Accessories that I use with my new MacBook Pro that are worth checking out.

Ilsmarie Presilia
Aug 31, 2018 · 10 min read
Photo by Andras Vas on Unsplash

I recently bought the 13” version of the MacBook Pro that Apple just released with the T2 chip.

Specs are as follows;
13‑inch MacBook Pro — Space Gray (2018).
2.3GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz.
Retina display with True Tone.
Touch Bar and Touch ID.
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655.
16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory.
256GB SSD storage.
Four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Backlit Keyboard - Dutch

I thought that instead of writing a review about the machine itself, I’d write about the accessories that I bought for it since it took me a really long time to figure out what to get. For things like these, like many other people, I resort to YouTube. And some videos were useful, but most of them felt outdated and even included accessories that were not even funded successfully.

So I spent a significant amount of time doing research and after some time, I finally made my decision, bought these products, used them and enjoyed them.
My goal with this post is to save you some time if you are in the same situation I was in.

NOTE:
I do not claim that anything below is the best, they are just in my opinion, the best options that could be sent to my home (in the Netherlands) from the German Amazon. Why the German Amazon? Well, because the Dutch Amazon only sells e-books. Therefore most links shared here will lead to the German store. I furthermore want you to see how much they actually cost as well.
But of course, not everything was bought on Amazon, I possessed some of these prior to buying the new MacBook. Some are old or not sold on Amazon, so links to those have not been posted.
Note that each and every URL posted here are not “affiliate links” in any way. Again, these are all products that I bought and am enjoying.


My old MacBook has been acting up since November last year and was definitely an impediment to positions I had at the time. See, the power-button decided to stop working and the battery wasn’t the strongest, so every time I put it to sleep, the battery would die between a few minutes up to almost two hours. And to turn it on again, I had to remove the back-plate and follow instructions similar to those mentioned here.
Later, it had decided that it wouldn’t even turn on that way anymore and stayed off for a few months. And when it finally turned on, it locked me out of my profile and I lost pretty much everything.
So yes, the machine was old and I was in desperate need of a replacement.

A few years ago when Apple made the switch to USB-C ports, I too, was in the same boat as a lot of reviewers on YouTube today; they are still mentioning the ports as a con of the machine. But for me, the whole thing got old pretty quick and my concern was more with the keyboard. And it seems like my concern was just because the whole lawsuit-incident happened a couple of months after.

But then the 2018 models came out and after seeing the first reviews, I finally decided to buy it. Of course, I still have my concerns, but the keyboard on this one does indeed seem like an upgrade with the slightly increased key-travel and the “protective layer” making it “quieter”.

I do notice that my typing is definitely quicker and more precise on it which is weird to me because I always hated the feeling when testing it out.
You’d think it would take some getting used to, but I ditched my old 2009 MacBook Pro that developed a mind of its own, in almost no time.

Anyways, now that you are up to speed, here are my accessories so that if you are in the same situation I was in, you can make a decision quicker. Of course, some of these accessories are for the MacBook, but some are universal as well since more and more devices are coming out with USB-C ports.

Protection

Together with the MacBook I bought Apple Care. But because it’s not really insurance, I am still concerned — especially about the keyboard’s dust-problem. So I bought the following accessories to protect my costly devices as much as possible;

1. Mosiso Transparent Keyboard Cover

Despite having the “protective layer” under the new keyboard, I decided to buy this anyway. So far it does what it was made for and also lessens the typing noise. Having this cover the keyboard pretty much all the time, I realise how dusty either my house, places I go to, or this country is, in general.
A lot of the reviews were saying that it does not fit, but mine fits just fine.

2. Mosiso Hard Case

I know, I know, cases cause the lid to become looser quicker, but I am clumsy and I hate having dents on my Apple devices, especially when they are new. I also have a history with accidentally dropping my things so better safe than sorry. The case just snaps on and causes no damage to the aluminium body whatsoever. It’s pretty slim, so it does not offer a lot of protection, but having it on is enough to protect the computer from scratches and dents.

3. easyAcc Cover

Other than the above, I also try to protect my MacBook even more with a cover. The easyAcc cover I have is pretty old — in fact, I’ve had it for more than seven years now. The fact that I still have it and that it is in top shape is a good enough factor for me and anyone looking for a cheap, long-lasting case.

4. JamBer Universal Cable Organizer Case

A cable organiser case or a tech-pouch like many call it, is useful for anyone. Whether you are a tech-enthusiast or not, most of us carry a bunch of devices and cables with us when travelling or commuting.
I found this to meet my needs quite nicely because in it I carry my dongle, USB-stick, cables, power-bank and the power adapter. Everything fits just fine and it keeps everything uncluttered.

Dongle

5. Inateck 9-in-1 USB-C hub

This thing is amazing and feels like it has been designed to last for some time. First of all, the cable that connects to the port can be bent back into its slot when it’s not being used — that way it gets protected when travelling or commuting.
In case it wasn’t clear, it has nine ports.
2 USB-C ports, one with charging capability.
2 USB 3.0 ports.
1 HDMI port that supports 4K.
1 VGA port.
1 Ethernet port.
1 SD port.
1 Micro SD port.

