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Beyond Windows 10: A Strategic Opportunity for Compliance and Modernisation

The end of official support for Windows 10 marks a strategic turning point for UK organisations. It’s a clear opportunity to move your business from a reactive footing to a proactive one. The migration to Windows 11 is a business-critical decision that allows you to secure your operations, protect your data, and build a modern, resilient technology foundation. 

 

A Strategic Path to Modern Compliance and Governance 

For large enterprises and public sector bodies, achieving compliance is essential for operational continuity. Windows 11 is built with a modern security architecture designed to help you meet these goals. 

  • Hardware-Level Security: Windows 11’s requirement for TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) provides hardware-based encryption. This is a critical component for protecting sensitive data and aligning with stringent standards like Cyber Essentials Plus. 
  • Control Data Access: The operating system delivers robust identity protection, vital for implementing zero-trust principles. This gives you granular control over who accesses sensitive data, a key part of modern governance and risk management. 
  • Invest in a Modern Platform: Migrating to Windows 11 is an investment in a platform that receives continuous security innovation. This protects your organisation from emerging threats and demonstrates a clear commitment to security best practices. 

 

For the Growth-Focused Business Owner 

If you are a Small or Medium Business (SMB) owner, your focus is on reliability and growth, not IT problems. You need technology that works, protects you, and stays out of the way. The move to Windows 11 directly supports these needs. 

  • Protect Your Business: A cyber-attack can cause serious disruption. Windows 11’s improved security baseline provides a much stronger defence against ransomware and data theft, protecting your operations and your reputation. 
  • Focus on Your Business, Not IT: Running an unsupported OS, often on older hardware, can lead to system failures and lost productivity. A modern OS and hardware mean reliable performance. This reduces time spent on IT issues and allows your team to focus on serving your customers. 

The end of Windows 10 support is a catalyst for positive change. It’s the right time to assess your environment and develop a migration plan. XMA can help you manage this transition efficiently, ensuring you achieve a more secure and compliant organisation with minimal disruption. Contact us at enquiries@xma.co.uk or take our Quiz to see how XMA can help you maximise your journey to Windows 11

Take The Quiz

What to Do with Your Old Headsets? The Swap, Save & Sustain Programme

In any business environment, IT peripherals are replaced frequently, and headsets are one of the most common items. This often leads to an overlooked challenge: a growing collection of old, non-functional, or obsolete headsets from various brands, taking up space in desk drawers and storage cupboards. 

These devices are electronic waste (e-waste), which is the fastest-growing waste stream globally. Simply disposing of them in general waste is not a responsible option, yet finding a simple, secure, and cost-effective recycling path is often difficult. 

XMA supports initiatives that provide a practical solution to these exact challenges. We are highlighting the “Swap, Save & Sustain” programme from EPOS, designed to help organisations responsibly recycle old technology while providing a clear financial benefit. 

 

How the EPOS Recycle Programme Works 

The programme is a straightforward process designed for any new or existing customer, particularly those managing a mixed estate of headsets from different manufacturers. 

Here is the step-by-step process: 

  1. Request Bins: Contact your XMA account manager. We will coordinate with EPOS to have headset recycling bins delivered to your offices. 
  1. Collect Old Devices: Fill the bins with your organisation’s old headsets. This programme accepts any brand and any type, whether they are wired or wireless Bluetooth® devices. 
  1. Arrange Collection: Once you have a minimum of 100 headsets, EPOS will arrange to collect the old units at your convenience. 
  1. Responsible Recycling: The collected headsets are then assessed to be properly reused or recycled, ensuring they are diverted from landfill. 

 

The Business Outcomes: Cost and Compliance 

This programme delivers two tangible business outcomes, addressing both financial and sustainability objectives. 

  1. Financial (Save) For recycling your old devices, you will receive a discount when you place a minimum order of 100 or more new EPOS headsets. This makes your next technology refresh more cost-effective.
  2. Sustainability (Sustain) This is a critical component for organisations focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets. Upon completion of the recycling process, you will receive a certificate from EPOS.

This certificate formally recognises your commitment to sustainability and details the total weight of e-waste you have successfully diverted from landfill. This provides auditable proof that can be used directly in your organisation’s sustainability reporting. 

 

Why This Matters: The Data 

Choosing to recycle IT peripherals has a measurable positive impact. 

  • Reduces E-Waste: Certified recycling channels ensure that small IT accessories, which frequently end up in landfill, are treated responsibly. 
  • Conserves Materials: Headsets contain valuable resources like copper and plastics. Recycling reduces the demand for new virgin materials. 
  • Avoids Carbon: Estimates suggest that reusing a single corporate-grade headset can avoid up to 12kg of CO2 equivalent emissions by removing the need to manufacture a new device. 

