50 Best Computer Accessories: Evergreen Picks

We have updated our list of the best computer accessories for the year to help users with their computer accessory purchases. These accessories have been listed so that you don’t have to do the work.

Overall, it is easier to work more efficiently and effectively when you have quality accessories for your computer. So in this article, we focus on a variety of popular accessories as well as unique features that were requested such as keywords with a 10-key and affordable surge protectors.

Accessories For Everyone

Apart from the familiar and most well-known accessories like monitors, speakers, keyboards, mice, printers & scanners, and webcams, we also discuss other accessories like storage devices, projectors, cleaning kits, surge protectors, and stereo headsets among others.

So, if you don’t want to be overwhelmed, below you can find our selection of high-quality accessories.

Computer Keyboard

It is the core device used to enter text, characters, and functions in desktop computers by use of keys. They have the option of being connected by wires or through wireless means. Features to be considered are:

Type of work you need to do with the keyboard. For people who write a lot like writers, there are ergonomic keyboards that make it easy and comfortable to type. Serious gamers buy specialized consoles that have extra features to assist them while playing.
Most people probably prefer typing on a soft and comfortable keyboard. Be keen while selecting as others require additional pressure to make an impact.
Make sure that the keyboard you want has all the features that you require while still ranging on your target budget.

The best keyboard accessories include:

Redragon Gaming Mouse and Keyboard for less than $50
Logitech Wireless Numeric Keypad Keyboard for less than $60
Logitech MX Keys Bluetooth USB-C Keyboard for less than $125

Mice

This is a basic must-have accessory for performing everyday tasks on your desktop computer. There are numerous things to look out for before buying a mouse which include:

Size and how it feels on your hand. Make sure you test out the mouse before purchasing to get one that you are most comfortable using. Different mice are meant to be held in three types of grips namely palm grip, claw grip, and, fingertip grip. It all depends on your personal preference.
Do you want a wireless or wired mouse? A wired one involves plugging it into a port in the computer to function whereas wireless mice do not include any wires. They are fitted with batteries for power to function.
Mouse sensitivity to ensure your every move is executed precisely. A high sensitivity means that only minimal movement is made to make the cursor respond.

The best mouse accessories include:

Razer Elite Gaming Mouse for less than $50
Logitech Wireless Mouse for less than $75
Logitech Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse for less than $75

All-In-One Printers

As much as there has been a tremendous advancement in technology, we find ourselves in need of printing out documents. Printers are great accessories that help bring an idea to the computer into a tangible thing in the form of paper. To select a great printer, consider the following:

Inkjet or laser – This choice depends on your budget though they don’t cost that much money. The increased cost comes from buying cartridges and ink
Single or multiple functions – Do you want a multiple-function printer that can scan, fax, and print or would a regular printer do just fine? It all depends on the type of work you do and the convenience.
Quality – Remember that image quality matters and some users must have high-quality images to showcase their work.
Print speed – Massive work requires fast working printers while for people who print occasionally it isn’t much of a requirement.
Office size – Large office space is eligible to hold a big printer while a person with limited space will have a small, portable printer.

The best printer/scanner accessories include:

Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer for less than $200
Canon MX492 Wireless All-In-One Small Printer for less than $250
HP OfficeJet 5255 Wireless All-in-One Printer for less than $400

Related: Top All-in-One Printers

Webcams

The quality you get from a webcam largely depends on the amount of money you spend on the gadget. For casual use like keeping in touch with family and friends, a low-quality, and inexpensive webcam is best suited.

One of the forgotten accessories, webcams are still great for professionals. Your webcam functions need to be of super high quality and have multiple features.

Webcams are available in varying sizes, shapes, specifications, and prices. When in the market for one, consider the following:

Continuous autofocus – This feature enables the webcam to focus on you solely and not on the distractions that might be in the background.
Megapixels – The higher the megapixels, the better the image quality.
Frame rate – Quality frame rate ensures the video quality is smooth as it is the feature that determines the number of images to be displayed per second.
Lens quality – Plastic lenses tend to produce low-quality pictures as compared to glass lenses.

The best desktop webcam available:

Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam for less than $60
Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, Widescreen for less than $80
Logitech Brio 4K Webcam for less than $200

Projectors

To display images, texts, or images on a large surface, you need to either acquire a large-screen television or buy a projector. The latter is the cheaper alternative and to make sure you get the best consideration:

Zoom range – A feature that enables the user to alter the size and position of what they are projecting in different environments.
Resolution – Presentation has minimal demands when it comes to resolution, but for a person using the projector for displaying HD movies, the high resolution gives the best results.
Purpose – Is it for entertainment or business? Business people deal with a lot of still images and texts thus no demand for top-notch projectors. Entertainment involves playing a lot of motion pictures and videos, therefore, requiring a high-level projector to display quality content.
Reviews – These will help you gauge the gadget before purchasing it to find out other users’ experience, its performance, and how long it would take before replacing things like the projector’s bulb.
Portability – Using the projector as a home theater means that it will stay in a fixed position; therefore, its size doesn’t matter. Business people who need to carry it often need to purchase a small and easy-to-carry gadget.
Cost – More money, better quality. Research the numerous types of projectors available in the market and come up with the one that suits your needs as well as fits within your budget.

