Renting Vs. Leasing Computers – A Comparison of the Two Options

If your computer requirement is for a period of less than a year, renting a system from a computer rental company can be beneficial and a good choice. On the other hand, if your requirement is likely to run for duration of years, leasing or buying equipment should get serious consideration.

Advantages of computer rentals

• Flexibility: Rentals offer flexibility – they can be canceled or extended as needed at any point in time. A lease typically runs for a long, fixed time period.

• No penalties: Rentals can be cancelled without attracting a fine. Exiting a lease early, on the other hand, can attract steep penalties.

• Latest or advanced technology equipment: A computer rental company offers the most modern, up-to-date technology equipment along with the popular models. This means that you can rent latest equipment whenever you need and return once you are done with them. This can mean tremendous cost savings as against purchasing new equipment.

The rental solution is the best for short term needs, but is an expensive proposition over the longer term and if your requirement is extended, it is better to consider leasing or perhaps an outright purchase.

The leasing option

For longer periods, such as one to three years, leasing usually makes more business sense if you don’t have the funds for outright purchase. This is especially applicable for small businesses.

Advantages of leasing

Leasing computer equipment offers many advantages including:

• Minimal initial cost: This is especially advantageous for companies that find it difficult to meet large one-time expenses due to paucity of funds.

• Easy disposal of obsolete equipment: Most contracts permit you to return the equipment to the leasing firm at the expiry of the lease. Another possibility is a purchase at fair market value if the equipment is of value to your company.

• Access to current technology: Rapid and continuous advances in technology have resulted in cycles of technology obsolescence. Leasing lets you update your equipment inventory at regular intervals to keep pace with the latest technology in the market.

• Lesser pressure on cash flow: Leasing spreads the cost of the equipment over the lease period. Expenses are predictable, thus making cash flow and budgeting much easier to handle.

• Debt as opposed to expense: Leasing costs are counted as expenses. A loan, in contrast, is considered a business debt. Variable expenses are more suitable than debt for good company valuation.

• Flexibility: Businesses change and grow and so do their equipment requirements. Purchases can burden your company with unsuitable or old equipment, whereas lease gives you the flexibility to select equipment that the business currently requires and update when required.

Leasing is not suited to the needs of all businesses, especially start ups or home businesses, who are uncertain of the future requirements. Assess your business needs and approach a computer rental company or lease firm to discuss your options before arriving at a decision. Also, do your estimates around cost benefit for each option to make informed decisions.

For more information on projector rental or computer rentals, contact a an equipment rental specialist at VernonComputerSource.com

Projector Rentals For Impactful Presentations

Anybody who has had the experience of leading a training seminar or staffing at a trade fair kiosk will be able to describe how valuable a computer projector rental service can be for such events.

To learn from their experience, here is a short sample of problems faced by experienced training and sales professionals, and how projector rentals can be just the solution for these:

• Annoyances associated with travel – Projectors are very delicate, breakable items. Carrying one while traveling can be extremely problematic and risky. Renting a projector allows you to avoid such hassles. People traveling on business can book a projector and arrange for it to be delivered at the venue where it is needed. If your firm has multiple members of the staff traveling on work, it does not make sense to provide each person with a projector. A projector rented as and when required is definitely a more sensible financial choice.

• Expensive maintenance – Projectors cost money to maintain, as their spare parts are expensive. In certain models, just the light bulb could cost several hundred dollars. A computer projector rental will help you avoid these expenses. Good rental companies check their projectors and ensure they are in good working condition before sending them to clients. These firms also assume the liability for the projector’s upkeep.

• Current technology – Technology is ever changing and it is often difficult for firms to keep pace with current trends. Projector rentals provide access to newer models when needed. You will not have to face the problem of getting rid of obsolete equipment as you do in case of purchased equipment.

• Discarding obsolete equipment – Disposal of owned equipment is always a problem. However, when you rent projectors or any other equipment, the vendor takes responsibility for disposal and perhaps even recycling.

Here are some tips to help you to have a good and hassle free renting experience:

• Find a computer projector rental provider who can offer advice on the type of projector and screen that will suit an event hall or trade expo kiosk. Finding the right projector for your needs is based on various factors and is important ensure a crisp, clear presentation.

• Enquire regarding technical support – If you have not handled the type of projector you are renting before, you may face trouble operating it. Therefore, it would be prudent to find out in advance if the provider offers tech support onsite or even partial support via telephone.

• You should also find out if the provider offers other items that you require like an audio system, laser pointer or even a laptop. Ask about equipment availability and also the necessary technical support to help you configure everything.

Rent equipment from a reliable computer projector rental company with solid experience and trained support personnel. Ensure you do a presentation rehearsal to work out all potential snags prior to the real thing. This will enable you to spend quality time interacting with your audience instead of having to fiddle unnecessarily with the presentation equipment.