 

Get Started 

The EPOS Swap, Save & Sustain programme provides a practical, financially sound method for managing the lifecycle of your old headsets and visibly demonstrating your commitment to sustainability. 

To take advantage of this programme, please get in touch with your XMA account manager or contact us directly at enquiries@xma.co.uk. 

Is Your Hardware Ready for the AI-Driven Workplace?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing how we work. As organisations adopt AI-powered tools to improve productivity, a critical question arises: can your current computers handle the demand, or are they becoming a blocker to innovation?

For years, the hardware replacement cycle has often been reactive: When a device fails, it gets replaced. However, the shift to AI requires a more strategic, proactive approach to your device strategy. This is where Copilot+ PCs, running on Windows 11 Pro, represent a necessary evolution.

 

What Makes a Copilot+ PC Different?

Copilot+ PCs are the first generation of computers built specifically for the era of AI. Their key differentiator is the inclusion of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), a dedicated processor designed to run AI tasks efficiently directly on the device.

This new architecture provides critical business advantages:

  • Performance: These are the fastest Windows PCs ever built. The powerful, 40+ TOPS NPU frees up the main processor (CPU) and graphics card (GPU), resulting in better overall system speed and responsiveness. In benchmark tests, Copilot+ PCs perform up to 5X faster than 5-year-old Windows PCs1.
  • Security: Copilot+ PCs provide the most powerful Windows security by default. Rather than relying on a single feature, they integrate hardware-based protection, including Secured-core PC safeguards and the Microsoft Pluton security processor. This layered approach is estimated to block 70% of typical breach vectors2.
  • Efficiency: The NPU enables new AI capabilities to run with high efficiency. For a hybrid workforce, this translates to tangible benefits like all-day battery life, with devices offering up to 22 hours of local video playback or 15 hours of web browsing on a single charge3.

 

Addressing Key Business Challenges for Every Organisation

This new category of hardware is designed to solve distinct challenges for organisations of all sizes.

For the Enterprise IT Director: A Strategic Approach to Innovation and Risk

For large organisations, AI adoption introduces significant questions around security, compliance, and total cost of ownership. Copilot+ PCs allow you to build a refresh strategy that is both innovative and responsible.

  • Mitigate AI Data Risk: For specific features like the new Recall (preview) function, AI processing occurs locally on the device. All snapshots are securely encrypted and stored on the PC, helping you meet governance and compliance obligations. IT administrators retain granular policy control to disable or manage these features.
  • Future-Proof Your Investment: Adopting AI-ready hardware ensures your device estate is prepared for the applications of the next three to five years. This maximises the long-term value of your technology investments and aligns with a projected substantial ROI over three years.2
  • Strengthen Operational Resilience: Use the advanced, hardware-based security features of Windows 11 Pro, specifically Secured-core PC protection and Microsoft Pluton, to build a stronger defence against new AI-powered cyber threats.

For the Growth-Focused Business Owner: Productivity and Peace of Mind

For a small or medium-sized business, technology must be a reliable tool that supports growth, not a source of frustration. Copilot+ PCs provide access to capabilities that directly address your main concerns.

  • Increase Staff Productivity: Provide your team with faster PCs and new AI features that automate repetitive work. This delivers real-world results, with an expected time-saving of up to five hours per employee each week.2
  • Protect Your Business Data: The built-in, hardware-level security of Copilot+ PCs defends against common threats. This approach is validated by IT leaders, as 96% say that hardware-based protection provides a more secure environment.4
  • Control Your IT Costs: The fear of large, unexpected IT bills is a major concern. Our Device Management as a Service (DMaaS) model provides new Copilot+ PCs, plus all security and support, for a single, predictable monthly fee, removing the risk of surprise costs.

 

Build Your Strategy with an Expert Partner: XMA

New technology is only valuable if it can be implemented effectively and if your team can use it from day one.

Moving to Copilot+ PCs doesn’t have to be a complex or disruptive process. XMA provides the practical support and technical expertise to help you build a clear, costed, and compliant strategy for your upgrade to Copilot+.

Is your organisation ready for the next wave of AI-driven productivity?

Contact us today at enquiries@xma.co.uk to arrange a Copilot+ PC Readiness Assessment, and we’ll provide a clear, data-driven plan for your migration.

 

1. Based on Cinebench 24 Multi-Core benchmark. Learn More

2. New Tech: The Projected Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft-commissioned study by Forrester Consulting, July  2025. Projected benefits for a single composite organization that has US$1 billion annual revenue and 2,000 employees with 80% using Copilot+ PCs. In comparison to a mixed environment of conventional Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs.

