Part 1: Post-Tax Season Upgrades

Laptops That Travel Like a Pro

May 21, 2025

After tax season wraps up, and things slow down a bit, you start to look at changing things in your tax practice. And one of the most common changes is technology. Whether you’re headed to a conference, spending time on the road, or simply taking a well-earned break, now is the perfect time to upgrade the tools you rely on most.

And it starts with your laptop (Don’t worry—Part 2 will cover desktops.)

If you use your laptop to manage sensitive tax data, meet with clients over Zoom, run your firm, or communicate with your team from a plane, train, or automobile, then it needs to be business-grade—built for reliability, security, and professional use.

It’s hard to believe, but I’m approaching 30 years of being involved in IT in some capacity. Over that time, I’ve owned more computers and tech devices than I can count. What I value most is stability, performance, design, and aesthetics. That means I tend to be an Apple user. But before you scoff (I’m talking to you, my green bubble friends), I still value PCs, spend a fair amount of time on them, and always cover them in my writing. I might even cover an Android phone at some point!

💼 Why I Prefer Business-Grade Laptops

Business-grade laptops are different from what you find on the shelf at Best Buy or in most big-box stores. They may not have flashy designs or influencer marketing behind them—but they’re made for professionals who need:

✅ Better Support - I am generally against extended warranties. BUT - paying for AppleCare or Business Support options (Dell, Lenovo) are worth it in my opinion.

Priority support lines
On-site service or advanced exchange options
Proactive updates
Often real repairability

When something breaks, you need it fixed NOW, not next week.

🔒 Stronger Security

Fingerprint readers
Built-in TPM chips for encryption - Always turn on encryption
Secure boot options and BIOS protection
Optional smart card readers or privacy screens

If you're handling sensitive information, consumer-level security isn’t enough.

💪 Built to Last

Magnesium or carbon-fiber reinforced chassis
MIL-STD rated durability
Spill-resistant keyboards
Longer life spans—often 4–6 years (or even longer) in professional environments

💻 My Top Business-Grade Laptop Picks

Here are five of the best options for tax professionals who want power, portability, and peace of mind:

💡 Note: Some (okay, most!) tax and accounting software may be Windows-only or work best on virtual desktops. Be sure to confirm your software compatibility, especially if you’re considering a Mac or iPad as your primary machine.

🍎 MacBook Air (M4) - $999 - $1999 (or more if you get carried away with storage)

Best for: Those who want a lightweight, reliable Mac that travels well

✅ Silent, fanless design
✅ 12–18 hour battery life
✅ 13-inch and 15-inch screen options available
✅ Gorgeous display and build
❌ Limited ports (USB-C only)
❌ Not ideal for virtualization-heavy workflows
❌ RAM maxes out at 32GB (not an issue for most users)
❌ Not upgradable

🔹 Why I like it: The best balance of price, performance, and portability for most Mac users.

🔥 MacBook Pro (M4 Pro or M4 Max) 14 inch or 16 inch - $1599-$4199 (or a lot more if you max out the RAM and storage)

Best for: Heavy users who need desktop-grade power on the go

✅ Top-tier performance
✅ Can drive multiple external displays
✅ Long battery life for its class
❌ Heavier and more expensive
❌ Overkill for casual users
❌ Not upgradable

🔹 Why I like it: Ideal if you run virtual machines, edit video, or just want zero slowdowns ever. I have a 14-inch MacBook Pro with 128 gigabytes of RAM and 2 terabytes of storage. It is overkill for most, but I love having desktop power on the go. I enjoy traveling and sometimes working from my favorite coffee shop (connected to my VPN).

⌨️ ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 13) - $1999 - $2599

Best for: Windows users who value security, durability, and a killer keyboard

✅ Lightweight but rugged
✅ Tons of ports (USB-A, HDMI, Thunderbolt)
✅ Optional privacy and security features
✅ Storage is upgradable. (RAM is not)
❌ On the pricey side - Lenovo has frequent deals and some organizations have discount codes available
❌ Slightly plain design — one could describe it as boardroom chic.

🔹 Why I like it: Built for business—comfortable to use all day and engineered for reliability. This is hands down my favorite Windows-based laptop. I have owned several X1s over the years.

✨ Microsoft Surface Pro 9 - $799 - $2599

Best for: Tax pros who want a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet hybrid for maximum portability

✅ Ultra-portable form factor
✅ Pen input for annotations
✅ 12 inch and 13 inch options available
✅ Optional 5G for remote work
❌ Keyboard and pen sold separately
❌ Less rugged than clamshell models
❌ Not upgradable

🔹 Why I like it: Great for travel and remote access on the move. Many people love these devices, and the 2-1 experience is compelling.

🛡️ Dell Latitude 7350 - $1369 - $2329

Best for: Those who want stability and real support without the flash

✅ Business-grade warranty and service
✅ Smart card and biometric security
✅ 2 in 1 model available
✅ Excellent keyboard and battery
✅ 5G options as well as upgradable storage (Not RAM)
❌ Not flashy
❌ May come with some preloaded Dell bloatware

🔹 Why I like it: Dependable, secure, and built for professionals. Dell Business has great next-business-day onsite support.

Honorable Mentions — Tablets

🍎 iPad Pro M4 - $899 - $2199

Best for: Those who want a tablet, a gorgeous display, fast performance, and are in the Apple ecosystem.

✅ Gorgeous display and build
✅ Fast performance
✅ 11 inch and 13 inch
✅ 5G Options
✅ Apple Pencil is excellent for notetaking, drawing, and marking up documents
❌ Runs iPad OS (not a full-fledged computer operating system)
❌ Expensive - keyboard and pencil are an additional cost
❌ Not upgradable

🔹 Why I like it: It is very light. I have apps installed to connect to my Windows server. Readwise to read articles, PDFs, etc. A familiar interface if you are an iPhone user. Excellent performance. A luxury pick for sure.

🍎 iPad Air M3- $599 - $1449

Best for: Those who want a tablet, a gorgeous display, good performance, and are in the Apple ecosystem.

✅ Great display and build
✅ Fast performance
✅ 11 inch and 13 inch
✅ 5G Options
✅ Apple Pencil is excellent for notetaking, drawing, and marking up documents
❌ Runs iPad OS (not a full-fledged computer operating system)
❌ Not as fast as the iPad Pro
❌ Keyboard and pencil are an additional cost
❌ Not upgradable

🔹 Why I like it: It is very light. I have apps installed to connect to my Windows server. Readwise to read articles, PDFs, etc. A familiar interface if you are an iPhone user. Still great performance at a lower price point. The trade-off between processing power and display quality will not be noticeable for most users.

❌ Why I Don’t Recommend Consumer-Grade Laptops

It may be tempting to grab that $499 deal on a mainstream brand. But here’s why I advise against it:

❌ Weak build quality (plastic chassis, poor cooling)
❌ No biometric or enterprise-grade security
❌ Short life spans and hard-to-upgrade parts
❌ Basic support or “mail-in and wait” repairs

You’re running a business, not gaming or browsing TikTok. You need a machine that’s designed to protect client data and keep up with your work.

🔚 Final Thoughts

A business-grade laptop doesn’t just perform better—it offers peace of mind, better support, better security, and fewer headaches. And when you’re working with confidential financial information, that peace of mind is worth every penny.

If you're upgrading this summer, start here. If you have questions about what to purchase or want my opinion on another model, please comment below.