Must-have accessories for business laptops

By Gregg Barker, Business Unit Manager, Product

Laptop accessories are diverse and plentiful. Choosing the right ones for hybrid work will allow your employees to be efficient no matter where they are because they have the right tech to collaborate and communicate effectively.

Is it time for your business to a have technology refresh? The shift to hybrid work has inspired a wealth of innovation designed to meet the expectations of the new workplace. If you’re ready to start the process of buying new laptops for your business, it’s worth considering the accessories that will make work life more comfortable and functional for you and your team.

Performance, portability, and cybersecurity are the three key considerations for delivering a great user experience for hybrid workers. Once you’ve decided on screen size and picked your specs – components such as the processor, hard drive, RAM and graphics chip, and battery life – there are other key factors to consider in our new world of work.

Covered in this article

Optimal setup
Meetings and conferencing
Laptop protection

Optimal setup

For people who deliver presentations regularly, an ergonomically designed foldable, portable laptop stand is ideal. It offers the right viewing height and reduces eye strain.

Much like an extension cord, a USB hub is a small adapter that's equipped with several extra USB ports. You plug it into your computer, then use the additional ports for mice, keyboards, and other USB devices all from a single port.

For a more complex setup with multiple monitors, a docking station allows you to turn your laptop into a fully-fledged workstation. The device stays on your desk, connected to your monitor, printer, keyboard, mouse, backup drives and whatever other devices you want to have connected. When back at your desk, you simply connect the dock to your laptop and have instant access to all external peripherals.

An external screen for a laptop can extend your viewing area, giving you more space for applications, or mirror your laptop screen. A second, bigger monitor also allows you to view more information without having to frequently switch between tabs and interrupt your workflow.

Meetings and conferencing

Laptops come with built-in cameras that are usually small and with low image quality. Webcams have a larger lens and capture higher quality video footage. If you use your camera for video conferencing, you'll need one with excellent video quality. Good webcams improve company communication and collaboration and save on travel costs.

Likewise, headsets play an important role in the daily lives of hybrid workers. Many headsets come with noise-cancelling technology, ideal for busy environments. With better microphone and audio quality, calls are clearer, and communication is easier. A headset gives workers privacy they need to take video calls and limits external distractions.

Laptop protection

Looking after your laptop keyboard not only keeps it in pristine condition but also extends its longevity. Maintenance and cleaning will prevent errors and ensure that your keyboard functions optimally, which is why it’s important to invest in a keyboard cleaning kit.

Investing in an external mouse and keyboard prevents wrist injury and overreaching. The best argument for an external keyboard is that it protects your laptop's built-in keyboard from wear and tear. It is also larger, making it easier to type accurately and more comfortable to use.

A laptop lock is a small gadget that protects your laptop from the risk of being stolen when you are working remotely. At the airport or a coffee shop you can leave your laptop on the table for a few minutes with complete peace of mind.

A good laptop bag is an absolute must-have. Getting a good bag with built-in security devices like a security anchor or a tamper-proof zip is essential. Look for a bag that lets you loop the steel cable around a table leg so that your bag and its contents will be where you left it when you return.

Investing in the right laptop accessories will enable you to create the perfect, most productive hybrid work environment for yourself and your team, so that you can get the most out of your new technology and get the job done more efficiently.