3. Battery life varies significantly by device and with settings, usage and other factors. See Copilot+ PCs claims.

4. Understanding Employee Productivity and Satisfaction Benefits of Next-Generation AI PCs as You Plan Your Next Refresh, IDC in partnership with Microsoft, August 2024.

Android Desktop: Where Is It At Today?

This is the third in a series of blog posts exploring Android Desktop. Our Head of Pre-Sales, Scott Wright, will be looking at the current state of Android Desktop, following its improvement as release approaches, examining use cases, looking at essential apps & peripherals and more. 

Picture of Scott Wright

Scott Wright

Scott is XMA’s Head of Pre-Sales. An IT industry greybeard, as well as an Android fanboy he is also a military history & technology nerd so would love one of the unobtainable Samsung Tactical Editions.

Android Desktop: Where is it at today? 

Today I’m going to talk about the current state of Android Desktop and some of the key productivity applications. Despite being in a surprisingly complete state there is still definitely work to be done on Android Desktop and a lot of apps will need feature improvements to deliver in this significantly changed use case. 

A big update has just dropped on 10th Oct which brings Desktop Experience to regular (non-Beta) Android. If you’ve got a device that has had its Android 16 update you can now enable Desktop Experience via developer options without needing to enrol in the Beta program. There seems to be improvements in this version which are not in the current Beta version so I will be switching to that and re-writing this post.  

 

So where is Android Desktop itself at? 

The core functionality is here – apps in movable, resizable windows, a taskbar, etc. Android has always been quite good at interface scaling and many apps have a tablet mode that makes them work at least adequately well on a monitor. There are, however, a whole variety of niggles that will need attention (and do remember that this is a pre-release version of the software): 

  • You can’t unlock the device via mouse and keyboard, you have to unlock via the phone 
  • The phone screen has to be kept on. If you hit the power button to turn off the display (as you might do when listening to music, for example) the monitor will also be disconnected This is more than an annoyance as many phones (including this Pixel 9 Pro) will get quite hot after keeping the display active for a prolonged period of time (will this get fixed or will phone stands with fans become a thing?) 
  • Font scaling and smoothing could do with some improvement, smaller text can be slightly fuzzy  
  • Dual monitor support (with a docking monitor and a second monitor connected via DisplayPort pass-through) is not present. This limitation also exists in Samsung DeX (multi-monitor support is just out) but Motor Ready does support multiple displays (apparently, I haven’t tested this). This is going to be the subject of more testing – does a dock with multiple video ports work? USB-HDMI adaptors connected to the dock? 

What about the M365 suite?

Top of most organisations’ list of apps is the M365 suite and support for these will be key to acceptance of Android Desktop as a laptop alternative.

Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Yammer, Bookings and more are available as Android apps with the M365 Copilot app being a hub for all of these.

The email side of Outlook works quite well, not quite as slick as desktop version but perfectly functional. The calendar doesn’t work as well – in particular the list of shared calendars needs to be better optimised to take advantage of the additional display real estate.

Teams works well for chat with my only niggle being that you can’t hover over someone with the red status dot to see if they are on a call or just busy, something I do frequently in Windows (big difference between someone having something in their calendar at the moment and someone actually being in a call). There is a substantial issue with Teams for conferencing though – it will not use USB devices connected to the docking station such as cameras, speakers, microphones, etc. This is new functionality that Microsoft will need to implement, currently there isn’t even a devices page in the settings menu to allow you to try and configure external audio and video devices.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint all work quite well and have the core functionality (this blog post was written on Word for Android). There are some missing elements of functionality that might be an issue for some users, for example you cannot embed a file into a Word document, but the core functionality is good and works well (this is something that you can evaluate without using Android Desktop).

Can’t we just use the M365 web apps?

Yes and no. The web apps refuse to work on Chrome for Phones. Chromium for Desktop does work on Android phones and provides a variety of browser functionality that Chrome for Phones does not, including support for extensions. Some of the read only web apps work on Chromium but when you try to switch to write mode you are directed to the Android application where there is one and don’t get to try using the full web app. I will be speaking to Microsoft regarding workarounds for testing this and, if I can share them, their plans for improving support for Android Desktop.

For some apps, for example Visio which does not have an Android app, it simply doesn’t work, telling you to go and use a real device. This isn’t helped by office.com redirecting you to the M365 Copilot application (which does not have a Visio app).

In summary then, there are definitely some gaps at the moment. Some of these are for Google to fix, some for Microsoft and others. The ability to use two monitors (Samsung and Motorola are ahead of the game here) and for the Teams app to use external video and audio devices would be top of my personal list – without those it just isn’t a serious desktop/laptop replacement.

As I edit this summary one more time I am yet again irritated by the inability to click-drag to highlight text so that’s got to be added to my list!

