Maximizing Value:

What to Look for in Field Purchases

In a tight fiscal year, purchasing laptops locally (in-country) can lead to substantial savings by avoiding import fees, taxes, and shipping costs. However, it's crucial to ensure that the laptops meet the specifications that support effective performance, especially when working with professional tools and large files.

Brand: Dell or Lenovo

• Both brands offer robust performance and durability.

• Check for models with strong track records for reliability, especially in the business or professional lineup (e.g., Dell’s Latitude series, Lenovo’s ThinkPad or ThinkBook series).

Display: 15 to 16 inches

• A 15 to 16-inch display provides a balance of ample screen space and portability.

• Opt for at least a Full HD (1920x1080) resolution for clear visuals and reduced eye strain, especially if your team spends long hours on the laptop.

Memory: 16 GB RAM

• This amount of memory supports smooth multitasking, essential for project management software, large datasets, or video conferencing.

Storage: 512 GB SSD

• SSDs are significantly faster than traditional hard drives, providing quicker boot times and file access, essential for productivity.

• 512 GB strikes a balance between storage capacity and cost, offering enough space for software, documents, and backups.

Additional Considerations:

• Battery Life: Aim for at least 8 hours of battery life for remote or on-the-go work.

• Warranty and Support: Check if local service and warranty are available, as this can save on downtime and repair costs.

• Connectivity Options: Ensure USB-C ports and HDMI output are included for connectivity flexibility.

If you are ordering a laptop to be configured and shipped by Field Technology: 

The Field Coordinator of the project needing the laptop needs to complete this form. We typically quote 30 days from receipt of order form to delivery (to carrier).  In some cases, we’ve done them in 4-5 days (based on a quick delivery from Dell).  Most computers are hand carried to the destination … shipping is usually prohibitive.

A charge number is necessary (XXXXX-65131). 

Usually, a 15” basic laptop (Dell Latitude 15 3000 series or Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 2) is appropriate.  However, the FC (or whoever orders the laptop) can make other requests.  Sometimes, a 13- or 14-inch screen is specified.  Sometimes, a ‘nicer’ computer (Latitude 5000 series) is requested.

Accessories and Software/Applications

Normally, we order the accessories through Amazon.

Most people specify MS-Office (as opposed to LibreOffice) as their office suite.  We purchase a Volume license through Dell for MS Office Standard (VLA) charity.  They cost $112 and usually arrive in 1-2 days.  The actual activation key goes into our (SC) Volume License Service center.

Paratext is free, but registration is necessary.  Some people already have Paratext registration information and provide it in the order form. For others, it will be necessary to register them using the Paratext website.

Logos Bible Software (formerly Translators Workplace) costs $65 and requires a complicated 9-step process, which takes about 2 weeks to get approval. As a result of this, we require that the end-user register for their accounts with FaithLife and SIL. All this account information is communicated between these two organizations and the user through the user's email address. This makes it nearly impossible for us to be inserted into the process.  Also, Logos is a resource hog … after downloading and syncing the resources, you will want to turn OFF internet access (in Settings).  The sil.org website has a decent overview.