Here’s what you have to remember;
It’s compact, it doesn’t get hot, it doesn’t randomly disconnect like other flimsy dongles that cost much more.

Cables

6. Anker Powerline USB to USB-C (2-pack) &
7. Anker Powerline Plus USB-C to USB-C

Whether you like Apple’s products or not, I think everyone has the same opinion when it comes to their cables — they suck. They are short, they give up on you pretty quickly and let’s not forget, they are expensive.
Anker is a pretty well-known manufacturer of power-banks, but they make some pretty robust cables that are made to last. They look superior in every way and that red colour is just so vibrant.

8. CableCreation USB-C to Micro-B Cable

Hearing that some dongles can cause damage to external drives, I wanted to protect mine by connecting it directly to the computer itself. This cable transfers things super quick and for its price, everyone with a USB-C device should have it.

9. Baseus USB-C Magnetic Adapter

Yes, as someone who tripped on multiple computer cables, I was quite upset when Apple removed the MagSafe. Luckily some companies have our back and made magnetic adapters for USB-C devices. Despite having quite a few bad reviews pretty much all over the internet, I decided to get the Baseus adapter anyways, because of its size compared to the much bulkier Griffin BreakSafe. So far it’s okay and does its job, but I am keeping my eyes peeled.

Charging

10. RAVpower 22000 mAh Type-C Powerbank

An upside to having only USB-C ports on your laptop means that you don’t need a special portable charger. If you attach the RAVpower to your MacBook while you are working on it, it will stay at a consistent percentage and slightly increase by maybe one or two percent. But if it’s off or sleeping, it can charge much much quicker. All in all, it doesn’t even feel like I am taking 22000 mAh pretty much anywhere I go; the body is like any regular power-bank out there.

Display

11. LG 24MP55 Monitor

This monitor is a few years old and I don’t even believe it is being sold anymore, but having my laptop connected to a 24” external display is great. It’s a pretty energy-efficient screen and the colours are spot-on for projects I work on.

Storage

For storage, I have two things;

12. Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB

I chose to buy the 256GB MacBook model because I had this external drive laying around at home. Prior, I hadn’t even used it much. Plenty shouldn’t even be said since the company has made a name for themselves by manufacturing trustworthy products.
But now I have finally used it a few times, and connected with the CableCreation USB-C to Micro-B Cable I backup my machine a few times. I can say that it’s fast, quiet and works as expected.

13. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB 3.1 (32GB)

The previously-mentioned external drive is not something I carry around with me despite its size and portability. I carry the much smaller Sandisk Ultra Dual Drive. The 32GB capacity is great for me to store things on the go and because it also has a USB-A connection, this means that I can easily transfer them to older computers as well.

Music

The speakers on the new MacBook amaze me every time I listen to something on them. However, I’m not a fan of others listening to what I listen to, because I hate bothering people.
Nothing too fancy here. These are the headphones I have used so far with my new MacBook;

14. Apple EarPods

These don’t even need an introduction because they are so well known at this point. In-ear buds cause my ear to sometimes get irritated, so these are my go to’s.

15. BeatsX

I am not a Beats fan, but they came free with the MacBook and they are surprisingly great. It’s super handy because it pairs quickly with Apple devices due to the W1 chip. Furthermore, it even has the capability to connect with all Apple devices connected to the Apple-ID that you are currently using. Super handy for people with multiple Apple devices.
You can listen for eight hours straight and with the quick-charge feature, these are pretty much becoming part of my “Everyday Carry”.

16. Skullcandy Crushers Wireless

If you like not just bass, but BASS, get these. To me these don’t feel like wireless headphones, they are light, charge pretty quickly and it has forty hours of playback. They retain their charge really well which means that you can charge them and forget about them.

Bag

To carry everything around, I needed a cool, but sturdy backpack;

17. Fly Leaf USB Anti-theft Backpack

This backpack is a knockoff of the Bobby Original Anti-Theft Backpack by XD Design that I bought on AliExpress last year. I liked the design and I really wanted to have one, but at that moment the price was out of my budget, so I bought this one instead. It might not be the “real deal” everyone walks around with, but it was less than half the original one’s price. It has an extra zipper on the outside and has a mesh that can hold a bottle or umbrella on both sides. Sadly the product is not being sold anymore.

Mosiso Transparent Keyboard Cover, Mosiso Hard Case, easyAcc Cover
JamBer Universal Cable Organizer Case, Inateck 9-in-1 USB-C hub, Anker Powerline USB to USB-C (2-pack)
Anker Powerline Plus USB-C to USB-C with Baseus USB-C Magnetic Adapter, CableCreation USB-C to Micro-B Cable, RAVpower 22000 mAh Type-C Powerbank
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB, SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB 3.1 (32GB), Apple EarPods
BeatsX, Skullcandy Crushers Wireless, Fly Leaf USB Anti-theft Backpack

I hope you were able to discover some useful products here. Some I’ve had for a month, some I’ve had for years, each and every single one has proven themselves useful to me so far, which is why I wanted to share them with you.

Have a nice day and drop me a line if you feel like it.

Ilsmarie Presilia

Written by

26-year-old autodidact that likes to ponder. Designer & Coder | Photographer | Gamer | Cyclist

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