The best computer projectors include:

Anker NEBULA Capsule, Smart Wi-Fi Mini Projector for less than $350
Anker NEBULA Mars 3 Outdoor Portable Projector for less than $1,200
Anker NEBULA Cosmos Laser 4K Projector for less than $2,000

USB Hubs

This is a device that has one USB port expanding to create more ports to connect to other devices as a host system.

Safety – Some cheap knockoffs will be poorly wired which would lead to frying the connected devices. It is better to get a pricey but original product that will serve you for an extended period while still maintaining the safety of other devices.
Supported features – The more current it is, the more upgraded the features are.
Multiple ports – Most USB hubs come with four ports, but you can get more. It is reasonable to get more ports so that you don’t have to buy new USB hubs every time there is no space when you get a new device to connect.
Buy a powered USB hub it has its power adapter. This ensures available power isn’t shared among devices plugged in.

The best USB hub accessories include:

Sabrent 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub for less than $20
Anker 10 Port 60W Data Hub with 7 USB 3.0 Ports for less than $50
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) for less than $75

Surge Protectors

So many people tell the sad tale of their gadgets getting fried by a sudden power surge. Their devices are damaged, sometimes beyond repair. This usually happens when a device is connected directly to an outlet.

A surge protector acts as a shield that protects your desktop computer against unpredictable power surges. You can purchase one that has around 12 outlets thus protecting your computer as well as other devices. Look for a surge protector that:

Can be able to sustain all your equipment ranging from your desktop computer to TV to your smartphone. A strong surge protector will ensure you can protect all your essential devices at once.
Buy a surge protector that is certified by the Underwriters Laboratory. This is a sure way of knowing that the device you have bought will serve its purpose well.
A high absorption rate means that it can take up a lot of energy before it fails. When shopping for a surge protector, make sure it has a high absorption rate, a quick response time (low is better), and a lower clamping voltage (helpful in activating the surge protector when the electrical current becomes high).
Check the warranty to find out what is covered and what’s not (filing a claim should be easy if the surge protector is unable to do its work and your gadgets are fried).

The best surge protectors include:

Belkin 6-Outlet Power Strip Surge Protector for less than $20
APC 11-Outlet Surge Protector with USB Charging Ports for less than $40
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector for less than $50

Headphones

Fun activities like watching movies, listening to music, or gaming are always a thrill to engage in. This, however, should not be done at the expense of other people’s peace of mind. The standard 3.5mm jack for all headphones allows you to use these headsets on other devices like a smartphone, laptops, and tablets. Headsets are vital for people who listen for a living like a transcriber who converts audio into written text. Headsets will help them focus solely on the words being spoken.

With stereo headsets, it is a general rule that you get what you pay for. Price matters. Getting a high-priced headset will ensure you get guaranteed durability and a great sound experience.
Get headsets that can be able to isolate sounds so that you won’t have to struggle to turn up the volume to keep out sounds from people or cars when walking.

The best stereo headsets for gamers include:

SteelSeries Arctis PC Gaming Headset for less than $100
Turtle Beach PC Gaming Headset for less than $140
Logitech PC Gaming Headphones for less than $200

Speakers

Computer speakers are not that good to have as the primary means of projecting sound from the computer. External speakers have an excellent base that brings out the best sound, especially for movie and music lovers. Factors to consider before buying speakers include:

Do I have enough desk space? This is very important before buying these computer speakers.
The speakers should be flexible enough to be used on multiple devices by having many audio input interfaces.
Options to control volume and bass. It is good to play videos and audio at a reasonable volume to mind neighbors.

The best computer speakers include:

Logitech S150 USB Speakers for less than $20
Creative Pebble Desktop Speakers with Powerful Down-Firing Subwoofer for less than $50
Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers for less than $175

Monitors

Functions as a gadget that displays all the information processed by the computer’s video card. They perform display functions like regulating position, brightness, and contrast, and switching it off and on.

Without this basic accessory, you wouldn’t be able to use the desktop computer. There is a wide range to choose from depending on size, features, and type.

Check the resolution that is best suited for your screen size. Large screens should be accompanied by a high resolution to make sure the pixel density is greater.
Game lovers are more prone to pick monitors with a high refresh rate reason being it provides a smoother and more fun gaming experience.
Type of stand and the degree of rotation – make sure the stand is firm and durable, and it can be manipulated in your desired direction.
Check the response time it takes for a pixel to change color. This is because, in older versions, the response time was a bit slow causing ghosting effects.

