Common Mistakes Law Firms Make When Buying Laptops

Buying laptops for a law firm can seem straightforward. Look at the processor, RAM and storage, compare a few prices and choose the model that appears to offer the best specification for the money.

In practice, it isn’t quite that simple.

A laptop used by a solicitor is a business-critical piece of equipment. It may be used for Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, web-based research, cloud applications and case management software, often with multiple applications and documents open at the same time.

It also needs to be reliable enough to cope with the demands of everyday professional use, secure enough for sensitive client information and practical enough to work in the office, at home or elsewhere.

Having helped established and new law firms with technology, we’ve seen several recurring mistakes when businesses are choosing laptops. Some firms understandably focus too heavily on the headline specification or initial purchase price, without considering how the laptop will perform as part of their wider IT setup or how long they expect it to remain in service.

A laptop that looks like a bargain today can become a frustrating and expensive choice if it doesn’t have enough memory, storage, connectivity or the right operating system.

This guide looks at some of the most common mistakes legal professionals make when buying laptops and, more importantly, what we recommend considering instead.

A £500 consumer laptop might look like excellent value compared with a £1,000 business laptop.

But comparing only the processor and storage doesn’t tell the whole story.

You also need to consider build quality, security, operating system, warranty, support, docking and expected lifespan.

For something as important as the computer you use every working day, the cheapest initial purchase isn’t necessarily the cheapest option over several years.

This is one of the most common mistakes we see.

8GB can still work for relatively light computing, but we don’t recommend it as the standard for a modern professional laptop.

With Microsoft 365, Teams, browsers, Adobe Acrobat, case management software and other applications open simultaneously, 8GB can become restrictive.

Our general starting point is 16GB.

For partners, heavy multitaskers and users who want additional headroom for the next few years, 32GB can be a much better choice.

If you’re buying a laptop specifically for a law firm, we recommend Windows 11 Pro.

A consumer laptop with Windows Home might appear cheaper, but it isn’t our preferred starting point for professional use.

A processor is important, but it isn’t everything.

A Core Ultra 7 laptop with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD isn’t necessarily a better choice for a solicitor than a well-balanced Core Ultra 5 laptop with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.

We would rather see the whole system correctly balanced.

A 256GB SSD may look sufficient when a laptop is new.

Over time, however, applications, Windows updates, cached files, downloads and locally stored documents can consume storage quickly.

For a new business laptop, we generally recommend 512GB as the minimum.

For users who work with large files or want additional longevity, 1TB can be worthwhile.

The processor is one of the most visible specifications when comparing laptops, but it shouldn’t be the only one.

For most solicitors, we’d recommend looking at modern business-class laptops using Intel or AMD processors, such as:

• Intel Core Ultra 5,
• Intel Core Ultra 7,
• AMD Ryzen 5,
• AMD Ryzen 7, or
• Current equivalent business processors.

The right choice depends on the laptop and the particular processor configuration.

Intel Core Ultra

Intel’s Core Ultra range is now common in business laptops and includes processors with dedicated AI acceleration in many current models.

Some business laptops also offer Intel vPro on appropriate configurations, providing additional management and security capabilities for organisations.

For a solicitor, a Core Ultra 5 is often more than adequate.

A Core Ultra 7 can make sense for heavier multitasking, senior staff or users who want additional performance headroom.

AMD Ryzen

AMD Ryzen processors are also a strong option for law firm laptops.

There is no need to automatically assume that Intel is better simply because it is more familiar.

The exact processor generation, cores, power profile and laptop design all matter.

We recommend comparing the complete laptop rather than choosing solely on the brand printed on the processor.

What about Snapdragon processors?

Snapdragon processors are increasingly appearing in Windows laptops, particularly thin and lightweight business machines. They can offer excellent battery life, low power consumption and strong everyday performance.

However, we would be cautious about recommending a Snapdragon/Windows on ARM laptop as the default choice for a law firm without first checking software compatibility.

The reason is that Snapdragon-based Windows laptops use the ARM processor architecture, rather than the x86/x64 architecture traditionally used by Intel and AMD processors.

Windows 11 on ARM can run many traditional Windows applications through emulation, and compatibility has improved considerably. However, emulation does not guarantee that every application, driver, plugin or peripheral will behave exactly as it would on a conventional Intel or AMD laptop.

This can be particularly important for law firms because solicitors may rely on a combination of:

• Case management software,
• Document management systems,
• PDF and document applications,
• Scanning software and scanner drivers,
• Printers and multifunction devices,
• Security software,
• Browser extensions and plugins,
• Dictation and transcription software,
• Specialist legal applications, and
• Older or legacy Windows applications.

Some applications may have a native ARM version, while others may run through Microsoft’s x64/x86 emulation. Certain drivers, utilities or integrations can present additional compatibility issues.

For this reason, we generally recommend Intel or AMD business laptops for law firms unless we have confirmed that the firm’s specific software and peripherals are fully compatible with Windows on ARM.

This isn’t because Snapdragon is necessarily a poor processor. In fact, Snapdragon-based laptops can be excellent machines for the right user. The issue is compatibility and certainty rather than simply performance.

For a solicitor who relies on specialist legal software every day, we would generally prioritise a proven, compatible business configuration over potentially better battery life.

How much RAM does a solicitor need?

If there is one specification we would encourage law firms not to compromise on, it is memory.

8GB RAM

We generally wouldn’t recommend 8GB for a new business laptop intended for a solicitor. It may function, but it leaves less room for multitasking and future software requirements.

16GB RAM

16GB is our recommended minimum for most solicitors.

It provides a sensible balance between cost and performance and is appropriate for typical Microsoft 365, web browsing, Teams, PDF and case management workloads.

32GB RAM

32GB is worth considering for:

• Partners,
• Senior fee earners,
• Heavy multitaskers,
• Users working with large documents,
• Users running numerous applications, and
• People who want additional long-term headroom and longevity.

It is also worth remembering that some modern thin-and-light laptops have memory soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded later.

If you think you may eventually need 32GB, it can be better to buy it at the outset.

How much SSD storage do solicitors need?

We recommend 512GB SSD storage as a starting point for most professional laptops.

256GB

We generally avoid 256GB for new business laptops unless there is a specific reason to choose it.

The operating system and applications consume part of the available capacity immediately, leaving less room for documents and future growth.

512GB

512GB is the sensible starting point for most users.

It gives sufficient room for Windows, Microsoft 365, applications and a reasonable amount of locally stored data.

1TB

1TB makes sense for heavier users or people who routinely work with large document collections, media or other sizeable files.

It also provides more breathing room over the laptop’s useful life.

Whether you’re replacing one laptop or equipping an entire team, we can help you choose business-grade technology based on how your law firm actually works.

Tell us what you need, how many laptops you require, and any preferred specifications or models you already have in mind. We’ll check the latest availability and provide up-to-date pricing and suitable options.

Buying multiple laptops? Let us know how many you need. We can often offer more competitive pricing on larger orders.

Complete the form below for a no-obligation quotation.

We’ll help you avoid the common specification mistakes and find laptops that are suitable for your firm’s software, users and working environment.

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