Buy the corporate line laptops from whatever vendor you use. Speaking generally,
* Consumer products are sold based on cost; when consumers shop, that's all they look at. Corners are cut to keep costs down - that's what consumers demand.
* Corporate products are sold based on availability (reliability), serviceability, and support; that's what IT departments shop for because those line items cost businesses far more than the extra couple hundred in up front cost. Imagine the cost of just a a few hours of downtime over the entire lifetime of the computer - lost productivity, skilled labor to for repairs, parts, distraction and disruption.
Yes, corporate products cost more; if you insist on lower up front cost, the manufacturer is going to give it to you. You get what you pay for. The same goes for support; pay for premium support.
My impression of HP's consumer-level stuff is that it's cheap in every way, but I never use it. I do have a ~12 year old heavily used HP corporate line laptop not far from where I'm sitting; it works perfectly except for the trackpoint (touchpad is fine), and the finish is a bit worn where the user's palms rest.
* Consumer products are sold based on cost; when consumers shop, that's all they look at. Corners are cut to keep costs down - that's what consumers demand.
* Corporate products are sold based on availability (reliability), serviceability, and support; that's what IT departments shop for because those line items cost businesses far more than the extra couple hundred in up front cost. Imagine the cost of just a a few hours of downtime over the entire lifetime of the computer - lost productivity, skilled labor to for repairs, parts, distraction and disruption.
Yes, corporate products cost more; if you insist on lower up front cost, the manufacturer is going to give it to you. You get what you pay for. The same goes for support; pay for premium support.
My impression of HP's consumer-level stuff is that it's cheap in every way, but I never use it. I do have a ~12 year old heavily used HP corporate line laptop not far from where I'm sitting; it works perfectly except for the trackpoint (touchpad is fine), and the finish is a bit worn where the user's palms rest.