The environment decides more than the specification
A device for a warehouse needs a barcode scanner and to survive being dropped onto concrete. A device for a field engineer needs battery life and readability in sunlight. A device for a delivery driver needs to be usable in a vehicle, one-handed, in the rain.
Choosing on processor and screen specification while ignoring these produces a fleet that people work around.
Rugged or consumer with a case
| Consumer + case | Rugged | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit cost | £200–£500 | £600–£1,500 |
| Lifespan in harsh use | 1–2 years | 3–5 years |
| Scanner quality | Camera-based, slower | Dedicated, fast |
| Repair and support | Consumer channels | Business support contracts |
| Best for | Light field use, occasional | Warehouse, heavy daily use |
Total cost over three years is frequently similar. The deciding factor is usually scanning speed for high-volume tasks and downtime cost when a device fails.
Standardise ruthlessly
One model, or two at most. Every additional model multiplies testing, support, spares and training. A fleet of six models assembled over four years is a support burden nobody budgeted for.
Budget for the real costs
- Breakage and loss — assume a meaningful annual replacement rate in harsh environments
- Spare pool, so a broken device does not stop someone working
- Chargers, mounts, cases and spare batteries
- Connectivity per device
- Device management software licensing
Device management is not optional
Remote configuration, application deployment, lock-down to permitted apps, location for lost devices, and remote wipe. Without it, a fleet drifts into inconsistency within months.
It also protects you when a device is lost, which will happen. A device with business data and no wipe capability is a data incident waiting for a bus seat.
Involve the users before buying
Give three candidate devices to the people who will use them for a fortnight. Their verdict on weight, glove usability, battery life and scanning speed is worth more than any specification comparison.
It also produces advocates rather than recipients, which materially affects adoption.