Work from home essentials: Tech worth buying for remote working
Setting up the foundations for your home workspace
Working from home is not a new concept. Freelancers across the world have been working not just from the comfort of their cribs, but also when travelling. Many have been able to set up their own desk spaces in separate apartments. Or have converted their bedrooms into a complete office space.
Adding cubicles or partitions is not necessarily required to get an ‘office’ theme at home. But some of the simplest elements like desks, chairs and equipment complete the package. There are indeed more important points that you need to keep in mind when working from home, but it’s equally important to select the right products for a proper workspace.
An ideal workspace at home consists of a desk that can either be compatible to accommodate a large desktop PC or a laptop. If you’re comfortable on a laptop, an external display and a portable mouse will be useful. A light bar added just above the monitor will also help you focus on your work during the night. If you attend a lot of meetings, then choosing the right webcam makes the difference between a noisy and distorted video call and a crystal clear one.
In this buying guide, we list the essential products and devices that you can choose from. Starting from desks, chairs, keyboards and mice and even lighting for your room or desk. Products from brands like GreenSoul, Dell, Red Gear, Logitech, Amazon Basics and Wipro have been included.
The workbench
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This would be the first stage of setting up your workspace at home. It's important to decide the kind of desk you want to get. The dimensions of the desk are critical depending on the layout of the desk that you have in mind. How many desktop monitors will you be using? Will the CPU be placed on the desk or below out of view?
If there aren't many accessories or computing products that will occupy space, you can opt for a regular study desk like the one we've listed below. You can even contact a local carpenter to design a custom desk big or compact enough as per your requirement.
Standing desks are also now in demand. Staying seated during long work hours is detrimental to the health as well as the posture of a person. The motorized desks allow users to adjust the height of desks. You can set the desk at a normal height and sit for a while. Most motorized standing desks come with preset buttons allowing you to program three or four levels of height. These do, however, come at premium prices.
Check out the Pazano Multipurpose Computer Table on Amazon
This compact table is an affordable option for anyone who has plans of using a laptop and an external monitor only. The table may not have the largest dimensions, but it does serve the purpose of a small office in the corner of your room.
Rs. 2,849
Check out the Tekavo Computer Table on Amazon
This computer table is apt for users who want to place multiple monitors and a USB hub for connecting external storage drives or peripherals. It's also easy to mount extension boards on the grill at the back making cord management simple too.
Rs. 7,499
Check out the Green Soul Trigger on Amazon
Indian company Green Soul has been on the rise for many of its products. And the Trigger is the company's affordable standing desk available in the country. The desk comes with a large surface area enough for a desktop PC and monitor. It also comes with presets for height adjustments. You can also check out the Surface desk as well if you're into a gaming-themed computer desk.
Rs. 21,990
The seats
The most used component of a work-from-home setup is the chair and you must choose the right one. The right posture and comfort will allow users to concentrate on their work easily.
We've listed a few chairs that are best for ergonomics while some provide better utility. Not everyone may be comfortable to have an office chair. Some users might want to have large executive chairs with cushioned seats. Others might want to get a gaming chair for reclining seats.
Check out the Savya Home Apex Chairs Apollo on Amazon
This basic chair will be a great start for anyone with a small workspace setup. It is compatible with both small and large computer tables and comes with a headrest too.
Rs. 5,990
Check out the AmazonBasics Mid Back Office chair on Amazon
AmazonBasic products have always been the go-to brand for affordable yet durable products. This office chair would be a great choice for anyone who wants an office chair with leather seats without breaking the bank.
Rs. 6,499
Check out the Green Soul Beast gaming chair on Amazon
AmazonBasic products have always been the go-to brand for affordable yet durable products. This office chair would be a great choice for anyone who wants an office chair with leather seats without breaking the bank.
Rs. 15,690
The tools
We now come to the core devices that will make up your workspace: the tools. These can range from keyboards, mice and desktop monitors to USB hubs, lighting accessories and storage drives.
We've listed out some of the best devices in the market that will allow you to work, manage and complete your tasks smoothly. The right desktop monitor will help reduce eye strain and can also help with multitasking between apps. Mechanical keyboards are known for their responsive keystrokes.
When working from home, you can't entirely rely on cloud storage services. Often it becomes easier to transfer files onto large external storage drives that you can carry with you.
Check out the Lenovo Q24i-1L desktop monitor on Amazon
Lenovo's 24-inch Q-series desktop monitor comes with a sleek design. The slim bezels on the display provide an immersive experience. The display also supports a 75Hz refresh rate which will further improve the experience of working from home.
Rs. 14,939
Check out the Redgear Shadow Blade mechanical keyboard on Amazon
There are many mechanical keyboards available in the market. Redgear Shadow Blade mechanical keyboard comes with RGB keys and a number pad. You also get a wrist rest as well. It's also easy to remove each of the keycaps to clean the keyboard.
Rs. 2,499
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A Malayali-Mumbaikar, Sachin found an interest in all things tech while working in the BPO industry, often spending hours in tech blogs. He is a hardcore foodie and loves going on long bike rides. Gaming and watching TV shows are also some of his other hobbies