10 Gadgets You Can Buy On Amazon To Build Your Portable Workstation

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you have a remote job, you may have the tendency to work from different locations every now and then. You could be working from a cafe, a co-working space, or even an airport when traveling! When working from various locations like these, it's important to have an arsenal of accessories and peripherals that can help you set up a portable workstation. Simply carrying your laptop with you may not suffice for most use cases, which is why it's important to add extra gadgets to improve your productivity and make your work simpler. Over the years, I've added several accessories to my travel backpack that add immense value to my work setup. From a portable monitor for a dual-monitor setup on the go, to a power bank that can power all your gadgets at once, you can operate a mini office from wherever you are.

Since all of these gadgets are rather portable, you can fit them all into your backpack. This way, you're essentially carrying your entire workstation with you, resulting in a smooth workflow — something that wouldn't be possible using just a laptop. Depending on your type of work, you can select several of these gadgets to facilitate an efficient workflow on the go. Moreover, we've made it a point to include gadgets that can be used on your desk at home, so they're also useful when you're not traveling or working from a cafe.

One of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of working remotely is ergonomics. It's vital to ensure your laptop is placed at the correct angle for you to work; Failing to do so may result in experiencing pain in several parts of your body. The laptop's screen should be at eye level, and the keyboard should be positioned at a comfortable incline when typing. Neither of these factors is native to a laptop on its own. Thankfully, the Tonmom laptop stand is a quick and simple fix that's also rather inexpensive. It's a portable laptop stand that can be raised to several different heights. You can set the required angle depending on the height of the table. It's made of solid metal, which makes it durable while allowing it to hold large and heavy laptops.

Unlike standard laptop holders, this one from Tonmom is ideal for travel thanks to the fact that it folds into a slender form factor that can easily fit into your backpack's side pocket. It doesn't take up much space, and is also quite lightweight. In fact, it's so small when folded that it can even fit into a crossbody messenger bag or a sling, if you prefer traveling light. When not traveling, the Tonmom laptop stand can have a permanent place on your desk, especially if you use an external monitor. It can raise the laptop to the same level as the monitor, which reduces the strain on your eyes and neck.

Some users may find it uncomfortable to type on a laptop keyboard. It could be because the laptop's keyboard is too small and crammed, or it could be that the key travel is low, resulting in a poor feeling when typing. Regardless of the reason, carrying an external keyboard in your backpack is always handy. There are several small keyboards that are easy to carry, but that would beat the purpose of an external keyboard — especially if it's missing some keys. The iClever foldable keyboard seems to be the perfect solution to that problem. It has all the relevant keys in a standard layout, without compromising on portability. The keyboard features two hinges, allowing it to fold into a wallet-like shape for easy transportation and storage.

Thanks to its unique design, the iClever also includes a trackpad with two buttons right next to the keyboard. If you're using an external keyboard with your laptop, it can be difficult to use the built-in trackpad on the keyboard as well, since the keyboard gets in the way. With the iClever keyboard, that's no longer an issue, as you can use the trackpad, placed where your right hand would naturally reach when using a mouse. As a result, you won't even have to carry an external mouse, as this is a two-in-one gadget. I also like how the keyboard can connect to three devices simultaneously, so that you can use it with your laptop, tablet, and smartphone.

People often incorporate multiple devices in their working process. For instance, I often reference information from my smartphone while typing on my laptop simultaneously. However, it's counterintuitive to constantly shift gaze from my laptop's screen, which is at eye level, to my smartphone resting flat on the table. It slows down my speed and even hampers my workflow. While a generic smartphone stand can fix this to a certain extent, it still won't bring your phone to the same level as your laptop's screen. Just when I was about to accept that a stand is the best workaround, I stumbled upon the CloudValley MagSafe iPhone holder. As the name suggests, it's a mount for your iPhone, but not just any standard one.

The back of the mount sticks to your laptop's lid and then swivels out on the side. The swiveled-out portion features a MagSafe ring, allowing your iPhone to adhere to it with its built-in magnets. This is a fantastic solution, as your phone then rests at the same level as the laptop screen, making it super easy to shift gaze from the laptop to the phone without straining your eyes or neck. It's almost like using a dual-monitor setup, of different sizes, of course. When not using the stand, you can fold it, and it stays flush with the laptop's lid. If you often use your phone when working, this little accessory is a no-brainer.

Many modern laptops have a scarcity of ports. They may not have an HDMI port to connect to external displays or an SD card slot to transfer photos or videos from a camera. While you may have a docking station for your laptop on your desk, it doesn't make sense to carry it around everywhere due to its size and weight. The Satechi USB-C hub is a good replacement when traveling. It's tiny and can fit into any small compartment in your backpack. It occupies a single USB-C port on your laptop and gives you two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, an SD card reader, a microSD card reader, and an HDMI port. That should cover all your port needs when working from a remote location.

It's also built extremely well, which makes it durable — an essential feature for a gadget that's going to be thrown around inside a backpack. The cable is also braided, which is a nice touch. There are several USB-C dongles like these, but the reason I recommend the Satechi one is that it's affordable without compromising on features. It supports up to a 4K display and can be used with macOS, Windows, Chrome, and even iOS/iPadOS. This means you can plug it into your iPad to connect an external SSD or SD card. So, it's a multipurpose adapter that's nice to have with you at all times.

If you're truly a digital nomad, you would probably want to set up temporary workstations wherever you're staying. It could be a hotel room, a dorm, or even a friend's place. If that's the case, you would need a constant power supply to all of your gadgets. After all, a power bank can only charge your gadgets while its battery lasts. To connect all your devices to the power outlet, I recommend getting the Anker power strip with USB ports. Not only does it extend a single wall outlet to six plug points, but it also adds a USB-C port and two USB-A ports to the mix. As a result, you can charge up to nine devices simultaneously — so all your gadgets remain topped up all the time.

