The best MacBook accessories: pimp up your Apple laptop with these top add-ons

You don't actually need any accessories to use the best Macbooks. But although they  are an all-in-one portable laptop they are eminently customizable to give them extra features. 

A Macbook, of course, comes with a built-in keyboard, webcam and connection ports – but these can be made better for some uses with a external keyboard, a plug-in webcam, or a hub to give you a better and bigger selection of sockets.

Here are some of the best Macbook accessories that you can buy today…

Best Macbook accessories in 2024

Keyboard

The best Apple accessories aren't always the official ones from Apple. And that's certainly the case when it comes to keyboards. This device from Logitech isn't just cheaper than Apple's Magic Keyboard, it's superior too. Why? Because it has more comfortable keys, it's more customizable, and it has neat backlighting too. 

For us, the killer feature is the ability to remap any and all of the F-row keys, as well as others, to operations that particularly suit your workflow. That can really save you time and energy over the long term, especially if you primarily use your Mac for work. We also like how you can turn off the backlighting to save battery life, and that there's a number pad for those long spreadsheet sessions.

See more of the best Mac keyboards

Mouse

A mouse is one of the best Macbook accessories you can buy. Your trackpad is fine for most things - but a mouse gives you more precise control, and is better for long computing sessions, and particularly if you are worried about posture and RSI.

This mouse stays powered for up to 70 days, and you can even get three hours of use from a one-minute quick charge using your usual Macbook USB-C charger. If you're short on ports, you don't need to worry, because it can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, as well as USB. And if you want to use more than one device, you don't need to worry, because you can connect up to three devices and switch between them at the tap of a button.

The scrolling wheel works in two modes: one high-speed, one slower, and one more precise, and comes with four buttons. It's easy to map these to specific functions in different apps, speeding up your workflow nicely. There are also pre-defined shortcuts in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Edge. It's quiet and comfortable in use. And you can use it on virtually any surface, even glass, thanks to its 4000DPI sensor.

See more of the best Mac mouse options

Sleeve

This Apple official sleeve is crafted from sumptuous, high-quality French leather that's a joy to behold, and being an official product, it will fit your MacBook Pro like a second skin. The quality of this product is unmatched – which is only right, given the high price tag – as soon as you open the box, you're met with a beautiful smell that comes from the top-class leather; unlike that overpowering, offensive smell that you often get from cheaper leather sleeves. 

Being made from leather has its benefits, the case will develop a wonderful patina over time, and it's pretty durable too. A choice of muted, sophisticated colors are available and the sleeve's details are neat and stylish: from the stitching around the edge of the case to the de-bossed Apple logo on the top. 

There are even four impressions of the base that line up with the feet on the bottom of your MacBook Pro. This case comes with a soft microfibre lining that ensures your MacBook Pro is protected wherever you take it. Of course, if you need a highly protective case, you should look elsewhere – but for everyday use, this sleeve case for the MacBook Pro cannot be beaten.

See more of the best Macbook Pro cases or best Macbook Air cases

Stand

Raise your laptop to the same ergonomic height as an external display with the Rain Design mStand. This patented design is made from a single solid piece of aluminum, stylishly matching the MacBook Pro's sand-blasted and silver anodized finish to add an extra elegant touch to your workspace. 

However, despite the fact that the Rain Design mStand is designed for the Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro, it's actually suitable for all laptops. There's an outlet at the back that you can feed all of your cables through, which will help keep your desk nice and tidy. 

See other best laptop stand ideas

Docking station

If you have one of the latest Apple laptops, such as the Apple Macbook Air M2 (2022), the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch or the MacBook Pro 13-inch M1, you'll have Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, which allow you to transfer data at the highest current speeds. So you'll want a dock that supports Thunderbolt 4, and here's our favorite.

The Corsair TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 Dock is expensive, but if you have the money to spend, it does have a lot to offer. Delivering up to 96W of power to your computer, this nifty dock includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports (one host facing, three downstream facing) for the fastest possible connections. 

