As remote or hybrid work becomes the norm for many businesses, laptops tend to be the go-to device for employees on the move. However, as with any device, these machines have to be maintained and the more complicated the operating system, the more maintenance and support overhead IT departments are faced with. This is why many businesses are opting for Virtual Desktop Infrastructures (VDI) or Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions. In this way, the user’s desktops and apps are centralized, easier to manage, and the company data is safe. The question that then comes up is what operating system the user ought to connect from. No longer is an operating system such as Windows required and it can be replaced by a more lightweight Linux-based one. This is exactly where Thin Clients come into the picture!

Evolution to software-defined Thin Client endpoints

In the old days, a Thin Client did take the form of a mini PC and though it provided a lot of benefits, it was not the most mobile of devices. Some vendors offered laptop thin clients, but they were often overpriced and not up to the specs of other traditional laptops. As a result of changes in the past few years, customers are now able to install their preferred Thin Client OS on the laptop of their choice, thereby creating their own tailor-made mobile thin client.

Benefits of Thin Client Laptop

By going to a laptop with a Thin Client operating system, businesses gain greater security, centralized management, and a more controlled and better-tuned user experience. With a Thin Client operating system, especially if the operating system is Linux-based and read-only, the attack surface is greatly diminished and the threat of attack on the endpoint becomes nearly non-existent. Also with such an operating system running minimal apps, management becomes greatly simplified. There is no longer a requirement for patch management tools and anti-virus software. Administrators can focus on the virtual desktops and apps on the central server or cloud, and not duplicate the effort on the endpoints. Users also benefit from a simplified experience that is specifically designed for accessing virtual workspaces.  

Thin Client Laptops will run for a longer time and save you greatly

In terms of cost of ownership and ROI, companies have a great deal to gain. Changing to a thin client laptop can double the life of the device since the hardware requirements remain low. Furthermore, It will save huge costs in terms of support as there will be less variables in terms of software and hardware that could go wrong. The management tools provided by thin client vendors allow for centralized device management and in turn, helpdesk and administration costs are greatly reduced.

Alternate between laptop and Thin Client with just a USB key

If you only want to temporarily use your laptop as a Thin Client, you can simply boot your Thin Client operating system from a USB. With a tool like ZeeTransformer, you can create a USB from which you can boot as a Thin Client. Simply insert the USB into your laptop and boot from it for a full-blown dedicated Thin Client experience. Once you remove the USB, you will be back to the pre-existing operating system which lives on the hard drive of that PC. This is particularly useful for temporary work use cases, or for employees using their personal laptop for work. This way they can keep using their personal device while working from a secure workspace provided by the company.

To summarize, you do not need to choose between a laptop and a Thin Client. Both are not exclusive and with the right operating system, a laptop can be a great Thin Client allowing users an amazing work from anywhere mobile experience.

Take 15 minutes and begin the journey to a Thin Client laptop

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Click on the video below to see how you can convert your laptop into a thin client laptop in just 15 minutes using ZeeTransformer.