Apple makes the best desktop PCs and laptops. But I cannot say the same for its accessories. While I have been using Macs for more than a decade, I rely on these five Mac accessories made by third parties to enhance my experience.
The list ranges from a wireless keyboard to an ergonomic mouse to headphones that will amaze you with their noise cancellation. Read about my five favorite Mac accessories below.
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These are my 5 favorite Mac accessories
Apple offers accessories like the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and the AirPods Max to complement the Mac experience. But after 14 years of using Macs, I’ve discovered that many third-party accessories offer better functionality, comfort and value. That combination makes them well worth the investment.
Table of contents: My 5 favorite Mac accessories
- Logitech MX Keys S
- Logitech MX Master 3S
- CalDigit Thunderbolt Dock
- Charging Station
- Bose QuietComfort headphones
1. Logitech MX Keys S
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
Apple’s Magic Keyboard for Mac only stands out for its build quality and Touch ID integration. While the latter adds some appeal, it does not make the keyboard a must-have Mac accessory in my book. For the last couple of years, the Logitech MX Keys S has been my keyboard of choice.
I could not be happier. It’s paired with my Mac mini and MacBook Pro, and I can seamlessly switch between them at the press of a button.
I find the spherically dished keys on the MX Keys S much more comfortable to type on than the ones on Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The ergonomic design reduces the strain on my wrist, even after hours of use. The keyboard also comes with programmable keys, to which you can assign any shortcut or function you like.
Backlit keys and customability FTW
Unlike Apple’s Magic Keyboard for Mac, the MX Keys S features backlit keys, which can aid with typing when working in the dark. As a bonus, you can customize almost every aspect of the MX Keys S with the Logi Options+ app. This includes the backlight timeout, assigning custom shortcuts to the function keys and more. Even better, you can customize the keys’ function based on whatever app you have open. And with Smart Actions, you can automate repetitive tasks at the press of a button.
The keyboard’s battery life holds up well, though it doesn’t quite match Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The built-in battery lasts 8 or 10 days on a single charge for me. Logitech says you can extend the runtime to five months by turning off the backlight. But the keyboard charges over USB-C, making it easy to top up its battery when it’s low on juice.
If you find the Logitech MX Keys S too big for your desk, you can get the MX Keys Mini instead. It ditches the dedicated number pad for a smaller, more compact profile. Consider the MX Mechanical if you want a keyboard with tactile mechanical keys. It comes in three switch variants: Tactile Quiet, Clicky and Linear.
This high-performance wireless keyboard and mouse combo comes with palm rest, customizable illumination, fast scrolling, Bluetooth, USB-C and works with Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome.
- Buy MX Keys and Master MX 3S together
- Easy switching between Mac and Windows
- Fast scrolling
- Wrist rest included
- Keyboard is full size, not portable
- No color or style choices
2. Logitech MX Master 3S
As much as I like Apple’s Magic Trackpad for its gestures, I can’t use it as the primary mouse with my Mac mini. It exacerbates the pain in my weary wrists, which I want to avoid as much as possible. Instead, I use the Logitech MX Master 3S, the company’s current flagship mouse. It stands out with its ergonomic design, customizable buttons and an 8K DPI sensor.
Unlike Logitech’s previous offerings, the MX Master 3S features Quiet Clicks, reducing the right/left click and the scroll wheel sound by 90%. The 8K sensor makes it easy to navigate across my dual-monitor setup at the flick of a wrist. Similarly, the magnetic scroll wheel makes scrolling through long documents a less frustrating experience.
Excellent customization and long battery life
Like the MX Keys S, the MX Master 3S stands out for its extensive customization options, which makes it one of the best Mac accessories for power users. I can customize the back, forward and thumb buttons (as well as the horizontal scroll wheel) individually for each app to suit my needs.
Another highlight: battery life, with the mouse lasting more than two months on a single charge. I typically top up the cell before that, with a quick charge making things faster.
If you are a power user and spend hours on your Mac, I strongly recommend you buy the Logitech MX Master 3S for the ergonomic comfort alone. If you are always on the move, consider the Logitech MX Anywhere 3S instead. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, with the 8K DPI sensor working on any surface, including glass.
Logitech's flagship MX Master mouse stands out for its precision, features and ergonomic design. The 8K Darkfield sensor ensures the mouse can track on any surface, with the Quiet Click technology helping provide near-silent clicks. Take advantage of the customization buttons and electromagnetic scroll wheel to further boost your productivity.
