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The best work-from-home tech: Quarantine in comfort

Luke Larsen
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Are you working from home for the first time? You’re not alone. Tens of millions of people worldwide now have a home office, whether they wanted one or not.

A new laptop, such as the new Dell XPS 13 can come in handy since it’s keyboard and touchpad are bigger, and an upgraded mouse, or office desk can help transform a section of your house into a suitable work environment. Here’s the best of what tech offers to make your work-from-home transition a bit easier.

The best work-from-home tech at a glance:

The best laptop: Dell XPS 13

Chances are your company has provided some kind of work device for you to use at home. If not, buying a laptop is the most important place to start. The best laptops are a balance of portability and power, and none walks that tightrope better than the XPS 13.

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It’s insanely small, at just 0.6 inches thick and weighing only 2.6 pounds. It’s similar in size to the MacBook Air, which is impressive considering it’s much quicker.

The newest model, the XPS 13 9300, features a larger 16:10 display aspect ratio, even thinner bezels, a larger touchpad, and a wider edge-to-edge keyboard. They’re all good changes to what was already a fantastic laptop, making it the one we recommend first to potential work-from-home buyers.

Read our in-depth Dell XPS 13 review

The best monitor: Dell P2720DC

Your monitor is among the first things you’ll miss when moving work from the office to your home. The extra screen real estate does wonders for productivity and multitasking.

Which monitor should you buy for your home office? We recommend the Dell P2720DC. It’s a 27-inch, 1440p monitor with beautifully thin bezels and plenty of adjustability.

While some people will opt for a more expensive 4K model, or perhaps a larger 32-inch screen, we think the Dell P2720DC hits the sweet spot for value. It even comes with a USB-C port, which can charge your laptop while also outputting video and reducing desk clutter.

If $360 is too expensive for you, our best budget monitors will help you find a more affordable choice.

The best mouse: Logitech MX Master 3

The MX Master is our favorite wireless mouse thanks to its modern design, excellent tracking, and easy customization. Now in its third generation, the MX Master just keeps improving.

The beautiful look remains, but now the MX Master 3 has a vastly improved scroll wheel, a more comfortable thumb rest, and charging via USB-C.

Its best feature? A technology called Logitech Flow that allows the MX Master 3 to be connected to up to three PCs at the same time. It’s a fantastic solution if your work demands you jump between multiple machines.

Read our in-depth Logitech MX Master 3 review

The best keyboard: Microsoft Surface Keyboard

The Surface Keyboard is a clean and responsive keyboard. It’s a full-size wireless model that effortlessly connects to your PC through Bluetooth. You couldn’t ask for better build quality, with plastic keys resting on a super-slim aluminum deck.

The Surface Keyboard runs on two AAA batteries instead of an internal battery, but can last for as long as a full year on a pair.

It should be noted the Microsoft Surface Keyboard is not a mechanical keyboard, meaning it uses traditional rubber dome switches rather than mechanical ones. Plenty of fantastic mechanical keyboards are available — just know they tend to be a bit more expensive, and will fill your house with the lovely clatter of typing.

The best USB-C dock: Vava USB-C Hub

So far we’ve covered several accessories. They’ll help you work in comfort, but present a problem of their own. Your laptop may not have enough ports.

Whether you need a different display output, an Ethernet jack, or just some extra USB ports, a USB-C hub or dock is essential for your home workstation. It’s a better solution than buying an assortment of different adapters and dongles.

The best is the Vava USB-C Hub, which features nine different ports in a slim chassis. The ports include two USB-A 3.0, a USB-A 2.0, an Ethernet jack, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, a TF card reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C charging port. If you have a laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port (such as a MacBook Pro or XPS 13), you’ll want to utilize the multi-monitor capabilities of that port with a proper Thunderbolt 3 dock, such as the CalDigit TS3 Plus.

The best laptop stand: BoYata Laptop Stand

Buying a laptop stand should be simple, right? A stack of books could do the trick in a pinch, after all. However, many laptop stands cut corners to hit a lower price. The result is a flimsy piece of plastic or metal that wobbles like Jell-o.

Your best option is the BoYata multi-angle laptop stand, which features complete customization of the angle and height of the stand. It fits just about every laptop imaginable, but is a particularly good fit for large 15-inch laptops. It even folds down completely if you want to transport it or store it for later.

The best webcam: Logitech C920s

Working from home means a lot of video conferencing. The webcam on your laptop will suffice in a pinch, but if you use a desktop monitor or a higher-quality camera, an external webcam is the way to go.

The best one? The Logitech C920s. It’s only $70, and it delivers a crisp 1080p video feed that’ll make your co-workers jealous.

You can upgrade to the 4K model, the Logitech Brio, but most people will be happy with the 1080p image the Logitech C920s outputs. Most people viewing your video have a 1080p display, anyway.

The best office desk: Coavas Computer Desk

Your work-from-home desk doesn’t need to be anything fancy, especially if it’s temporary. This Coavas desk couldn’t be simpler, making it an attractive option for a makeshift workspace. Fake wood aside, this desk would blend into a modern living room space well.

There are plenty of desks like this one on Amazon, but the Coavas desk has one killer feature. It’s completely foldable. That means no assembly and it’s easy to pack up at the end of the day. That’s key if you don’t have extra room for a full desk. If you’re looking for something more stationary, or perhaps even a motorized standing desk, our best desks for your home office can offer more options.

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Luke Larsen
Luke Larsen
Senior Editor, Computing
Luke Larsen is the Senior editor of computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
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