Choosing computer rentals over purchasing is a big decision, especially when figuring out the cost. Your business may only save money by renting if you need to replace your computers with newer models every year or less anyway.

Most computer rental companies don't make it easy to calculate your pricing and costs of computer rentals, because they won't give you prices up front. They'll ask you to request a quote from them instead, depending on how many units you need and your location. Your decisions also include:

1. Renting computers by the month or week

2. Determining on desktop or laptop computer rentals

3. Choosing between Windows-based PCs or Mac computers

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get the best deal for desktop computer renting and leasing

Almost every business will need desktop computers, and the best thing is renting multiple units of the same brand. You also must make sure all the computers you rent have the same version of Windows installed so all your computers are compatible.

I recommend: Tech Travel Agent rents out desktop computers for about $99 dollars a week and $149 per month, but they advertise that the price can drop up to 35 percent based on specification and location. Egads Computer Corporation offers rentals for as little as $75 for one to three days to $650 for six months. However, the monitor is extra at $20 to $250, and they offer memory and software upgrades for $10 to $200 depending on length of time.

Look at pricing for laptop computer rental

You shouldn't need to rent as many laptop computers as you would desktop ones. A few small businesses may exclusively use laptops, but mostly you'll need a handful for a few employees to compliment the desktops you have.

I recommend: Digital One Rental Solutions has numerous laptops and notebooks, renting them for as little as $75 to $90 a day to $149 to $199 a month. Most units come with carry cases included. Instant Laptop Rental has Business rental packages for $49 to $149, Professional for $69 to $169 and Executive for $89 to $189. They also offer equipment protection for $199.

Find Apple/Macintosh computer rental services if your business prefers them

Businesses that focus on artistic and creative design usually find that Macintosh computers work best for them. Any computer rental company should offer Mac desktops and/or laptops for rent, as Apple gradually increases its presence in the business world.

I recommend: Meeting Tomorrow offers standard and premium MacBooks from $249 to $399 per unit, depending on the type of notebook and weekly vs. monthly rental. Their round-trip shipping costs are about $199 total but could increase to around $229 for 15 or more units. CRE Rentals leases out the iMac, PowerMac and MacPro for $325 to $395 to $595 per week and $425 to $495 to $795 month. Their shipping varies on the size and location, and they recommend using a FedEx or UPS account if you have one.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your computer rental service to see what software is included on the units. Find out if they have any restrictions on what software you can install.

PC rentals can be a real lifesaver in a number of business situations. For instance, renting computers can keep your business running smoothly when your regular computers crash or when you travel. Likewise, renting computer equipment is a good way to test out new technology without footing a hefty bill. In addition, by renting computers, you can avoid the high upfront costs associated with purchasing computers. This can be especially attractive to start-ups that need to control costs.

Computer rentals are typically made on either a short-term or long-term basis and terms may be negotiable. PC rentals make good business sense for many reasons, including:

1. Keeping up with technology: By renting computers, you may be able to trade up to a new model when new technology is introduced.
2. Affordability: Computer rentals are a great way to reduce costs.
3. Support: Many computer rental companies offer IT support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
4. Convenience: PC rentals may be the best solution if you travel to tradeshows or conferences and need multiple computer stations for demos or training sessions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Laptop rentals

Renting a laptop is a great way to test drive new computer equipment without committing to it if you don't like it. Laptop rentals are also great for sales people who travel regularly.

I recommend: ICC offers multiple choices in laptop rentals including HP, IBM, Dell, Apple and custom-built laptops. Rentacomputer.com offers laptop rentals in more than 1,000 cities across the country. Laptoprent.com offers laptop rentals on Apple MacBook Pro, Apple PowerBook, Dell or HP brands.

Next day computer rentals

Next day PC rentals can save the day when your computer crashes unexpectedly. The most common reason that people opt for renting computers for next day services is for trade shows and events where you only have one day to set up and take deliveries for the event.

I recommend: Meeting Tomorrow provides same-day and next-day computer rentals in most U.S. cities. Abcom Computer and Audio Visual Rentals offers computer equipment and audio/visual equipment for next day delivery to your business or event location.

Short-term and long-term PC rentals

Short-term computer rentals are a great solution for seasonal businesses that hire additional employees during peak sales periods. Long-term computer rentals are a great option for small businesses or corporations that don't want to shoulder the costs of purchasing.

I recommend: CRE Computer & A/V Solutions specializes in short-term PC rentals for mini tower, desktop or small form factor sizes in addition to peripherals, projectors and plasma screens. RUSH Computer Rentals offers national corporate and event computer rentals to worldwide locations. Action Computer And Audio Visual offers delivery of PC rentals to convention centers across the country along with 24/7 technical support. Vernon Computer Source offers the ability to change your terms — short-term, long-term, rent-to-own or purchase — at any time. Smart Source Computer & Audio Visual Rentals provides long-term computer rentals to corporations.

Computer equipment and accessory rentals

If you are renting computers for events or tradeshows away from the office, you need more than just the CPU and monitor. Many computer rental companies rent other necessary computer equipment, such as printers, peripherals, audio/visual equipment and projectors.