Alongside that, you get a USB-C port, three USB-A ports, an SD 4.0 card reader, a 3.5mm audio combo, a 2.5G Ethernet port and a Kensington slot. No, there's no HDMI slot, but the Corsair TBT200 supports video to two (4K, HDR) monitors at 60fps via two included cables: USB to HDMI and USB to DisplayPort. The all-metal design is pretty stylish too.

See the best docking stations for Macbook Pro and best Macbook Air docks

Card reader

If you miss the SD card slot you used to get on MacBook Pros, then this plug in reader could be just what you need

Kingston’s Nucleum is a premium, metal-encased hub containing SD and MicroSD ports, plus two conventional USB Type-A ports, a full-size HDMI socket, and two USB Type-C ports, one of which is used as a power socket to connect your MacBook’s charger. There’s a short hard-wired cable terminating in a USB Type-C plug, and all this from a device no larger than some standard card readers.

The SD slot is UHS-II compatible, but sadly it couldn’t do justice to our UHS-II test card, achieving relatively slow video read/write speeds of 189MB/s and 179MB/s respectively. 164MB/s read and 97MB/s write rates for image transfers are ok, but still underwhelming. Fortunately if you’re using UHS-I SD cards, 96MB/s and 83MB/s read/write figures are much more respectable.

See more of the best memory card readers

Charger

If you want to fast-charge a 16in M2 MacBook Pro, you'll get the 140W of power and support for PD 3.1 you need from this UGreen charger. Unlike Apple's official charger, you'll get a generous three ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) for when you need to charge multiple devices. That means you can charge two 65W laptops at the same time, or three devices at 65W, 45W and 22.5W respectively. You get a 1.5m USB-C cable too, although you'll still need to buy a MagSafe cable from Apple if you want fast charging.

Other best Macbook charger options

Webcam

We'll start with the best of the best. The Razer Kiyo Pro is the best Mac webcam for most people, for a number of reasons. First, it offers Full HD at 60 frames per second, which is fantastic video quality for a webcam. No, it's not 4K, but to be honest most of us don't need that. So we feel this hits the perfect sweet spot between picture quality and bandwidth.

Beyond that, the field-of-view ranges from 80 to 103 degrees, and you get autofocus too. If you turn down the frame rate to 30fps, you can get HDR too (in truth, 60fps is really just useful for gamers). In short, if you want to look your very best in meetings, conferences, and interviews online, this is the best Mac webcam in town. 

See other best Mac webcam options

Portable monitor

The VP16-OLED stands out as a second screen, as it combines portability and great image quality. Compared to a conventional portable LCD panel, this OLED screen is able to deliver better color accuracy, significantly better contrast, and much improved brightness and color consistency across the entire screen.

The VP16-OLED certainly translates these benefits into stunning real-world image quality. We found this to be one of the most color-accurate monitors we've ever reviewed, and our extensive testing also revealed the VP16-OLED excels in all measures of image quality.

Factor the superbly versatile stand, decent connectivity, plus a host of extra features, and there really are no weak links or compromises here - the VP16-OLED is everything a creative could want from a portable monitor.

See other best Macbook Pro monitor options

Portable SSD

Measuring just 85 x 57 x 8mm and weighing only 58g, this solid state drive (SSD) is perfect for slipping in your bag when you’re going to be away from home or the office and you need some storage space for your images and videos. There are now faster drives available, but it can read data at up to 1,050MB/s and write at up to 1,000MB/s, making it eminently suitable for temporary storage or use as a working drive.

The fingerprint recognition system has a negligible impact on the price of the T7 Touch in comparison with the T7, in fact, you may find the 500GB version is a little cheaper, and it could come in handy occasionally. 

Read our full Samsung T7 Touch review for more details.

Hard drive

An external hard drive for a modern Mac really needs Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to ensure the best possible performance. And with a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, this device from SanDisk is just the ticket. The sleek matte metal enclosure also looks like the part alongside Apple hardware, and it hides some serious capacity.

The Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive is available with up to a whopping 18TB of storage, though capacities down to 4TB are also available, with more accessible pricing. The G-Drive is pre-formatted to work flawlessly with Mac devices right out of the box, and it's Time Machine compatible.

