If you want to take your desktop customization to the next level, this guide is for you. Below, you'll find some of my favorite products that can enhance your work environment, from accessories to jewelry and more. Everything on this list I have personally used and can vouch for.
Contents
- Wi-Fi 6E routers
- Satechi table mat
- 200W 6-Port USB-C GaN Charger
- OWC Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station
- Twelve South Laptop Stands
- li>Nomad Stand One
- Twelve South Laptop Stands
- Nomad Stand One
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- Keychron Q5 Mechanical Keyboard
- Satechi headphone stand.
- Under-table headphone mount.
- HomeKit lighting.
- Philips Hue. Play Light Bar
- HomeKit Table Lamp
- Logitech MX Master 3S
- Under Desk Storage Shelf
- Ember Smart Mug with Temperature Control
- Smart mug with temperature control
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- WFH upgrade under $20
Wi-Fi 6E routers
<р>Wi-Fi is here, and it offers significant improvements in performance and reliability. If you're looking to upgrade your home system, now is the time to do it. Here's a short list of Apple devices that support Wi-Fi 6E:
- iMac (24-inch, 2023)
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, November 2023)
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, November 2023)
- MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) or MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023)
- Mac mini (2023)
- Mac Studio (2023)
- Mac Pro (2023)
- iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max
- 11-inch iPad Pro (4th generation) or 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th generation)
Our favorite Wi-Fi hardware The Fi 6E is from Eero, which offers whole-home cellular systems at attractive prices.
Satechi table mat
Visually, one of my favorite upgrades to my work-from-home desk is adding a beautiful desk mat. My recommendation in this category comes from Satechi, which offers an eco-leather table mat in three different colors for an attractive $39.99.
I've been using these for a while now and find them to be very durable and versatile due to the reversible design. It is noteworthy that one of the sides does not have the Satechi logo, which makes it the best side.
GaN Charger with 6 USB-C Ports, 200W
You can never have too many USB-C ports to charge your various accessories and devices. The 200W USB-C GaN Charger from Satechi features six USB-C ports that allow you to charge any of your accessories or devices at full speed.
I love having this thing on my desk so I always have a place to charge any device that needs a little juice at any time. It's expensive, but worth it.
OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock
One of the most important additions to my setup this year became OWC Thunderbolt Docking Station, a version we also saw earlier this year.
The OWC Thunderbolt Dock I use in my setup offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports supporting speeds up to 40 Gbps. transfer speeds, four USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, and gigabit Ethernet. I have the dock mounted at the bottom of my desk, so it's hidden and out of the way, but its ports are still accessible.
Laptop-costs-from-twelve-south
If you or the person you're buying for uses a MacBook at your desk, adding a dedicated laptop stand can greatly improve ergonomics. I've been a fan of Twelve South Curve for over four years and highly recommend it to MacBook users.
Twelve South also offers ParcSlope as another option for MacBook users, and it even has an updated matte black finish that will look elegant on any desk.
Another option for—you guessed it—Twelve South is the Curve Flex, which you can see above. It features an adjustable premium aluminum design. It can be raised or lowered as you wish.
Nomad One Stand
Nomad makes some of my favorite iPhone accessories, and the latest stand company is no exception. Stand One is a premium vertical charger with built-in MagSafe support. It's made of aluminum and comes with a built-in 2-meter braided USB-C cable. It can charge your iPhone at up to 15W speed.
Nomad Stand One is available in two colors: silver/white or carbide.
While the Nomad Stand One is a great iPhone charger, you may prefer something with a 2-in-1 design. My favorite option is the Belkin 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe, and another, more affordable option is available from Satechi.
This stand from Belkin is pricey, but it has a durable design with a vertical MagSafe stand for your iPhone and built-in space for your AirPods in the base. It can charge your iPhone at the fastest possible MagSafe speed, up to 15W. The MagSafe charger and AirPods charger use a single-cable design to power the charger.
