ZDNet Recommends
Best home office furniture and tech in 2021: Herman Miller chair, LG UltraWide monitor, and more
If you're setting up a home office or you've decided to upgrade your current home office for full-time work, we have great suggestions for you. We're not holding back on price in this list, but we're not going crazy either. All our suggestions are meant for a more functional, more productive work experience.
The pandemic hasn't done much to change my overall working habits, as I have been home-based for about 15 years now. That being said, my home office equipment has gone through quite a few iterations over the last decade or so.
Here is what I have been using over the last two years, with some suggestions for replacements for products that I currently use, but aren't current models.
Trackball
Kensington
Don't neglect your pointing device. I've got a bunch of different mice and trackpads, but I keep coming back to my favorite, the Kensington trackball, which I've used in slightly different versions over the past 20 years.
$81 at Amazon $87 at Best Buy $84 at WalmartWebcam
Logitech C930e Business Webcam
The Logitech C930e Business Webcam is what I use to join all my video conference calls and also to produce our Jason Squared video segments at ZDNet. This model, as with all Logitech webcams, is in very high demand recently.
$81 at Amazon $130 at HP $130 at AdoramaLaptop
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
I've used many different desktop systems over the years but in my last two corporate positions I've moved from PCs over to MacBooks. The MacBook Pro 16, 2019 edition, is my current system, which I have permanently docked to my twin monitors.
$2,199 at Amazon $2,399 at Apple $2,200 at Best BuyMonitor
Samsung U28E590 28-inch 4K Business Display
Because I write full time and need several apps and windows running simultaneously, I use twin 28" Samsung 4K displays, which are crystal clear and don't create a lot of eyestrain.
$366 at AmazonUSB-C Thunderbolt Dock
Caldigit TS3
To connect all my peripherals to my Macbook Pro, I use a Caldigit TS3 USB-C Thunderbolt dock, which heavily simplifies my cabling setup.
$260 at Amazon $250 at AppleMicrophone
Blue Yeti Pro
For recording podcast audio and for having the clearest voice possible on my conference calls, I use the Blue Yeti Pro, which delivers broadcast-quality performance.
$250 at Amazon $250 at Best Buy $287 at WalmartVOIP router
OOMA Office VOIP router
Call me old-fashioned, but I still need a landline phone number and desk phone capability. The OOMA Office provides me with multiple virtual office phone numbers (including one for my wife's office) as well as virtual fax and virtual voicemail inbox and call attendant.
$115 at AmazonIP desk phone
CISCO SPA303 IP desk phone
I use a CISCO SPA303 IP desk phone in conjunction with my OOMA router, but the company has replaced them with Yealink products which are more affordable solutions.
$68 at AmazonMechanical Keyboard
Keychron K4 Mechanical Optical Keyboard
The Keychron K4 Mechanical Optical Keyboard has that substantial key travel and feel that I love as a long time technology writer, and it lights up with all kinds of pretty color patterns when keeping my office dim.
$127 at AmazonHeadset
Sennheiser Officerunner DECT headset
The Sennheiser Officerunner headset connects via USB to my Mac for VOIP and video calls when I don't want to use a speaker, and it also connects to my desk IP phone. DECT transmission quality is crystal clear even if I want to take my calls a hundred feet away from my desk.
$490 at AmazonPower conditioning
APC Smart-UPS Pro SMT1500IC
South Florida's power infrastructure can sometimes be squirrelly, so I use an APC UPS for power conditioning. Don't connect your expensive computer equipment to just any surge suppressor or UPS. Use a reliable and trusted brand.
View Now at APCSmart speaker
Sonos Five
A writer's gotta have their office tunes. I use an older model Sonos speaker that's no longer being sold, but if I were in the market now to replace what I have, I'd pick up a Sonos Five.
$499 at Sonos, Inc. $499 at WalmartTablet
iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2020
I'm not always working at my desk. When I'm researching subjects and needing to read materials, I'm on the couch, with my iPad Pro 12.9". It's absolutely indispensable for the work that I do, and it's my preferred content consumption device for movies and TV.
$930 at Amazon $930 at Best Buy $949 at AdoramaNetwork Switch
Linksys Business LGS124P 24-Port Rackmount Gigabit Ethernet PoE+
I have a smaller 8-port version of this switch sitting in my office, but the core of my home network is the LGS124P, with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability.
$230 at Crutchfield $227 at Best Buy $213 at WalmartEnterprise-class 802.11ac access points
Linksys Business AC2600 Wi-Fi Cloud Managed Access Points
Some of my other ZDNet colleagues prefer mesh networking setups in their homes, but I am old fashioned -- I use enterprise-class 802.11ac access points that are CAT6 home-run to my equipment room, using Power over Ethernet (PoE).
$250 at Best Buy $250 at WalmartGigabit-class internet service
AT&T Fiber
My broadband is provided by AT&T Fiber, a gigabit-class internet service using Fiber to the Home (FTTH) technology. AT&T also provides the Residential Gateway (RG), made by ARRIS, which acts as the primary router to my office and home network.
View Now at AT&THeadphones
Microsoft Surface Headphones
I have a few different noise-canceling headphones, but The Microsoft Surface Headphones, which have been around for a few years now and have recently undergone a product refresh, are still my absolute favorite in terms of overall comfort, noise reduction capability, sound quality, and voice reproduction quality.
$200 at Amazon $250 at Best Buy $250 at eBay
Join Discussion