The best computer monitors include:

HP Pavilion 21.5-inch IPS Monitor for less than $90
LG 27-inch IPS Gaming Monitor for less than $300
Dell S-Series 27-inch LED Gaming Monitor for less than $500

The best portable computer monitors include:

Lepow 15.6-inch Portable Gaming Monitor for less than $150
ASUS 15.6-inch Portable Monitor for less than $180

Related: Top Budget Gaming Monitors

Microphones

One of the most popular computer accessories ever thanks to the rise of podcasters. This computer part is preferred explicitly by people who record conversations or music tracks and those who have a podcast they want to broadcast. A stand-alone microphone should:

It can pick up high-low sounds with colossal clarity. When recording people holding a conversation, you will find others talking louder than others. A good microphone picks up all that.
It can handle noise and distinguish it from a desirable sound.
Before purchasing, take a controlled test to make sure you get a microphone with the sound you like.

The best microphone accessories include:

FIFine Plug & Play USB Microphone for less than $25
Blue Snowball Condenser Microphone for less than $50
Blue Yeti USB Microphone for less than $125

Portable USB Drives

The significant feature of this device is that it can comfortably fit into your pocket. It plays a vital role in transferring data from one device to another.

Buy a USB drive that will serve its purpose for an extended period. There is no need to buy something then it breaks apart after just one fall. Get drives with sturdy material.
Always insist on security to protect your files from intruders. A majority of USB drives come with security options for either a password or a fingerprint scan.
Warranted drives sound much better when purchasing a USB drive. This ensures that your gadget is protected against manufacturing defects that might occur within the period that you will be using the drive.

The best portable USB drive accessories include:

WD Elements Portable Hard Drive (2TB) for less than $75
Seagate Portable Hard Drive (5TB) for less than $150

Related: What is a Mesh Network?

External Hard Drives

Age and malware can cause a computer to crash. It is painful to lose all your data from such an experience. This is why it is advisable to purchase an external hard drive (one of the most important computer accessories for all desktop users) to store copies of your documents, pictures, and videos.

It can also help store large files that keep your internal memory from filling. Before buying look at the following:

You need to determine how much space you need to sufficiently store your files. For a person who has some media files, 512GB should be enough. However, for a family of active tech users, 4TB may be the safest option.
Get a device that will serve you for a long time. An ideal hard drive should have enhanced physical protection from falls and other accidents.
Protect your devices and files from intrusion by buying a device with added security features like encryption.

The best external hard drives include:

Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive (8TB) for less than $250
FD External Hard Drive (16TB) for less than $500
SanDisk Enterprise-Class External Desktop Hard Drive (22TB) for less than $750

Related: Top NAS Devices

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

These backup batteries are a great way to protect your computer and other useful PC accessories. UPS is the perfect solution to protect your computer equipment from unexpected power outages.

The backup battery won’t last forever, you must be aware of how much power is necessary for your devices.
You don’t have to get the most expensive backup battery, your backup battery should give you enough time to properly turn off your devices.
There are many things to consider when buying a backup battery (especially for big expensive devices). Check out CyberPower’s UPS Systems 101 to learn the fundamentals.

The best Uninterruptible Power Supply accessories include:

APC UPS Battery Backup (1500VA) for less than $200
CyberPower LCD Smart App Sinewave UPS Battery Backup (1500VA) for less than $550
APC Smart-UPS with SmartConnect Battery Backup (2200VA) for less than $1,200

Cleaning Kits

Over time, your desktop accumulates dirt that can be hard to clean. There are also areas of your computer that are super hard to reach for cleaning. A cleaning kit contains brushes that can reach these places and leave them spotless.

This kit has tissues that you can regularly use to wipe off your desktop monitor screen. Having a clean computer ensures that it lasts for longer and performs at its best.

A cleaning kit that does not contain products with harmful chemicals that might damage your device as well as have detrimental effects on your health.
Get clear instructions on how to use the products as you may end up using them the wrong way like spraying liquid content onto the desktop computer instead of spraying it onto a cloth and then wiping.

The best cleaning kit accessories available:

Tech Armor 120 ML Pro Cleaning Kit for less than $20

MicroSD Cards

If you need more storage space for your new smartphone (lucky you), digital camera, or gaming system, then you’ll likely need to get a microSD card. Gone are the days when microSD cards cost an arm and a leg. We list the two best and most reliable microSD card makers below. These microSD cards are so cheap now and the sizes are up to 1TB these days!

The best microSD card accessories available:

SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card (128GB) for less than $40
Samsung EVO MicroSD Card (256GB) for less than $100

Conclusion

There are so many computer accessories on the market to fit different types of budgets while still maintaining a variety of features from various brands. Many of these accessories will also work for your laptop. If you or a friend have a new laptop then take time and check out our laptop accessories list. Overall, when you’re searching for quality accessories, never base your decision on price alone.