If you’re the kind of person who regularly takes their work home with them, or if you spend a significant portion or all of your working week telecommuting, then you’re going to want to set up your own home office. Though it may be tempting to simply sit in your living room with your laptop, a home office is much better environment for you to get your work done, with it providing a dedicated room for you to take care of your adult responsibilities before you inevitably wander downstairs in order to binge watch a TV show on Netflix for the evening.
But building a home office that will improve your efficiency at work takes a lot more than just throwing your Chromebook into your spare room. If you’ve got some disposable income, then it’s preferable that you spend some time and money purchasing equipment that will help make your life easier, improving your work space to increase productivity and reduce stress.
To start, you’ll have to consider the full range of experiential forces (sight, sound, touch, smell) that affect your mood and focus, and how the tech you employ influences your environment – from the monitors you look at, the speakers you listen to, the pillow you sit on, and even the quality of the indoor air that you breathe! When setting up a man cave, you can be impulsive and brazen, but when it comes to a home office, your purchases should be well vetted and purpose driven.
There’s so much in the tech marketplace, and the research process can quickly become overwhelming. As such, we’ve compiled a gallery of a variety of tech products that will help turn your home office into the awesome work station you deserve.
The Best Tech For Your Home Office:
Image: Kupicoo / Getty Images.
Best Tech for Your Office
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BenQ BL3201PH 4K Monitor
Buy Here for $799.
One of the most important features of your home office is going to be your monitor, as it will likely be the thing you spend the most time looking at. With that being said, you're going to want something that covers the majority of the most important bases, and BenQ's 32-inch 4K display will do just that.
The BL3201PH is an exemplary monitor both for work and play, with its 3840 x 2160 UHD resolution offering stunning picture quality, optimal color precision and a dynamic contrast ratio to ensure exemplary color accuracy. It's also adjustable, meaning you can alter the height of the stand and swivel the display around into a portrait position. From graphic designers, through to video makers, web artists and more, BenQ's monitor has you covered no matter your profession.
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Canon Pixma MX922
Buy Here for $83.
Every office needs a printer, and Canon's Pixma MX922 provides an all-in-one solution for both your professional and personal needs.
This wireless printer is Google Cloud Print ready, meaning you can use any device with an internet connection to print images and documents from anywhere. The Pixma MX922 also features built-in auto duplex printing, meaning it will allow you to print on both sides of a piece of paper without you having to manually turn it over.
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Gideon Shiatsu Massage Pillow
Buy Here for $35.
If you're sitting in your office for an extended period of time, then chances are you're going to get uncomfortable after a while. Regardless of how perfectly in line your desk chair is with the curvature of your back, you're probably going to feel a little sore after sitting motionlessly for hours on end, staring at your monitor.
Rather than buy an expensive massage chair, you can instead invest in the Gideon Shiatsu Massage Pillow, a less pricey alternative that will still give your body a break while you're working. Equipped with 3D counter-rotating balls that work to give your muscles a deep massage, the pillow also comes with a controller that allows you to change its intensity, while a stretchable strap lets you to attach it to your chair in any way you see fit.
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Dyson Air Multiplier Table Fan
Buy Here for $210.
If you've got a variety of electronics sitting in your office then chances are it's going to get pretty stuffy. While installing air conditioning will inevitably be an expensive endeavour, you can ensure that you don't spend your work hours sitting in a puddle of sweat by way of a desk fan.
The Dyson Air Multiplier Table Fan is a little on the pricey side, but its blade-free design ensures that you won't need to worry about it becoming clogged with dust, as is typically the case with your standard fan. Measuring in at just 10 inches tall, the Air Multiplier packs a formidable punch considering its size, with it working by way of an annular aperture that sucks in surrounding air, projecting it out at a high velocity that will be sure to cool you down considerably.
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Huion GT-185 HD
Buy Here for $499.
If you're into graphic design or are a talented (or budding) artist, then the Huion GT-185 graphic tablet offers a robust selection of features and large HD display that will really complement your work.
Though there are cheaper graphic tablets on the market, the GT-185 is exceptional across the board, from its sizable 1366 x 768 display through to its swift 5ms response time, screen sensitivity and ergonomic design, complete with an adjustable monitor stand. You may find cheaper options, but you arguably won't find better.
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Final Audio Design Sonorous III
Buy Here for $399.
If you spend a lot of time in your office and don't want to disturb those around you, then you're going to want to invest in a pair of high-quality headphones. While the Final Audio Design Sonorous III may have a somewhat luxurious price point, very few headphones offer comparable audio quality, making these an ideal purchase for those who will get a lot of use out of them.
The Sonorous III is not only great at outputting high-resolution audio, but it also sounds fantastic when streaming audio, too. Equipped with sound isolating ear pads to minimize outside noise, the headphones utilize their BAM mechanism to create deep three-dimensional sound and replicate bass tones, along with providing extra durability by way of the cable locks located on each cup. If you want a pair of impressive headphones that will withstand the test of time, then look no further.
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Blue Yeti Microphone
Buy Here for $128.
There are a variety of reasons why the introduction of a high-quality microphone will improve your setup, with the Blue Yeti providing a wonderful tool for those who are looking to record audio or stage conference calls or interviews from their desk.
The Blue Yeti is one of the most popular microphones, and it's not difficult to see why. The Yeti boasts 3 condenser capsules that combine to create pitch-perfect audio, along with a multiple pattern selection to alter its directionality between Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Supercardioid and Stereo, ensuring that you'll sound like you've just stepped into your own makeshift recording studio.
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Intel Core i7 Processor
Buy Here for $325.
If you're running multiple monitors, want to kit out your office with 4K displays, significantly upgrade your GPU or run an abundance of CPU-intensive software, then you're going to need a capable processor. In this regard, the Intel Core i7 is the pick of the bunch.
Capable of displaying resolutions up to 4096 x 2304, the Intel Core i7 promises to enable you to utilize the maximum performance of your PC, granting you the opportunity to multi-task to your heart's content. If you're planning to put your desktop through its paces with your new office set-up, then this processor will afford it the muscle to do so.
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VicTsing Humidifier
Buy Here for $38.
Your office is often going to be a stressful environment, but you can take measures to take care of your mental health even when you feel the weight of responsibility on your shoulders. A great start is to make it a more relaxing environment, and this VicTsing humidifier will go a long way to helping you do just that.
The VicTsing humidifier is able to fill your office with a variety of soothing scents, along with helping you to breathe better and providing moisture for dry skin in the winter months. Holding 300ml of water, the VicTsing humidifier can run for up to 10 hours continuously, while its adjustable LED light allows you to choose between 7 colors depending upon your mood. Though not an office essential, it's important for your own well-being that you reduce your stress levels as much as possible, and this humidifier will certainly help you in that department.
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Logitech C920 Webcam
Buy Here for $64.
Buying a webcam on the cheap can often be a mistake. Though they may only set you back $15, with their grainy picture, awful sound quality and limited features, they can soon end up stored in a cupboard gathering dust, unless for some reason you wish to Skype call a family member and leave them wondering which pixel you are on their laptop.
The Logitech C920 is a webcam that will receive no such treatment. Able to output in 1080p using Skype and 720p with other programs, the C920 is capable of automatic low-light detection to ensure superior video quality even of an evening, built-in dual stereo mics with automatic noise reduction and face tracking/motion detection. It's a superior webcam at a reasonable price.
