The Best Home Study Essentials for College Students

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Engadget recommends a variety of laptops each year as part of our back-to-school guide. But that's not quite enough if you want a productive study environment. Whether you're a stay-at-home student this year or returning to campus, you'll benefit from a few additional essentials. A laptop stand is helpful in preventing neck and arm pain, while a lumbar pillow supports your lower back. A pair of noise-canceling headphones work wonders at blocking out distractions, and an LED light helps relieve eye strain. From an external keyboard to a USB docking station, we think all of our suggestions below will lead to a much improved setup for those long study sessions.

Soundance laptop stand

Engadget

While laptops are more convenient than desktop computers, only using your laptop for long periods of time is bad for your posture and can lead to neck pain. That's why we highly recommend getting a laptop stand. You can position your machine so that the screen is at the correct height. Generally, you want your eye level to be an inch or two below the top of the screen.

One of our team's favorites is from Soundance, which can support laptops with 10-15 inch screens. It is made from a sturdy aluminum alloy and the surface that holds the laptop is rubberized which prevents it from slipping. And, thanks to a series of detachable components, it is also one of the few easily transportable supports. You can take it apart and put it together in minutes, making it ideal not only for your home office, but also for use in the library.

The Soundance elevates your laptop 6 inches above the desk, which should be fine for most people. Plus, the elevated design both facilitates better posture and helps ventilate your laptop. There's even enough space underneath for you to store your keyboard and mouse when not in use. If you want one with adjustable height, we recommend the Rain Design iLevel 2. It's not as portable and more expensive than the Soundance, but it's a good option if you need a stand. with more flexibility.

Buy Soundance Laptop Stand on Amazon - $40 Buy Rain Design iLevel 2 on Amazon - $65 Logitech K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard

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If you get a laptop stand, you'll definitely want an external keyboard to go with it. (Your laptop won't be comfortable to type on while it's docked in the stand.) We recommend a cordless model so you don't have to worry about cables cluttering your desk. Logitech's line of Bluetooth keyboards are an Engadget favorite, and the