What are the must-have accessories for a new laptop?

Question

I just got this new Dell laptop for my classes starting next week and I am honestly so frustrated already. It only has like two tiny holes on the side and I cant even plug in my old mouse or my thumb drive with my photos. I spent all my savings on the computer itself so I only have about 80 dollars left to get whatever else I need. I feel so stupid because I thought it would just work out of the box but now I feel like I am missing everything. I dont even know what these ports are called or if I need a special bag or something to keep it from breaking.

Sorry if this is a total beginner question but what are the actual must-have accessories I need to buy right now so I can actually use this thing?

keiwwxzjoo · Accepted Answer

Honestly, you gotta protect that investment. In my experience, throwing a bare laptop in a bag is just asking for a cracked LCD. Since youre tight on cash, focus on a high-spec sleeve and maybe a bluetooth mouse to keep your limited ports free.

Tomtoc 360 Protective Laptop Sleeve 13-14 inch Water-Resistant

Logitech M350s Pebble Mouse 2 Bluetooth Silent The Tomtoc has great corner protection. The Pebble 2 avoids the dongle mess entirely.

pszvfjqkoo · Answer

^ This. Also, I learned the hard way that screens are magnets for damage. It once happened to me—a tiny grain of sand got trapped between the keys and the glass in my backpack, leaving a permanent scratch. Since youre on a budget, I'd suggest:

Grab MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths 6 Pack to protect the display.

Be careful with cheap off-brand chargers; they can fry your battery health really fast.

Skye759 · Answer

You need a hub!Anker 332 USB-C Hub 5-in-1: Fantastic value, super reliable.Satechi USB-C Multi-Port Adapter 4K: Amazing build but pricier. Both solve your port problem instantly!