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.

Finn025 · Answer

@Reply #3 - good point! Honestly though, I'd be really careful about buying one of those massive all-in-one hubs when you're on such a tight budget. Ngl, some of those cheaper ones get super hot and can actually short out your ports if the power regulation is bad. I've seen it happen where a low-quality adapter bricks the whole motherboard, and since you spent all your savings, you definitely dont want that. Personally, I'd skip the fancy bluetooth mouse and the big hubs for now. Just get a basic usb-c to usb-a adapter. It's less convenient but it's way more reliable for just plugging in a thumb drive or your old mouse. Also, stay away from those plastic snap-on shells. They seem like a good idea for protection but they actually trap heat and can put weird pressure on the screen hinges. Just stick to a padded sleeve and maybe a basic surge protector for when you're charging at school... seen way too many laptops get fried by bad library or dorm room outlets.