Best Must have laptop accessories you should have right now?

Even before work from home went mainstream, laptops have been indispensable devices for work. These days, laptops are available in innumerable forms and configurations. They cater to the demands of any user – coders, gamers, video editors, people logging on to read the news or stream their favorite TV series, or students looking for something affordable to attend online classes and turn in their assignments.

While desktops almost always offer superior performance to laptops despite having similar technical components, portability is one trump card that makes many customers think twice before purchasing a desktop computer. So if you're one of those in the market for a laptop or even if you already own one, here are few must have laptop accessories that can enhance your experience.

• External Monitors:

If you are one of those users primarily into video or photo editing. You require a large display for your work. Getting an external monitor as your primary display output can have many benefits. Without an external monitor, laptop owners who need large displays face several issues:

• The largest of mainstream laptops screens top out at 17 or 19 inches. But these laptops are bulkier than the more popular 13 or 15-inch models, which are significantly more portable.
• The larger-screened laptops demand a premium price as they are usually available with the highest specification hardware configurations designed mostly for gaming. For many users, these specifications may be overkill.
• Often, companies throw in 2k or 4k displays on smaller laptops. These displays are difficult to appreciate due to the small screen size. Enabling the highest screen resolution would require you to increase display magnification to compensate as the text can become very difficult to read. However, on an external display, you can enjoy a more sophisticated user experience.
• Budget laptops with suitable hardware configurations often skimp on decent displays and build quality. If you dont carry your laptop much, pairing them with a good monitor is the way to go. 

If you mostly get your work done sitting at your desk, using an external monitor offers a more immersive experience, while the larger screen provides more space for multitasking. A 24-inch 1080p or a 27-inch 1440p monitor is recommended for the latter, as either monitor will offer great pixel density.

Don't forget to go through monitor specifications such as refresh rate, response time, panel type IPS is the safest bet, and VA comes a close second, but avoid TN unless all you do is game) color gamut, and laptop ergonomics in general, such as the presence of VESA mount.

• Additional peripherals:

In order to prevent deterioration to the inbuilt keyboard and trackpad, using a USB keyboard and mouse whenever possible is a good idea. Damage to the inbuilt peripherals can be a major hassle and expensive to replace simply because these parts aren't exactly made available in the market and are often proprietary in nature.

That can make it impossible to replace laptop components with alternative parts and makes you completely reliant on the manufacturer to provide them. Often, replacement parts for older models are not available.

Using peripherals also reduces the risk of accidental damage, like spillage. That's especially important because most warranty policies do not cover such damages. Even minor scratches and scuffs on the laptop body may vastly reduce the exchange value of your old device while something like a faulty trackpad or a damaged key will probably render your device ineligible for exchange.

• Anti-virus:

Yes, we have all heard at some point that antivirus software can be taxing on system resources, Macs don't get affected with malware, and Windows defender is all we need. While this isn't entirely wrong, it isn't the complete truth either.

Laptop hardware has come a long way a decade ago and is now more than capable of handling antivirus software without sabotaging your user experience - Antivirus software has grown kinder to system resources. 

The notion that Macs aren't susceptible to malware is based on the idea that most malware affects Windows-based systems and the realistic chances of your Mac getting infected is null. This is an inaccurate assumption as the number of active Windows devices is also significantly more than the number of active Macs, which would account for higher infection rates and doesn't necessarily indicate that Mac users are immune to malware.

As for Windows, the defender could have made all antivirus software for Windows redundant, but it didn't. Why? It is too basic. It can be the only antivirus you need but need to be an aware user yourself, you should possess the knowledge as well as a keen eye to stay away from the trouble which comes in various shapes and forms or suspicious emails, being redirected to fake websites as part of a phishing scam, etc.

All of this can be simple if you are an experienced user - but with more people needing to adopt computers in a concise period in this current situation, the chances of falling victim to targeted malware attacks for new users are quite high.

In addition, dedicated antivirus software has inherent benefits such as day zero protection, utilities such as VPN, parental controls, and secure payment for online transactions. VPN can be a handy tool as it masks your digital footprint, making you anonymous to scammers looking to collect personal information from your ISP.

• Laptop Insurance:

Your laptop is a valuable asset, and therefore, damage or loss can cause you significant distress while halting your work and burning a gaping hole in your pocket.

Companies such as Lemonade provide laptop insurance under their Renters and Homeowners Insurance plans. These policies can compensate you if your laptop is damaged, destroyed, or lost due to covered events like a fire, a windstorm, theft, or vandalism. It's worth noting that theft coverage does not fall under manufacturer warranty by default. 

In a complete loss, your insurance will have you covered, but you do have to set a deductible for such circumstances. To put it simply, a deductible is an amount you need to pay out of pocket before your insurer covers the rest. Therefore, the higher your set deductible is, the lesser your insurance premiums and vice versa. 

However, You should keep in mind that just like any other electronic device, your device is not covered against accidental damages for which you are responsible. For example, your insurer won't compensate you if you spill coffee or juice on your laptop, drop and break it due to clumsy handling, etc. 

If your employer holds you financially responsible in the event of loss of your work computer, your insurance will have you covered. However, chances are your company already has your work device insured.

Conclusion

In conclusion, your laptop is a valuable device and must be handled with extreme care. This list has attempted to make your ownership experience as hassle-free, productive, and enjoyable. Happy computing!