Why That Bargain Laptop Could Cost Your Business More Than You Think?

Dear reader 

In today’s economy, it’s understandable that business owners are looking for ways to cut costs. One of the most common shortcuts we see is companies buying up an affordable laptop from a high street retail store and using it in their business operations.

This deal might work really well for you for a while, but the reality is this: that "bargain" has the potential to end up costing you significantly more — in compliance risks, downtime, and security threats.

But here's what’s often overlooked: Microsoft 365 Home is not licensed for commercial use. Using it in a business environment is in contravention of Microsoft’s terms and could expose you to compliance penalties.

• No business-grade warranty — which means if something goes wrong, you're dealing with delays, extra costs, and zero guaranteed support.

• Minimal cybersecurity — standard antivirus or Windows Defender offers basic protection, leaving your business vulnerable to phishing, ransomware, or data loss.

• No local IT support, no service-level agreement, and no one to call when things go wrong.

• Inability to increase the memory capacity when required.

• Insufficient disk storage space capacity and possibly slower technology

A Business-Grade Investment

Now compare that to a professional setup:

• A business-grade laptop with equivalent specs, but fitted with Windows Pro, a 3-year onsite warranty, and reliable after-sales support.

• A Microsoft 365 Business licence, fully compliant and designed for commercial use — including Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive for Business.

• Bitdefender cybersecurity to protect against ransomware, phishing, and data leaks.

• IT support with SLA-backed service that keeps your business running with minimal disruption.

Yes, the total cost over three years is higher (around R16,324), but you're paying for security, compliance, support, and peace of mind on a 24×7 basis.

Time-Sensitive Risk: Do you know: Windows 10 Support Ends in October 2025

Another crucial consideration for South African businesses is that Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, which means:

• No more security updates

• No tech support from Microsoft

• Increased vulnerability to cyber threats

• Software compatibility issues

If your current PCs are still running Windows 10 — especially on older or consumer-grade hardware — you’re soon going to have to decide: upgrade or replace?

How Should Your Business Approach This?

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Audit your current devices
   Check which machines are still running Windows 10 and assess whether they’re up to the task of running Windows 11 smoothly.

2. Budget for a staggered replacement
   Don’t wait for October 2025. Spread your investment over a few months to avoid a financial pinch and minimise disruption.

3. Prioritise compliance and security
   Get business-grade devices with Microsoft 365 Business licensing and proper cybersecurity solutions.

4. Partner with a professional supplier
   Work with a trusted IT provider who offers warranty-backed support, licensing guidance, and setup assistance.

Quick Comparison

The Long-Term Risk of Doing Nothing

Delaying your upgrade or relying on consumer hardware in a business environment increases your exposure to security breaches, non-compliance penalties, downtime, incompatibility with future software, memory requirements or disk space or limited ability to scale or adapt.

Invest Wisely. Future-Proof Your Business.

Cutting costs shouldn't mean cutting corners. A low-cost laptop may seem attractive now, but the risks to your data, reputation, and productivity simply aren’t worth it.

We help South African businesses make smart, compliant, and secure technology decisions. From hardware and licensing to cybersecurity and support — we’ve got you covered. If cashflow is an issue, your other alternative is to buy your PC upgrades on an IT rental or financed basis enabling you to spread out the investment over a manageable timeframe – we can help with that too.

📞 Let’s Chat

Let us help you make the right investment — one that works for your business today and tomorrow. If you’d like to explore how your business can work smarter – not just harder – we’d be glad to chat. Contact Du Pont Solutions for a practical assessment of your workflows and IT systems.