MacBook Air Or Pro Essential Accessories
These are the best MacBook Air & MacBook Pro accessories.
Here are Tom's Guide's top picks for everything you'll need from protective cases and sleeves to versatile docks and must-have adaptors.
Here are Tom's Guide's top picks for everything you'll need from protective cases and sleeves to versatile docks and must-have adaptors.
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00:00The MacBook Air is Apple's best-selling laptop
00:02and one of the most popular laptops on the market, period.
00:05But between all the docks, chargers, peripherals,
00:08stands, and cases you can buy,
00:09it's hard to know which one is worth getting.
00:12I've rounded up the best MacBook Air accessories,
00:14including some that are specifically designed
00:15for the newer MacBook Air M3s.
00:18And if you want to check any of these out,
00:19they're all linked in the description.
00:21So let's get into it.
00:24Just like with my phones,
00:25I'm that person who won't get caught
00:26using their MacBook without a case.
00:28I've gone through my fair share in the past few years,
00:30but the Spigen Urban Fit is hands down
00:32the best that I've tried.
00:34As soon as you pop one of these on,
00:36your laptop instantly feels way tougher.
00:39Except for the keyboard deck
00:41and the precision cutouts for your port,
00:43you've basically got 360 degrees of protection
00:46on your laptop without adding that much extra bulk
00:49or weight to your setup.
00:50And so whether you're tossing your MacBook in your bag
00:52or just lugging it around the house,
00:53the Urban Fit's got you covered
00:55against those inevitable scratches and bumps.
00:58But for when you're not throwing your MacBook
00:59in a larger book bag,
01:01here's some of the best soft cases worth checking out.
01:03First up, there's the Belkin sleeve,
01:05which is deceivingly rugged.
01:06It has a bit of an exoskeleton
01:08that gives it more rigidity while still being slim.
01:11It has a built-in retractable handle on its side
01:13and a front pocket to carry
01:14some of the most important accessories,
01:16whether you're using chargers, cables, mice,
01:18or even some keyboards.
01:20One thing to keep in mind though
01:21is the pocket isn't the full length of the case.
01:23So even with smaller keyboards like this Pebble Key 2,
01:27it'll fit right in,
01:28but you won't actually be able to zip the pocket closed.
01:31And so I usually end up putting the keyboard
01:33in the main pocket as the MacBook.
01:34Because of that, I think the Spigen Class N
01:36is a bit of a step up,
01:38offering more scratch resistance and water resistance.
01:41And speaking of water,
01:42it's actually made of 100% recycled nylon
01:45from fishnets and other ocean waste.
01:47And that's pretty cool.
01:48It also uses a larger opening on its side,
01:50which makes it easier to slide your laptop in or out.
01:53This accessories pocket also manages to fit more inside
01:56because it's deeper.
01:57And it also has some added protection from the elements
02:00because of the lip covering the zipper.
02:02And so even though this is a little bit larger
02:04as one carrying bag that can hold your MacBook
02:05and all of its accessories,
02:07this is a pretty great choice.
02:08That said, the moth sleeve might be one of my favorites.
02:11This thing is basically like an origami-like transformer.
02:14It's a sleeve, but in seconds,
02:17it can actually turn into a stand
02:19with two height adjustments, either 15 or 25 degrees,
02:23giving you better viewing and typing angles.
02:25Inside, it has this one little slot
02:27that's probably good for maybe a few business cards.
02:29But aside from that,
02:31it has this little divider on the side
02:34your laptop slides in.
02:36And then on this side,
02:37this is where you actually throw in all your accessories.
02:40And you might be thinking, well, this thing is really small.
02:43So to make up for that,
02:43it has this really stretchy material on the front here.
02:46And even though this doesn't have the space
02:47to fit in smaller keyboards like the Pebble,
02:50it does have enough flexibility
02:51to fit in some larger accessories,
02:52including chargers and mice.
