Choose your computer

Here’s what to look for in a till computer, and what to walk away from. This page is the framework. Read it, copy the checklist at the bottom, and take it to the PC shop or to Currys. If you’re shopping online, send us the basket and we’ll confirm it’s a fit.

Minimums that work

Digital Florists runs in a web browser, with the Digital Florists Connect helper app sitting alongside it for receipt printing, cash drawer, and label printing. Both run on any modern machine that meets these floors.

What	Minimum	Why it matters
Processor	Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 from the last three years, or any Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer)	Anything older or below this tier stutters once you’ve got the dashboard, a card terminal, and a couple of browser tabs open.
Memory (RAM)	8GB on Mac, 16GB on Windows	Mac handles 8GB well because of how Apple Silicon manages memory. Windows needs 16GB to feel responsive with a browser and Connect running together.
Storage	256GB SSD or larger	An SSD is what makes a machine feel fast. A spinning hard drive will make even a brand-new computer feel a decade old.
Operating system	macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, or Windows 10 (64-bit) or later	Connect runs on these. Anything older stops getting security updates, which causes problems with card payments.
Browser	The latest version of Chrome, Edge, or Safari	Keep it updated. Out-of-date browsers are the most common cause of “the dashboard looks wrong” tickets.

If a machine misses any of those, it’s not a Digital Florists till. Don’t buy it on the assumption you’ll upgrade the RAM later — most laptops are sealed and you can’t.

On Windows, get the 64-bit version. 32-bit Windows won’t run Connect. Any machine sold in the last five years will be 64-bit by default, but check the spec sheet if you’re buying refurbished.

Mac or Windows

Both work. The trade-offs are real, but neither is a wrong answer.

Mac

Apple Silicon Macs (M1 onwards) are quiet, fast, and stay fast. Updates rarely interrupt your day, and a Mac Mini or MacBook from 2021 still feels new in 2026. You pay more up front, and you’ll need a separate monitor if you go for a Mini.

Watch out for: Intel Macs are not supported. Anything sold before late 2020 likely has an Intel chip. Check the spec page before you buy a refurbished Mac.
Touchscreen caveat: macOS doesn’t natively support touch input. A Mac plus touchscreen monitor works for POS, but you’ll usually need a paid driver — see Touchscreens.

Windows

A well-specified Windows PC costs less and gives you a wider choice of touchscreen all-in-ones and compact desktops. The cost is maintenance. Windows machines slow down over time, updates can restart the till at awkward moments, and consumer-grade hardware tends to need replacing sooner.

Watch out for: cheap consumer-grade laptops (sub-£400 new) almost always miss the RAM or processor floor. The headline specs look fine until you read the small print.
Updates: set Active Hours in Windows Update so the machine doesn’t reboot during trading. This is a five-minute job and saves an hour of frustration on a Saturday morning.

Neither platform is “the recommendation”. The right answer is whichever one your team is already comfortable with, plus a machine that clears the floor above.

What to avoid

These will not work, or will stop working within a year. We won’t sign off on a basket that includes any of them.

Avoid	Why
eMMC storage	Slow flash storage often sold as “SSD” on budget Windows machines. It dies fast and behaves like a hard drive under load. The spec sheet has to say “SSD” or “NVMe”, not “eMMC”.
Anything that can’t update	If the machine is too old to run the current macOS or Windows version, it’s too old to take card payments on. Walk away.
All-in-one POS terminals	These bundle a PC with their own printer and drawer, and lock you into their replacement cycle. You’re paying for hardware Connect won’t use. A regular PC with our tested peripherals is cheaper and more flexible.
Refurbished machines below the floor	A £350 used PC that misses the RAM, SSD, or OS-support criteria often won’t last the year. If your basket falls below the floor, we’ll suggest something that will.