I recommend: Excel Presentation Services specializes in providing presentation equipment, such as audio/visual equipment, projectors, screens and lighting equipment to complement computer rentals. KVM Rents offers rental equipment including flat panel screens, laptop computers, desktop computers, printers, fax machines and other accessories.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Find out how computer rental companies ensure your privacy. Ask if they wipe the hard drive clean from computer rentals after you have used them to protect your intellectual property.
• •  To maintain permanent copies of your files when renting computers, you'll need to transfer them to a CD, DVD, USB drive, firewire drive or external hard drive.
• •  Before you sign a lease, check out the terms for early termination. Some computer rental companies charge a penalty fee if you return the rental early. Try to find a company with flexible terms in case your needs change.
• •  If you are renting computers for the long term, ask computer rental companies if they let you trade up to new technology and computers as they come to market.

Saving money on computer rentals can be as simple as shopping around and comparing prices and services. It can also be a complicated process if you find a corporate computer rental company that hides extra fees in the rental contract. So you need to be sure to do your due diligence before you use any computer rental services from any company.

Saving money on computer rentals also involves using common sense. Use the same business skills to find a laptop computer rental or rent a PC that you would to make any other business decision. This includes staying within your budget. As you look at saving money on computer rental services, you need to evaluate the following:

1. The new technology that may be available in new computer rentals that isn’t otherwise available on computers you already own.

2. The ease of travel with laptop rentals especially if you don’t already own one.

3. The number of accessories, like network routers, you may need to rent also to make your laptop computer rental network especially if you are using the rentals in a conference setting.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Compare prices on laptop computer rentals

Comparison shopping is the best way to know if you are saving money on computer rentals. As you look at laptop rentals, be sure models you are comparing have similar specs. Renting many computers at once could be cheaper per-computer than renting them individually; for instance, renting computers for a team of temporary employees is a great way to save.

I recommend: Depending on the number of laptop computer rentals you need, you can save money when you rent a computer online using the services of Rentacomputer.com. Rentfusion is another option to consider when you need computer rental services that can save you money.

Find better deals with desktop computer rentals

Unless you need the laptop for travel, consider renting desktop PCs rather than laptops. Rental price quotes on desktops tend to be much lower. As with laptops, be sure you comparison shop machines with similar specs. And consider longer-term leases for desktops as this may help you save money. You should also find out what kind of support the rental company offers, as this service could save you a lot of money.

I recommend: SmartSource Audio & Visual Rentals can help you save money on computer rentals of desktop PCs. The computer rental company Rentex matches and beats competitor’s bids by 10 percent. Vernon Computer Source explains the benefits of saving money on computer rentals.

Consider used computer rentals

While technically most computer rentals are not new out of the box, the technology is new. Older, used computers, either laptop or desktop models, may be a good way to save extra money on your rental bill. If you don't mind a laptop that may have some scratches or wear, this is a good option to help you save money.

I recommend: Consider a rent-to-own option on used PC rentals as a way of saving money on computer rentals. Computer rental companies like Electro Rent offer this as an option for computer renting and leasing. Vernon Computer Source also offers used computer rental options that can save you money.

Lots of businesses at one time or another need to rent a computer for a trade show or other daily event, or for short term use for overflow staffing or some other special project. Other businesses rent computers to evaluate various models prior to purchase. When looking at a computer rental agreement, there are a number of basic and very important things a renter should look for. Here are some of the key terms for fundamental considerations in getting the extra computers you need on short notice.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Desktop and laptop computers

The first consideration for renting a computer is deciding whether you need a laptop or a desktop. A desktop computer is one with various separate parts including the monitor or screen and the motherboard, where the actual computer sits in a tower case or similar design. A laptop or notebook computer is all one piece and very portable.

I recommend: See more on desktops and laptops at Essortment.

Peripherals

When renting computers, also think about what kinds of peripherals will be included in the rental. Peripherals are any extras that connect to the computer, such as mouse models or keyboards, as well as external speakers. A lack of included peripherals can make practical use of the computer difficult.

I recommend: See more on peripherals at Webopedia.

Computer processor speed or CPU

The processor speed of a computer, also called CPU, depends on what kind of microprocessor chip runs the computer. Find out about this at rental time by researching chip brands and noting speed ratings provided.

I recommend: See more on CPU at this Tech FAQ page.

Operating system

The operating system of a computer is the software that runs all of the computer processes from boot-up time. This is very important for compatibility with hardware and software, so check into it when renting, to make sure whether the computers are loaded with Apple (Macintosh), Microsoft or open source operating systems.

I recommend: Find out more about operating systems at WiseGEEK.

Rental flexibility

Flexibility in the rental agreement is important for some renters. Rental flexibility includes whether equipment can be returned in a window of time as opposed to a specific deadline.

I recommend: See more on computer rental flexibility and other considerations at this Business Computer Rental Guide.

Multiple sources

Some rental companies link up with others to provide a wider range of computers for rent at any given time.

I recommend: See more on multiple sources for computer rentals and other aspects of computer rental at this RentaComputer blog site.