Apple gave its MacBook Pro lineup a pretty significant overhaul last year. The 13-inch MacBook Pro was upgraded to a quad-core processor while the 15-inch MacBook Pro was replaced by a more capable 16-inch variant. If you plan on buying a MacBook Pro or have purchased one recently, check out some of the best accessories for the machine below.
Depending on your work profile and usage, some of the accessories below MacBook are almost going to be a necessity while others are going to be a useful tool to have. So without further ado, below is a list of some of the top accessories for the MacBook Pro.
1. Sleeve
If you want to travel light with your MacBook Pro, you should consider using a sleeve. It will be good enough to protect your precious MacBook Pro from dings and drops. There are quite a few sleeve options available for MacBooks, some with pockets that can be useful to carry other small items like a mouse or USB-C dongles. Below are a few options that you can go through depending on your preference.
- AmazonBasics Laptop Sleeve [Amazon] ($11.49)
- Tomtoc Protective Sleeve [Amazon] ($18.99)
- Mosiso Laptop Sleeve [Amazon] ($13.99)
- RadTech Sleeve [Amazon] ($30.95)
2. USB-C Hub/Dongle
When you get yourself a MacBook Pro, you end up committing yourself to the dongle life. Since all MacBooks now come with only USB-C ports, you will have to buy dongles or hubs to connect other devices, external monitors, etc. to the machine. While the market is flooded with USB-C hubs and dongles, not all of them are worth your money.
My personal experience says that it is better to buy a hub if you primarily use your MacBook on a desk or don’t travel much with it. Otherwise, it’s better to get a dongle depending on what your requirements are. I have faced connection issues with most USB-C hubs and they tend to heat up quite a bit as well when all ports are used simultaneously.
- Anker 7-in-2 USB-C Hub [Amazon] ($59.99)
- HyperDrive 7-in-2 USB-C Hub [Amazon] ($69.99)
- Vava 9-in-1 USB-C Hub [Amazon] ($59.98)
- Ugreen USB-C Hub [Amazon] ($27.99)
- Choetech 7-in-1 USB-C Hub [Amazon] ($28.97)
3. GaN Charger
If you want to travel light with your MacBook Pro, you should seriously consider investing in a GaN charger. Even otherwise, it is always good to have a spare charger lying around as you never know when it might come in handy.
Gallium Nitride (or GaN) is the latest development in the world of chargers. GaN chargers are notably smaller than a traditional silicon charger. They are more efficient in nature which means they can push higher current in a smaller package. You can easily get a 60-65W GaN charger with multiple USB ports to charge not just your MacBook Pro but also other devices that you travel it. With USB-C and GaN chargers, you will only ever have to travel with just one charger in your bag for all your devices.
- Anker 60W GaN Charger [Amazon] ($39.99)
- Aukey 60W GaN Charger [Amazon] ($32.99)
- Choetech 61W GaN Charger [Amazon] ($30.99)
- RavPower 61W GaN Charger [Amazon] ($35)
- Baseus 3-port GaN Charger [Amazon] ($49.90)
4.USB-C Cable
Just like a spare charger, it is highly recommended that you get a spare USB-C cable for your MacBook Pro as well. If you travel a lot, maybe just put a spare cable in your travel bag. Do not rely on your existing USB-C cables as they will not be good enough for the job.
Most USB-C cables top out at 60W of power and offer 10Gbps transfer speeds. The thing is that your MacBook Pro needs at least 65W of power to charge, with the 16-inch MacBook Pro requiring as much as 87W. However, not all USB-C cables are made to carry so much power. The regular USB-C cable that you get with your smartphone is not meant to carry so much power. You must use a USB-C cable that’s rated to carry 100W of power. While Apple sells such a cable, it is expensive. There are some third-party alternatives, though they are not Thunderbolt cables and thus can only be used for charging purposes and data transfer purposes.
- AmazonBasics USB-C Gen 1 Cable ($27.99)
- Anker Powerline II ($19.99)
5. Thunderbolt Cable
Ok, now this is a completely optional accessory. If you rely on external GPUs, hard disks, or other devices that make use of Thunderbolt 3 and want 40Gbps transfer speeds, you must keep a few spare cables around. Thunderbolt 3 cables are extremely expensive though, so only consider buying them if required.
- Anker Thunderbolt 3 cable ($29.99)
- Nekteck Thunderbolt 3 cable ($12.99)
6. Dbrand skin
I am not really a case person and will strictly tell everyone to avoid putting a case on their MacBook Pro. This is because the case puts additional stress on the hinge which might cause issues down the line. If you want to prevent the top and bottom shell of your MacBook Pro from minor scratches, scuffs, and dings, put a Dbrand skin on it. Not only will it give your MacBook Pro a unique look and feel, but it will also do a great job of preventing it from getting it all scuffed up.
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7. ScreenSavrz
Now, this might be an odd choice but if you have ever used a MacBook Pro extensively in the past you will understand its importance. The problem is that over a period of time, the keyboard of the MacBook Pro ends up leaving major abrasions and imprints on the display of the machine. This is due to the top and bottom shell pressing against each other due to external force. To prevent this, you can put a screen guard on your MacBook’s display but that will deteriorate the viewing quality.
The best option is to use a keyboard cover from RadTech. Dubbed ScreenSavrz, its nothing but a thin and small piece of cloth that you will have to put on top of the keyboard every time you travel with your MacBook Pro. The cloth will do a good enough job of protecting the keyboard from damaging the display.
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What are some of your must-have accessories for your MacBook Pro? Drop a comment and let us know!
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This post was last updated on July 25, 2021.
