When I add something new to my workspace, I judge it by three things: quality, design and function. After years of refining this setup, only a few accessories earned a permanent spot. They’re on my desk right now, in my 2026 setup, and I use them every single day.

For each one I’ll tell you what it’s actually for, so you can decide whether it earns a spot on your desk too.

1. A monitor light: BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2

What it’s for: lighting your desk at night without glare on the screen, and protecting your eyes during long sessions.

Late-night editing is part of the job, and a monitor light is one of the best upgrades I’ve made. The second-generation Halo has a much wider backlight, a more precise front beam with no glare, a rechargeable wireless controller with a small display showing brightness and colour temperature, and a motion sensor that turns it on and off for you. I mostly run it as a soft backlight behind the screen, which is easier on my eyes.

More on how I light the whole room in Desk Setup Lighting.

2. A docking station: Satechi Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock

What it’s for: turning one cable into your whole workstation. Monitor, power, drives and peripherals connect with a single plug, and one cable disconnects it when you take the laptop away.

I work from a MacBook Pro, and a dock is what makes a laptop setup feel as clean and permanent as a desktop. Right now my favourite is the Satechi Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock, together with the CalDigit TS5 Plus I used before it. The Satechi wins on looks: it’s much more minimal and looks a lot like a Mac mini, so it blends into the setup instead of looking like a piece of IT equipment.

What I love most is the built-in NVMe SSD enclosure. Besides being extremely fast, it’s like having extra space built into the desk. I keep a 4 TB SSD inside it, always connected to my Mac with no extra USB-C cable. The same cable that connects the dock gives me every port and 4 TB of fast storage, and that’s where I edit all my videos and photos.

The front is really well thought out:

• a power button

• a headphone jack

• a 10 Gbps USB-C port with 30 W charging, perfect for my external SSD, which I keep plugged in there for easy access

• a USB-A port

• an SD card slot, which is what I use most

The SD card slot should always be at the front. I still don’t understand why some docks put it at the back. Having it in front, within reach, makes life so much easier when you’re moving footage off a camera every day. At the back there are plenty more USB-C ports for everything else.

Does it get hot? I measured it with an infrared thermometer after a full morning of light work (no Premiere Pro, just everyday work): about 37 °C on top and on the sides, 32–33 °C at the front, and up to 40 °C at the back. It’s warm, but nothing worrying for light use.

Why I use NVMe storage instead of external SSDs

If you do any creative work, get an NVMe enclosure, either built into your dock like mine or as a separate box. You pay for the enclosure once, and after that NVMe drives are much cheaper than buying complete external SSDs. Most importantly, it expands my MacBook’s storage without filling up the internal drive, and without paying Apple’s prices for a bigger one.

3. A wireless mechanical keyboard: Lofree Hyzen

What it’s for: typing scripts, emails and everything else, with no cable on the desk.

I don’t like wired keyboards at all. A cable distracts me and never looks clean in a setup. So I chose the Lofree Hyzen because it’s both wireless and mechanical.

What I love about it:

• The magnetic switches. They’re incredibly satisfying to type on. They’re also frosted and see-through, which makes the backlight look great.

• The design and build. It’s very clean and very well made, and it feels incredible to the touch.

• The physical controls. There’s a control for volume, a switch for on/off and wireless/cable modes, and a switch on the left to change the layout.

• The wrist rest. It follows the shape of the keyboard and looks great with it. One warning: I once cleaned it with alcohol and it stained. Don’t make the same mistake.

What I’d change:

• The layout. I’m not a big fan of this size. I’d prefer an 84-key layout, although I got used to it over time.

• Repeating keys. Sometimes, while I’m typing normally, a key gets stuck for a second and repeats. I type “casa” and get a row of A’s. It happens four, five or six times in a row and then goes away on its own. I haven’t figured out the cause or fixed it yet.

How it compares to the Lofree Flow I used before: the Flow is a different kind of keyboard, low-profile, and it’s still one of my favourites. But the typing experience on the Hyzen is much better. Every Lofree product I’ve tried has been very well made. The one exception for me is the Flow 2, which I like less than the original. Its power and wireless/cable switch moved underneath, where it’s hard to reach. The new touch volume control on the side doesn’t feel practical either. I prefer the first version, which is also more compact.

4. A mouse: Logitech MX Master 4

What it’s for: working all day without wrist strain, with shortcuts close at hand.

The MX Master line is still my go-to for ergonomics and function. The 4 feels familiar, but better: more premium materials and a plastic texture that’s basically fingerprint-proof. The new Action Ring is my favourite feature. One button opens a radial menu of shortcuts you can customise per app, and it seriously speeds up editing.

Honest notes: I turned off the new haptic feedback because it distracted me while working, and I’m still hoping for a pure black version. The lighter colour feels like a downgrade from my old black MX Master 3S.

5. A 3-in-1 wireless charger: Nomad Stand One Max

What it’s for: charging your phone, watch and earbuds in one spot, with one cable instead of three.

Nothing I’ve tried comes close to the Stand One Max’s build quality. It’s heavy and minimal, and the rubber base keeps it from sliding. It’s the best wireless charger I’ve used.

A tip: in my current setup it doesn’t sit in front of me. It’s on the desk cart next to the desk. My devices stay charged, and my phone is far enough away that I don’t pick it up every five minutes.

6. A desk pad: Grovemade Matte Studio Pad

What it’s for: protecting the desk, defining your workspace and, in this case, doing a bit more.

Most desk pads are an aesthetic upgrade or a layer of protection. Grovemade rethought the idea with the Studio Pad. It has an aluminium build, a rear lip that holds a device upright while you read notes or write scripts, a small wooden tray for stationery, a cable pass-through and thick cork underneath to protect the desk. It’s my all-time favourite in looks, protection and function.

If you’re choosing a mat, think about how long it will last. Before the Studio Pad I used Grovemade’s linoleum Matte Desk Pad for years: smooth, hard to fold and easy to clean. I’ve always found that leather tends to shrink over time, and felt attracts dust and is hard to clean.

7. Small trays and a notepad

What they’re for: giving every small object a home, so nothing clutters the surface.

I keep a few small trays around the desk so what I use most is always in the same place. Right now they’re Grovemade desk trays. And I always have a small notepad within reach for quick to-dos and ideas, so I don’t grab my phone and get distracted. The physical notes cover today; everything long-term goes into Notion.

What didn’t make the list

Plenty of nice-looking things didn’t stay. I used to put every new gadget, every accessory and even plants on the desk itself. Now, if something doesn’t help me work, it goes on the shelf, on the wall or back in the box. Your desk surface is the most valuable real estate in the room.

Where to find everything

→ Every accessory above, with links: My current setup

→ The full collection by category: Desk Accessories · Tech · Lighting

→ By brand: Grovemade · Satechi · BALOLO · Orbitkey · UGMONK

Accessories are the last step in building a setup, not the first. If you’re starting from scratch, or your desk is full of nice things that somehow don’t look right together, The Desk Setup Guide walks you through the order I use: vision, space, the three big purchases, then everything else.

Watch the video: Functional & Premium Desk Accessories I Actually Use Daily

Some links on this page are affiliate links, and some of these products were sent to me by brands. My opinions are my own. If you buy through these links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.