Plus everything on the unsupported list — Connect can’t drive these:

Bluetooth-only printers — Connect prints over your network or a USB cable, not Bluetooth. If Bluetooth is the only connection a listing mentions, or the Star model number ends in BI or BI2, it won’t work with Connect. If one is already on your counter, see Existing hardware.
iPads and Android tablets as the till — Connect runs on Mac and Windows only, so a tablet can’t drive a receipt printer, cash drawer, or label printer. See Tablets as a till.
Inkjet, laser, and consumer photo printers (HP DeskJet/OfficeJet, Canon PIXMA, Epson WorkForce, Brother HL/MFC) — Connect is built for thermal receipt and label printers.
Chromebooks — Connect doesn’t run on ChromeOS. Use a Mac or Windows PC.
32-bit Windows — Connect needs 64-bit Windows. Any machine sold in the last five years is 64-bit by default.
Intel Macs — Connect is Apple Silicon only (M1 or newer). Intel Macs sold before late 2020 won’t run it.

For an iPad or Android tablet as a till, see Tablets as a till.

The checklist to take to a PC shop

Copy this list, paste it into an email or print it, and ask the salesperson to tick each box. If they can’t, the machine isn’t right.

DIGITAL FLORISTS TILL — BUYING CHECKLIST

[ ] Processor: Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) OR Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 from the last 3 years
[ ] Memory: 8GB or more on Mac, 16GB or more on Windows
[ ] Storage: 256GB SSD or larger (must say "SSD" or "NVMe", NOT "eMMC")
[ ] Operating system: macOS 12 or newer, OR Windows 10/11 64-bit
[ ] Will receive OS security updates for at least the next 3 years
[ ] Modern browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari) installed and up to date
[ ] Has at least 2 USB ports free (for receipt printer, scanner, label printer)
[ ] Wired Ethernet port OR confirmed Wi-Fi 5 / Wi-Fi 6 support
[ ] Returns policy of at least 14 days

Not buying:
- Chromebook / ChromeOS
- 32-bit Windows
- Intel Mac (anything pre-late-2020)
- Machines listing "eMMC" as storage
- All-in-one POS bundle (printer + drawer + PC sealed together)
- Anything that can't run the current OS version

Send us the basket before you buy. Drop the model number or spec sheet link into an email to hello@digitalflorists.com. We’ll come back the same working day with a yes, a no, or a “swap this for that”.

Common questions

Why won't you just tell me which PC to buy?

A model we tested last year might not be the same product today. Naming a model is a promise we’d have to chase every quarter. The checklist above is the same answer expressed as criteria, which doesn’t go stale.

Can I use my existing computer?

Probably, if it clears the floor above. If it takes more than 30 seconds to start up, freezes with a few tabs open, or is running an OS that no longer gets security updates, replace it before you open the shop on it.

Is a touchscreen necessary?

Only if you’re using Point of Sale. The till workflow is designed for touch, but a mouse and keyboard work too. If you’re not on POS yet, hold off — you can add a touchscreen monitor later.

What about a MacBook for the till?

A MacBook works as a till. The trade-off is that the screen is smaller than a desk monitor, and the laptop has to stay on the counter. If it doubles as your design or admin machine, a Mac Mini plus an external monitor is usually a better split.

What’s next?

Touchscreens

What to look for in a touch monitor for your till.

Tested peripherals

The printers, drawers, scanners, and rolls we’ve used in the field.

Set up Connect

Once your computer arrives, install Connect and pair your devices.

Getting help

Send us a basket, ask a question, book a call.

Best Practices

Hardware

Minimums that work

Mac or Windows

Mac

Windows

What to avoid

The checklist to take to a PC shop

Common questions

What’s next?

Touchscreens

Tested peripherals

Set up Connect

Getting help

​Minimums that work

​Mac or Windows

​Mac

​Windows

​What to avoid

​The checklist to take to a PC shop

​Common questions

​What’s next?

Touchscreens

Tested peripherals

Set up Connect

Getting help

Minimums that work

Mac or Windows

Mac

Windows

What to avoid

The checklist to take to a PC shop

Common questions

What’s next?