Choose accessories for the part of your laptop setup that needs changing: screen and input-device positioning at a regular desk, connections between work locations, or equipment for calls. If you use display screen equipment daily for continuous periods of an hour or more, check whether a Health and Safety Executive workstation assessment and your employer’s equipment process apply before buying. For a monitor or dock, confirm the laptop’s video, charging and operating-system capabilities rather than relying on the USB-C connector alone.
If you work for sustained periods at a home desk, consider whether the screen position, keyboard and pointing device need to change together. The Health and Safety Executive’s workstation guidance considers these parts of the setup rather than prescribing an accessory bundle.
If you routinely work at home and in an office, choose equipment with both arrangements in mind. The Health and Safety Executive says a display screen equipment assessment should cover both situations when a worker uses both.
If you move between desks or connect several peripherals, decide whether a portable adapter or a desk-based dock fits how you work. Check the laptop’s video output and charging capabilities against the exact connection equipment before choosing.
Start with the workstation issue identified at each place you work, then check laptop compatibility before choosing connections or extra screens. The concerns below distinguish consumers by the need they put first; the percentages are approximate, not a reason to buy an accessory you do not need.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-desk setup | Use workstation assessment findings to decide whether screen positioning or separate input devices need attention. Check desk space and the laptop’s monitor connection if adding a screen. | If I work at one desk for long sessions, I want to address the screen and input arrangement that makes laptop-only work difficult. Around 36% of consumers put this fixed-desk need first. |
| Displays and connections | Check the laptop’s USB-C video support, the intended display layout under its operating system, and the dock’s delivered charging output. | Several displays and peripherals need to connect without guessing what my laptop port can do; for around 29% of consumers, this is the primary need. |
| Moving between desks | Compare the connections needed at each location with a portable hub’s ports, display support and charging requirements. | When I move between home, office and hot desks, I need a setup I can carry and reconnect without assuming every desk is equipped alike. That portability comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Calls in shared spaces | Check the exact headset’s connection method, microphone features and any meeting-platform requirements set by your organisation. | If calls are the main difficulty in a shared space, I care more about a suitable headset than another display. Around 14% of consumers prioritise that call-focused need. |
Not every home worker needs the same equipment. For workers to whom the display screen equipment rules apply, the Health and Safety Executive says an assessment should identify what action is needed; workers cannot be charged for DSE equipment indicated by that assessment.
Ask whether your home and office arrangements have been assessed and how your employer provides equipment before making a personal purchase.
Buying first can also leave you with equipment that duplicates what the assessment and employer process would provide.
USB-C describes a connector, not a fixed set of capabilities. Kensington’s USB-C guidance distinguishes connector shape from supported functions, while Anker’s hub guidance shows that a USB-C data port need not provide display output.
Check the laptop’s documented video and Power Delivery support, then check which ports and cables the exact adapter uses for the display and charging arrangement you want.
An unsuitable port, cable or adapter can leave a planned monitor connection or charging arrangement unusable.
Anker states that one of its hubs accepts up to 100W input but delivers up to 85W to the laptop. Its dual-display guidance also distinguishes Windows extended-display behaviour from macOS mirroring on a cited model; neither condition should be assumed for another dock.
Compare the laptop’s charging requirement with the dock’s stated output, and check the exact host and operating-system conditions for the intended display layout.
Depending on the equipment, you may still need a separate charging arrangement or have to accept mirrored rather than extended displays.
A screen, stand, dock or headset addresses a particular task. Health and Safety Executive guidance also considers desk arrangement, lighting and breaks or changes of activity.
Use the assessment findings to plan the wider workstation and work routine alongside any accessory purchase.
Kensington offers mobile USB-C docks and larger desk-based docks for different connection arrangements.
Anker’s USB-C hubs and docks offer compact and desk-based connection options.
Logitech has separate keyboards, mice and business headsets relevant to desk work and calls.
Jabra’s Evolve headset lines address calls across office and mobile working arrangements.
These products cover a separate screen, a mouse, USB-C connection equipment and a headset for calls. Choose the part that matches your workstation or work-location need; check laptop and workplace requirements before selecting a display or adapter.
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Consider a separate screen if your regular-desk assessment identifies the display arrangement as a priority. This 22" Full HD monitor still needs a connection that works with your laptop; a screen alone does not address input devices or the wider workstation.
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A separate mouse is worth considering when you need to position your pointing device independently of a laptop. Check that your computer supports the connection method you intend to use; this mouse does not take the place of a separate keyboard.
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Consider this dock when your planned desk setup calls for two HDMI display connections and USB-C power pass-through. Its title specifies dual HDMI 4K and 100W Power Delivery pass-through; confirm the laptop’s video and charging support, the intended display layout and the external power-adapter arrangement.
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A Bluetooth headset is relevant when calls are your main accessory need, particularly if you work away from a fixed desk. Check its connection and your organisation’s meeting-platform requirements before choosing it for work calls.
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Consider this adapter for a portable setup needing a display connection alongside network and USB connections. The title specifies 4K HDMI, VGA, Gigabit Ethernet, 100W Power Delivery and dual USB 3.0; check your laptop’s video and charging capabilities, and do not assume the HDMI and VGA connections provide a simultaneous two-display layout.
No: the right changes depend on the workstation, not a standard bundle. The Health and Safety Executive says home workers may not need additional equipment if they can achieve a comfortable, sustainable posture; where the display screen equipment rules apply, use the assessment findings to decide what to change.
Ask if you use display screen equipment daily for continuous periods of an hour or more as part of your normal work. The Health and Safety Executive says assessments for workers who use it at home and in the office should cover both situations.
Check your employer’s equipment process before buying it yourself. For workers covered by the display screen equipment rules, the Health and Safety Executive says workers cannot be charged for DSE equipment indicated by a workstation assessment.
No: a USB-C connector does not guarantee video output or laptop charging. Check the laptop’s documented DisplayPort Alt Mode or relevant Thunderbolt or USB4 video support and Power Delivery capability, then compare the exact dock’s display ports and delivered charging output.
No: accessories address particular parts of a display screen workstation. The Health and Safety Executive also advises breaks or changes of activity and considers posture, desk space and screen arrangement, so include those factors when planning regular laptop work.