As far as thin, light laptops go, LG's refreshed lineup of gram laptops — available in 13-, 14-, and 15-inch configurations — is near the top of the list. The largest version, the 15Z980, has stellar battery life, a beautiful display, and the hardware inside needed to tackle a day's work. To complement the laptop, I use a number of accessories on a near-daily basis, which I've rounded up here. Though I use them with my gram, they're also great accessories for just about any laptop.
LG gram 15Z980 review: Living up to the name
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Booq Cobra Squeeze
It's not the bulkiest laptop backpack out there, but I like to pack light and prefer taking up less room if I hop on public transport. The Cobra Squeeze from Booq (about $190) (opens in new tab) has a ton of pockets inside, including a lined laptop sleeve, and the outer shell has slimming lines to make it appear smaller than it really is.
The gram easily fits inside, and I can stuff in headphones, camera, chargers and adapters, keyboard and mouse along with it. The bag has received regular use for the last few months, and so far there's no sign of wear. It wipes down easily thanks to the rugged exterior, and the heavy zippers have held up well, even under stress. Have a look at my review for more information.
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Zelotes T-80 gaming mouse
My brother gifted me a new Zelotes T-80 a few years ago, and having no idea how much it cost, I assumed by how well it worked that he must have dropped a considerable sum. It wasn't until about a year ago, when I was investigating new mice, that I saw the $13 price tag (opens in new tab).
I'm still using this mouse today, and I enjoy the programmable buttons on the side, the selectable DPI, and the wide body with grooves for fingers on the side. As far as I'm concerned, you're getting way more than your money's worth. Have a look at our gaming mice roundup for more options.
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IKEA SKARSTA standing desk
Working in front of a screen all day was a big change from my previous employment, and I think the only thing that's saved me from complete decrepitude is this IKEA SKARSTA standing desk (about $240). It's a simple rectangle with no fancy features — it has a hand crank for height adjustment — but it certainly gets the job done.
I can fit two sizeable monitors side-by-side with two keyboards and two mice, and there's still room for my LG gram. Even loaded with stuff, the desk is sturdy and I don't have to worry about anything toppling over. If you're stuck with a seated desk but think you could benefit from standing, there are some low-cost way to convert to a standing workspace.
Philips Momentum 326M monitor
Although I don't mind using the LG gram's beautiful 15-inch touch display, I'm a sucker for big screens (who isn't?). Philips delivers with its 31.5-inch Momentum monitor (about $330) (opens in new tab) featuring a 1440p resolution, IPS panel, and five-millisecond response time.
Connecting is easy with the gram's HDMI port, but the monitor also has VGA and DisplayPort hookups. Be sure to have a glance at my review for a closer look, and check out our roundup of the best 1440p monitors on the market today.
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Seagate 1TB external hard drive
It's always important to keep a backup of your main PC's hard drive, and since the gram has become a daily driver, I'm sticking to my rule. This 1TB Seagate hard drive (about $46) (opens in new tab) is thin and lightweight, perfect for slipping into the Cobra Squeeze if I'm headed out.
It's nothing fancy, using USB-A 3.0 to connect, but it certainly gets the job done. If you're thinking about also getting into the habit of backing up your PC, we have a neat guide that can help.
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- $51 at Walmart (opens in new tab)
B&O PLAY H9i headphones
I really hope CrackBerry Kevin isn't reading this, because these are definitely his B&O PLAY headphones (about $500) (opens in new tab) that I borrowed. Whether he lies awake at night wondering when I'll return them, or whether he's already on his third pair since (almost certainly the latter), I've been fully enjoying these.
They offer unbelievable sound, noise cancellation, wired and Bluetooth connectivity, plus they're well padded and easily fit over my big ears. The price is high, but they're certainly a step above most other options out there. If you're looking for some great in-ear options, take a look at our roundup of some of the best out there now.
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More suggestions?
These are the accessories I use on a near-daily basis, but there are certainly a lot more options out there. Do you have any suggestions? Be sure to let us know in the comments section!
