Smartphones, tablets, computers, oh my! Whilst technology advances are at an exponential rate, there is still a huge market for laptops for all those busy people on the go, or just those who want to work in the quiet confines of a cafe or restaurant. So whether you are a businessman with important business or a student with a looming essay deadline we are going to count down the top 10 best laptop accessories for 2021.

10. LAPTOP BAGS

Seems logical right? A laptop bag for your laptop! Whilst some people opt to carry their laptops within a sports bag or backpack, we find it much easier, safer and convenient to carry it in a laptop bag. There are an abundance of shapes, sizes, and colours to suit everyone’s taste, allowing you to carry your computer in style. Always make sure you purchase a good quality bag, something which can last you a while and will provide you with all the necessary protection for those inevitable bumps and scrapes! Safety first!

9. USB FLASH DRIVES

Most laptops come with a huge capacity of storage space, however, data transfer is still of major importance to most people, be it for business reasons, studies or personal. And with how quickly USB flash drives have improved in both quality and storage capacity and gone down in price, you don’t have to look far to get a reasonably priced flash drive with 8-16GB of storage space. We all know that the Cloud offers everyone data storage, but a USB flash drive is essential on those times when you can’t connect to the Internet work and you need to transfer over some files from one laptop to the next Get your flash drive on.

8. HEADPHONES

Yes, we see that you’re watching the latest movie or listening to the latest pop album, and no, we don’t want to listen to it, we’re trying to enjoy our coffee! Seriously though, for anyone who wants to watch movies or listen to music in a public space, invest in some headphones! There are a multitude of different quality, size, brands, shapes and even wired/wireless. Depending on your opinions regarding which provide the best sound quality, and the debate about in-ear/over earphones, the choice really is yours. With prices ranging from pennies to multiple hundreds, there really is no excuse for making everyone else listen to your stuff.

7. USB CHARGER

For those of us who can’t bear to lug around too many cables/chargers, a USB charger is perfect as it is compact, efficient and easy to store/carry in a laptop bag. Whilst most laptops offer a decent amount of charge time, we often get sucked into browsing/working or even gaming whilst out and about. Losing battery power is no good, as it can make us lose our work, our flow or even our game! A USB charger is a simple way to keep you playing and surfing for longer without having to plug your laptop into the mains. Just 5 more minutes….!

6. COOLING PAD

An often overlooked piece of equipment, the cooling pad should be seen as mandatory. With great laptop power comes great heat! And overheating can cause damage to your laptop over a long period of time, especially with prolonged use. These accessories are relatively cheap and can save you some issues in the long run, so get yourself a cooling pad and protect the longevity of your laptop!

5. MOUSE

Be it wireless/USB or Bluetooth, a mouse is always a good purchase for your laptop. Using the laptop’s touchpad may be fine for quick browsing or checking emails, but if you are working on your laptop or even doing art/music other projects then the fine clicking/pointing of a mouse is imperative. This useful tool doesn’t have to cost a lot either. You are always able to choose size, colour, and design too, to compliment your personality. Click click done!

4. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

We’ve already discussed the importance of storing/backing up your data with a USB flash drive, but they are limited with their size. An external hard drive alongside your laptop can give you an incredible amount of storage space, and even allows you to fill the external hard drive with games/software so you don’t clog up your computer, for gaming/work on the go. With external hard drives having the capacity to hold 16TB+ of data, with decent transfer rates of around 120MB/s you now have no excuses to do everything you need and more, on the go. Storage Wars!

3. LAPTOP STANDS

Whether you are giving a presentation or just need your laptop to be displayed in a specific way, then a laptop stand is the perfect accessory. Laptop stands can also be adjusted to give the user comfort from eye strain and bad posture. These ergonomically designed accessories can be picked up at most computer stores and online, at places such as Amazon and eBay, and price wise they are quite reasonable. Here’s to no longer having sore eyes and a bad neck!

2. SECURITY PRODUCTS

We all think it won’t happen to us, and then one day… you’ve been hacked, your data were stolen or even worse, your computer itself. Protecting yourself from hacking and thieving is very important when it comes to your personal laptop computer, with a huge range of security products available to assist you. From GPS location software, anti-virus products, VPN’s, privacy screens and even laptop locks, there really is no reason to keep your computer unsafe and at risk. Stay safe out there!