Tech Accessories Worth Buying the Premium Version Of
Budget:
$30-300
Requirements:
Accessory rather than a major device
Premium version has a meaningful functional advantage
Used frequently enough to justify the cost
Durable and well designed
Extra Details:
I'm generally happy to buy generic tech accessories when the expensive version is just branding. But there are a few categories where cheaping out seems to guarantee that I'll eventually buy the premium one anyway.
Chargers, USB-C hubs, laptop stands, keyboards, mice, cables, power banks, desk mats, monitor arms, docks, travel adapters—what's the category where you finally spent more and immediately understood why?
This is one category where I refuse to buy the cheapest option anymore.
The Anker Prime 20,000mAh 200W power bank is a good example of why spending more can make sense.
It's powerful enough to charge compatible laptops, not just phones, and you can charge multiple devices at once. It also has a little screen showing charging information, which is surprisingly useful when you're trying to figure out why something is charging slowly.
The downside is that it's chunky. If all you need is emergency phone charging, this is complete overkill.
But if you travel with a laptop, phone, tablet, and approximately seventeen different USB-C cables, having one reliable power bank that can handle several devices is genuinely convenient.
Just remember to check airline battery rules before flying.
This might sound like a weird recommendation, but the Elgato Stream Deck Neo.
I always thought Stream Decks were just for Twitch streamers until I realized you can use them for completely normal office work lol.
It's basically a little desktop controller with 8 customizable buttons, except each button has its own tiny screen. You can set them up to open your most-used apps, launch websites, control music, run shortcuts, or do a bunch of repetitive computer tasks with one press.
What makes it worth paying extra for, IMO, is that the buttons actually show what they do. You're not trying to memorize a million keyboard shortcuts.
It's around $100, which is definitely unnecessary if you only use your computer to browse the internet. But if you spend all day switching between apps and doing the same little tasks over and over, I can see this being one of those gadgets you wonder how you lived without.
Also, it's surprisingly cute on a desk. Not that aesthetics should justify buying more tech accessories... but they don't hurt 😂
Tech Accessories Worth Buying the Premium Version Of
$30-300
Accessory rather than a major device
Premium version has a meaningful functional advantage
Used frequently enough to justify the cost
Durable and well designed
I'm generally happy to buy generic tech accessories when the expensive version is just branding. But there are a few categories where cheaping out seems to guarantee that I'll eventually buy the premium one anyway. Chargers, USB-C hubs, laptop stands, keyboards, mice, cables, power banks, desk mats, monitor arms, docks, travel adapters—what's the category where you finally spent more and immediately understood why?
POWER BANKS.
This is one category where I refuse to buy the cheapest option anymore.
The Anker Prime 20,000mAh 200W power bank is a good example of why spending more can make sense.
It's powerful enough to charge compatible laptops, not just phones, and you can charge multiple devices at once. It also has a little screen showing charging information, which is surprisingly useful when you're trying to figure out why something is charging slowly.
The downside is that it's chunky. If all you need is emergency phone charging, this is complete overkill.
But if you travel with a laptop, phone, tablet, and approximately seventeen different USB-C cables, having one reliable power bank that can handle several devices is genuinely convenient.
Just remember to check airline battery rules before flying.
This might sound like a weird recommendation, but the Elgato Stream Deck Neo.
I always thought Stream Decks were just for Twitch streamers until I realized you can use them for completely normal office work lol.
It's basically a little desktop controller with 8 customizable buttons, except each button has its own tiny screen. You can set them up to open your most-used apps, launch websites, control music, run shortcuts, or do a bunch of repetitive computer tasks with one press.
What makes it worth paying extra for, IMO, is that the buttons actually show what they do. You're not trying to memorize a million keyboard shortcuts.
It's around $100, which is definitely unnecessary if you only use your computer to browse the internet. But if you spend all day switching between apps and doing the same little tasks over and over, I can see this being one of those gadgets you wonder how you lived without.
Also, it's surprisingly cute on a desk. Not that aesthetics should justify buying more tech accessories... but they don't hurt 😂