An important consideration when buying a computer for work is whether to buy a consumer model or a machine specifically designed for business use. Many computer manufacturers offer what appears to be the same make and model of computer in both their home and business divisions, but these computers are not the same.

Here's what you need to know about the differences between consumer and business PCs, and which type to buy for your home or office.

First, determine how often you will be using the computer for business purposes. If you don’t work from home very often (for example, only during rare extreme weather events), then a consumer PC will be fine, provided the machine has the right applications and resources for your work.

A consumer computer may be more suitable if you use it 90% of the time for personal entertainment and only 10% for work.