A lone
MacBook
is a powerful and impressive device. However, add some accessories into the mix, and they’ll enable an almost magical experience. There are numerous options of accessories for a MacBook, even so, many that it is difficult to see which ones will help you to get work done on your Mac. Finding the accessories that suits your needs can prove challenging, so it helps focus on the essentials. However, some accessories benefit power users as well as casual ones.
1. Mouse
It’s a good idea to have a reliable, precise mouse for your MacBook. Even though MacBook’s comes with best in class trackpads you can ever find in a computer, they don’t quite manage to beat the experience a mouse provides.
There are tons of outstanding mice out there. Which one you should get to accompany you, and your MacBook heavily depends on your needs.
When purchasing a new mouse, I suggest that you look for wireless connectivity, preferably via Bluetooth, and a USB-C charging that lets you use it even while on the charger (sorry Apple Magic Mouse 2).
Personal Recommendation
My personal recommendation for a mouse is the Logitech MX Master 3. It features all the things I want it to have plus so much more. Starting with the essential features, it has wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and even has multi-device support. With just a press of a button on the mouse’s underside, you can switch the device you want it to control. It charges via USB-C and has an excellent battery life. Over the half-year I’ve owned it, I had to charge it once.
On top of these major features, the mouse has Logitech’s Magspeed scroll wheel. It is the best scrolling you’ll ever find, switching seamlessly from precision scrolling to the fast, 1’000 lines of text in a second scrolling.
In addition, the mouse comes with a gesture button that is perfect for the Mac, a thumb scrolling wheel, and two customizable buttons. The sensor is also brilliant and works smoothly on almost any surface.
The only minor downside of this mouse is the size. Since it is an ergonomically designed and feature-packed mouse, it is a bit bulky.
Having said that, if you are looking for one of the best mice in the market, you cannot go wrong with the Logitech Master MX 3.
2. USB-C Hub
When getting a new MacBook, you’ll get four Thunderbolt 3 ports at most. Because not everyone uses peripherals with USB-C connectivity, owning a USB-C hub can prove helpful.
Having one protects you from the awkward moment when you have to explain your coworker that you can’t read a USB stick, but it will also increase your flexibility.
When buying a USB-C hub, you should always make sure the one you choose has all the ports you want it to have, such as an SD-Card reader and HDMI.
It is also important to look out how many ports the hub will need to work. There are a couple of options out there, some only need one Thunderbolt 3 connector others need two.
Personal Recommendation
As far as I’m concern, a USB-C hub ought to be portable and have a lot of input options. With that in mind, I chose the Satechi ST-SCMA2M. It comes in proper Mac colorways, and henceforth doesn’t take away the beautiful aesthetics of a Mac, it also gives me a broad range of input options. It comes with an HDMI, an SD-Card reader, a micro SD-card reader, two standard USB type A readers, and a USB-C port, which allows for passthrough charging.
The Satechi ST-SCMA2M also only needs one Thunderbolt 3 port to connect, and that’s all what I need.
The sleek form factor and the multitude of ports are pretty good, which makes me recommend this hub for everyone.
3. Headphones
Love listening to music while getting work done? Well, if you want to be able to listen to your music all the time, you should grab a pair of headphones.
Although all MacBooks comes with a headphone jack, when purchasing headphones to go along with your MacBook, I highly recommend looking for wireless headphones.
No matter your budget, you’ll get good wireless headphones in every price range, from sub 100$ to +300$.
When looking for a good headphones to complement your MacBook, I suggest that you think about the essential features. Do you need good microphones because you find yourself in conference calls a lot? Do you need active noise canceling because your workspace is too loud otherwise?
Outline all the features you want to have and then look for the headphones that suits your needs. Nowadays there are a wide range of valuable options, there is one for everybody.
Of course, getting Apple headphones (Beats also included) you’ll get some features the other headphones can’t provide, so I advice you to look into the Apple headphones first. However, the features they offer are not game-changing at all, and if you find yourself liking the headphones of a different company more, go for them.