- 8K DPI sensor
- Exhaustive set of features
- Customizable buttons
- Prone to connection dropping issues on Macs
3. CalDigit Thunderbolt Dock
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
The M4 Pro Mac mini that I use sports five USB-C ports, including three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the rear. While there’s enough bandwidth to connect multiple devices, there are not enough ports to connect them all simultaneously. That’s why I use the CalDigit TS3 Plus dock. Despite being a Thunderbolt 3 dock, it does the job perfectly, allowing me to connect multiple monitors, hard disks and other accessories to my Mac all at once.
At any given time, I have two monitors, three external SSDs and a few other USB accessories connected to the dock. It even includes an SD card slot on the front. This makes it a breeze to quickly get data off my DSLR or GoPro’s memory card.
Another reason I use a Thunderbolt dock is for the convenience it offers. I can connect my M1 Pro MacBook Pro to the same set of monitors and accessories on my desk with just one cable. I simply unplug the Thunderbolt cable from my Mac mini and plug it into the MacBook Pro. Additionally, the dock delivers 87W of power, ensuring the laptop stays charged and ready to go.
CalDigit keeps improving its Mac accessories, and the company now makes better and newer options than the TS3 Plus. The CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 dock packs 18 ports, including a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. Plus, it can output up to 98W of power to charge your MacBook Pro. If you want a more compact option with fewer ports, check out the CalDigit Element 5 Hub.
The versatile dock features 18 ports and 98W charging. Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 4 40Gb/s, 5 x USB-A, 3 x USB-C (10Gb/s), 2.5GbE, single 8K or dual 6K 60Hz displays. Compatible with Mac, PC, Chrome via 0.8m cable.
- 18 ports
- 98W charging
- 8x USB ports
- No 10Gb Ethernet port
4. Charging Station
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
If you use as many devices as I do, you can never have enough power plugs and charging bricks around. I also don’t like cluttering my desk with unwanted chargers and cables. That’s why I find a charging station to be one of the best Mac accessories for keeping things organized and productive.
Previously, I used the Acefast 218W power station, with its transparent front adding a techy vibe to my desk. However, I recently switched to the Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 charging station for its Qi2 charging pad and retractable USB-C cable. It can charge up to five devices simultaneously, including my 16-inch MacBook Pro at full speed. That’s more than enough for my needs.
The total 140W combined power output leans toward the lower end, but still handles my needs since I rarely fast charge all connected devices simultaneously. Plus, the Nomos intelligently allocates power based on each device’s battery level.
The Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 charging station is a sleek charging station for your desk that can help reduce unwanted clutter with its retractable 100W USB-C cable and Qi2 charging pad. In total, it can top-up up to 5 devices at once.
- Sleek and compact design
- Retractable 100W USB-C cable
- Qi2 charging pad
- Wireless charging limited to 5W on non-iPhones
- Total power output cannot exceed 140W
5. Bose QuietComfort headphones
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
I love the speakers on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Even after almost four years of owning the laptop, the six-speaker setup amazes me with its loudness and sound quality. But you can’t always use the speaker, especially when traveling.
In such cases, I turn to the Bose QuietComfort headphones. They stand out for their excellent noise cancellation, which helps silence distractions and lets me stay focused on my work. That makes them one of the best Mac accessories around, especially on long flights.
The headphones are supremely comfortable to wear, allowing me to work for hours at a stretch on my MacBook Pro in complete silence. Their sound quality impresses just as much, making it hard to find any faults.
Battery life poses no problems either, with the QuietComfort lasting close to 30 hours on a single charge, even with ANC enabled. Based on my usage, a single charge lasts about 10 days, and the headphones are always ready when needed.
The Bose QuietComfort headphones also support multi-connect pairing, so they can remain connected to two devices simultaneously. This ensures I can seamlessly switch between my Mac and phone while wearing the headphones without having to switch devices manually.
The Bose QuietComfort stands out for its amazing ANC and sound quality. The long battery life and comfortable design act as a cherry on top, making them a great pair of headphones to own.
- Excellent ANC
- Great sound quality
- Long battery life
- Missing support for LDAC and higher bitrate codecs
Conclusion: Best Mac accessories I can’t live without
These five Mac accessories are the best I’ve found in my decade-plus of using Apple computers. They truly elevate the way I use my Mac — whether boosting productivity, improving connectivity or simply making everyday tasks more enjoyable.
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