02:54But given how slim and multifunctional this is,
02:57it's super impressive.
02:58I just wish it had a handle,
03:00kind of like the Spigen case,
03:01to make it a little bit more easy to carry around.
03:03Next, we have the Logitech Kasa pop-up desk.
03:07You know, in many ways,
03:07it's like the moth sleeve that we just saw,
03:09only it's much thicker.
03:11It isn't a case at all.
03:12And instead, it just houses a mini keyboard and trackpad,
03:15as well as a little compartment here
03:17for your extra wires and doodads.
03:20This looks a lot like a school binder,
03:21and it actually feels about as heavy.
03:24The included keyboard is pretty solid
03:26with nice squared off keys that are decent to type on.
03:28And the trackpad here is also really great
03:31and could be a nice substitute for the Magic Trackpad.
03:34That said though, this entire setup is not cheap.
03:37But if you frequently find yourself needing a trackpad,
03:40a keyboard, and some kind of stand,
03:42this is a pretty cool setup
03:44that allows you to get set up pretty quickly.
03:47But if you don't really want the stand,
03:48and instead you're interested
03:49in a similarly small size keyboard,
03:52and maybe a more traditional mouse,
03:54then you should check out the Pebble Keys 2 and Mouse 2.
03:58The Keys 2 is just a little bit taller,
03:59but it's still very portable.
04:01It still also offers the same quick switching
04:04between three different devices
04:05with the hotkeys at the top.
04:07And the same applies for the mouse
04:08with its button at the bottom.
04:10So if you have your MacBook, iPad,
04:12and maybe a third computer,
04:13you can quickly switch between the three devices
04:15with just a click.
04:16One major difference though,
04:17is that this is not rechargeable.
04:19Instead, it uses two AAA batteries.
04:21Both the Kasa Keys and the Pebble Keys 2
04:24aren't the most ergonomic to type on
04:25for longer periods of time,
04:26especially because they don't have raised feet.
04:28But if you're looking for something
04:29that's slim, lightweight, and cheap,
04:31that you can just throw into your bag
04:32and always carry around with you,
04:34this is hard to beat.
04:35First step up, you can go for the MX Mini Keys.
04:38This is hands down my favorite multi-device keyboard.
04:41I've had this for about two years now,
04:43and typing on it is great.
04:44And for me, this is the perfect size.
04:47It's about as big as the keyboard Pebble,
04:49but with the added benefit
04:50of a more ergonomic typing angle
04:52because of its built-in feet.
04:54Overall, this feels more premium,
04:56not only with its build,
04:57but with the typing experience,
04:59the fact that it's USB-C,
05:00and it does have backlight brightness.
05:02But then Logitech said,
05:03what if we take that same great design
05:05that everyone loves and made it mechanical?
05:08Well, that's what we have here
05:10with the Logitech Mini MX Mechanical.
05:13It uses low profile, quiet mechanical keys.
05:16Typing is satisfying,
05:17and overall, it's even a little bit more ergonomic
05:19than the MX Mini.
05:21This still manages to be really easy to take on the go,
05:24but for a lot of people,
05:25this is probably seen as a much superior
05:28desktop keyboard replacement.
05:31And with its really nice tactile keys,
05:33I also think this is really great for gaming.
05:37And then speaking of desktop setups,
05:38the best way to round it off
05:39is probably with one of these.
05:41This is the MX Master 3S.
05:43It might not be the best for taking on the go,
05:45but it's overall one of my favorite mice for productivity.
05:49It's been my daily mouse for a few years now,
05:51and ergonomically, it's one of the best.
05:53Now, even though it's kind of normal
05:54for laptops like the MacBook Air
05:56to only have a few ports,
05:58it doesn't mean you're stuck with that.
06:00One of the easiest fixes
06:01is with the Anker 72 USB-C adapter,
06:04which takes your two USB-C ports on the side
06:07and expands it into everything you'd probably need,
06:09including one full-size USB Type-A,
06:12a full-size HDMI, an SD, and micro SD card reader.