Keychron Q5 mechanical keyboard
This year I switched to a mechanical keyboard and I haven't looked back since. Personally, I use the Keychron Q5, which has a backlit design, built-in volume knob, USB-C connectivity, and a customizable design.
In addition to these benefits, I found that switching to the Keychron Q5 greatly improved the ergonomics. The elevated design significantly reduced wrist pain during long writing sessions compared to something like Apple's Magic Keyboard.
The Keychron Q5 is quite expensive at just under $230, but there are more affordable mechanical keyboard options. One of our favorites is the Logitech MX Mechanical Wireless Keyboard, which is also more compact than the Keychron option and is also wireless.
Satechi headphone stand
The Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone Stand is one of the best things on my desk and the one I get asked about most often. It has a hook to attach your headphones and a base that can be used as a Qi charger for your iPhone or AirPods.
There are two separate USB-C ports on the back of the 2-in-1 headphone stand. One is a UBS-C input port that can be connected to a power source, and the other is a USB-C output port.
One USB-C input provides enough power for the Qi charger in the base, as well as to power a second USB-C output. The Qi charging pad delivers up to 7.5W of power and works with any Qi-enabled device, including iPhone, AirPods and more.
Under-desk headphone mount
Another option for storing headphones is offered by Elevation Lab. The Anchor Under Desk Headphone Stand attaches to the underside of your desk with adhesive and can hold up to two pairs of headphones at a time.
HomeKit Light Strips
For accent lighting, you can never go wrong with a HomeKit light strips your table. Whether you place them at the table or under it, they can create ambiance and personalize your table. HomeKit compatibility allows you to control brightness and color from your iPhone or using Siri.
HomeKit light strips have gotten significantly cheaper over the years, with options from trusted manufacturers now costing less than $50 on Amazon.
Philips Hue Play Light Bar
A more expensive option for desktop computers Accent lighting is created by Philips Hue and the company's Play Light Bar. They can provide beautiful accent lighting for your office and desk, either with a stand or by mounting on the back of a display.
However, they are more expensive than a basic light strip, and for full functionality you will also need the Philips Hue Bridge.
HomeKit Desk Lamp
Completing our focus on lighting is a basic HomeKit-enabled desk lamp. You can buy a sleek HomeKit desk lamp from a company like Meross on Amazon for under $50. Personally, I have been using this Meross table lamp for a long time and have not had any problems with it.
The reason I included several different lighting fixtures in this guide is because I believe that having subtle and customizable lighting around you can improve productivity. This is especially true if you work in a room or office with bright fluorescent overhead lighting.
Logitech MX Master 3S
I've been singing the praises of the Logitech MX line of mice for years now, and absolutely nothing has changed. The latest version of Logitech MX Master 3S is an excellent mouse for your Mac. From an ergonomic standpoint, I think it's significantly better than something like Apple's Magic Mouse.
The MX Master 3S can also be fully customized using Logitech Options software on a Mac. You can assign different buttons to macOS features like Mission Control, Exposure, App Switcher, and more.
Under desk storage shelf
Looking for a way to rid your computer of desktop clutter ? This HumanCentric Under Desk Storage Shelf is a great option. It attaches to the bottom of the desk with adhesive strips and can be used to store things like keys, wallet, AirPods case and more.
This may not seem like the most exciting accessory choice, but trust me, I loved adding it to my setup.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug
If you're a coffee drinker who gets distracted and lets your coffee cool, the Ember Smart Mug can help solve that problem. There's a companion app for iPhone that lets you control the temperature, and the battery inside the mug can keep your coffee warm for up to 80 minutes.
WFH Upgrades Under $20
To wrap up this guide, I thought : It would be helpful to include more affordable desk and work-from-home accessories.
- WHOOSH Screen Cleaning Kit
- Adhesive Cord Holders for Cable Management
- Anker Wireless Charger with Qi
- Folding Desktop light for video calls
- Apple polishing cloth
