Working from home and social distancing may be a necessity for now, but that doesn’t mean you have to be miserable. As many of us ride out the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic by shifting our workplace into the home, we are no doubt finding that our technology is not entirely up to the task. To help ease your work-from-home time, we’ve rounded up some top devices to consider including Wi-Fi and cell phone signal boosters, noise-cancelling headphones, gadgets for distraction and more.
What follows is our roundup of 10 work-from-home tech gadgets that are worth considering.
Microsoft Surface Book 2
It goes without saying that you’re going to want a good PC for working from home. If your home machine isn’t quite up to the task of remote work needs—such as videoconferencing and multi-tasking across multiple applications and browser tabs—then you might consider getting a PC with a bit more horsepower than average. Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 will have you covered, with its speedy processors and graphics and up to 16 GB of RAM. The laptop also features a detachable display, meaning you can switch into tablet mode—or even the turn the display around and use the keyboard as a stand—for maximal flexibility depending on what your home work setup requires. The notebook also has choices between vibrant 13.5-inch and 15-inch displays. And, while some reports are showing constraints on PC supplies at the moment with the heightened work-from-home demand, the Surface Book 2 appears to be in stock as of this writing.
Synology RT2600ac Router
The next thing that might need an upgrade for your work-from-home setup is your Wi-Fi router—the typical home wireless router just might not cut it for your work needs. Synology’s RT2600ac is a solid choice, offering high-speed wireless with 802.11ac Wave 2 certified radios, MU-MIMO support, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and capabilities around intelligent optimization of connection quality.
TP-Link AC750 Wi-Fi Extender
If you’ve turned your bedroom or another far-flung room into your home office, it’s probable you might also want a Wi-Fi extender to get sufficient wireless. TP-Link’s AC750 Wi-Fi Extender reduces dead zones by covering up to 1,200 square feet, while allowing for connections of up to 20 devices and speeds of up to 750 Mbps.
weBoost Home 4G
It might not just be your Wi-Fi that needs some help to enable work-from-home success—your cell phone signal may also need a boost. The weBoost Home 4G indoor cell phone signal booster can enable your home to get improved signal and preventing dropped connections for your crucial calls. The device promises to boost cell signal range by up to 1,500 feet in one to two rooms, and is compatible with the largest carriers including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.