06:15The downside, though,
06:17is it's not compatible with most cases,
06:19so you will have to remove that
06:21if you're someone like me who likes to have them on,
06:23but you also do lose access to your MagSafe connection
06:26for charging the laptop,
06:27meaning when this is attached,
06:30you're gonna have to rely on one of these
06:31for power delivery.
06:33On the positive side, when it is attached,
06:35this does feel like an extension of your laptop.
06:37You can almost keep this on all the time
06:39if you wanna have quick access to those ports.
06:41But let's say you're someone like me
06:42who wants to rock the case
06:44but still have access to all those additional ports.
06:46For that, you can get a small external hub
06:48like the Spigen ArcDock.
06:49It offers full-size HDMI, micro SD card, SD card,
06:53two full-size USB ports, two USB Type-C ports,
06:56one for power delivery,
06:58and on its side, you even have a gigabit ethernet port
07:00and a 3.5-millimeter audio jack.
07:03The Belkin 5-in-1 USB-C hub is another sleek solution,
07:06but it offers four Thunderbolt USB-C ports
07:09as well as one USB Type-A on the back.
07:12And so if you quickly wanna connect
07:13to a lot of high-speed devices,
07:14whether those are hard drives or external monitors,
07:17this is one of the smallest and most convenient choices.
07:20This can drive a single 5K 60 Hertz monitor
07:22or dual 4K 60 Hertz monitors.
07:25For the past few months, though,
07:26I've actually been using the pluggable Thunderbolt 4 UDX1,
07:30and it's actually what's been driving
07:31that big 49-inch ultrawide monitor
07:33in the background there.
07:34Even though this only has two Thunderbolt 4 ports,
07:37it makes up for it with four USB Type-A ports,
07:40which are great for older accessories.
07:42You also have ethernet 2.5, a full-size HDMI 2.0 port,
07:46and an SD card reader on the front.
07:49And so for one desktop dock that can connect
07:50to all my devices, older ones, internet,
07:53and monitor really easily, this is my top pick.
07:57And then speaking of desktop setups,
07:58here are a few ways that you can make your desk
08:00a little bit tidier with some laptop stands.
08:02The 12 South Book Arc Flex looks very minimalist,
08:05and it doesn't take up much space on your desk.
08:07Your MacBook slips in and is snug
08:09with these rubberized feet on the side.
08:11And because of that really nice premium chrome finish,
08:14which can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet,
08:16I do think it fits into a lot of setups really nicely.
08:20The Curve Flex is more like the Kasa pop-up desk.
08:23This offers more adjustments for heights and angle.
08:26And so if your goal is to get the best ergonomic viewing
08:28and typing experience using the built-in keyboard
08:31and trackpad, this helps a lot.
08:33And it even comes with its own little cute carrying bag
08:35if you want to take this on the go.
08:37For me though, I find that the Plugable PT Stand 1
08:40is an unsung hero.
08:42This $25 pick is really intended for tablets,
08:45but it has the strength and flexibility
08:46to hold smaller laptops like the MacBook Air,
08:50even when they're opened.
08:51But unlike the Flex,
08:52I wouldn't necessarily use this to type on.
08:54Instead though, this is really great
08:56when you want to pair it with those external peripherals,
08:58but still use the built-in screen.
09:00But if you're someone who also wants to maximize
09:02their desktop experience and connect to a bunch of things
09:05using a dock like this,
09:06maybe connecting to an external monitor,
09:08you can put your laptop in a clamshell mode,
09:11put it in a dock like this,
09:13and you can see it takes up so little space
09:15and you have the ability to rotate it around nicely.
09:18I think this is super cool.
09:19Of course, at the same time,
09:20you can then switch your laptop out,
09:22put a tablet on here,
09:23and this is a really cool multi-purpose stand.
