Buying Guides -> Hardware -> Portable Devices

Best Laptop Accessories

Team CHIP | 10 July 2008

Be it at home, office, or while on the move, your laptop is incomplete without some accessory or the other. Take your pick from the ones which we feel are necessary and important.

The features and ergonomics of laptops are restricted due to their highly compact form factor. However, you can make your life simpler by investing in certain accessories for laptops that suit your purpose. So if your laptop is a bit old and lacks a webcam or a memory card reader, no problem!

CHIP brings you a list of laptop accessories, out of the various options available in the market. Listed below are 12 vital addons to make mobile computing more comfortable and convenient not matter where you go.

Laptop bag: Laptop bags are available in a variety of designs ranging from protective sleeves to shoulder bags to backpacks. You may pick the one that matches your personality or the one that allows you to carry your college books and accessories as well.

Laptop mouse: No matter how agile your fingers are over the touchpad, nothing is as comfortable as a mouse. A laptop mouse is highly recommended if you use your laptop more on the desk than on your lap. Also they are light, compact, and fit snugly in the bag.

Memory card reader: If you’re a shutter bug or a mobile phone junkie, pamper yourself, overstep your budget a bit, spend a few hundred rupees and invest in a good USB card reader, if your laptop lacks one. We suggest that you pick the one that reads most memory card formats and is compact as well.

Notebook webcam: Although you can use a desktop webcam with your laptop, a notebook webcam is designed such that it clips on to the screen frame. The best notebook webcams that we have come across are by Creative, Logitech, and Microsoft.

Kensington lock: Securing your laptop with a Kensington lock is the best way of protecting it from theft while you’re away, especially at busy places. Almost every laptop has a Kensington security slot which can be used to attach this specially designed lock.

Notebook cooler: A notebook cooler is a metal plate (usually made of aluminum) fitted with USB-powered fans, meant for dissipating heat from the base of the laptop. It’s advisable to use one if your laptop becomes unbearably hot to keep on your lap.

Bluetooth dongle: A Bluetooth dongle comes in handy when you want to transfer data wirelessly to compatible portable devices such as cell phones, smart phones, or other laptops. You can even use it to fire print commands wirelessly to Bluetooth-enabled printers.

Portable speakers: It’s quite rare to come across laptops which have good speakers. If you really want to enjoy watching movies and listening to music on your laptop, a good pair of portable laptop speakers are a must-have.

External storage device: An external storage device is an indispensable component if you want data portability. While USB flash drives are ideal for porting documents and small files, portable hard drives are suited for carrying your entire movie or music collection on the road.

Mouse pad: Some brands such as Belkin and Logitech offer innovative accessories for laptops. For instance, check out this handy carry pouch by Belkin called the Mouse Trap. When unzipped completely, this pouch converts into a circular mouse pad.

USB hub: Most laptops are equipped with two or three USB ports which can be used to connect external storage devices, webcams, peripherals such as printers and scanners, and so on. If you are running short of USB ports, buy a USB hub and get upto four more ports.

USB-to-PS2 adapter: There’s nothing to beat the comfort offered by standard desktop keyboards and mice. If your laptop spends more time on your desk, get a USB-to-PS2 adapter and make yourself comfortable by using a PS/2 desktop keyboard and mouse.