Taking a laptop along for the ride is a great way to get things done, remain connected and pass the time. Even an experienced road warrior who frequently travels and often has to make the most of their surrounding, be it an office, hotel, or even an airport, could use a helping hand. We've collected a number of handy accessories that will make your life easier when on the go.
Best accessories for road warriors
Mouse: Razer Atheris
An important consideration is a portable mouse. While a trackpad is great and all, especially if you're using Microsoft Precision drivers, there are times when you simply need a mouse, whether it be needed for extended work sessions or a little downtime with a game or two. The Razer Atheris is the portable mouse we recommend due to the size, ambidextrous form factor, battery life, features, and performance.
Also, it's an affordable pointer, coming in at just $49.99. 350-hour continuous use on a pair of AA batteries is matched by a 7,200 DPI sensor to make this one killer portable mouse.
Power: Anker PowerCore 10000
This compact and lightweight battery pack by Anker is a must-have for powering all your mobile devices. If there are no outlets nearby and you happen to be running low on smartphone charge, the last thing you need is to drain the laptop so this is where a portable battery bank comes into play. With a 10,000mAh capacity, it will be able to provide charge to numerous devices before being depleted, ideal for long journeys.
The PowerCore 10000 only costs $19.19, which makes it an affordable backup bank.
Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM2
There's nothing worse than relying on cheap earphones to listen to music and pass the time, especially in noisy spots like a coffee shop or airport. The hustle and bustle of everyday life passing you by makes for an unpleasant time. That is unless you're rocking a premium pair of headphones with noise canceling technology, like the Sony WH-1000XM2.
Connect these cups to your laptop via Bluetooth and you'll be able to enjoy up to 30 hours of entertainment, taking advantage of touch sensors for playback control and integration with smartphone voice assistants. At $298, these aren't cheap but are well worth the asking price should you be on the lookout for a premium audio experience.
Bag: Dell 17-Inch Tek Backpack
Dell's backpack is affordable but offers rigid support for any laptop. Keeping the unit secured within, while offering multiple compartments for storing all manner of items, be it overnight clothing, other technological hardware or even lunch for the packed day ahead makes it great for road warriors.
It's by no means the premium option in the backpack category, but we feel Dell has struck a solid balance between price, protection, and durability. The backpack is available in both 15- and 17-inch versions and will set you back $37.
Display: ASUS ZenScreen
This 15.6-inch FHD IPS USB Type-C portable monitor is a great little companion for anyone who'd like to have a second screen at hand. All you need is a spare USB port and you're good to go. Weighing in at 1.7 pounds and being just 0.3 inches thick, it's also very portable.
ASUS also packs in a smart cover and pen hole for landscape and portrait configurations. It's not cheap, though, costing $249.
Storage: Samsung T5
Samsung makes some excellent storage solutions and the T5 is a great option for securely storing sensitive data for use on the move. With speeds of up to 540MB/s, it blazes through large files and makes it easy to enable password protection and AES 256-bit encryption.
Priced at $169.99 for a healthy 500GB, the portable SSD isn't the cheapest on the market but it does offer some handy features.
What do you pack?
Have other things you rely on and must take with you on journeys? Sound off your favorites in the comments.
Updated November 24, 2017: We checked over this guide to ensure we're only recommending the best choices for your travels.