09:25With each new processor,
09:26it's impressive how much more battery life
09:28we can get out of these laptops.
09:30But when battery life is low,
09:32here's some of the best chargers that you can go with.
09:34Starting off with the smallest,
09:35this is the Belkin Boost Charge 67 Watt.
09:39It's nearly as powerful as the 70 Watt option sold by Apple,
09:41but it manages to fit two additional USB-C ports
09:45while being much smaller and lighter.
09:48You can easily keep your MacBook powered
09:49and simultaneously charge a smaller second device
09:52like your phone.
09:53The Anker Prime 100 Watt is almost as small
09:56as the Belkin 67 Watt,
09:57but it increases its output substantially.
10:00It replaces one of its USB-C ports for a USB Type-A,
10:03which can be great to have when you're in a pinch.
10:06But let's say you've got two MacBooks
10:08or a MacBook and another power-hungry device.
10:11In that case, you can go for the Spigen 140 Watt charger.
10:15Now, the really cool thing about this,
10:16even though it's probably overkill
10:18for most MacBook Air users,
10:20is the fact that it's actually smaller
10:22than Apple's own 96 Watt charger.
10:25Look at that.
10:2696 Watts, 140 Watts.
10:28But this manages to be a lot smaller
10:32and just about as heavy.
10:34Lastly, if you don't mind a bit of bulk,
10:37the Anker Prime 200 Watt with its 100 Watt charging base
10:40is the ultimate all-in-one charger for home
10:43and taking on the go.
10:44If you're like me and you like working remotely
10:46and you don't wanna have to worry
10:47about having access to an outlet,
10:49this has plenty of juice to keep your MacBook
10:51and other devices powered all day long.
10:54You can also pair it with this optional charging base,
10:56which either can quickly recharge the power bank wirelessly
10:59or power up to three devices.
11:01And even when I'm not working on the go,
11:03when I'm traveling for big trips,
11:04this is usually the combo that I take with me.
11:07Now, even though MacBooks
11:08have really great built-in webcams,
11:09if you wanna take it up a notch,
11:11maybe make things look a little bit more professional,
11:13you can actually pair it with your iPhone's cameras
11:15using the continuity feature in macOS.
11:18And so this Belkin mount is super simple.
11:20It has this built-in lip on the back
11:23and then you connect it to your phone.
11:27And now we attach it to the top of our screen like that,
11:31which yes, will make your screen a little bit heavier.
11:33So you don't wanna lean it back too far,
11:36but in just a few seconds, we quickly upgraded our webcam.
11:39The other cool thing about this is that this also doubles,
11:42it's kind of like a pop socket slash stand for your phone.
11:46You can just quickly or easily hold your phone like that,
11:49add a nice grip on it.
11:50And then when you want, you can also put it on a table
11:54and get different viewing angles.
11:55So that's pretty cool.
11:58But let's say you're either working
11:59with an external monitor
12:00or you don't wanna type your phone for a webcam.
12:04Well, the Logitech MX Brio
12:06is one of the best webcams that you can get today.
12:08It supports 4K 30 or 1080p 60.
12:11It's a great choice for web meetings, streaming,
12:13or if you tilt it down a bit,
12:15you can actually show off what you're doing on your desk.
12:17It is on the pricier side,
12:18but it's low light quality and it's built-in mics
12:21make this a solid choice
12:22if you want a single fast plug and play upgrade.
12:26And the other really cool thing,
12:27by turning it, you have a built-in shutter for added security.
12:31So those are some of the best MacBook accessories
12:34that you can get today.
12:34You can learn more about them
12:35and find the best deals for everything linked below.
12:37If there are any other accessories you think I missed
12:39or I should include in a follow-up video,
12:41let me know in the comments.
12:43And for more cool tech,
12:44follow us everywhere at Tom's Guide
12:46and follow me for a behind the scenes look
12:47into everything I'm testing and reviewing next.
12:50Until the next one, I'll catch you later.