The USB-C port outputs at 20W, which is sufficient to charge an iPhone at top speed. The outlets can be used to power your laptop, an external display, a tablet, or pretty much any other device that you may be carrying with you. Anker has been quite thoughtful while designing this product, and I say this not just because of the emphasis on multiple ports, but also the fact that the attached cable is 5 feet long, making it ideal for travel. Individual switches for each socket and international plug support would have been the cherry on top, but one can't expect too much for under $15.

The Ugreen Nexode 200W charger is exactly the type of adapter you want to plug into the Anker power strip. It gives you four ports — three USB-C and one USB-A — with a total output wattage of 200W. That's more than sufficient to charge a large laptop and some additional devices like smartphones, tablets, headphones, smartwatches, etc. When using a single USB-C port, the charger can output at 140W of maximum power. Whether you have a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a gaming laptop running Windows, you won't have to worry about carrying the dedicated charging adapter that came with your laptop. Of course, make sure your laptop charges via USB-C. Since it's a GaN charger, it has a small form factor that makes it easy to carry — as opposed to large bricks that generally ship with powerful laptops.

Another advantage of the Ugreen adapter is that the prongs on the front are foldable, so you don't have to worry about the charger ruining the insides of your backpack. For the rated power output, the Ugreen Nexode adapter provided the best bang for your buck. Notably, it also takes up less space on a wall outlet or a power strip. That is an advantage if you're going to be plugging in multiple adapters, as larger chargers tend to take up more space, or can even end up blocking adjacent sockets.

Establishing a stable Wi-Fi network while working on the move is a challenging task. Many people rely on the mobile hotspot feature on their smartphones to use the internet on their computers. However, this drains the smartphone's battery quickly, which isn't ideal, especially when you're working from a remote location. So, it's advisable to invest in a portable Wi-Fi router like the Netgear Nighthawk M1. It's essentially a portable hotspot that has a SIM card slot. You can use a SIM card from any carrier, although Netgear recommends using one from AT&T or T-Mobile for the best speed and connectivity. Speaking of speed, the Nighthawk M1 can achieve a top speed of 1 Gbps. You can connect up to 20 devices at once, which is more than sufficient even if you've set out on a workcation with your friends.

It's a portable device that can be charged via a USB-C port and can last up to 13 hours on a single charge. The brand has also added a gigabit Ethernet port, which allows you to use the Nighthawk M1 as a standalone router. This way, you can also use it on your desk at home or work. If you often work outdoors and want to conserve the battery of your phone while also not relying on public Wi-Fi networks, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is a worthy purchase.

For times when you're not close to a wall outlet and your devices are on the verge of dying, a reliable power bank is what comes to your rescue. There are a plethora of options from various different brands, but the one I recommend is the Anker 25,000mAh laptop power bank. There are three primary reasons for this. Firstly, the 25,000mAh capacity is sufficient to charge most laptops from empty to full. Then comes the retractable USB-C cables that are built into the power bank. As a result, you don't have to carry separate cables to charge your devices. There are two built-in cables, both of which can charge devices at 100W. There's also a third USB-C port and a USB-A port to charge additional devices. Finally, the total output is 165W, which is a lot of power for a portable battery pack.

If you use multiple devices, a power bank like this one is an absolute no-brainer. When traveling, the idea is to reduce as many things as possible inside your backpack. This Anker power bank gets rid of two cables, which frees up space for other peripherals. It's also surprisingly affordable for what it offers, since similar products from competing brands can be more expensive. It's worth noting that the Anker laptop power bank supports pass-through charging, so you can charge the power bank while you use it to charge your laptop and other devices.

I've been using a dual-monitor setup on my work desk for over five years now, and I've gotten used to working that way. Reverting to my laptop's single-monitor screen feels rather limiting in terms of productivity. It affects my workflow and slows things down, which isn't ideal. If you're like me and you want to improve your productivity when working remotely, consider investing in a portable monitor. The MNN 15.6-inch portable monitor is slim and comes with its own stand. This makes it easy to carry in your backpack along with your laptop, without adding too much weight. Moreover, the integrated stand means you can rest the screen on any table.

As for the screen itself, it's a 1080p IPS monitor with HDR support. This makes it a good option not only for working but also for consuming media. It's a matte display, which is important if you work outdoors. The best part about the MNN portable monitor is that it connects to your laptop via a single USB-C cable, which serves for both the display signal and power source. This offers a clutter-free experience, which is essential to a portable setup. If you don't want to carry it with you when heading out, you can use the MNN monitor as a display with a gaming console, such as a PlayStation 5 or Xbox. This way, it's a multifunctional gadget that can serve multiple purposes.

With so many gadgets to aid smooth working, you would also need a means to carry all of them so that you can set up a portable powerhouse wherever you go. Considering the number of gadgets you might need, you would likely benefit from something with a large capacity and multiple compartments to organize all the accessories. While you can pick any backpack of your choice, or even use one that you already have, I've been using the Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L for a while now, and it accommodates all my gadgets with ease. It's water-resistant and features a modular design, allowing you to customize the compartmentalization inside. Additionally, there are three different ways to access the backpack.

The laptop compartment has sufficient space for up to a 15-inch laptop, and a separate sleeve is also provided to accommodate a tablet or portable monitor. Needless to say, the bag is rather expensive. However, it has stood the test of time in terms of durability, and the brand even offers a lifetime warranty. If you're big on systematic organization of your gadgets and want a reliable backpack that's ideal for multiple use cases, consider picking up the Peak Design Everyday backpack. Don't want to spend so much? The Razer Rogue V3 backpack is a good alternative for a fraction of the price. It's also lighter and has a decent number of pockets for organization.