If you do buy a smaller capacity and find you need additional space later on, you can use that second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain an additional G-Drive, so you won't need to use up another Thunderbolt port on your Mac.

See more of the best Mac external drives

Headset

If you regularly work from home and want to improve your voice clarity in video conferences, check out Jabra's Evolve2 75 wireless headset. We were big fans of its predecessor, the Evolve 75. This new model adds USB-C connectivity, includes a better battery - which now promises 24 hours of talk time and 36 hours of music playback - and boosts audio quality with an 8-mic array.

This headset has been designed for professional use in an office environment, so its mic is blessed with advanced active noise cancellation, and it boasts official certification by the likes of Microsoft and Cisco. 

There's even a 'busy light' on the outside of the earcups to tell passing colleagues (or family members) that you're on a call. Leatherette padded on-ear ear cushions have been sculpted to allow comfortable day-long use, and you get complete freedom to move thanks to Bluetooth wireless connectivity that enables up to 30 metres of roaming range.

See other best headset options

Portable printer

Want to print from your MacBook while on the move? With diminutive dimensions of 31 x 6.1 x 15.5cm and relatively light at 1.6kg, the Epson WorkForce WF-110W is pretty easy to transport from place to place. And for a portable printer, it does a surprisingly good job.

Prints from its pigment inks are high quality, with a maxiumum resolution of  5,760 x 1,440dpi, and smudge-free. It has a rechargeable Li-ion battery built in, which allows you to print up to 50 pages on a single charge. 

It's easy to set up using the 3.7cm screen. You can connected your MacBook via Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct, and AirPrint is supported. Admittedly, its inkjet cartridges aren't the cheapest, and it's not the fastest printer in general. But otherwise this is an excellent choice for taking on the road.

See our Epson WF-110 review and see more of the best Mac printers

Screen protector

A screen protector can be a great way of giving the most vulnerable part of your Macbook a low-cost safety cushion. We love this protector from Spigen. It's comprised of reinforced layers that include release film, silicone resin, an OCA layer, tempered glass and anti-dust nano coatings. 

This glossy screen protector also boasts anti-bubble and anti-scratch durability to keep your screen in top condition, and uses all-around adhesive to ensure that the entire screen is securely covered with no lifting. You only get one screen protector in this pack, but one should be all you need. Be sure to choose the correct size for your device, this protector is compatible with the latest 16" M2 Pro / M2 Max / M1 Pro / M1 Max models as well as older 13" MacBook models. 

See more of the best Macbook screen protectors

Screen cleaner

This cleaning kit from Whoosh! is great for cleaning all of your Apple devices, not just your MacBook. Used by Apple employees, this kit works by spraying the formula onto the cloth and wiping your device screen with gentle pressure, and then drying with the other side of the cloth. The spray bottle is reusable with Whoosh! cartridges that are sold separately. 

See more of our best Macbook screen cleaner suggestions

With reliability issues currently casting a shadow over our top pick SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 hard drive, why not consider Samsung's rival T7 Touch instead? Measuring just 85 x 57 x 8mm and weighing only 58g, this solid state drive (SSD) is perfect for slipping in your bag when you’re going to be away from home or the office and you need some storage space for your images and videos. There are now faster drives available, but it can read data at up to 1,050MB/s and write at up to 1,000MB/s, making it eminently suitable for temporary storage or use as a working drive.

The fingerprint recognition system has a negligible impact on the price of the T7 Touch in comparison with the T7, in fact, you may find the 500GB version is a little cheaper, and it could come in handy occasionally. 

Read our full Samsung T7 Touch review for more details.

An external hard drive for a modern Mac really needs Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to ensure the best possible performance. And with a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, this device from SanDisk is just the ticket. The sleek matte metal enclosure also looks like the part alongside Apple hardware, and it hides some serious capacity.

The Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive is available with up to a whopping 18TB of storage, though capacities down to 4TB are also available, with more accessible pricing. The G-Drive is pre-formatted to work flawlessly with Mac devices right out of the box, and it's Time Machine compatible.

