No MacBook is an island. While your Apple laptop makes you a productivity powerhouse all by itself, you need some additional hardware to make the most of it, whether it’s a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air, running on legacy Intel or new Apple M1 or M2 silicon. If nothing else, the iconic notebooks’ having only Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports means you’ll need an adapter or dongle or two to use your favorite peripherals.
We’ve collected a variety of MacBook accessory options that’ll save you time and help avoid frustration (or even disaster). Check them out below. If you’re interested in a larger connectivity solution in the form of a desktop docking station, see our guide to MacBook docks. And if your MacBook’s speakers aren’t doing it for you, we’ve got roundups of the best earbuds and best Bluetooth speakers.
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While modern MacBooks’ Thunderbolt 4 ports have many benefits, they don’t include backward compatibility with many thumb drives and other traditional USB peripherals. For anything that has a rectangular USB Type-A connector instead of the oval, no-right-side-up-or-upside-down Type-C plug, you’ll need an adapter.
The Nonda USB-C (male) to USB-A (female) adapter shown here is an expensive choice at $9.99—the same money will buy you at least a two-pack of dongles from your favorite online reseller—but has a couple of attractions. Its compact case is made of aluminum instead of plastic, and it’s available in silver, gold, or Space Gray to match your MacBook. Whether you choose the Nonda or another adapter, check the specs to make sure it supports the 5Gbps data transfer speed of USB 3.0. Some older dongles are limited to the 480Mbps of USB 2.0.
Our guide to MacBook docking stations lists 10 alternatives if your desk setup doesn’t include an external monitor, but if it does, we like Anker’s $249.99 model 675 USB-C station. This nonskid aluminum alloy monitor stand has built-in cable management to reduce desk clutter and is a Qi wireless charging platform for your iPhone or other smartphone.
Oh, it also gives you five USB ports (three Type-A and two Type-C); HDMI and Ethernet ports; SD and microSD flash card slots; and a 3.5mm audio jack. Its USB-C connection to your laptop provides up to 100 watts of charging power.
If you’ve jumped headfirst into the Apple ecosystem, you might appreciate a way to make your MacBook Pro or Air, iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch work together seamlessly.
A Qi-compatible wireless charging pad such as the Mophie 3-in-1 ($139.95) will fast-charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch via a single platform covered in premium ultrasuede fabric that prevents scratches to your expensive Apple products. Engineered to deliver up to 7.5 watts of power to your iPhone, the pad can charge through lightweight phone cases up to 3mm thick. It has dedicated spots for your Apple Watch and AirPods, letting you use the former in Nightstand Mode.
External data storage is more important than ever thanks to massive video files and high-res photos. While cloud storage solutions are ideal for most people, sometimes you just need to have a local storage option when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
Our favorite shirt-pocket solid-state drive, the ADATA SE800, has plunged in price since our 2020 review—with a few minutes’ online shopping, you can find the 1TB version for about $75—but remains a premium contender, offering speedy data transfers as well as nearly indestructible construction. Its IP68 ingress protection rating means it can survive being drowned in five feet of water for up to half an hour, let alone dropped onto a sidewalk or tile floor. Available in black or blue, it’s backed by a three-year warranty.
Ever been traveling with your MacBook and needing to finish an important assignment—with a battery that’s nearly dead and no power outlets in sight? After the first time it happens, you’ll learn to carry a USB-C portable battery pack like the RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh 60-Watt Portable Charger.
This device (model RP-PB201) has one Power Delivery (PD) port and one QuickCharge (QC) port so you can charge your laptop and phone simultaneously. Its 60-watt PD output means it can charge your Apple laptop just as efficiently as the original charger, bringing a 13-inch MacBook Pro to 60% charged in just an hour. Alternatively, its high capacity means it can charge an iPhone 11 Pro Max from empty to full 2.6 times before draining.
Macs have always been essential work equipment for digital content creators and multimedia pros, but serious video and image editing typically requires two displays. That’s why a portable monitor like ViewSonic’s ColorPro VP16-OLED is worth every penny.
To be sure, the ColorPro costs a lot of pennies (the MSRP is $422.99), but this 15.6-inch full HD (1080p) display outshines most mobile monitors thanks to OLED instead of IPS or VA technology. This gives it unbeatably brilliant color and ultra-dark blacks—OLED panels actually turn black pixels off, so zero light shines through—with a contrast ratio 100 to 150 times greater than many competitors’. The 2.2-pound portable monitor has an ingenious double-hinged stand and comes with a detachable hood to shield the glossy screen from ambient light.
Apple’s MacBook trackpads are famous for delivering some of the best touchpad experiences of any laptops. Unfortunately, Apple’s track record with external mice has been hit or miss.
The Logitech MX Master 3 ($99.99) isn’t the smallest or lightest Bluetooth mouse for macOS, but this is one of the best mice you can buy in terms of ergonomics, controls, customization, and tracking sensitivity. Logitech’s Darkfield 4,000dpi sensor means this wireless mouse works on virtually any surface (even a glass table at a fashionable coffee shop). USB-C quick charging means the battery inside the MX Master 3 will last an entire work day after charging for only three minutes. If you let the battery charge completely, then Logitech claims this mouse will keep working for up to 70 days. (See more of our top-rated mice for Macs.)
Just about every Apple road warrior needs a way to charge their MacBook Pro while on the road. Consider a USB-C car charger like the Anker PowerDrive Speed+ ($32.99). This two-port charger can charge USB-C laptops, phones, and tablets with up to 30 watts, while its PowerIQ 2.0 port delivers full-speed charging for USB-A devices.
Apple has stopped including chargers with new iPhones in an effort to reduce carbon emissions and the mining and use of precious materials. Now that MacBooks can be charged over USB-C, is it only a matter of time before Apple stops including chargers with MacBooks as well?
Be prepared with the Satechi 75W Dual Type-C PD Travel Charger, which allows you to charge your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air and a USB-C smartphone at the same time thanks to two USB-C PD ports: one 60-watt and one 18-watt. If you’re still using legacy devices that charge over USB-A, this charger also includes two USB-A ports that charge at 2.4 amps.
This might sound like an odd addition to our list of MacBook accessories, but the reality is that accidents happen with mobile electronics. While AppleCare+ isn’t the kind of product you’re going to use every day, it just might be the most valuable addition to your laptop in the event of a drop or an electrical surge.
New MacBook Pro and Air models come with 90 days of complimentary technical support and one year of hardware repair coverage through Apple’s limited warranty. AppleCare+ for Mac extends your coverage to three years and adds two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen or enclosure damage or $299 for other damage. You’ll also get 24/7 phone and chat access to Apple tech support experts.
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