When it comes to buying embedded computers, the most important decision is choosing the right provider. Industrial systems are a long-term investment, and you want your provider to support you through its lifecycle – and beyond.

But how do you decide the best embedded systems provider for your needs? Should you just go for the biggest brand you can find? Or is personalized service and dedicated support a bigger deal?

Embedded Computers Are a Service, Not a Product

The key thing to keep in mind is that your journey of procuring an embedded system does not end with simply buying one. An investment like this is supposed to last you for years and requires active support and management by the provider. 

And this is an area where big brands can fall short of a smaller, more localized business. While the biggest PC providers have an extensive catalog, their order volume is too high to pay special attention to every customer, especially small and medium businesses with comparatively smaller contracts. 

It is a much better bet to go for a relatively smaller embedded systems provider (with a good track record, of course) that will be able to understand your business needs accurately and respond faster in case of difficulties.

Will Your Provider Customize a Board for You?

Another unique quirk of industrial and commercial applications is that no two use cases are exactly the same. Sure, you may want a network computer as well, but the workload expected  

and the number of connections you want to support will be different. 

Now with most providers, this would just mean that you have to purchase a more powerful PC, or sacrifice performance to keep the costs low. But what if your provider was willing to design a customized board that perfectly matches your use case? 

That’s the advantage of picking a local business that has engineers to give you one-on-one advice. At Global American, for example, our team sits down with you to explore all options that would work for your application, even customizing one if needed. We are committed to ensuring that every customer gets the right PC for their requirements.

Lifecycle and Upgrades

Unlike personal computers, you cannot afford to change your enterprise setup every couple of years. This is why enterprise systems often have long lifecycles for which they are actively supported by the manufacturer. 

But ultimately this lifecycle runs out, sooner for some segments of your business than others. Then comes the next stage – upgrades. 

The problem with upgrading industrial computers is that they are constantly in use. You cannot just put the whole setup out of commission until the new systems are acquired. 

Additionally, not every component of your setup might need an upgrade. Many boards performing relatively simpler roles can continue working smoothly even without new firmware upgrades – all they need is some maintenance and occasionally replacement for a faulty unit.

Once again, this is a situation in which a smaller embedded systems provider would shine. A provider experienced with local businesses would be able to maintain legacy systems far beyond their nominal lifespan, while gradually helping you upgrade your setup without disrupting the workflow.

What About Performance? 

A common concern when getting industrial computers is whether picking a local PC provider would lead to a sacrifice in the quality of components or their performance. 

But these concerns are unfounded. PC components are manufactured by a handful of companies, and these are supplied globally to all resellers under the same guarantees. 

The only role of your embedded systems provider is to design and build the boards with these components, which means you get the same Intel chip you would get anywhere.

Should You Choose a Smaller Embedded Computer Provider?

When you place an order for industrial or commercial computers, you enter a long-term business relationship with the systems provider. Choosing a multinational giant with an impersonal approach means your concerns are never adequately addressed, and you are just one small customer in their massive enterprise. 

With a more locally focused business, on the other hand, you get more personalized attention and solutions tailored to your needs. A smaller embedded computer provider will also be invested in taking care of your service queries for the years to come, and guide you through the upgrade process as well once your product needs to be phased out.