(TwelveSouth)
The MacBook line offers a sleek design and high-octane performance. But as good as these Apple laptops may be, a few simple accessories can make them even better. Whether you mostly use your MacBook for work or pleasure, the following five accessories can increase your productivity, and make your MacBook more ergonomic.
Most of the items on the list below will work with the new 12-inch MacBooks coming out on April 10, as well as existing 11-inch, 13-inch, and 15-inch MacBook models. Some accessories on this list will also work with older, non-Retina MacBooks, or old-model 17-inch MacBooks. Whether you own a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or a MacBook Air, one of these cool accessories can help you be more productive.
1. TwelveSouth ParcSlope MacBook Laptop Stand
(TwelveSouth)
A laptop stand is a great way to improve air circulation around your MacBook. This can help to prevent overheating. Another benefit of using a laptop stand is creating a more ergonomic angle for typing. A stand also places the screen at a level that is easier on your neck.
The ParcSlope laptop stand works with a wide array of MacBooks, including MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. It also has a built-in cable management system, which helps to keep your workspace tidy. A soft silicone lip keeps your MacBook in place on the stand, while rubber feet on the bottom of the stand keep your whole apparatus from slipping around. The silicone lip also helps to prevent your laptop from getting scratches on the bottom.
Price: $49.95
Buy a Twelve South ParcSlope MacBook Laptop Stand here.
2. Apple Magic Mouse
(Apple)
The trackpad on a MacBook is great, but some activities are simply easier to accomplish with a mouse. Apple’s Magic Mouse is wireless, and completely buttonless. The entire top surface of the Magic Mouse is Multi-Touch capable, so you can use the mouse to swipe-navigate or scroll through a series of pages. The mouse is smart enough to recognize when you are trying to navigate, versus when you are just resting your hand on the mouse.
The Magic Mouse pairs nicely with Apple’s own wireless keyboard, for those days when typing on a MacBook keyboard is a bit uncomfortable.
Price: $58 (32 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Apple Magic Mouse here.
3. Belkin Loft MacBook/Laptop Stand
(Belkin)
Unlike the ParcSlope laptop stand, this laptop stand from Belkin is designed to be used only with a secondary wireless keyboard. It places your MacBook a bit higher in the air than the ParcSlope stand, which may be better for some people’s ergonomic needs.
This is a good laptop stand for people who need to make the most of the available space on a very small desk. Like the ParcSlope stand, this laptop stand has a cable management system in place to keep things tidy.
Price: $49.66 (17 percent off MSRP)
Buy a Belkin Loft for laptops here.
4. Satechi 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub
(Satechi)
One of the main drawbacks of some MacBook models is the lack of USB ports. If you need more USB ports, a hub can give you a way to plus into multiple USB devices at once. This particular hub offers data transfer rates of up to 5/GBPS. No software installation is required to use this hub. If four ports simply isn’t enough for your needs, Satechi also makes a hub with seven USB ports.
Price: $9.99 (67 percent off MSRP)
Buy a Satechi 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub here.
5. TwelveSouth BookArc for MacBook Pro
(TwelveSouth)
The BookArc is a space-saving stand for your MacBook. In addition to saving space and looking cool, this stand also offers you a way to use your MacBook in the closed position. Just connect your laptop to an external monitor, and you can use your MacBook while taking up a fraction of the space you’d normally need. Using an external monitor is great for tasks that require a larger monitor, such as photo editing, design work, or just watching a movie.
The BookArc for MacBook Pro is designed exclusively for the 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch MacBook Pro lines (with or without Retina display.) TwelveSouth also makes a BookArc for the MacBook Air, as well as a BookArc made from wood. The wooden BookArc “mod” is compatible with the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Retina Display. It’s available in espresso, birch, and walnut finishes.
Price: $49.95
Buy Twelve South BookArc for MacBook Pro here.