Navigating Dell’s New PC Lineup: How to Choose the Right Device for Your Business

Choosing the right devices for your organisation is a critical decision. The wrong choice leads to lost productivity and frustrated users, while the right device can be a catalyst for efficiency and growth. However, navigating the vast and often complex landscape of PC models, sub-brands, and specifications can be a challenge for even the most experienced IT teams. 

Dell Technologies has directly addressed this challenge. Based on extensive customer feedback, they have simplified their entire client solutions portfolio. The familiar names like Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision, and XPS are being streamlined into a new, more intuitive framework. 

We believe this is a positive step that brings much-needed clarity to device procurement. Here’s what you need to know about the new lineup and how XMA can help you select, deploy, and manage the right devices for your specific needs. 

 

The New Framework: Simple, Clear, and Purpose-Built 

While the new branding simplifies the purpose of each product line, the specific technical specifications (like the exact processor model, memory amount, or storage capacity) will still be configurable. The new system provides a clear framework, allowing you to understand the level of performance and features to expect from each category and tier.

 

Dell 

This category, designed for play, school, and work, consolidates the former Inspiron and XPS product lines. It’s aimed at users who need versatile devices for a wide range of general computing tasks. 

  • Premium (formerly XPS): You can expect the highest-end specifications in this tier, including the latest generation Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen processors, dedicated graphics options, high-resolution displays (often with OLED options), and premium build materials like CNC-machined aluminium. These are designed for ultimate performance and design in a consumer-focused device. 
  • Plus (formerly Inspiron Plus): A step up from the base models, these devices offer more powerful processor options and often include discrete graphics cards, making them suitable for light content creation and more demanding multitasking. 
  • Base (formerly Inspiron): These are the standard, all-around devices suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and using office applications. They provide excellent value and reliable performance for general use. 

 

Dell Pro 

This is the core business line, built for professional-grade productivity. It consolidates the former Latitude, OptiPlex, and Vostro series, offering a range of options optimised for corporate environments. The key differentiators here are manageability, security, and durability. The product tiers are clearly defined to match different roles within an organisation. 

  • Premium (formerly Latitude 9000 & 7000 series): This tier offers the ultimate in design and mobility for business users. Expect ultra-light laptops and compact desktops with the latest Intel or AMD processors, robust security features, and premium materials for maximum durability on the move. 
  • Plus (formerly Latitude 5000 series & OptiPlex Plus): This is the most scalable performance tier, designed for the majority of knowledge workers. These devices offer a wide range of configuration options, allowing you to balance performance and cost effectively across a large user base. 
  • Base (formerly Latitude 3000 series & Vostro): This tier provides a baseline of business-grade durability, manageability, and security. These devices are ideal for task-based work or as standard-issue machines where core business functionality is the priority. 
  • Essential (Dell Pro only): This tier is business-ready with essential security and manageability features, making it a cost-effective entry point for organisations needing reliable, commercially-sound devices. 

Across all tiers, the new model identifiers will clearly indicate the CPU vendor (0 for Intel, 5 for AMD, 7 for Qualcomm) and the form factor, such as the screen size for a laptop or Tower, Slim, and Micro for desktops. 

 

Dell Pro Max 

This workstation-class category is designed for maximum performance, replacing the Precision brand. These devices are engineered for specialists in fields like design, engineering, and data science who use resource-heavy applications. 

Expected Components: 

  • Processors: You will find the most powerful CPUs from Intel (Core Ultra 9, Xeon) and AMD (Ryzen Threadripper) in this category. 
  • Graphics: The key differentiator is the inclusion of professional-grade dedicated GPUs, such as NVIDIA’s RTX Ada Generation or AMD’s Radeon PRO series. These are certified for stability and performance with professional software from vendors like Autodesk and Adobe. 
  • Memory & Storage: These machines are configured with large amounts of high-speed RAM (often with ECC memory options for error correction) and fast NVMe storage to handle large datasets and complex files without bottlenecks. 
  • Tiers: Like the Dell Pro line, the Premium, Plus, and Base tiers will indicate the level of performance and features, allowing you to match the machine’s power to the specific demands of the user’s software. 

 

How XMA Helps You Build the Right Device Strategy 

Understanding the new lineup is the first step. The next is applying that knowledge to your organisation’s unique environment. This is where XMA’s expertise as a Pragmatic Expert becomes a critical asset. 