For more information on projector rental or audio visual rentals, contact a computer rental specialist at VernonComputerSource.com

Rent or Buy a Restored Apple Macintosh

When you are looking to get a cheap Apple Mac for short term or long term use, you can choose from one of these two alternatives: go for a Mac computer rental Toronto or buy a restored unit certified by Apple.

Advantages of renting an Apple Mac

Often, users who want to rent a Mac need a replacement as fast as is possible and for a short period of time until alternative arrangements are made. A Mac computer rental Toronto service is an excellent solution for many owners of Mac OS X systems who need a quick but temporary replacement. For instance, students who usually rely on a Mac for their computing needs can turn to Apple Macintosh computer rental in case their laptop gets stolen or has to be sent for repairs.

In the business arena, various small and medium sized enterprises may choose to rent a Mac rather than going in for a purchase. This is especially useful in situations such as business conventions and conferences where numerous systems are required temporarily for just a short time period. However, businesses may also find the longer term leasing option much more cost effective one than Mac rentals. Another instance where rentals are popular is the entertainment field where film or music producers find it easier to rent Apple Macs when recording or shooting at far flung locations.

Disadvantages of renting an Apple Macintosh

Many computer rental companies require you to pay a hefty deposit before obtaining an Apple Mac on rent. A Mac’s rental rate can be significant, so only as long as your need is short-term, it will make financial sense. If you need the Mac for a long period, renting could prove to be quite costly. In contrast, the cost of an Apple certified restored Mac is several hundred dollars lower than a new Mac system and is supported by the one-year warranty that comes with new Apple Macs. For this reason it is often a good option to purchase a restored Apple Mac and sell it afterwards when you don’t need it any longer. When you need the equipment for longer than a year, purchase is almost always a good option.

However, you should also keep in mind that when you purchase a computer, you become responsible for its regular maintenance. And in case something goes wrong, it would be your investment that is at stake. In case of computer rentals, the rental company is responsible for regular maintenance of the equipment. And if something goes wrong with the computer, the company will replace the equipment without any additional charge.

Though the restored Apple Mac will almost certainly be a year or two older than the latest Mac model, it is quite likely that the replacement will do the job more than adequately. But when you need a Mac for short term use, the best option is to look for a computer rental Toronto company that can offer you reliable equipment.

For more information on computer rental in Toronto or Toronto laptop rentals, contact a computer rental specialist at VernonComputerSource.com

LCD and DLP Projectors

Digital projectors are utilized to adapt image data from a computer and project it directly onto a display screen through a lens system. These projectors are widely used for screening films as well as video from media or DVD players. Projectors of this type are popular among marketers and salespeople who use them to help demonstrate their business services and products to customers. As this equipment is expensive and may be required only sporadically, digital projector rental is a popular alternative to outright purchase among many users.

Today digital projectors have a very important role in home theater systems as well as business presentations. An 800 x 600 pixel resolution is generally utilized in high end devices. Brightness and resolution are the key determinants of the final cost of any digital projector.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display and is a technology that presents the digital image for display, for instance on the screen of a laptop or through a projector. Many projectors use the LCD technology.

LCD projectors are convenient, flexible and reliable. Compatible with almost all computer systems, LCD projectors can be linked easily to a PC, laptop or video device. One of the most prominent features of an LCD projector is the ability to project images onto all surfaces with an even brightness. They can present video, graphics and data. They possess built-in speakers and long-lasting bulbs.

Digital projectors can help home users benefit from various home theater functions. More importantly buyer remorse can be effectively ruled out as the potential buyer can first resort to a digital projector rental before going in for a purchase.

Choosing a projector – DLP vs. LCD

Depending on the kind of presentation you have planned, you can choose from the LCD projector and DLP (digital light processing) projector options.

LCD projectors are suitable for static presentations such as PowerPoint, but for dynamic video and moving images, DLP projectors offer better quality results.

Where portability and weight issues are concerned, both projector types come in three categories:

• Fixed installation – usually offer higher lumen output for larger halls.

• Conference room – suitable for medium sized seminar halls.

• Ultralight portable type – with low lumen range, suited for small rooms and audiences.

The brightness factor is also vital in selecting the right type of projector. A projector with 1,000 lumens is the lowest, entry level type. Projectors with a high brightness factor of 6,000 lumens are ideal for convention centers and trade expos where audiences can run into the thousands. The average projector has 2,000 to 3,000 lumens. The higher the lumens the costlier the projector and the heavier it becomes too. LCD projectors generally offer a higher lumen output than DLP.

The two types use different technologies. LCD provides clear, crisp images in bright, rich colors in comparison to DLP projectors.

Projectors play an essential role in modern convention centers and trade shows. Digital projector rental is always an option to your business in the event you do not find the purchase option cost effective.

For more information on a renting a digital projector screen or audiovisual equipment rental, contact a computer rental specialist at VernonComputerSource.com