You just bought or were gifted a new PC and you've set up that new laptop or desktop by changing Windows 11's worst default settings. Now your computer can surf the web, run productivity apps or even play games to the best of its ability.
However, for you to have the best possible experience at home and on the road (if it's a laptop), you could use some additional gear. These are the must-have PC add-ons and accessories I would buy to go with a new system.
High-Res, High Quality Monitor
If you bought a desktop, I'm going to presume you also bought an external monitor or had one already. But if you bought a laptop or your desktop monitor is an old one, you really should treat yourself to a high-quality, high-res external display or perhaps even two of them.
In my house, I have four monitors for my desktop PC and, frankly, I wish I had six. It's good to be able to see a lot of content at once and to have a different window or pair of windows on each display. If you have a laptop and you use it at a desk sometimes, you need a monitor so you don't have to look at the tiny 13, 14 or 15-inch display.
You should get displays that match your main use case: productivity or gaming. If you're gaming, I recommend a 2K display (2560 x 1440) with a 165 Hz or higher refresh rate. If you're doing productivity, you don't need a high refresh rate, but going for a 4K panel is ideal.
Mechanical Keyboard
If you're using the keyboard that came in the box with your desktop PC, please stop now. If you're using your laptop's keyboard, you can do better, even if the typing experience is relatively good (for a laptop). What you need is a high-quality mechanical keyboard with either clicky, linear or tactile switches.
I prefer keyboards with clicky switches, which are great for typing and give you audible feedback. Switches are color-coded so these are usually labeled as blue or sometimes (my favorite) Kailh Box White. For those who like feedback, but are self-conscious about a little pleasant noise, tactile switches, which are usually color-coded as brown, will do the trick. Finally, gamers who just want keys that have no resistance so they can hit "fire" more quickly, will prefer linear switches, which are usually color-coded as red.
You might be surprised to learn that you can get a decent mechanical keyboard for less than $60 or a really good one for less than $100. Here are a couple of suggestions.
Productivity or Gaming Mouse
You touch the keys on your keyboard thousands of times per day and you click the mouse button and roll the mouse pointer a lot too. So having a great mouse is imperative. Even if you like the touchpad (or TrackPoint) on your laptop, a mouse offers a far better navigation experience when you're at your desk.
As with your monitor choice, you need to decide whether you're prioritizing productivity or gaming when you choose a mouse. While you can go with a wired mouse, I always prefer wireless.
Laptop Bag
If you got a new laptop, you need some way to carry it around with without damaging it. You can go for a very slim bag that doesn't take up a lot of space and is easy to carry or a slightly-large one which holds more things in addition to your computer.
I like these two bags.
External Webcam
Most laptops come with some kind of webcam, but usually not an excellent one. Also, if you're using your system at a desk -- whether it's a desktop or not -- you want a webcam that can sit on top of your monitor for video calls.
Whether you're just making video calls for work or moonlighting as an online influencer or game streamer, you need a webcam that has at least 1080p resolution and good image quality. Here's our favorite choice.
Laptop Docking Station
If you're using a laptop with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you don't want to have to connect it separately to each of those devices every time you bring the laptop home. That's where a docking station comes in. You connect all your monitors and peripherals to the dock and then run just one wire to the laptop. If your laptop can charge over USB-C, you can get a dock which powers the computer and transfers data over a single cable.
When choosing a docking station, make sure you get one that supports the number of monitors you want to use with it. Some support just one monitor, most support two and there are a few more expensive ones that support three or perhaps even four outputs.
Also, make sure the dock uses the kind of connection your laptop supports. If it's a Thunderbolt dock and your laptop doesn't have Thunderbolt, don't buy it. Here are a couple of recommendations.
Power Tower
Whether you have a laptop or desktop, you need lots of outlets at your desk. Yes, you could buy a traditional, horizontal power strip. But those strips either take up a ton of desk space or you put them on the floor where they are out of reach.
What you need it a power tower, a vertical power strip that takes up a minimal footprint on your desk and allows you to plug in 12 or more devices, perhaps while charging others via USB. Some power towers even allow you to cut power to different sets of outlets with the touch of a button so you can turn off the electricity to your monitors and desktop when they are off while still charging your laptop or running your NAS on other outlets.
Wrist Rest
After you get your mechanical keyboard, you need a wrist rest to help keep you comfortable as you type. Yes, some keyboards come with their own wrist rests, but there's only one wrist rest that gives you the comfort you need: the simply-titled HyperX Wrist Rest.
Mouse Pad / Mouse Mat
You got your mouse but it's really unpleasant to drag it around on a rough surface like the top of your desk (especially if the desk is glass). It almost goes without saying, but you need a good mouse pad.
Some folks prefer a giant mouse surface which is huge and covers a large portion of their desk, perhaps with RGB. For myself, I go with a simple choice: a Belkin wrist rest that has a gel wrist rest built into it.