  • Expert Guidance: Our specialists have a deep, practical understanding of these new Dell devices and, more importantly, how they perform in real-world business and public sector environments. We work with you to analyse your user personas and their specific workloads, ensuring you invest in the right level of performance for each role, avoiding both underpowered and over-specified devices. 
  • Public Sector Compliance: For public sector bodies, procurement is rightly governed by strict rules. XMA is an approved supplier on key government frameworks, including the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). We provide secure and compliant IT solutions that demonstrate clear value-for-money and meet the stringent requirements of government, healthcare, and education organisations. 
  • Device Management as a Service (DMaaS): Procuring the device is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in deploying, managing, securing, and refreshing your entire device fleet. XMA’s DMaaS takes this operational burden off your IT team. We handle the full lifecycle of your devices, from configuration and deployment to ongoing management and eventual secure disposal. This provides you with predictable costs and frees up your internal IT resources to focus on strategic projects that drive your organisation forward. 

Dell’s new, simplified portfolio is a welcome change that brings clarity to the market. By partnering with XMA, you can be confident that you are not only choosing the right devices but also implementing a comprehensive strategy for managing them effectively and securely.

If you’re interested in Dell’s new lineup, contact us at enquiries@xma.co.uk to get started.

A Tale of Two Users: How the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Works for Sarah the Consultant and Gary the IT Manager

In any modern UK organisation, technology is a tango for two: the user who demands performance and flexibility, and the IT department that requires security and control. It’s a difficult balance to strike. A device that is powerful but unmanageable creates security risks, while a locked-down device can obstruct productivity. 

Let’s follow a typical workday for Sarah, a Senior Consultant, and Gary, her IT Operations Manager, to see how the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Series is designed to meet their very different, but equally important, needs. 

 

Sarah’s Perspective: A Day of Uninterrupted Productivity 

For Sarah, her work device is the primary tool for her job. She needs it to be a seamless extension of her workflow, whether she’s in the office, on a train, or at a client site. 

8:15 AM: The Commute 
Sarah’s day starts on a crowded train into London. The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is ideal for this. It is the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Tab to date, so it doesn’t add bulk to her bag. The Armour Aluminium chassis and IP68 dust and water resistance give her confidence that it can handle the occasional knock or splash of a daily commute. The bright Dynamic AMOLED 2X display lets her clearly review client documents, even with the morning glare from the window. 

9:30 AM: The Client Workshop 
In her first client workshop, Sarah’s focus needs to be on the people in the room, not on taking notes. Using Transcript Assist, her Tab S11 creates automatic meeting minutes, freeing her to lead the discussion. When she needs to highlight a key point on the presentation, the redesigned hexagonal S Pen provides a comfortable, precise way to make annotations directly onto the screen. 

11:00 AM: Deep Work at the Desk 
Back at a hot desk, Sarah needs to switch from presenting to producing. She connects the Tab S11 to an external monitor, and Samsung DeX mode provides a full, PC-like desktop experience. She can have multiple windows open (a spreadsheet, a report, and her email) and drag and drop content between them. The MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor provides the performance to run these applications without any slowdown. 

3:00 PM: Afternoon Collaboration 
A large project file needs to be sent to a colleague across the office. Sarah uses Quick Share to transfer the file wirelessly to their device in seconds. After a full day of use, the Tab S11 Ultra’s large 11,600 mAh battery still has plenty of charge, so she isn’t looking for a power outlet before heading home. 

 

Gary’s Perspective: A Fleet Under Control 

While Sarah is working, Gary is responsible for the security and management of all 500 tablets like hers. For him, a device’s value is measured by its security, manageability, and total cost of ownership. 

Deployment and Onboarding 
When the company decided on the Tab S11, Gary’s first thought was about deployment. Using Knox Suite, the process was simple. Knox Mobile Enrolment allowed his team to configure all the devices with the company’s security policies and required applications before the employees even opened the boxes. This reduced setup time from hours per device to minutes. 

Security and Compliance 
For Gary, security is the highest priority. The Galaxy Tab S11 Series is built on the government-trusted Samsung Knox security platform, which gives him peace of mind. 

  • Hardware-Level Protection: Knox Vault is a physically isolated, hardware-based security system. It protects the company’s most sensitive data (like passwords and digital certificates) from attack by operating independently of the main processor and OS. 
  • Access Control: A fingerprint scanner ensures that only Sarah can access her device. Through Knox Manage, Gary can remotely lock or wipe the tablet if it’s ever lost or stolen, protecting corporate data. 

Fleet Management and Support 
Gary’s goal is to prevent IT problems, not just fix them. The Knox platform provides the tools he needs for proactive management. 

  • Controlled Updates: With Knox E-FOTA, Gary’s team can test and schedule OS updates across the entire fleet, ensuring that a patch doesn’t cause issues with critical business applications. 
  • Proactive Monitoring: Knox Asset Intelligence gives him a dashboard view of the entire fleet’s health. He can identify devices with degrading battery performance or storage issues and address them before they impact Sarah’s workday. 
  • Reduced TCO: The tablet’s 5G model supports both a physical SIM and an eSIM. Gary can provision a corporate data plan on the eSIM, allowing employees to use the physical slot for a personal SIM. This allows one device to serve both work and personal roles, reducing the number of devices his team needs to support. 

