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What Extras Should I Buy When Buying a Laptop?

Posted by Cliff on from the accessorizing dept.

HarleyPig asks: "I'm using my tax return to buy a laptop. I don't want to know which laptop to get (that's a religious discussion I'd like to avoid). What peripherals do you find yourself wishing you'd bought, or have ended up buying? I know I'll need a mouse, extra cabling, extra batteries and some kind of case to hold and carry around the laptop. What else should I consider putting in my list of stuff to buy with a laptop?"

7 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. External Mouse by servicepack158 · · Score: 4, Informative

    i hate touch pads :)
    Get wireless B/G card. B is common, and G is fast and will be more common in the future.
    On a side note, I just got the widescreen 15.4 inch kind, and I really like it. Good for watching DVD's :)
    Toshiba makes a nice laptop

  2. My list. by dstillz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Make sure to get:

    • THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.
    • ADEQUATE SURGE PROTECTION FOR BOTH HOME AND THE ROAD.
    • Integrated wireless.
    • A CoolPad; perhaps 2: a Podium for the home, and a Traveler for the road. No, I don't work for the maker.
    • An extra AC adapter, to leave plugged in at home.
    • USB2 or FireWire external hard disk that is 1-4x as big as the internal HD, for backup purposes.
    • If you can afford it, a port replicator. Less wear and tear on the laptop's ports is important.
    • If you can afford it, an extra battery or two; I don't know how much of a road warrior you are.
    • A padded sleeve, to go inside your laptop case; protect your investment.
    • A decent laptop case, preferably one that doesn't look like a traditional laptop case.
    1. Re:My list. by AlecC · · Score: 4, Informative

      A decent laptop case, preferably one that doesn't look like a traditional laptop case

      Or a fightbag/backpack with built-in laptop case. I recently went on a trip with a colleague who had one - I had my own pack and a traditional laptop in case. He had it much easier than me - only one thing to carry.

      --
      Consciousness is an illusion caused by an excess of self consciousness.
  3. Daypack with foam rubber. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 4, Informative


    Depending on your situation, I suggest buying an inexpensive daypack and installing some foam rubber in it. It's much more comfortable not to look like a target for theft, I've found. A bubble pack envelope large enough for the laptop may be enough cushioning if you put some foam rubber at the bottom of the daypack.

    On the other hand, if you always travel by limousine, I suggest you bring along a supermodel to distract thieves from the laptop.

  4. I can really only tell you what I do. by Roman_(ajvvs) · · Score: 5, Informative
    I can't really say what works for you, but I'll give you what works for me.

    I got a Toshiba 5200 for my birthday last july and it's the first laptop I've had which has been my primary work tool as a programmer. I take it to work, plug it in and take it home at the end of the day (for extra security, since equipment has a habit of "going missing" at work).
    The first thing i did was use a second power cable (with the figure 8 connector) to keep at work (tethered to the physical desktop for easy reaching). That way all I have to do is plug my battery pack into the cable and I can keep my power cable in the bag and only unravel when it's needed.

    That brings me to the bag. As I have a large 15.1" laptop screen (for the time), it took me literally a dozen bag tests to find one that even fit the bloody thing. I went for an STM Alley bag bag. But there are a lots of good ones out there. A good bag with good compartments can save your day and make carrying the laptop more than a burden!

    In the front pouch of my bag, I have:

    • a crossover cable (has proven its worth many a time)
    • a kensington key-based security cable (have used it once.)
    • A/V out cable (came with the laptop. also comes in handy for presentations and shows)
    • a usb memory key ( 128MB USB 2.0). invaluable for when a network's not available. High speed helps as well.
    Oddly enough, I don't have a mouse in my bag. I'm one of those people who like using the touchpad. :) I use a mouse at work, but I leave it there (again tethered to the desk...)
    I recently got a mini-pci wireless card for my laptop. It's very useful on the road, but not so much if you don't have a wireless network to plug into. I still prefer wired if available, because of latency and performance issues.

    I'm considering getting a second battery. But it's not an urgent requirement as Toshiba is usually pretty good with spare parts availability. Getting access to available parts is an entirely different manner. it'll be more relevant further down the track.

    I'm quite happy with my setup. There's nothing I miss or terribly need. But it all depends on what you want to do with it. How often do you plug stuff into/ out of your laptop?

    --
    click-clack, front and back. I'm not moving this car otherwise.
  5. In my opinion... by nathanh · · Score: 4, Informative
    HarleyPig asks: "I'm using my tax return to buy a laptop. I don't want to know which laptop to get (that's a religious discussion I'd like to avoid). What peripherals do you find yourself wishing you'd bought, or have ended up buying? I know I'll need a mouse, extra cabling, extra batteries and some kind of case to hold and carry around the laptop. What else should I consider putting in my list of stuff to buy with a laptop?"

