These are the 11 Prime Day deals our Chromebook reviewer recommends
Time is running out on the many Prime day deals before midnight Pacific rolls around. So if you've been waiting and hoping to see some great last-minute deals show up, you might be a little disappointed, but that's okay. Sometimes the best thing to buy isn't included in the Prime Day sales anyway. This is the case with a couple of must-own Chromebook accessories.
If you purchased one of this year's Prime Day Chromebook deals, I want to welcome you to the wonderful world of Chrome OS! Software and keyboards are standardized across all models, unlike the chaos theory that is Windows function keys, and most accessories are plug-and-play. If you have no idea what to get for your new Chromebook, allow me to share my favorite Prime Day accessory deals - and the best accessories to buy that aren't on sale.
Nekteck USB-C to USB C 3.1 Gen2 Cable | 20% off at Amazon
While you won't need a cable with 10Gbps data transfer speeds all that often, it's worth having one on hand for if you're trying to use a docking station with an external monitor or a USB-C monitor that somehow didn't come with a cable. Nekteck's chargers and cables are good, and it's nice to see how prices on this class of cable have come down in the last two years.
Anker Powerline III USB-C to USB-C Cable | 22% off at Amazon
Your Chromebook probably came with a charger with a decent length cord, but since that charger is bulky and not very travel friendly, buy this cable instead to use with the chargers below. A 10ft cable will give you plenty of room to snake your way from the outlet back to your Chromebook.
Baseus 45W PD Fast Charging Wall Charger | $10 off at Amazon
This 45W charger is a more traditional shape that's good for slipping into a busy power strip at your desk, and the second port means that in a pinch, you can charge a phone while you charge your Chromebook. Be sure to grab the on-page coupon!
HUANUO Lap Desk | 28% off at Amazon
Brookestone made just about the perfect lap desk back when I was in high school. They haven't sold it for years, but this model is about the closest I've seen to it since. Skip lap desks with "Phone trays." In the age of small bezels and gesture controls, these trays cut off the bottom part of your phone and make it impossible to go home. Grab this one instead.
Uni USB C Hub with 4FT Long Cord | 30% off at Amazon
Okay, technically, the short-corded version of this has the Prime Day Deal, but if your Chromebook has two USB-C ports, buy this hub to hide your peripheral cords out of the way and use the other USB-C port to charge. I'm serious. This will let you plug in your mic, webcam, keyboard, and mouse but keep the cables organized and out of your way.
Logitech Pebble M350 Wireless Mouse with Bluetooth or USB | $25 at Amazon
This is the "normal" sale price, but here's why you should buy the Logitech M350 anyway: it has Bluetooth if you don't want to use the wireless receiver, and if you do use the wireless receiver, you don't have to break a nail prying up a panel on the bottom. The top is magnetic, so simply pull up, put the receiver in, and plop the top back down.
Anker PowerPort Atom III 45W Slim Type C Charger | $12 off at Amazon
45W is the top charging speed for the vast, vast majority of Chromebooks, and this charger is easy to slip into tighter places that normal USB-C chargers won't reach. But, of course, that flatter profile is a trade-off, as it might not fit into power strips that are crowded.
Samsung Evo Select 256GB microSD Card | $24 off at Amazon
Chromebooks are starting to get a little better about storage, at least at the mid-rage and premium levels, but for most Chromebooks, you'll want a microSD card after a few months to expand room for more offline media. Samsung makes the best microSD card series on the market, and the 256GB you will have to work to fill up completely.
Anker PowerExpand 12-in-1 USB-C PD Media Dock | $18 off Amazon
This docking station is actually more consistent with Chromebooks than its big brothers, and it's powered by a PD charger rather than some big bulky barrel-plugged AC adapter, so it'll be much tidier on your desk. You'll be able to connect an external monitor, three USB-A devices, headphones, two memory cards, and 45W passthrough charging.
HyperX Alloy Origins Mechanical Gaming Keyboard | $34 off at Amazon
This keyboard uses Red switches that are quieter than the blues most "normal" (non-gaming) mechanical keyboards. Now that we have the expanded clipboard on Chrome OS, having a keyboard with a Windows key means you can format it to search and use it for the clipboard while keeping Caps Lock a Caps Lock key.
Acer KA272U monitor | $54 off at Amazon
If you're working at a desk, do yourself and your spine a favor and get a second monitor. Having a bigger screen at your desk to spread more content out on makes work go faster. Acer's KA272U 27-inch monitor is 1440p, 75Hz refresh rate, and it comes with Acer's EyeShield blue-light blocker.