While I get ready to start my workday from my home office on this Tuesday morning, I can’t help but think about how remote work is the new reality for many people, maybe even longer term. In fact, according to 451 Research, up to 40% of organisations will shift to a more robust work from home environment permanently. While I’ve taken advantage of Dell’s flexibility to occasionally work from home in the past, I can say now – after three consecutive months of doing so – working remotely long term is a completely different reality fraught with balancing work and life.
Most of us probably got what we needed to work from home relatively quickly, but we might not have taken the time to get the right technology and tools to work comfortably and productively. Even as a Dell employee, there were adjustments with my home office that needed to be made.
If you’re looking for recommendations on the ideal home office setup, here are a few of our favourite devices.
Your PC is Your New Companion, so Pick the Right One
Our focus has always been to offer a versatile and secure portfolio of commercial laptops to help professionals easily work from anywhere, with fast and simple connections, powerful performance and smarter devices ranging from ultra-premium to more budget friendly options.
Latitude 9510
My personal favourite is the Latitude 9510. This is my new Work from Home PC. It is the smallest, lightest, most intelligent 15-inch business PC. It offers enhanced collaboration features with premium built-in speakerphone and intelligent audio solutions that cancel background noise, up to 34 hours of battery life[2] for anyone who jumps from room to room throughout the day and 5G-ready design[3] to boost your connectivity options. If you prefer a smaller laptop, the Latitude 7410 features Dell’s first 4K, low blue light panel on a premium business PC[4] to help enhance eye comfort – something most of us could benefit from as we work longer or later hours at home.
For workers who prefer desktops or have minimal space, the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is a zero footprint desktop solution, with the PC module hidden in the stand. And for creators, engineers, and data scientists that require exceptional graphics and compute power, the Precision 5000 and 7000 mobile workstations should be at the top of your list. My favourite being the all new Precision 5750.
All of these devices include Dell Optimizer[5], our new AI-based optimisation technology that learns how each person works and adapts to their behaviour to improve overall application performance, while also advancing our commitment to sustainability.
XPS 15
Never forgetting our entrepreneurial roots, we also have great devices for small businesses. Our latest XPS 15 and XPS 17 provide bigger screens in smaller footprints. They are designed to help you unleash your creativity with powerful performance features and immersive visuals on stunning 4-sided InfinityEdge displays.
For small business owners looking for an affordable, performance-driven laptop, the new Vostro 7500 is equipped with a powerful NVIDIA® graphics card, passes the military-grade durability test (MIL STD 810G)[6] and features a spill-resistant keyboard that helps you power through morning coffee and lunch meetings.
Conference Effectively with an Integrated Adapter Speakerphone
The remote workforce is spending more time than ever in virtual meetings, but it’s not always comfortable to wear a headset for prolonged hours. If your PC doesn’t offer a high-quality speakerphone experience, the new Dell Mobile Adapter Speakerphone (MH3021P) is for you—it’s the world’s first multi-port adapter with integrated speakerphone[7]. This sleek, compact and innovative design provides convenient conferencing experiences while increasing your productivity, even while multi-tasking.
Mobile Adapter Speakerphone
The intuitive controls make it easy to navigate call functions and its numerous ports offer a wide variety of connectivity options. You’ll come across loud and clear during the calls thanks to the omni-directional microphone that can pick up voice from all directions, as well as echo cancellation and noise reduction features that eliminate background noise distractions.
The Dell Mobile Adapter Speakerphone can connect to a display that supports up to 4K resolution with HDR, transfer large media files in seconds and charge your laptop—all at once and while you are on a call. It is designed to be plug-and-play (no software downloads needed) and is optimised for platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and many more.
Maximise Productivity and Comfort with the Perfect Monitor
According to Forrester Research, 92% of workers believe ergonomically optimised monitors are critically important for improving their productivity and comfort as they shift to remote work more permanently. As the world’s leader in PC monitors for seven years running[8], we are committed to delivering the best monitors across our portfolio – from our premium UltraSharp line to every day affordable monitors like our P and E series – giving you the most ergonomic and productive workspace at home.
My personal pick is the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Monitor (U2720Q). The 4K UHD resolution helps you see four times more detail than Full HD. VESA DisplayHDR™ 400 and wide colour space coverage makes it ideal for workers and designers who value accurate colour with striking clarity.
If video conferencing accounts for a large part of your work day, the Dell 24 Video Conferencing Monitor (P2418Hz) may be the monitor for you. With a built-in 2MP Full HD infrared camera supporting Windows Hello, noise-cancelling microphone and two 5W integrated speakers, you can fully engage and collaborate in all your virtual meetings.
Click here for more tips on how to choose the right monitor for your home office.
Pick the Perfect PC Accessories
To further enhance your connectivity, set up your professional home office with the world’s most powerful charging docks9 – WD19, WD19TB, WD19DC that can charge your PC up to 80% in an hour with ExpressChargeTM 10. These future-proof, upgradable designs allow you to customise your workspace with monitors and other accessories like keyboard, mouse, headset/speakerphone and webcam. You might also want to check out the Dell Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo (KM7120W) which conveniently allows up to three-device connectivity with Bluetooth 5.011 and 2.4GHz RF (dongle) wireless connection methods, so you can switch easily across your laptop, desktop or 2-in-1. The slim, compact keyboard provides a neat and clutter-free workspace while providing up to 36 months of battery life12.
Other Tikoo Tips
While I hope the above devices help you create the perfect home office, remote work is about more than just technology. It’s also about staying positive, taking care of your health and well-being, balancing your home life while being engaged with colleagues and keeping everyone productive. You can do this by setting a daily schedule that starts with getting some exercise, getting ready for work even if its few steps away to the home office, and frequent check ins with the family during the day. Consider incorporating watercooler chats and virtual happy hours as part of your team meetings to foster personal relationships and lighten the mood. And be mindful of videoconferencing fatigue by alternating video and phone meetings, scheduling shorter meetings and building in more frequent mini-breaks to give yourself a chance to recharge throughout the day.
We invite you to share your work from home tips with us @Dell on Twitter.