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

Question

So I just got this new Dell XPS for my new remote marketing job starting next Monday and honestly Im already so frustrated with it. There are literally only two USB-C ports on this thing and my desk is already a complete disaster area of cables and adapters. I cant even plug in my old mouse and keyboard without this ugly dongle hanging off the side and dropping connection. Im working out of a tiny apartment in Seattle and my neck is already killing me from staring down at the screen all day.

My logic was to just buy a cheap USB hub but then I realized I probably need a proper stand and maybe a separate keyboard to stop the slouching. I have about 150 bucks left in my budget to get this sorted before next week.

What are the actual must-have accessories to make a laptop setup usable? Like what do you guys actually use daily that solved this?

a decent dock that doesnt overheat

a laptop stand that actually brings it to eye level

anything else to save my sanity and my back

Im totally lost with all the options on Amazon and really need to get this ordered today...

wetmvjsoes · Accepted Answer

Been thinking about your budget situation since you need to order today. Honestly, I disagree with going super cheap on the stand just to save cash for the hub. Flimsy stands wobble constantly when you type, which is incredibly annoying. its better to split the 150 budget evenly. For hubs, I've compared the Ugreen Revodok Pro 109 9-in-1 USB-C Hub and the Satechi Slim Multi-Port Adapter V2. The Ugreen gives you more ports for cheap, but it gets pretty warm under load. The Satechi runs much cooler and matches the XPS build, though it costs a bit more. Pairing the Satechi with a sturdy BoYata Laptop Stand Multi-Angle Adjustable keeps you right around your budget limit and saves your neck.

ghvizunfez · Answer

In my experience dealing with the limited ports on modern XPS machines, you really need to look at the data throughput of the hub to avoid those connection drops. You dont want a cheap hub that chokes when you run a mouse and keyboard simultaneously. I highly recommend the Anker 555 USB-C Hub 8-in-1 because it handles 85W pass-through charging and supports 10Gbps transfer speeds. It runs about 45 bucks. For your neck, get the Rain Design mStand Laptop Stand. I've tried many over the years and this solid aluminum design is the gold standard for raising the screen to eye level. It costs around 40 dollars. That leaves you plenty of budget for a decent keyboard. Let me know if you want some good low-cost keyboard recommendations to pair with this, I can easily pull up some specs for you.