Personal Recommendation
As far as I’m concerned, one of the best headphones to complement your MacBook are the
Apple AirPods Pro.
The AirPods Pro have a super active noise canceling feature. In addition, they are super portable and perfectly integrated into the
Apple ecosystem.
If you are looking for one pair of headphones for all your needs, including to pair it with other devices, then your MacBook, the AirPods Pro Might be only headphones you’ll ever need.
AirPods Pro offers a great sound, and the battery life of about 4.5 hours with active noise canceling should be enough for almost everybody.
The only downside of the AirPods Pro is that they are quite expensive , and when compared to other headphones in their price tag, the sound isn’t that superb anymore.
However, due to their small size, the one headphones for all needs aspect, and their excellent active noise canceling, it’s pretty easy to recommend the AirPods Pro as headphones Companion for your MacBook. Additionally, the fact that they are designed by Apple gives them a unique connection with the MacBook and makes them easy to use.
See also:
AirPods 2 Vs. AirPods Pro – FIGHT!
4. External storage
One of the best utility apps that come pre-installed on the MacBook is Time Machine. Apple’s backup program is fantastic, and everyone should take advantage of it. To do so, you need a reliable external hard drive or SSD storage.
In addition, having an external storage solution allows you to free up space on the MacBook’s internal storage.
When looking for the perfect external storage solution, the most important thing is reliability. If you find yourself needing the backup, you want to be sure that your external storage can handle it.
Another essential factor to consider is the type of storage, hard drive, or solid-state storage (SSD). Both have their pros and cons, but they are both greatoptions.
SSD’s usually come in at a little higher price but have higher write and read speeds, where hard drive mostly costs a bit less but can’t provide as fast speeds. It is said that SSD’s don’t have the same lifespan as hard drives, however, although this is technically true, no regular user will ever have problems with this.
Personal Recommendation
I wouldn’t recommend going all out on a high capacity, lighting-fast external SSD as your solution for external storage, except you need the fastest speeds to transfer data.
As far as I’m concerned, western digital’s “my passport” line is a perfect option for everyone. The hard drives offer a quick transfer speed and very high capacities while maintaining a reasonable price. They also have no known reliability issues, and personally, I use two of them as my storage solutions.
For time machine, I use a LaCie rugged 4TB hard drive that I got as a present. However, while it’s quite appealing and also is very reliable, the price of this hard drive is only justified by its looks, and there are more great options out there.
5. A backpack
Laptops standout feature is their portability. MacBooks are powerful machines that’ll go where ever you take them. Whether you use it to get work done on the train, edit videos in the airplane, or take your lecture notes in the auditorium, the MacBook is part of your daily carry.
In order to facilitate that portability of a MacBook or, for that matter, any Laptop, you’ll need a means of transportation for it. I highly recommend a backpack for transporting your MacBook. It is easier to carry than a sleeve, and it also has room for additional stuff you bring around.
When getting a Backpack for your MacBook, ensure it has a good pocket for your device. It should be padded well, and if there are zippers close to it, look for a lining that separates the zipper from the MacBook.
Once you’ve made sure that the backpack has a functional pocket for your MacBook and does not damage it while carrying around, find a bag that fits your needs. If you carry around a camera with you a lot, maybe you want a backpack that allows you to take your camera with you also. Do you need waterproofing?
As with the headphones, make a list and look for the backpack that ticks all the boxes for you.
Personal Recommendation
To carry around my 16’ MacBook Pro, I use Douchebags the “Backpack”. With a dedicated Laptop compartment right against your back, it keeps the MacBook safe from all the other stuff I lug around on a daily basis. The main compartment is also easily accessible and has sufficient space for all the stuff I need to carry around.
In addition, the “Backpack” has a simple, yet modern and fresh look that perfectly complements the MacBook. If you are also into photography, there is a camera inlet that fits perfectly into the “Backpack”. So carrying around your camera and the MacBook is easy and secure.
While it a bit pricy, it ticks all my boxes and is the perfect means of transportation for my MacBook.