10 Cool USB Accessories You Should Pair With Your New Laptop – BGR

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When buying a laptop, you’ll likely want some useful USB accessories to enhance your new device, from power banks and cooling pads to hubs, webcams, and portable monitors. We’ve made a list of recommended accessories that’ll make a good laptop even better.

But first, a warning. When connecting any accessory to your laptop, ensure that its power requirements do not exceed the USB port capacity, or it will damage the port. In some laptops, the USB port will automatically disable itself, giving you a “Power Surge on the USB Port” error on the screen. Also, prices discussed in this guide are the original list prices at the time of writing, which may vary over time.

A USB hub is a useful gadget that adds more USB ports to your laptop. The Vienon 4-Port USB Hub plugs into USB-A ports and provides four USB-A ports capable of smooth connectivity and file sharing. Unfortunately, it does not support charging. 

The hub supports 5 Gbps of stable data transfer and can transfer an HD movie in a few seconds, according to the manufacturer. Moreover, it is integrated with independent chips to power individual devices without interruption, even if you plug in four devices simultaneously. The slim, compact design makes it portable, plus the ports are nicely spaced so you can connect multiple devices without any obstruction. 

The good part about this hub is that you won’t need to install any additional drivers or software — just plug it into your laptop, and you’re good to go. What’s more, blue LED lights above each port indicate when they are active. The device is on Amazon for $5.88.

One laptop screen may not be enough for those video editing, coding, or otherwise working with numerous tabs and apps. If that’s you, consider the InnoView Portable Monitor a 15.6-inch, 1080p screen compatible with Windows and macOS. 

It is designed with two Type-C ports, a headphone jack, and one standard HDMI port for connectivity, and can be used to extend, duplicate, or serve as a second laptop screen. The portable monitor comes with a scratch-resistant PU leather cover that acts as a stand.

Other features include eye protection, low blue light, and a 178-degree full viewing angle for a seamless experience. Consequently, this portable monitor can boost your productivity when working from home as you won’t have to juggle between two tabs, allowing full focus on the task at hand.

The Emeet Webcam is available for under $30 on Amazon. The 1080p camera and dual omnidirectional microphones deliver sharp video and audio quality. Designed with an automatic low-light correction technology, the camera can capture images even in minimal light. 

You can also manage colors, exposure, and light in the detected video/image when using the camera with your computer via the EmeetLink PC software. In addition, it offers a 90-degree field of view with fixed focus, plus an adjustable base and head, making it ideal for meeting rooms with multiple participants.

Rated 4.4 from 37,289 buyers, the Emeet webcam works with Windows 10/11, Android TV 7.0+, and macOS 10.14+. Hence, you can use it conveniently with common video-calling applications, like Zoom and Teams. It’s not paranoia to cover your laptop’s webcam, so use the privacy cover, included with the webcam, for added security. This USB gadget is on Amazon for $39.99.

A laptop running out of battery in the middle of nowhere is a nuisance. This is where power banks come in handy. The Juovi Power Bank, priced at $32.98, packs a staggering 20,000 mAh capacity that can juice up several types of devices, including your laptop in high-power mode. It has two USB-C (65 W) and two USB-A (30 W) ports for easy connectivity. 

There’s a digital display that tracks the current battery levels and estimates the remaining runtime. Moreover, it is air-travel compatible, allowing you to carry it with a laptop to watch your favorite content in-flight without battery concerns.

Amazon customers highlight the powerbank’s fast charging for Windows laptops and MacBooks, quickly bringing the batteries to sufficient levels. Unexpectedly, power banks are helpful even when they age.

A flash drive is super useful for quick data transfer. Although it is possible over the internet, not everyone has 24/7 access to WiFi, so having a USB to hand is important. The Amazon Basics Ultra Fast Flash Drive offers a 256 GB storage capacity to store all kinds of files and folders without any hassle. 

You can use it to store large pictures and documents that take up significant space on your laptop to keep the device clutter-free. Moreover, the USB has a data read speed of 130 MB/second and a write speed of 30 MB/second. Also, the light, retractable design is portable.

However, one thing to note is that if you are transferring a file above 4 GB, make sure to reformat the USB to exFAT or NTFS in the File System drop-down. You can purchase this Amazon Basics USB for $29.99.

The Rioddas External CD/DVD Drive is another cool accessory that you can throw into your tech backpack. CD/DVD functionality allows users to copy files, install software, watch movies, and more from an external disc.

Thanks to the plug-and-play setup, you won’t have to install additional drivers on your laptop, but it will be instantly detected once you connect it to the laptop. It achieves data transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps, and its robust fault tolerance technology prevents glitches such as freezing, skipping, or distorted frames during video playback. 

This CD/DVD drive is available on Amazon for $26.99. Buyers have found it a practical way to use CDs and DVDs on laptops without built-in drives.

SD card readers are another useful accessory that you should have with your laptop. The SmartQ USB 3.0 Card Reader can support four SD cards at a time (Micro SD/SD/MS/CF) and reads all of them independently. When connected to a USB 3.0 port, it gives you a data transfer rate of up to 5 Gbps for quick transmission. It can accommodate memory cards with up to 2 TB of storage, making it ideal to store and transfer large files between the laptop and SD cards. 

You can use the SD reader on various operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, and others, without downloading additional drivers. Amazon customers gave it an overall 4.6 stars, appreciating how quickly it displays the SD card content on the PC screen. Grab it on the platform for $9.99.

Battery decline is inevitable, and much of it is heat-related. Using a cooling pad is a reliable way to minimize heat and keep your battery running well for longer. The Havit Laptop Cooling Pad is a portable, USB-powered cooler consisting of three fans that work to cool your laptop down during extensive use. It is especially useful for those who perform resource-intensive tasks, such as gaming and video editing.

The pad comes with two USB ports for connectivity and has an adjustable height for better ergonomics. Make sure that the bottom of the cooling pad is slightly lifted during use to ensure a smoother airflow toward the laptop’s base. Get it on Amazon for $34.99.

Ring lights are not only useful for influencers but can also illuminate your space for professional video calls. The Acmezing Lighting Kit attaches to your laptop’s screen via a silicon grip to avoid scratching the surface. It offers five different color temperatures, ranging from white to warm. Simply connect it to your laptop’s USB port to turn on these lights.

Furthermore, this ring light has a 360-degree adjustable base and a 180-degree adjustable head so you can find the perfect alignment for your space. Installing these lights will allow the other members in the meeting to view you clearly, even in low-light conditions. Whether you are a student or a corporate employee, the Acmezing Ring Light, available for $21.99, will relieve you from the worries of blurry, dark images during video calls. 

If you just bought a new laptop without a backlit keyboard, typing in the dark might be difficult, especially when someone is sleeping in the room, and you cannot turn on the lights. The Oriemars USB Reading Light illuminates your laptop’s keyboard so you can type in low-light conditions. There are three brightness levels and three color temperatures — warm, warm white, and white.

The 360-degree flexible gooseneck design allows you to adjust the light’s head directly toward the keyboard for maximum visibility. The product — available for just $8.98 — has garnered 4.3 stars on Amazon from 866 reviews. Customers praise the color tones and the gooseneck for holding its position without repeated adjustments.

We recommend only the most useful and quality products. All the products here have a rating of four or above on Amazon from at least 500 reviewers. Moreover, they all serve a valuable function that complements a new laptop — no gimmicks or fluff. Each item is practical, durable, and vetted through thousands of user reviews.