How much should your PC or laptop cost?

31st July 2025

IT can be expensive: how much should you be paying to ensure a device that works, but doesn’t waste your money with features you don’t need?

We have a lot of conversations with clients about the cost of laptops and computers. Unsurprisingly, everyone wants technology that works effectively for as little as possible, but it can be tricky to navigate. Spend too little and you’re stuck with devices that can’t do what you need them too; spend too much and you’ve wasted money on something you don’t need.

Here is our guide for purchasing laptops and computers – look at the prices, their capabilities, and consider which would be the best option for you and your business:

Basic Laptop (£300-£600)

These laptops would only be useful for those who used them in a very limited way. Ideal for use in schools or universities, for general home use and for light office work. They should be able to run basic programs like Microsoft Office, Zoom/Teams, cloud-based apps like Google Workspace and basic web browsing – but it might struggle beyond that.

Basic Desktop PC (£350-£700)

In a similar price range to laptops, what you need to factor in is the addition costs of things like monitors, keyboards and webcams, all of which are usually part of a laptop. A basic PC runs in the same way as a basic laptop, but with better value for performance, so perfect for standard office or home tasks.

Mid-Range Laptop (£600-£1000)

Stepping things up, these devices are suitable for most work environments, in particular remote work (which may require more than a standard laptop can deliver) and multitasking. Able to run multiple apps at once, including CRM tools, QuickBooks, Adobe Photoshop, these devices should be ideal for the office, though they may struggle with video editing or other more demanding tasks.

All-in-One PC (£500-£1200)

If a smaller laptop isn’t quite powerful enough, but you don’t have the physical space for a PC, this option may be the one for you. Usable at home or in the office, these devices can handle general work, plus some light creative tasks, similarly to a mid-range laptop.

High-End Laptop (£1000-£2000+)

This is the top end of what you can buy, highly effective devices that should be able to handle anything you throw at it. For gamers, engineers, developers, or anyone else who uses a lot of demanding applications, this is the device to go for. It will run Adobe Creative Cloud, CAD software and software development tools. Obviously, there is no need to waste money if you don’t need to, but for the best experience, this is the range to consider.

Those are the basic brackets to thing about. There are cheaper options available, but we would advise against investing in them as they won’t be able to run even the most basic applications. And you could certainly find a more expensive PC, with there being limitless options for what you could add to it to improve it, but it isn’t worth it unless you have a particular need.

If you would like any advice about purchasing laptops or PCs, please contact Interfuture Systems.