IT at a minimum price is not an advantage. Buy real service rights and predictability.
In IT procurement, the minimum price per unit does not guarantee minimum cost. The real difference appears in eligibility, service, replacement times and protection plans available in Romania.
Key facts
- Standard Warranty (Surface for Business, device, RO)
- 24 months
- Standard Warranty (Surface accessories, RO)
- 12 months
- EHS / EHS Plus (RO)
- Add 1 or 2 additional years to your device
- Accessories in EHS/EHS Plus
- Not extended (remains under standard warranty)
- Service allocation (Surface, RO)
- Service allocated to Microsoft center in Poland
- EHS Plus Key Benefits
- NBD Replacement + SSD Retention (where available)
- Protection plan purchase window
- Usually within 45 days of device purchase
- Operational point
- The series must exist in the manufacturer's database for the sales territory
Plan comparison (example)
| Capability | EHS | EHS Plus | Impact in business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device warranty extension | Yes (1 or 2 years) | Yes (1 or 2 years) | Predictable budget, fewer surprises |
| Advanced exchange | Yes | Yes | Reduces downtime through faster exchange process |
| NBD (next business day) replacement | No (usually) | Yes (usually) | Control over downtime cost for critical roles |
| SSD retention | No (usually) | Yes (usually) | Data control, compliance, audit |
| Accessories warranty extension | No | No | Accessories remain a separate risk |
| Recommended fit | Standard fleets, cost control | Critical roles, security requirements | Decision based on roles, not emotion |
Warning: minimum price may mean maximum operational risk
If the series is not eligible for the sales territory, real frictions can arise: slower service flows, inability to attach plans, shipping to another country, lost time internally. The price difference moves into downtime, logistics and operational costs.
Why "minimum price" is not the right KPI in IT procurement
In procurement, it's tempting to treat IT like a commodity: same model, same configuration, so the only real variable is price. In 2026, this approach produces expensive surprises, because service and warranties are no longer "just paper". They are operational rights conditioned by series eligibility and sales territory.
In other words: "make sense" means optimizing the total cost of ownership (TCO), not just the purchase price.
What doesn't work in practice when you just buy "the cheapest"
- Downtime: an unavailable device blocks people, processes and deliveries.
- Internal cost: time lost with emails, tickets, couriers, escalations.
- Reverse logistics: return to other countries, unpredictable terms.
- Eligibility: optional plans unavailable or difficult to attach.
The criterion that matters: sales territory and equipment series
Manufacturers operate by market rules: service availability, replacement flows and protection plans can differ between countries. That is why the same model can have completely different service experiences. The price difference is not automatically "less added value". It is often a transfer of risk.
Concrete example: Microsoft Surface for Business in Romania
The standard warranty in Romania for Surface for Business is 24 months for devices and 12 months for accessories.
To increase predictability, there are the EHS and EHS Plus commercial protection plans, which add 1 or 2 additional years of warranty for devices (not accessories).
What does EHS solve and what does EHS Plus solve?
In short:
- EHS is for expanded hardware coverage and better service flow, with advanced exchange logic where available.
- EHS Plus additionally adds operational benefits for critical roles: NBD replacement and SSD retention (where available).
The right decision: based on roles, not emotions
The practical recommendation in companies is not to choose a single answer for the entire fleet:
- Critical roles: management, sales, engineering, operational leads. Downtime is costly here. EHS Plus makes sense.
- Standard roles: common use, moderate risk. EHS may be sufficient.
- Accessories: treat them separately (not extended by EHS/EHS Plus). If they are critical, keep a spare or define a rapid replacement policy.
Procurement checklist: how to compare "identical" offers
- Sales territory: explicitly requires that the equipment is intended for sale in RO, not just deliverable in RO.
- Eligibility by serial number: requires confirmation that the serial number is recognized and manageable for service on RO.
- Protection plan: request a separate line in the offer (EHS or EHS Plus), for the desired duration.
- Security and data: if you have strict policies, evaluate SSD retention (EHS Plus).
- Accessories: defines a separate policy (separate warranty, reserve, terms).
Conclusion
The lowest price is easy to compare. The lowest life cycle cost is the right decision. For Surface for Business, the real difference comes in service, replacement SLA, data control, and plan eligibility for the equipment series in Romania.
FAQ
Q1: What does "territorial eligibility" mean in simple terms?
A1: It means that the equipment series is recognized in the manufacturer's systems for the market you sell and manage (Romania). This influences the service options and protection plans available.
Q2: Why can the same model have different service experiences?
A2: Because the model is the same box, but the rights, flows and options (SLA, exchange, plans) may depend on the region, program and series eligibility. The low price may come from a route that shifts the risk to the customer.
Q3: What is the standard Surface for Business warranty in Romania?
A3: 24 months for the device and 12 months for accessories.
Q4: Do EHS and EHS Plus extend to accessories?
A4: No. They only extend the device. Accessories remain under the standard warranty.
Q5: When is EHS Plus worth it over EHS?
A5: When you have critical roles (expensive downtime) and/or data security and control requirements (SSD retention). For standard fleets, EHS may be sufficient if you want extended coverage and good service flow.
Q6: How do I correctly compare 2 seemingly identical offers?
A6: Put 3 lines on the same comparison: device, plan (EHS or EHS Plus for the duration), accessory policy. And explicitly ask for the sales territory, series eligibility and service procedure.
Request the correct offer (device + EHS/EHS Plus)
Send us your scenario (roles, volume, criticality level). We will propose the correct configuration and the right protection plan to reduce risk and downtime.