Ethernet. Add PCIe cards if you need extra NICs or specialty I/O.
• Laptops: standardise on a single USB-C or Thunderbolt dock that delivers power, Ethernet and dual monitors over one cable. Choose docks that support your monitor resolutions and refresh rates.
• Networking: wire Ethernet to the dock at the desk, keep Wi-Fi 6 or 6E for mobility, consider LTE for field roles.

Bottom line: for fixed desks and heavy peripheral use, desktops keep things simple with built-in ports and easy expansion. For hybrid teams, a laptop plus a standard dock delivers desktop-like connectivity with the option to move.

Scenarios and recommended standards

These are starting points, not hard rules. Different people have different needs and preferences, so the choice between a laptop or a desktop depends on individual requirements and usage scenarios.

Standard office worker, fixed desk

• Recommended: small form factor desktop, dual 24 to 27 inch monitors, full keyboard and mouse, wired ethernet
• Why: lower cost to run on long duty cycles, easy to swap, stable peripherals; a desktop is meant to stay in a fixed location, making it ideal for stationary work environments
• Alternative: laptop with dock for teams that sometimes move between rooms

Hybrid worker, two to three days at home

• Recommended: laptop with USB-C or Thunderbolt dock, two external monitors at the office, one or two at home
• Why: one cable at the desk, consistent experience across home and office; for hybrid work, a laptop or a desktop can be considered, but a laptop offers the mobility needed for switching locations
• Accessories: headset, webcam if monitor lacks one, spare USB-C power adapter for the bag

Field or remote teams

• Recommended: lightweight laptop, ruggedised sleeve or case, LTE option if Wi-Fi is unreliable
• Why: they travel, connectivity and durability matter more than raw speed
• Accessories: car charger, spare power adapter, mobile hotspot

Creators, CAD, analytics and video

• Recommended: workstation desktop with dGPU or high-end laptop with dGPU, colour accurate monitors, proper storage
• Why: sustained performance, thermals and colour accuracy are critical; depending on whether you need portability or maximum power, you may choose a laptop or a desktop for these demanding tasks
• Accessories: calibrated monitors, fast external storage, proper docking

Retail deployments and back office

• Recommended: small form factor desktop or mini-PC with VESA mount and cable management
• Why: cleaner cabling, easier to secure, simpler to swap

Training rooms, projects and events

• Recommended: rental laptops with standardised image and docks, or SFF desktops for fixed rooms
• Why: fast setup, consistent experience, no asset sitting idle post event

Implementation checklist for procurement

Use this to get sign-off faster. Turn it into a one-page attachment to your business case.

• Device choice by role documented, desktop or laptop with dock
• Dock and dual monitor standard chosen, firmware version listed
• Imaging, Autopilot or ABM and MDM enrolment steps captured
• Asset tags and barcode capture process agreed
• Encryption, secure boot, compliance checklist included
• Swap stock ratio, MTTR targets and escalation path documented
• Delivery logistics by city confirmed, including road cases for events
• Returns, DOA testing and end of term data sanitisation noted

Sustainability and lifecycle

Standardisation reduces e-waste, since you can reuse docks, monitors and cables across multiple device generations. Rental extends device life through reuse between projects and reduces the number of underused assets in cupboards.

For owner fleets, small form factor desktops allow simple RAM and storage upgrades, which can add a year or two to a device’s useful life.

Working with Hire Intelligence

Hire Intelligence supports hundreds of laptop and desktop rollouts each year for Australian corporates, retail operations and exhibition organisers.

Teams benefit from consistent imaging, asset tagging, national logistics and fast swap procedures during events and training. You can trial a standard before you commit, or rent to cover a peak project without buying a fleet you will not need later.

Speak to our team for a dedicated quote on your next desktop or laptop rollout.

FAQs

Is a desktop or a laptop better for a standard office role

Both work. If the user never moves, a small form factor desktop with dual monitors is cost effective and easy to support. If the user moves sometimes, a laptop with a dock gives the same desk experience. Basically, desktops are better for fixed roles, while laptops are better for mobile roles.

Can a docked laptop fully replace a desktop for dual monitors

Yes, if you standardise the dock and monitors. Choose USB-C docks that support your monitor resolutions and refresh rates and wire ethernet to the dock for reliability.

Which lasts longer in a fleet, a laptop or a small form factor desktop

Desktops typically outlast laptops because they are easier to service and upgrade. Laptops are more likely to suffer battery wear and travel damage, which you can mitigate with spares and good cases.

What is the easiest device type to manage at scale

Either works if you standardise images, docks and monitors. Desktops are simpler to swap on site. Laptops need a clearer plan for spares and travel incidents. Organizations need to decide which device type best fits their management needs.

How do we minimise downtime during events

Pre-build images, test every unit, hold on-site spares and set a swap process that puts a new device in the user’s hands within a set MTTR window.

How do energy costs compare in a typical office

It depends on your devices and usage profile. Use the worked example above with your state’s kWh rate to estimate the annual cost difference. Also, consider your software requirements, as some applications may perform better or require specific hardware.