    In my opinion... don't buy many peripherals. The problem with buying lots of peripherals is that your ~2kg laptop suddenly needs a bag the size of a small suitcase weighing in at 10kg or more to carry around all the junk you "need".

    Take the mouse, for example. You've already decided to get one. Why? The trackpad really is not that bad. The mouse needs a flat surface to work on, which ties you to a desk. I've found I can work the trackpad fairly well, after just a few days practise.

    Cables? Why? If you're going to be in a place where you need a cable, there's likely to be one there already. Take for example people who carry a serial cable around so they can "plug-in" to a Cisco router while onsite. Have you ever seen a comms room without a serial cable? I haven't. So why carry the cable? Same for Ethernet. If you simply *must* have a backup cable, put it in the boot of your car.

    Extra batteries are only useful if you keep them charged. In my experience, nobody is that organised. They'll have two batteries and one of them is always flat. So when their live battery goes flat... well... they're in the same boat as the rest of us with only one battery.

    I managed to avoid getting a computer bag for the laptop. A leather briefcase costs the same and looks heaps more professional. Modern cases have fairly soft interiors and it's not like I will be throwing this thing around, anyway.

    One thing I would buy as an additional extra is a second power pack. It's useful to have your home setup permanently "wired" with the second supply in the bag.

    And a USB key. Damn, those things are so useful!

  6. A "few" suggestions... by ezraekman · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, here's what's in the cavern I call a backpack:

    A Mini-Mouse
    I don't know about the rest of you, but for me a button pointer or trackpad just can't beat the feel of a mouse. MacAlly makes a niftly little mouse called the iOptiJr, which is just the smaller version of the iSweetNet. Nice and small, thus very precise; two buttons, wheel button, and programmable, and it's Mac/PC compatible. But... you'll have to get used to it being so small. I think other mice are big and bulky by comparison now, but that's because I got used to this one. You may need to install drivers, depending on your machine. You can get a wireless version, but then you have to worry about batteries. Optical is WAY better than your basic mechanical ball... unless you're using it on the surface of your laptop, or another shiny/sparkly surface. Think ahead.

    A Mini USB Hub
    Here's a slick one by IOGear. This has proved useful occasionally, but I haven't used it in over six months. Buy at your discretion. Mine (Not the IOGear one; a different brand) came with a cable that was split into two USB plugs; one to provide basic functionality, and one to provide added power, so you could use more power-hungry devices (like external USB floppy drives, scanners, etc.) without needing to plug the hub into the wall. But... this can drain the power of your laptop if you aren't careful.

    A Wireless Network Card
    If your machine doesn't ship with one (or with functionality on the motherboard), buy yourself an 802.11g PCMCIA card. They're backwards compatible with 802.11b, and network access (copying files, etc.) is up to five times faster. However, this won't matter for internet access unless your sitting behind a T3. If you aren't planning on networking large files EVER, than spend half as much on 802.11b. Definitely get one though, because most internet cafes and hotspots are swithcing to wireless-only access, if they haven't already.

    A Portable Flatbed Scanner
    Obviously, this'll only matter if you need one. But I've found Canon's LIDE series (I've got the LIDE 30)to be a nice addition to my bag. Good quality, fast, small (same footprint as my 17-inch powerbook, and only 1.5 inches think!), and it's powered by the USB cable!

    A Webcam
    there are about a billion and a half of these out there. Think about what you're actually going to use it for, if anything. Don't spend extra because it's detachable and can take still photos. You're better off buying a digital camera. I've never needed one, but you might.

    A Bluetooth Adapter PCMCIA Card or USB dongle.
    This may be a non-issue for you, but if you have or think you might get any bluetooth devices (such as a wireless mouse or Bluetooth-enable PDA), this could well be worth the money. Again, it may already be on your motherboard.

    Cables! (Oh, and a cable bag.)
    Okay, one USB cable, normal-sized, and one of the mini-plugged ones, for digital cameras and other devices. Although... I've never needed to use this. (I try to stay as modular as possible, and use things that work with more standardized cables, etc.) A firewire 6-pin to 6-pin (for large devices such as drives), and a 6-pin to 4-pin, for smaller devices such as DV-camcorders. Other cables (such as a USB light, A/V and monitor cables, etc.) are up to you.

    A Digital Camera
    Obviously, not a necessity for a laptop user, but usually pretty handy if you don't have one. Buy one that uses Compact Flash (cheapest memory, MB/dollar), and AA batteries. Buy rechargables, highest capacity you can find... usually around 1800-2200 mA. Oh, and you can get a great 30-minute charger by Energizer for about $40 at Best Bu