If you do buy a smaller capacity and find you need additional space later on, you can use that second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain an additional G-Drive, so you won't need to use up another Thunderbolt port on your Mac.

With reliability issues currently casting a shadow over our top pick SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 hard drive, why not consider Samsung's rival T7 Touch instead? Measuring just 85 x 57 x 8mm and weighing only 58g, this solid state drive (SSD) is perfect for slipping in your bag when you’re going to be away from home or the office and you need some storage space for your images and videos. There are now faster drives available, but it can read data at up to 1,050MB/s and write at up to 1,000MB/s, making it eminently suitable for temporary storage or use as a working drive.

The fingerprint recognition system has a negligible impact on the price of the T7 Touch in comparison with the T7, in fact, you may find the 500GB version is a little cheaper, and it could come in handy occasionally. 

Read our full Samsung T7 Touch review for more details.

An external hard drive for a modern Mac really needs Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to ensure the best possible performance. And with a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, this device from SanDisk is just the ticket. The sleek matte metal enclosure also looks like the part alongside Apple hardware, and it hides some serious capacity.

The Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive is available with up to a whopping 18TB of storage, though capacities down to 4TB are also available, with more accessible pricing. The G-Drive is pre-formatted to work flawlessly with Mac devices right out of the box, and it's Time Machine compatible.

If you do buy a smaller capacity and find you need additional space later on, you can use that second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain an additional G-Drive, so you won't need to use up another Thunderbolt port on your Mac.

With reliability issues currently casting a shadow over our top pick SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 hard drive, why not consider Samsung's rival T7 Touch instead? Measuring just 85 x 57 x 8mm and weighing only 58g, this solid state drive (SSD) is perfect for slipping in your bag when you’re going to be away from home or the office and you need some storage space for your images and videos. There are now faster drives available, but it can read data at up to 1,050MB/s and write at up to 1,000MB/s, making it eminently suitable for temporary storage or use as a working drive.

The fingerprint recognition system has a negligible impact on the price of the T7 Touch in comparison with the T7, in fact, you may find the 500GB version is a little cheaper, and it could come in handy occasionally. 

Read our full Samsung T7 Touch review for more details.

An external hard drive for a modern Mac really needs Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to ensure the best possible performance. And with a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, this device from SanDisk is just the ticket. The sleek matte metal enclosure also looks like the part alongside Apple hardware, and it hides some serious capacity.

The Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive is available with up to a whopping 18TB of storage, though capacities down to 4TB are also available, with more accessible pricing. The G-Drive is pre-formatted to work flawlessly with Mac devices right out of the box, and it's Time Machine compatible.

If you do buy a smaller capacity and find you need additional space later on, you can use that second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain an additional G-Drive, so you won't need to use up another Thunderbolt port on your Mac.

With reliability issues currently casting a shadow over our top pick SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 hard drive, why not consider Samsung's rival T7 Touch instead? Measuring just 85 x 57 x 8mm and weighing only 58g, this solid state drive (SSD) is perfect for slipping in your bag when you’re going to be away from home or the office and you need some storage space for your images and videos. There are now faster drives available, but it can read data at up to 1,050MB/s and write at up to 1,000MB/s, making it eminently suitable for temporary storage or use as a working drive.

The fingerprint recognition system has a negligible impact on the price of the T7 Touch in comparison with the T7, in fact, you may find the 500GB version is a little cheaper, and it could come in handy occasionally. 

Read our full Samsung T7 Touch review for more details.

An external hard drive for a modern Mac really needs Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to ensure the best possible performance. And with a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, this device from SanDisk is just the ticket. The sleek matte metal enclosure also looks like the part alongside Apple hardware, and it hides some serious capacity.

The Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive is available with up to a whopping 18TB of storage, though capacities down to 4TB are also available, with more accessible pricing. The G-Drive is pre-formatted to work flawlessly with Mac devices right out of the box, and it's Time Machine compatible.

If you do buy a smaller capacity and find you need additional space later on, you can use that second Thunderbolt 3 port to daisy chain an additional G-Drive, so you won't need to use up another Thunderbolt port on your Mac.