For a long time, I ran two computers. One in the office, one at home. On paper it made sense. In practice, it was a constant source of low-level frustration.
Files on the wrong machine. Settings that didn’t match. Apps that needed updating on one but not the other. And the classic moment where you sit down to work and realise the thing you need is on the other computer.
Sound familiar?
Earlier this year I decided to simplify everything, and I’m glad I did.
One laptop. Two locations. Zero headaches.
The setup is straightforward. I use a Surface Pro 11 as my main machine. At the office I have a Ugreen Revodok Max 208 Thunderbolt 4 dock connected to two Dell 4K monitors, a Logitech MX Keys keyboard, and an MX Master mouse. At home, the same dock, the same keyboard and mouse, and one Dell 4K monitor.
One cable connects the laptop to everything. When I arrive at either location I plug in and I’m ready to go in seconds. Same apps, same settings, same files, same experience.
When I need to work somewhere else entirely, I just take the laptop.
Why this works so well
The Surface Pro 11 is doing all the heavy lifting. The docks and monitors are just extending what it can do. Because the laptop is the brain, there’s no question of which version of a file is current, or whether I remembered to install that update on both machines.
Everything is also synced through Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and OneDrive. So even if I picked up someone else’s computer in an emergency, my files would be right there. That kind of flexibility is genuinely useful when you run a small business.
One device is easier to keep secure
This is something that doesn’t get talked about enough. Two computers means two sets of Windows updates to manage, two devices to monitor, two potential weak points if something goes wrong. With one laptop, security is straightforward. Updates happen in one place. I know exactly what’s on the device and how it’s configured.
Microsoft 365 handles the identity side of things too. Multi-factor authentication, secure sign-in, and all my data stored in the cloud rather than sitting locally on a hard drive. If the laptop was ever lost or stolen, I could wipe it remotely and be back up and running on another device without losing anything.
For small business owners, this matters more than people realise. Security doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be consistent. A single, well-managed device makes that much easier to achieve.
What it cost
The peripherals came to around £1,900 in total. Two docks, three monitors, keyboard, and mouse. That sounds like a lot until you consider that I no longer need a second computer, and the only thing I’ll need to upgrade over time is the laptop itself. The docks, monitors, and peripherals will outlast several laptop cycles.
Is this setup right for every small business?
Not necessarily. If you have multiple people sharing equipment, or very specific software requirements, you’ll want to think it through. But if you work across two locations and you’re tired of the friction that comes with juggling multiple computers, a single-device setup like this is worth serious consideration.
It’s one of those changes that sounds simple but makes a real difference day to day.
If you’re thinking about how to get your tech setup working better for your business, I’d love to have a chat. Get in touch and we can talk through what might work for you.