 

A Strategic Asset for Both Sarah and Gary 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Series successfully serves two different but critical roles. For Sarah, it is a powerful, portable tool that adapts to her varied workday. For Gary, it is a secure and efficient platform that he can deploy, manage, and protect at scale. 

This turns a simple tablet purchase into a strategic asset designed for the operational realities of the modern UK workplace. 

To learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Series and to arrange a demonstration, contact your XMA account manager or email enquiries@xma.co.uk today. 

Simplifying Your Endpoint Strategy: A Guide to Chromebooks for UK Businesses

Managing endpoints across an entire organisation is a primary function of any IT department. For many, it’s a continuous cycle of patching vulnerabilities, deploying software, and managing high device costs. This is particularly true for businesses supporting a mix of office-based, remote, and frontline workers who all have different needs. A modern device strategy must be secure, cost-effective, and reduce the operational strain on IT. 

This is where ASUS Chromebooks present a strong business case. By operating on Google’s ChromeOS, these devices are built from the ground up for a cloud-first world, offering a direct answer to many traditional endpoint challenges. 

 

Security and Management by Default 

Instead of relying on third-party security software, ChromeOS has security built into its core. Every application runs in its own isolated ‘sandbox’, meaning threats are contained and cannot impact the wider system. With verified boot and automatic updates that run in the background, devices are always running the latest, most secure version of the OS without user intervention or IT downtime. 

For your IT team, management is handled through the cloud-based Google Admin Console. This allows for zero-touch enrolment, where devices are configured automatically out of the box, and provides your team with the tools to enforce policies and deploy applications to the entire fleet remotely. For organisations that need deeper controls, Chromebook Plus Enterprise unlocks advanced security and management capabilities. 

 

A Device for Every Role 

Of course, the hardware needs to be right for the user. In our new guide, we detail the specifications of the latest ASUS Chromebook business range to help you match the right device to the right role. 

The guide covers the full spectrum: from the durable and cost-effective ASUS Chromebook Flip CX1 for frontline tasks, to the highly portable CM30 Detachable for mobile workers, and the powerful ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus Enterprise for executives who need premium performance. 

 

Beyond the Device: Full Lifecycle Management from XMA 

Procuring the hardware is just the first step. To get the full value from your investment, you need a plan for deployment, in-life support, and eventual retirement. Our guide also outlines how XMA’s services complete the picture. We provide: 

  • Device Management as a Service (DMaaS): We handle the logistics and management of your Chromebook fleet, freeing up your IT team. 
  • Flexible Leasing: Acquire the hardware you need without the upfront capital expenditure. 
  • Support and Break-Fix: Minimise downtime with rapid, reliable repair and replacement services. 

To get a detailed breakdown of the ASUS Chromebook range and understand how a managed service from XMA can reduce your total cost of ownership, download our guide today. 

Download the XMA Guide to ASUS Chromebooks for Business

When It Comes To Windows 10 End-of-Support: Don’t Replace, Refresh Your Device Strategy

When It Comes To Windows 10 End-of-Support: Don’t Replace, Refresh Your Device Strategy

The final day of support for Windows 10, October 14, 2025, is now just weeks away. For many organisations, the initial reaction is to focus on the operating system upgrade itself. However, the move to Windows 11 presents a more fundamental challenge that an OS update alone cannot solve: hardware compatibility.

A significant portion of existing device estates simply do not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. This reality is forcing a difficult and often unplanned conversation about a large-scale device replacement. For many, this will feel like a reactive and expensive problem.

But it doesn’t have to be. This deadline should not trigger a panic-buy. Instead, it should be the catalyst for a more strategic, data-driven approach to your entire device estate. It’s time to move from a reactive replacement cycle to a SMART Device Refresh.

The Cost of Inaction and Unplanned Refresh Cycles

Organisations still running on Windows 10 after the deadline will be required to purchase Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for every non-compliant device to avoid exposure to cyber threats. This is a significant financial drain with no return on investment. The cost escalates dramatically, doubling in the second year and doubling again in the third, creating a recurring budget item spent only to maintain an obsolete OS.

Furthermore, many organisations are already caught in a cycle of reacting to device failures and budget availability rather than making informed, data-driven refresh decisions. This approach often leads to overspending on devices that are not suited to user needs, while leaving other areas with inadequate technology that hinders productivity and impacts employee morale.

A Strategic Approach: The XMA SMART Device Refresh

XMA’s SMART Device Refresh service provides a structured, data-driven plan to navigate the Windows 11 transition and optimise your entire device estate for the long term. We help you balance performance, user experience, and cost-efficiency.

Our approach is built on providing actionable insights to make smarter investment decisions. We help you avoid overspending and extend device lifecycles where appropriate, without compromising on security.

How We Help:

  1. Insightful Hardware Assessment: Our first step is a fast-track assessment of your entire hardware estate. We identify which devices are compatible with Windows 11, which ones are not, and which can be redeployed to other roles extending their useful life. This gives you a clear, data-driven baseline for your migration plan, as well as a more sustainable approach to your IT assets.
  2. Data-Driven Procurement: For devices that require replacement, we provide a streamlined procurement service. Our advice is based on a deep understanding of user needs, ensuring you invest in hardware that is powerful enough for the job but affordable enough for your budget. For example, we use insights on application usage to ensure a designer gets the right GPU and a data analyst gets the right CPU, avoiding unnecessary expense while improving productivity.
  3. Flexible Procurement and Lifecycle Management: We understand the pressure on capital budgets. We offer flexible procurement options through public sector frameworks, including financing and as-a-service models that can shift expenditure from CapEx to a predictable operational cost. For a complete solution, our Device Management as a Service (DMaaS) can handle the entire device lifecycle, from procurement and deployment to ongoing support and secure disposal, reducing the burden on your internal IT team.

The Windows 10 end-of-support deadline is a chance to break the reactive cycle of device management and implement a cost-effective, long-term plan that aligns with your organisation’s goals.

Don’t pay the price for delay. Contact XMA today at enquiries@xma.co.uk to build a SMART device refresh strategy for your transition to Windows 11.

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New Laptops for Less Than a Latte? The Smarter Formula for Public Sector IT

For anyone trying to make their IT budget add up, the equation is already difficult. Now, add a new, urgent variable: the end of Windows 10 support in October 2025. It’s a massive deadline breathing down our necks, and it comes just as public sector budgets are feeling the squeeze more than ever. So, the big question is, how on earth do you modernise your tech without breaking the bank? 

For years, the go-to move for public sector organisations has been to buy a mountain of new PCs, a huge capital spend that makes the finance team wince and ties up cash for years in kit that starts losing value the moment it’s unboxed. It’s time to ask: is that really the smartest play anymore? 

It’s time for a recalculation. It’s time to find a smarter formula for funding Public Sector IT. 

 

Give Yourself Some Breathing Room 

Shift that huge, one-off cost into a predictable, manageable monthly payment. That’s the simple magic of leasing. Instead of a massive Capital Expenditure (CapEx) hit, you move to a simple Operational Expenditure (OpEx) model. 

This means you’re not locking away a fortune in depreciating assets. You have the financial agility to invest in other things your organisation desperately needs, all while knowing your tech costs are fixed, with no nasty surprises. 

Perspective Makes Perfect 

For example, imagine trying to balance the budget at a school. We all know textbooks don’t come cheap. So, what if you could get a brand-new, AI-ready Surface device for a student for less than you’re already spending on books that are out of date the second you buy them? It’s a bit of a no-brainer. 

Our Surface leasing plans (partnering with CF Corporate) start from just £5.95 a week. When you see it like that, giving every worker access to top-tier technology doesn’t seem like a dream, it seems like a sensible, strategic decision. You could likely equip an employee with a new device for less than the weekly bill for coffee and biscuits in the staff room. 

 

Solving for X(MA): Adding an Expert to Your Equation 

At XMA, we have a proven theorem for making Public Sector IT work. We are on all the right public sector frameworks, like the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), so you know you’re in safe hands. XMA are also one of the UK’s only Surface Authorised Surface Providers (ASP). 

But what does being an ASP actually mean for your organisation? It means peace of mind, plain and simple. When a device inevitably gets dropped or damaged, it means: 

  • Your data stays safe. Forget shipping devices to unknown locations. Repairs happen in our own secure, in-house facilities under strict protocols that safeguard sensitive student and staff data.  
  • You get back to teaching, faster. Our efficient, return-to-base repair service minimises workplace disruption. Certified Microsoft technicians get devices diagnosed, fixed, and back in action quickly.  
  • No warranty headaches. We only use authentic Microsoft parts for repairs, so your device’s full warranty coverage is maintained.  
  • A single point of contact. We manage the entire process, from diagnosis to delivery, so you’re not juggling multiple contacts and chasing updates.  

XMA and Surface are a winning formula: our Device-Management-as-a-Service model, backed by our ASP status, takes the entire device lifecycle—from deployment to maintenance and end-of-life—off your plate. Pair that with a leasing plan that breathes life back into your budget, and you’re well prepared for the future. 

The 2025 deadline isn’t a problem without a solution. It’s a chance to stop using a flawed formula and find one that adds up to a better result for your employees and your budget. 

Ready to recalculate your organisation’s IT budget? Explore our Surface leasing options and let’s find the right formula for you. Discover more about our ASP status here and explore DMaaS here. Get in contact with us via enquiries@xma.co.uk or talking to your XMA Account Manager today. 

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Android Desktop: Potential Use Cases and Benefits

This is the second in a series of blog posts exploring Android Desktop. Our Head of Pre-Sales, Scott Wright, will be looking at the current state of Android Desktop, following its improvement as release approaches, examining use cases, looking at essential apps & peripherals and more. 

Picture of Scott Wright

Scott Wright

Scott is XMA’s Head of Pre-Sales. An IT industry greybeard, he violated his own rule about being an early adopter when he bought the first Android phone at launch and hasn’t regretted that decision.

Most of this blog will be talking about the benefits of a mobile device with any sort of desktop interface, rather than Android Desktop specifically, so before we start that let’s talk for a moment about why the launch of Android Desktop is causing such a buzz. 

Desktop solutions for Android are currently available from several device vendors with Samsung’s DeX being the most established. Motorola Ready-For (also on Lenovo ThinkPhones), Huawei Desktop Mode and Xiaomi MIUI Desktop mode are also available. These solutions are vendor specific which raises concerns for many organisations, should the vendor cease supporting them then the organisation will be forced to change device in order to continue with their device strategy. With Android Desktop as a core part of the Android offering (and Apple promising to follow suit) not only is desktop mode legitimised a standard phone feature but organisations adopting a vendor specific solution like DeX have a fall-back plan that does not require device replacement, substantially reducing risk. As such, there is considerable interest in Android Desktop, even from organisations who are considering or who have adopted a vendor specific solution. 

Below I am going to expound on some of the possible benefits and give examples of the use cases that might realise those benefits. 

Benefits: Managed Device Reduction 

The most immediate benefit for many organisations will be a reduction in devices. Many organisations are issuing both a laptop and mobile to a large cohort of users with fairly light computing requirements. This is especially wasteful for front-line workers for whom the mobile is the primary device and the laptop is an occasional use device. Replacing the managed laptop with a laptop-shaped docking station (“lapdock”, more on these in a future blog post) reduces cost but also reduces the number of devices requiring licences and updates, eliminates a large number of devices as potential sources of data loss (a laptop left in a taxi, for example, cannot contain any data as it is merely a docking station) and more. Shared desktops can also be replaced with docking stations or docking monitors, reducing the number of managed devices.  

Benefits: Shared Desktops 

For users with a mobile device who also use shared desktops, for example many healthcare workers, solutions such as VDI, roaming profiles, follow-me desktop and similar are used to make moving between shared desktops as seamless as possible but typically have substantial cost and complexity associated with them. These solutions and the shared desktops themselves can be eliminated and replaced with docking stations or docking monitors while providing an even more seamless working experience, not only between shared desktops but also between desktop and mobile device, allowing healthcare professionals to transition seamlessly between patient interaction spaces and desk-based working. 

Benefits: Security Implications 

Anywhere that shared devices are in use presents a challenge for data security. Data must not be unintentionally accessible between users and this is especially important in settings where that data is highly sensitive, such as a clinical or law enforcement settings. With most Police officers being issued a mobile device, utilising docking monitors in place of shared desktops for docking stations prevents inadvertent data access between users via the shared device.  Using lapdocks rather than laptops as a car-working solution means that it is impossible for data to be stored locally, reducing the risk associated with device theft. 

This benefit is also useful in other contexts, for example many higher education institutions have a pool of shared devices which are made available to learners. The HE organisation must ensure not only that data does not inadvertently pass between users but also that malware which might be introduced by a user does not impact other users of that shared device. By offering a pool of shared lapdocks, rather than laptops, these concerns can be eliminated. This will, of course, require waiting for most mobile devices to offer a desktop mode – likely several years before most Android and Apple devices are running a suitable operating system version. 

Benefits: Attracting Younger Workers / Learners

Many of the young people entering work or higher education have limited Windows / MacOS experience. Their personal devices are mobiles or tablets and the bulk of their school IT experience is using Chromebooks or iPads. Several regions will shortly see the first cohort of learners leaving school who have had a Chromebook or iPad as their learning device for the entirety of their secondary education and over the coming years this will increasingly become standard.

Offering a mobile-centric working experience, even if only as an option, may allow business and HE organisations to make themselves more attractive to these young persons that they are seeking to attract.

So, in summary, while this solution may not be suitable for all users at this time, organisations may be able to realise a reduction in managed devices and their associated costs, increased user satisfaction and an improved security posture.

The next post will explore the current state of Android Desktop in Beta and the functionality offered. If you’re interested in exploring an Android desktop solution, contact us at enquiries@xma.co.uk.

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